ma
THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
THE
Saints Ever lofting Rejl :
>
OR, A
TREATISE
ON THE
BLESSED STATE OF THE SAINTS
IN THEIR
ENJOYMENT OF GOD IN GLQRY.
E::trafted from the WORKS of Mr. BAXTER,
By JOHN -WESLEY, M. A. Late Fellow of Lincoln-College, Oxford,
DUBLIN:
PRINTED BV ROBERT NAPPER, No. 29, CAPEL-STREET,
Ai.'d fold at the New Book Room, No. 13, Whitefriar^lrt ^ 5 a;;d all the Mcthodift Preaching- Houfes in Ireland.
1802 [Price 3J. ylJ. bounds]
4<?
TO THE
INHABITANT
O F
KID D E R MINSTER.
My dear Friends,
T F either I or my labours have any thing of public ufe or worth, it is chiefly (though not only) yours. And I am convinced by Providence, that it is the Will of God it fliould be fo. This I clearly difcerned in my firft coming to you, in my former abode with w you, and in the time of my forced abfence from yon. i~j When I was feparated by the miferies of the late un- v_ happy war, 1 durft not fix in any other congregation, : but lived in a military, unpleafing fiate, left 1 Ihould ^ foreftall my return to you. The offers of greater •worldly accommodations was no temptation to me, S1 once to queRion whether I fliould leave you : your CM free invitation of my return, your obedience to my § doctrine, the ftrong affection which I have yet towards you above all people, and the general hearty return ^ of love which I find from you, do all perfuade mp ^ that I was fent into the world efpecially for the fer- £* vice of your fouls : and that even when I am dead, i •° might be yet a help to your falvation, the Lord hath :J forced me, quite .bende my own refolution, to write this treatife, and leave it in your hands. It was far from my thoughts ever to have become thus public, and burdened the world with any writing of mine : therefore have I often refifted the requeft of my reve- rend brethren, and fome fuperiors, vvrho might elfe A z have
C iv .]
have commanded much more at my hands. But fee how God over-ruleth and crofles our refolutions !
Being in my quarters far from horrte, ^caft into ex- treme languifhing (by the fudden lofs of about a gal- lon of blood, after many years fore-going weaknefs) find having no acquaintance about me, nor any book lut my Bible, and living in continual expectation of death, I bent my thoughts on my Everlafting Reft : and becaufe my memory, through extreme weaknefs, v:as imperfect, I took my pen, and began to draw up my own Funeral Sermon, or feme helps for my own .meditations of heaven, to fweeten both the reft of my life, and my death. In this condition God was pleafed to continue me about five months from home ; where being able for nothing elfe 1 went on with this work, which lengthened to this which you here fee. It is no wonder therefore if I be too abrupt in the be- ginning, feeing 1 then intended but the length of a fermon or two. Much lefs may you wonder if the whole be very imperfect, feeing it was written as it were with one foot in the grave, by a man that was betwixt the living and dead, that wanted ftrength of nature to quicken invention or affection, and had no book but his Bible, while the chief part was finifti- cd. But O how fweet is this providence now to my review ! which fo happily forced me to that work of meditation, which I had formerly found fo profitable to my foul ! and mewed me more mercy in depriving me of other helps, than I was aware of! And hath caufed my thoughts to feed on this heavenly fubjecl, which hath more benefited me than all the ftudies of
my life.
And
C v 3
And now, dear Friends, fuch as it is, I here offer it you ; and upon the knees of my foul, 1 offer up my thanks to the merciful God, who hath fetched up both me and it, as from the grave, for your fervice : who reverfed the fentence of prefent death which by the ableft phyficians was pnfied upon me ! Who interrupt- ed my public labours for a time, that he might force me to do you a more lafting fervice which elfe I had never been like to have attempted ! That God do I. heartily blefs and magnify, who hath refcued me from the many dangers of four years war, and after fo many tedious nights and days, and fo many doleful fights and tidings, hath returned me and many of yourfelves, and reprieved us now to fcrve Him in peace : And though men be ungrateful, and my body ruined beyond hope of recovery ; yet he hath made up all in the comfort I have in you. To the God of mercy do I here offer up my moft hearty thanks, who hath not rejected my prayers, but hath by a won- der delivered me in the midft of my duties ; and hath fuppoited me thefe fourteen years in a languillnng ftate, wherein 1 have fcarce had a waking hour free, from pain; who hath'abeve twenty feveral times de- livered me, when I was near death. And though he hath made me fpend my days in groans and tears, and in a conftant expectation of my change, yet he hath not wholly dtfabled me for his fervice ; and here- by hath more effectually fubdued my pride, and made this world contemptible to me, and forced my dull heart to more importunate requefts, ard occafioned more rare difcoveries of his mercy, than ever I could have expected in a ptofperous (late.
RICHARD BAXTER.
A 3 THE
Saints Everlafting Reft*
HEBREWS iv. 9; There remaineth therefore a Reft to the People of God,
PARTI. CHAPTER I.
THIS R.EST DEFINED.
IT was not only our intereft in God, and a&ual frui- tion of him, which was loft in Adam's fall ; but all fpiritual knowledge of him, and true difpofition to- wards fuch a felicity. Man hath now a heart too fuitable to his eftate ; a low ftate, and a low fpirit. As the poor man that would not believe that any one man had, luch a fum as -an' hundred pounds, it was fo far above what he poflefTed ; fo man will hardly now believe, that there is inch a happinefs as once he had, much lefs as Chrift hath now procured.
The apoftle beftows mod of this epiftle in^ proving to the Jews, that the end of all ceremonies and (hadows, is to direft them to Jefus Chrift, the fubftance ; and that the Reft of Sabbaths, and Canaan, ihould teach them to look for a future Reft. My text is his conclu- iion after divers arguments to that end ; a concluHon fo ufeful to a believer, as containing the ground of all his comforts,, the end of all his duty and fufferings ; that you may be eafily fatisfied, why 1 have made it the fub- jed of my prefent difcourfe. What more welcome to men under afflidions, than Reft ? What more welcome news to men under public calamities ? Hearers, I pray Cod your entertainment of it be but half anfwerable to the excellency of the fubjedf ; and then you will have caufe to blefs God, while you live,, that ever you heard it> as I have that ever I fludied it.
Let
8 The Saints Everlafting Reft, I. § i.
Let us fee, i. What this Reft is. 2. What thefe people of God, and why ib called. 5. The truth of this from other fcripture-arguments. 4. Why this Relt inuft yet remain. 5. Why only to the people of God. 6. What ufe to make of it.
And though the fenfe of the text includes in the word Reft, all that eafe and fafety which a foul, wearied with the burden of fin and fuffering, and purfued by the law, wrath, and confcience, hath with Chrift in this life, — the Reft of grace : yet becawfe it chiefly intends the Reft of eternal glory, 1 mall confine my difcourfe to this.
The Reft here in queftion, is, the moft happy eftate of a chriftian, having obtained the end of his courfe : or it is the perfect endlefs fruition of God, by the per- fected faints, according to the meafure of their capacity to which their fouls arrive at death : and both foul and body moft fully, after the refurrection and final judg- ment.
i. I call it the eftate of a chriftian, to note both the active and paffive fruition, wherein a chriftian's blcff- ednefs lies, and the eftablifhed continuance of both. Our title will be perfect, and perfectly cleared : our- felves and fo our capacity perfected : our poffeffion and lecurity for its perpetuity perfect ; our reception from God perfect ; and therefore our fruition of Him, and confequently our happineis, will then be perfect. And . this is the eftate which we now briefly mention, and lhall afterwards more fully defcribe.
2. 1 call it the moft happy eftate, to diftingnifh it not only from all feeming happinefs which is to be found in the enjoyment of creatures, but alfo from all thofe be- ginnings, foretaftes, and imperfect degrees which we have in this life.
3. I call it the eftate of a chriftian, whereby I mean only the fmcere, regenerate, fanctified Chriftian, whole foul having difcovered that excellency in God through Chrift, cloieth with Him, and is cordially fet upon Him.
4. I add, That this happinefs confifts in obtaining the end, whereby I mean the ultimate and principal end, not any ftibordinate or lefs principal. O how much doth ouf everlafting ftate depend on our right judgment and eftimation of our end !
But it is a doubt with many, Whether the attainment
of
I. § r. The Saints Everlafting Reft. 9
of this glory may be our end ? Nay, fome have conclud- ed, that it is mercenary : yea, that to make Salvation the end of duty, is to be a legalift, and act under a covenant of works, xvhofe tenor is, " Do this and live.'* And many that think it may be our end, yet think, it may not he our ultimate end ; for that fhould be only the glory of God. I fhall anfwer thefe briefly.
1. It is properly called mercenary, when we expect it as wages for work done ; and fo we may not make it our end. Otherwife it is only fuch mercenarinefs as Chrift commandeth. For confider what this end is; it is the fruition of God in Chrift : and if feeking Chrift be mercenary, I defire to be fo mercenary.
2. Ii is not a note of a Legalift neither. It hath been the ground of a multitude of late miflakes in divinity? to think, that " Do this and live," is only the language of the covenant of works. It is true, in feme fenfe it i.« ; but an another it is not. The law of Works only faith, Do this (that is, perfectly fulfil the whole Law) and live, (that is, for fo doing:) but the law of Grace faith, " Do this and live," too r that is Believe in Chrift, feek him, obey him fmcerely, as thy Lord and King ; forfake all, fuffer all things, and overcome, and by fo doing, or in fo doing, you fhall live. If you fet up the abrogated duties of the law again, you are a legalift : if you fet up the duties of the Gofpel in Chrift's ftead, in whole or in part, you err ftill. Chrift hath his place and work ; duty hath its place and work too : fet it but in its own place, and expect from it but its own part, and you go right; yea, more, (how unfavoury foever the phrafe may feem) you may fo far as this comes to, truft to your duty and works; that is, for their own part : and many mifcarry in expecting no more from them, (as to pray, and to expect nothing the more) that is, from Chrift in a way of duty. For if duty have no fnare, why may we not truft Chrift as well in a way of diibbedience as duty? In a word, you muft both ufe and truft duty in fubordination to Chrift, but neither ufe them nor truft them in co-ordination with him. So that this derogates nothing from Chrift ; for he hath done, and will do all his work perfectly, and enableth his people to do theirs : yet he is not properly faid to do it himfelf ; he believes not, repents not, but worketh thefe in them : that is. enableth and exciteth them to it>
Ma
10 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. § i.
No man mud look for more from duty than God hath laid upon it : and fo much we may and muft.
3. If I ftiould quote all the fcriptures that plainly prove this, I ftiould tranfcribe a great part of the Bible :
1 will therefore only deflre you to ftudy what tolerable interpretation can be given of the following places, which will not prove that life and falvation may be, yea,^ jnuft be the end of duty. John, iv. 40, "Ye will not come' to me, that ye might have life." Matt. xi. 12, " The kingdom of heaven fuffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." Luke xiii. 24, " Strive to enter in at the ftrait gate." Phil. ii. 12, " Work out your falva- tion with fear and trembling." Rom. ii. 7. 10, " To them who by patient continuance in well doing, feek for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life. Glory, honour and peace, to every man that worketh good." i Cor. ix. 24, " So run that ye may obtain."
2 Tim. ii. i 2, " If we fufier with him we fhall reign with him." i Tim. vi. 12, " Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life." i Tim. vi. 18. 19, *' That they do good works, laying up a good foun- dation againft the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." Rev. xxii. 14, " BlefTed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and enter in by the gates into the city." Matt. xxv. 34, 35, 36, " Come ye blefled of my Father, inherit, &c. For 1 was an hungered, and ye," £c. Luke xi. 28, " Blefled are they that hear the word of God, and keep it." Yea, the efcaping of hell is a light end of duty to a believer. Heb. iv. I, " Let us fear, left a promife being left us of entering into his reft, any of you fliould come fhort of it." Luke xii. 5, " Fear him that is able to deftroy both foul and body- in hell ;" "Yea, (whatfoever others fay) 1 fay unto you, fear him." i Cor. ix. 27, "1 keep under my body, and bring it into fubjeclion ; left when 1 have preached to others I myfelf ftould be a caft-away." Multitudes of fcriptures and fcripture arguments might be brought, but thefe may fuffice to any that believe fcripture.
4. For thofe that think this Reft may be our end, but not our ultimate end, that muft be God's glory only : I will not gainfay them. Only let them conlider, " What God hath joined, man muft not feparate " The glorifying himfelf, and the faving of his people,
(as
I. § 2. The Saints Everlafting Reft. n
(as I judge) are not two ends with God, but one ; to glorify his mercy in their falvation : fo I think they fliould be with us together intended : we ihould aim at the glory of God (not alone considered without our falvation, but) in our falvation. Therefore I know no warrant for putting fuch a queftion to ourfelves, as fome do, whether we could be content to be damned, fo God were glorified ? Chrift hath put no fuch queftions to us, nor bid us put fuch to ourfelves. Chrift had ra- ther that men would enquire after their true willingnefs to be faved, than their wMlingoefs to be damned. Sure I am, Chrift himfelf is offered to faith, in terms for the moft part refpecling the welfare of the fmner, more than his own abftradted glory. He would be received as a Saviour, Mediator, Redeemer, Reconciler, and Inter- ceflbr. And all the precepts of Scripture being backed with fo many promifes and threatenings, every one is intended of God, as a motive to us, and imply as much.
5. I call a Chriftian's Happinefs, the end of his courfe, thereby meaning, as Paul, 2 Tim. vf. 7, the whole fcope of his life. For Salvation may and mud bs our end : fo not only the end of our faith, (tho' that principally) but of all our actions: for as whatfoever we do, muft be done to the glory of God, fo may they all be done to our falvation.
6. Laftly, 1 make happinefs to confift in this end ob- mined ; for it re not the mere promife of it that imme- diately makes perfectly happy, nor Chrift's mere pur- ehafe, nor our mere feeking, but the apprehending and obtaining, which fets the crown on the Saints' head.
C H A P. II. WHAT THIS REST PRE-SUFPOSETH.
FO R the clearer underftanding the Nature of this Reft, you muft know,
1. There are fome things pre-fuppofed to it.
2. Some things contained in it.
i. All thefe things are pre-fuppofed in this Red: i. A perfon in motion, feeking Reft. This is man
here in the way, angels have it already : and the devils
are pad hope.
2. An
12 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. g 2.
2. An end toward which he moveth for Reft. This can be only God. He that taketh any thing elfe for happinefs, is out of the way the firft ftep. The prin- cipal damning fin, is to make any thing befide God our end or reft. And the firft true laving adt, is to choofe God only for our end and happinefs.
3. A diftance is pre-luppofed from this end, elfe there can be no motion towards it. This fad diftance is the cafe of all mankind fince the fall ; it was our God that we principally loft, and were fhut out of his gracious prefence ; and fince are faid to be without him tn the world ; nay, in all men, at age, here is fuppofed, not only a diftance, but alfo a contrary motion. When Chrift comes with regenerating, faving grace, he finds no man fitting ftill, but all polling to eternal ruin ; till, by conviction, he firft brings them to a ft and ; and by -convcrfion, turns firft their hearts, and then their lives, to himfelf.
' 4. Here is pre-fappofed the knowledge of the true ul- -timate end, and its excellency ; and a ferious intending it. F'or fo the motion of the rational creature proceed- eth : an unknown end, is no end ; it is a contradiction. We cannot make that our end, which we know not ; nor that our chief end, which we know not, or judge not to be the chief good. Therefore where this is not known, that God is this end; there is no obtaining reft in an ordinary >vay, whatfoever may be in ways that by God are kept fecret.
5. Here is pre-fuppofed, not only a diftance from this reft, but alfo the true knowledge of this diftance. If a man have loft his way, and knows it not, he feeks not to return ; therefore they that never knew they were without God, never yet enjoyed him ; and they that never knew they were actually in the way to hell, did never yet know the way to heaven : nay, there will not o;ily be a knowledge of this diftance and loft eftate ; tut afFeclions anfwerable. Can a man find himfelf on the brink of hell, and not tremble ? Or find he hath loft his God, and his foul, and not cry out 1 am undone ?
6. Here is alfo pre-fuppofed, a fuperior moving caufe, elfe we fhould all Hand ftiil, and not move a ftcp forward towards our reit ; no more than the inferior wheels in the watch would fur, if you take away the fpring, or the firft mover. '. This is God. If God
-• move
I. § 2. The Saints Everlafting Reft. 13
move us not, we cannot move. Therefore it is a moft necetfary part of our chriftian wifdom, to keep our fub- ordination to God, and dependance on him : to Be ilill in the path where he walks, and in that way where his Spirit doth moft ufually move.
7. Here is pre-fuppofed, an internal principle of life in the perfon. God moves not man like a (lone, but by enduing him firft with life, not to enable him to move without God, but thereby to qualify him to move himfelf, in fubordination to God, the firft mover.
8. Here is pre-fuppofed alfo, fuch a motion as is rightly ordered and directed toward the end. Not as motion or labour brings to reft : Every way leads not to this end : but he whofe good:>efs hath appointed the end, hath in his wifdom, and by his fovereign authority, appointed the way. Chrifl i>, tlie door, the only way to this Reft. Some will allow nothing elfe to be called the way, left it derogate from Chsift. The truth b, Chrift is the only way to the Father : yet faith is the way to Chrift; and gofpel obedience, or faith anr. works, the way for thofe to walk in, that are in C.hn!l.~
9. There is fuppofed alfo, a ftrong and conftant rno- tion, which may reach the end. The lazy world, that think all too much, will find this to their'coft one day. They that think lefs ado might have ferved, do bat :-- proach Chrift for making us fo much to do. They that have been mcft holy, watchful, painful to get to heaven. find when they come to die, all too little : we fee daily the beft Chriftians, when dying, repent their negli- gence : I never knew any then repent his holinefs an.d diligence. It would grieve a man's foul to fee a muki- tude of mrftakcn fmners lay out their care and pains for a'thing of nought, and think to have eternal falvation with a with, if die way to heaven be not far hardjr than the world imagines, Chrift and his apoftles knew . not the way: for they have told us, That "the kiv,,- dom of heaven fuffereth violence ; that the gate is ftrait, and the way is narrow; and we muft drive, if we will «nter ; for many fhall feck to enter, and not be able," (which implies the faintnefs of their feeking, and that they put not ftrength to the wotk;) and " that the righteous themfelves are fcarcely faved."
I have feen this doctrine alfo thrown by with co:-.- t^mpt by others, who fay, What ! do ye fct us a'wmx- B ire,
•n
14 The Saints Everlafling Reft. I. § 2.
ing for heaven ? Doth our duty do any thing ? Hath not Chrift done all? Is not this to make him a half Saviour, and to preach the law?"
Anf. It is to preach the law of Chrift; his fubjecls are not lawlefs ; it is to preach duty to Chrift. None was a more exa<5l requirer of duty or hater of fin, than Chrift. Chrift, hath done, and will. do all his work; and therefore is a perfect Saviour; but yet leaves us a work too : he hath paid ail the, price, and left us none to pay ; yet he never intended his purchafe Ihould put us into an abfolute title to glory, in point of law, much lefs into immediate poffeffion. He hath purchased the crown to beftow, only on condition of believing, deny- ing all for him, fuffering with him, perfevering and overcoming. He hath purchafed juftification to bertow, only on condition of our believing, yea, repenting and believing ; though it is Chrift that enableth us alfo to perform the condition, it is not a Saviour offered, but received alfo, that muft fave.: it is not the blood of Chrift Ihed only, but applied alfo, that muft fully deli- ver : nor is it applied to the juftification or falvation of a fleepy foul. Nor doth»Chrift carry us to heaven in a chair of fecurity. Or righteoufnefs, which the law of works requireth, and by which it is fatisfied, is wholly in Chrift, and not one grain in ourfelves : nor muft we dare to think of patching up a legal righteoufnefs of Chrift's and our own together.; that is, that our doings can be the leaft part of latisfaclion for our fins. But yet ourfelves muft. perfonally fulfil the conditions of the new covenant ; and fo have the perfect evangelical righ- teoufnefs, or never be faved by Chrift's righteoufnefs. Therefore fay not, it is not -duty, but Chrift : for it is Chrift in a way of duty. As duty cannot do it without Chrift, fo Chrift will not do it without duty.
And as this motion muft be ftrong, fo muft it be con- ftant, or it will fall fhort of Heft. To begin in the fpirit, and end in the flefh, will not bring to the end of the faints. Men, as holy as the beft of us, have fallen off. Read but the promifes, Rev. ii. and iii. To him that overcomclh. Chrift's own difciples muft be com- manded to continue in his love, and that by keeping his commandments : and to abide in him, and his word in them, and he in them. See John xv. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, o, 10.
CHAP.
1. § 3- The Saints Everlafting Reft, 15
CHAP. III. WHAT THIS REST CONTAINETH*
I. J_ H E R E is contained in this Reft,
1. A reflation from Motion or Action. Not from all action, but of that which implies the abfence of the end. When we have obtained the haven, we have; done failing : when we are at our journey's end, we have done with the way. Therefore prophefying ceafeth, tongues fail, and knowledge fhall be done away, that is, fo far as it was imperfect; There fhall be no more prayer, becaufe no more neceffity, but the full enjoy- ment of what we prayed for. Neither fhall we need to fail, and weep, and watch any more, being out of the reach of fin and temptations. Nor will there be any ufs for inftructions and exhortations : preaching is done. The miniftry of man ceafeth : facrarnents ufelefs : the labourers called in, becaufe the harveft is gathered : the unregenerate paft hope, the faints paft fear, for ever. Much lefs fhall there be any need of labouring for infe- rior ends, as here we do ; feeing they all fhall devolve themfelves into the ocean of the ultimate end, and the le/Ter good be fwallowed up in the greateft.
2. This reft containeth a perfect freedom from all the evils that accompanied us through our courfe, and which neceifarily follow our abfence from the chief good : befides our freedom from thofe eternal flames, which the neglecters of Clrrift muft endure. , There is no fuch thing as grief and forrow known there : nor is there fuch a thing as a pale face, a languid body, feeble joints, unable infancy, decrepid age, peccant humours, painful ficknefs, griping fears, confuming care, nor whatfoever deferves the name of Evil. Indeed a gale of groans and fighs, a ftream of tears, accompanied us to the very gates and there bade us farewel for ever. " We did weep and lament when the world did rejoice ; but our forrow is turned into joy, and our joy {hall no man take from us."
3. This Reft containeth the high eft degree of perfec- tion, both of foul and body. This qualifies, them to enjoy the glory, and thoroughly to partake the fweet- nefs of it. Were the glory never fo great, and them- felves not made capable of it, it would be little to them,
B 2 But
16 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. § 3.
But the more perfeft the appetite, the Aveeter the food. The more mufical the ear, the more perfect the foul, the more joyous thofe joys, and the more glorious is that glory. Nor is it only finful imperfection that is removed, nor only that which is the fruit of f;n, but that which adhered to us in our pure nature. There is tar more procured by Chrift than was loft by Adam. It is the mifery of wicked men here, that all without them is mercy, but within them a heart full of fin, (huts the door againft all, and maks them but the more mifera- ble. When all is well within, then all is well indeed. Therefore will God, as a fpecial part of his faints' hap- pinefs, petftcl themfelves as well as their condition.
4. This Peft ccntaineth, as the principal part, our neareft fruition of Gcd. As all good whatfoever is comprifed in God, and all in the creatures are but drops of this ocean; fo all the glory of the Blefled is cnn;- prifed in their enjoyment of God : and if there be any mediate joys here, they are but drops from this. If men and angels IhouKl ftudy to fneak the bleflednefs of that eftate in one word, what can they fay beyond this, That it is the neareft e-joymsnt of God r S;iy, They have God: and you fay, they have all that is worth hrvving. O the full joys offered to a believer in tint one fentence of Chrift's ! 1 woukl not for all the world that verfe had been left out of the Bible: "Father, I will that thofe whom thou haft given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my d'lory, which thou haft given me," John xvii. 24. Every wore! is full of life and joy. If the Queen or" Sheba had cunfe to fay of Solomon's glory, " Happy are thy m°n, happy are thcfe thy fervants, that (tand continually be- fore thee, and that hear thy wifdom ;" then fure they that ftand continually before God, and fee his glory, and the glory of the Lamb, are fomewhat more than happy; to them will Chrifi " give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midft of the paradife of God," Rev. ii. 7.
5. This Reft contained! a fweet and confUnt aclion of tall the powers of the foul and body in this fruition, of God. But great will the change of our bodies and fenfes be ; even fo great, as now we cannot conceive. If grace makes a chriOian differ fo much from what he was, that the chrilliar. could fay to his companions,
Ego
I. § 3. The Saints EverMing Reft. 17
Ego nan fum ego: Jam not the man I was ; how much more will glory make us differ ? We may then fay, much more, This is not the body I had, and thefe are not the fenfes I had. Yet becaufe we have' no other name for them, let us call them fenfes ; call them eyes and ears, feeing and hearing, but conceive, that as much as a body fpiritual, above the fun in glory, ex- ceedeth thefe frail, noifome, difeafed lumps- of fleib, that we now carry about us ; fo far fhall our fenfe of feeing and hearing exceed thefe we now pofTefs : for the change of the ienfes maft be conceived proportion- able to the change of the body. And doubtlefs as God advanceth our fenfes, and enlarged) our capacity : fo will he advance the happinefs of thofe fenfes, and fill up with himfelf all that capacity. And certainly the body fhould not be raifed up, if it fhould not fhare of the glory: for as it hath fhared in the obedience) and fufferings, fo lhall it alfo do in the bleflednefs ; and as Chrift bought the whole man, fo (hall the whole par- take of the everlafting benefits of the purchafe.
And if the body fhall be thus employed, O how fhall the foul be taken up ! As its powers and capacities are greateft, fo its actions are ftrongeft, and its enjoyments fweeteit. As the bodily fenfes have their proper apti- tude and action, whereby they receive and enjoy their objects ; fo doth the foul in its own action, enjoy its own object 3 by knowing, by thinking, and remember-^ ing; by loving, and by delightful joying: by thefe eyes it fees, and by thefe arms it embraceth. If it might be laid of the difciples with Chrift on earth, much more of them that behold him in his glory, " Blefied are the eyes that fee the things that you fee, and the ears that hear the things that you hear ; for many princes and great ones have defired (and hoped) to fee the things that you fee and have not feen them," &c. Matt. xiii. 16, 17. ,r
Knowledge, of itfelf, is very defirabte. As far as the rational foul exceeds the feniitive, fo far the delights of a philofopher, in difcovering the fecrets of nature, and knowing the myftery of fciences, exceeds the de- lights of the glutton, the drunkard, and of all volup- tuous fenfualiils, whatfoever; fo excellent is all trntb. What then is their delight, who know the God of truth ? What would I not give, fo that all the uncer- B 3 tain
1 8 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. § 3.
t:iin principles in Logic, Natural Philofophy, Meta- phyiics, and Medicine, were but certain ? And that my dull, obfcure notions of them were but quick and clear f O what then fhould I not perform, or part with, to en- joy a clear and true apprehenfion cf the moft true God ! How noble a faculty of the foul is the Underftanding ? It can compafs the earth ; it can meafure the fun, moon, ftars, and heaven ; it can foreknow each eclipfe to a minute, many years before : yea, but this is not the top of all its excellency, it can know God, who is infinite, who made all thefe ; a little here, and much more here- after. O the wifdom and goodnefs of our blefled Lord ! He hath created the undemanding with a natural bias to truth and its object : and to the prime Truth, as its prime object : and left we fhould turn afide to any crea- ture, he hath kept this as his own divine prerogative, net communicable to any creature, viz. to be the prime
truth.
Didft thou never look fo long upon the Son of God, ' till thine eyes were dazzled with his aftonifhing glory? and did not the fplendor of it make all things below feem black and dark to thee, when thou lookedft down ag?.in, (efpecially in thy day of fuffering for Chrift, when he ufually appears moft manifeftly to his people ?) Didft thou never fee " one walking in the midft of the rkry furnace with thee, like the Son of God ?" If thou know him, value him as thy life, and follow on to know him ;. and thou (halt know incomparably more than this. O I if I do but renew thy grief, to tell thee what thou once didft feel, but now halt loft ; I counfel thee to " remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the firft works, and be watchful, and ftiengthen the things which remain:" and I dare pro- mile thee, (becaufe God hath promifed) thou (halt fee and know that which here thine eye could not fee, nor thy undertiariding conceive. Believe me, Chriftians, yea believe God ; you that have known moft of God in Chrift he-re, it is as nothing to that you fhall know; it icarce, in companion of that, deferves to be called knowledge. The difference betwixt our knowledge now, and our knowledge then, will be as great as that between our fldhly bodies now, and our fpiritual bodies then. For as thefe bodies, fo that knowledge muft ceafe, tha.t a more perfect may fucceed. Our filly,
childifh
I. § 3. The Saints Everlafling Reft. 19
childifh thoughts of God, which now is the higheft we car, reach to, muft give place to a more manly know- ledge.
Marvel not therefore, how it can be life eternal to know God, and his Son Jeius Chrift.: to enjoy God and his Chrift is eternal Life, and the Soul's enjoying is in knowing. They that favour only of earth, and have no way to judge but by fenfe, and never were ac- quainted with this knowledge of God, think it a poor happinefs to know God. Let them have health and wealth, and worldly delights, and take you the other. Alas, poor men ! they that have made trial of both, do not envy your happinefs : O that you would come near and tafte, and try as they have done, and then judge ; then continue in your former mind, if you can. For our parts, we fay with that knowing Apoftle, (tho* the fpeech may feem prefumptuous) i John v. 19, 20, " We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickednefs. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true ; and we are in him that is true, in his Son Jefus Chrift. This is the true God, and eternal life." The Son of God is come, to be our head and fountain of life, and hath given us an under/landing that the foul may be made capable to know Htm (God) that is true, the prime of truth ; and -we are brought fo near in this enjoyment, that ive are in him that is true: we are in Him, by being in bis Son Jcfus Chr'i/l : This is the true God, and fo the fitted object for our under- ftanding, and this knowing of him, and being in him, in Chr\ft> is eternal life."
And doubtlefs the memory will not be idle in th« blefled work. If it be but by looking back, to help the foul to value its enjoyment. Our knowledge will be enlarged, not diminifhed ; therefore the knowledge of things paft fliall not be taken away. From that height, the faint can look behind him and before him : and to compare paft with prefent things, muft needs raife ia the bleifed foul an unconceivable fenfe of its condition. Te ftand on that mount, whence we can fee the wilder- nefs and Canaan both at once ; to ftand in heaven, and look back on earth, and weigh together in the balance, how muft it tranfport the foul, and make it cry out, Is this the purchafe that coft fo dear as the blood of Chrift }
O bfcffed
20 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. § 3.
O blefled price, and thrice blefTed love ! Is this the end . of believing ? Is this the end of the Spirit's workings ? Have the gales of grace blown me into fuch an harbour ? Is it hither that Chrift hath enticed my foul? O blefled way, and thrice bleffed end ! Is this the glory which the fcriptures fpoke of, and minifters preached of fo much ? Now 1 fee the gofpel indeed is good tidings, even Tidings of great joy to all nations ! Is my mourn- ing, my fading, my heavy walking, groanings, com- plainings, come to this ? Are all my affliclions and fears, all Satan's temptations and the world's fcorns come to this ? O vile nature, that refilled fuch a blefs- ing ! Unworthy foul ! Is this the place thou cameft fo unwillingly to ? Was the world too good to lofe ? Didft thou ftick at leaving all, denying all, and fuflfer- ing any thing for this ? O falfe heart ! that had almoft betrayed me to eternal flames, and loft me this glory ! O bafe flefh ! that would needs have been pleafed tho' to the lofs of this felicity ! Didft thou make me to queftion the truth of this glory ? Didft thou draw me to difturb the Lord ? My Soul, art thou not alhamed that even thou ciidft queftion that love that hath brought thee hither ? That thou waft jealous of the faithfulnefs of thy Lord ? That thou fufpecledft his love, when thou ihouldeft have only fufpecled thyfelf ? That thou . ciidft not live continually tranfported with thy Saviour's love ? And that ever thou. quenchedft a motion of his Spirit ? Art thou not afhamed of all thy hard thoughts of fuch a God ? Of all thy mif-interpreting thofe pro- vidences, and repining at thofe ways that have fuch an end ? Now thou art convinced, that the ways thou call- •edft hard, and the cup thou calledft bitter, were necef- fary : that thy Lord meant thee better than thou would ft believe ; and that thy Redeemer was laving thee, as well when he crofled thy defires, as when he granted them ; as well when he broke thy heart, as when he bound it up. No thanks to thee, for this crown, but. to Jehovah and the Lamb for ever!
. Thus, as the memory of the wicked will eternally promote their torment, to look back on the fin com- mitted, the grace refilled, Chrift neglected, and time loft : fo will the memory of the faints for ever promote their joys.
But
I. § 3. The Saints Everlafting Reft. 21
But O the hill, the near, the fweet enjoyment, is that of the affections, love and joy: it is near, for love is the eflence of the foul, and love is the eflence of God. " God is Love, and he that dwelleth in Love, dwelleth in God, and God in him." The acting of this affection wherefoever, carrieth much delight with it ; efpecially when the object appears deferving, and the affection is ftrong. But uhat will it be, when per- fect affections fhali have the ftrongeil perfeifl acting upon the mod perfect object ! Now the poor foul complains, O that I could love Chrift move ! but I cannot, alas, I cannot : yea but then thou canft not choofe but love him !- I had almoft faid, Forbear if thou canft. Now thcu knoweft little of his amiablenefs, and therefore loved little : then thine eye will affect thy heart, and the continual viev.-ip.g of that perfect beauty, will keep thee in continual ravifhmer.ts of love. Now thy falva- tion is not perfected, nor alHhe mercies purchafed, yet given in ; but when " the Top (lone is fet on, thou (halt with fhoutings cry, Grace, grace !" Chriftians, doth it r,ow ftir up your love, to remember all the experi- ences of his love : to look back upon a life of mercies ? Doth not kindnefs melt you ? And the fun fhine of di- vine goodnefs warm your frozen hearts? What will it do then, when you (hall live in love, and have all in him, who is all ? O the high delights of love ! of this love ! The content that the heart findeth in it ! The fatisfadtion it brings along with it! Surely love is both work and wages.
And if this were all, what a high favour that God will give us leave to love him! That he will vouchfafe to be embraced by fuch arms that have embraced fin before him ! But this is not all. He returned love for love : nay, a thoufand times more : as perfect as we (hall be, we cannot reach his meafure of love. Chrif- tian, thou wilt then be brim-full of love ; yet love as much as thou canft, thou {halt be ten thoufand times more beloved. Doft thou think thou canft over-love Him? What, love more than love itfelf! Were the arms of the Son of God open upon the crofs, and an open paiTage made to his heart by the fpear ? And will not his arms and heart be open to thee in glory ? Did he begin to love before thou loveft, and will he not continue now ? Did he love thee an enemy ? thee a fin-
22 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. § 3.
ner? thee who even loathed thy felt" ? and own thee when thou didft difclaim thyfelf ? and will he not now unmeafurably love thee a.fon? thee a perfect faint; thee who returned love for love ? Thou waft wont in- jurioufly to queftion his love; doubt of it now if thou- canft. As the pains of hell will convince the rebellious fmner of God's wrath, who would never before believe it : fo the joys of heaven will convince thee thoroughly ef that love which thou \vouldft fo hardly be per&iaded of. He that in iove wept over the old Jerufalem near her ruins ; with what love will he rejoice over the new Jerufalem in her glory ? Methinks I fee him groaning and weeping over dead Lazarus,, till he forced the Jews that ftood by to fay, Behold how he loved bim ! Will lie not then much more, by rejoicing over us, make all (even the damned, if they fee it) lay, Btlold • hotv he loveth them !
Here is t-he heaven of heavens ! the fruition of God ; in thcfe mutual embracements of love, doth it confift. To love and be beloved : " Thefe are the everlafting arms that are underneath : his left hand is under their heads, and with1 his right hand doth he embrace them."
Stop here and think awhile what a ftate this is. Is it a fmall thing to be beloved of God ? To be the fon, the fpoufe, the love, the delight of the King of Glory ? Believe this, and think on it: thou fhalt be eternally embraced in the arms of that love which was from ever- lafting and will extend to everlafting ; of that love, which brought the Son of Gnd's love from heaven to- earth, from earth to the crofs, from the crofs to the grave, from the grave to glory : that love which was weary, hungry,, tempted, fcorned, fcourged, buffeted, fpit upon, crucified, pierced ; which did faO:,- pray, teach, heal, weep, fweat, bleed, die: that love will eternally embrace them. When perfed created iove, and moft peifect uncreated love meet together, O that blefled meeting ! It will be like Jofeph and his bre- thren, who lay upon one another's necks weeping : it will break forth into pure joy; not a mixture of joy and forrow : it will be loving and rejoicing, not loving and forrowing: yet will it make Pharaoh's (Satan's) court to ring, with the news, that Jofeph's brethren are come ! that the faints are arrived fafe at the bofom of Chrift, out of the reach of hell for ever.
And
I. § 3. The Saints Everlafting Reft. 23
And now are we not left in the Apoftle's admiration ? <« What (hall we fay to thefe things?" Infinite love muft needs be a myftery to a finite capacity. No won- der, if angels defire to pry into the myftery ; and if it be the ftudy of the faints here, " to know the height, and breadth, and length, and depth of this love, tho* it pafleth knowledge:" this is the Saints' Reft in the fruition of God by lore.
Laftly, The affedion of Joy hath not the leaft fhare in this fruition. The inconceivable complacency which the bleffed feel in their feeing, knowing, loving, and being beloved of God. The delight of the fenfes here, cannot be known by expreffions, as they are felt : how much lefs this joy? this is "the white ftone which none knoweth, but he that receiveth :" and if there be any joy which the ftranger meddleth not with, then furely this above all, is it. All Chrift's ways of mercy tend to, and end in the Saints' joys. He wept, forrow- ed, fuffered, that they might rejoice; he fendeth the Spirit to be their comforter. He multiplieth promjfes. He difcovers their future happinefs, that their joy might be full ; he aboundeth to them in mercies of all forts. •" He maketh them to lie down in green paftures, and- leadeth them by the ftill waters :" yea, " openeth to them the fountain of living waters, that their jey may be full, that they may thirft no rriore, and that it may fpring up in them to .eyerlafting life ;" lie caufeth them to fuffer, that he may caufe them to rejoice ; and chaften- eth them that he may give them reft ; and maketh them (as he did himfelf) " to drink of the brook in the way, that they may lift up the/head," Pfalm ex. 7. And left • after all this they ihould negleft their own comforts, he maketh it their duty, commanding them to rejoice in . him alwavs. And he never brings them into fo low a condition, wherein he leaves them not more caufe of joy than of forrow. And hath the Lord fuch a care for us here; where the bridegroom being from us we muft mourn ? O ! what will that joy be, where the foul being perfectly prepared for joy, and joy prepared by Chritl for the foul, it lhall be our work or bufinefs, eternally to rejoice ?
And it feems'the Saints' joy (hall be greater than the damned's torment : for their torment is the torment of .creatures, "prepared for the devil and his angels;'*
but
24 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. § 3.
but our joy is " the joy of our Lord," even our Lord's own joy fhall we enter. " And the fame glory which the Father giveth him, doth the Son give them," John xvii. 22. " And to fit down with him on his throne, even as he is let down on his Father's throne," Rev. iii. 21. Thou that now fpendeft thy days in forrow, \vho knoweft no garments but fackcloth, no food but the bread and water of afflictions, what fayeft thou to this great change ? From all forrow to more than all joy ! Thou poor foul, who prayeft for joy, complained for want of joy, then thou (halt have ful'l joy, as much as thou canft hold, and more than ever thou thoughteft on, or thy heart defired.
And in the mean time, walk carefully, watch con- ftantly, and then let God meafure out thy times and degrees of joy. It may be he keeps them till thou haft more need : thou mayeft better lofe thy comfort, than thy fafety : as the joy of the hypocrite, io the fears o£ the upright, are but for a moment. '*' Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." O blefled morning ! Poor drooping foul, how would it fill thee with joy now, if a voice from heaven (hould aflure thee of thy part in thefe joys ? What then will thy joys be, when thy actual poffeiTion ihall convince thee of thy title : when the angels lliall bring thee to Chrift, and when Chrift (hall (as it were) take thee by the hand and lead thee into thy purchafcd poficfiion ! Wilt thou not be almoft ready to draw back, and to fay, What I, Lord! 1, the unworthy neglecler of thy grace ! and flighter of thy love ! Muft I have this glo- ry ? " Make me an hired fervant, 1 am no more wor- thy to be called a fon." But love will have it io: therefore muft thou enter into his ;oy.
And it is not thy joy only : it is a mutual joy, as well as mutual love. Is there fnch joy in heaven. at thy converfion, and will there be none at thy -glorification ? Will not the angels welcome thee thither, and congra- tulate thy iafe arrival ? Yea, it is the joy of Jefus Chrift : for now he hath the end of his labour, fuffer- ii\g, dying, when we have our joys ; " when he is glorified in his faints, and admired in all them that be- lieve." We are his feed, and the fruit of his foul's tra-
vai],
I. § 3. The Saints Everlafting Reft. 25
vail, which when he feeth, he will be fatisfied :" lie will rejoice over his purchafed inheritance, and his people (hall rejoice in him.
Yea, the Father himfelf puts on joy too, in our joy: as we grieve his Spirit, and weary him, with our iniqui- ties ; fo he is rejoiced in our good. O how quickly here doth he fpy a returning prodigal, even afar off? How doth he run and meet him, fall on his neck, and kifs him ? This is indeed a happy meeting : but nothing to the joy of that lad and great meeting.
And now look back upon all this: I fay to thee, as the angel to John, " What haft thou fcen :" Or, if yet thou perceive not, draw nearer, come up higher, "Come and fee ;" doft thou fear thou haft been all this while in a dream ! Why, " Thefe are the true fayings of GOD." Doft thou fear (as the difciples.) that thou hail feen but a ghoft inftead of Chrift ? A fhadow iuftead of Reft ? Come near, and feel : a fhadow contains not thofe fubftantial bletlings, nor refts upon fuch a. fure word of promife, as you have feen thefe do. Go thy way now, and tell the difciples, and tell the drooping fouls thou meeteft with, that thou haft, in this glafs, fedn -heaven ; that " the Lord indeed is rifen, and hath here appeared to thee:" and behold he is gone before MS into reft ; and that he is now preparing a place for them, and will come again, and take them to himfeif, that " where he is, there they may be alfo." • But alas ! my fearful heart dares fcarce proceed : me- thinks 1 hear the Almighty's voice, laying to me, as to Elihu, Job xxxviii. 2,^ ' •' Who is this that darkeneth coimfel by words without knowledge ?" • '
But pardon, O Lord, thy fervant's fin : I have not pried into unrevealed things, nor curiouily fearched into thy counfels : but indeed I have dishonoured thy hoii- nefs, wronged thine excellency, diigraced thy faints' glory, by my difproportionable pourtraying : 1 will- be- wail from my heart, that my apprehtnfions are fo dull, iny thoughts fo mean, my affedtions fo ftupid, and my expreffions fo low. But I have only heard by the hear- ing of the ear: O let thy fervant fee thee and pofiefs thefe joys, and then I fhall have more fuitable conceiv- ings, and Ihall p,ive thee fuller glory. " 1 have now uttered that 1 uncferftood not ; things too wonderful for me, which I know not. Yet I believed, and therefore C fpake."
26 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. § 4.
fpake." Remember with whom thou haft to do: what canft thou expect from duft, from corruption, but de- filement? Our foul hands will leave, where they touch, the marks of their uncleannefs : and moft on thofe things that are moft .pure. " 1 know thou wilt be fanc- tified in them that come nigh thee, and before all the people thou wilt be glorified :" and if thy jealoufy ex- cluded from that land of reft, thy fervants Mofes and Aaron, becaufe they fanftified thee not in the midft of Ifrael ; what then may I expect ? But though the weak- nefs be the fruit of my own corruption : yet the fire is from thine altar, and the work of thy commanding. I looked not- into thine ark, nor put forth my hand unto it without thee. O therefore wafh away thefe ftains aifo in the blood of the Lamb.
CHAP. IV. The four great PREPARATIVES to our REST.
HAVING thus (hewed you a fmall glimpfe of that refemblance of the Saints' Reft, which 1 had feea in the gofpel-glafs ; it follows, that we proceed to view a little the blefied Properties of this Reft. And why doth jny trembling heart draw back ? Surely the LarU is not now fo inaccefiible, nor the way fo blocked up, as when the law and curfe reigned. Wherefore, find- ing the flaming fword removed, I fliall lo.ok again into the paradife of our God.
And firft, Let us confider the great preparations : for the porch of this temple is exceeding glorious. Let us obferve,
1. The moft glorious coming of the Son of God.
2. His raifing .our bodies, and uniting them again with the foul.
3. His folemn .proceedings in their judgment, where they fhall be juftified before all the world.
4. His enthroning them in glory.
i. And well may the coming of Chrift be reckoned with thofe ingredients that compound this precious Reft: for to this end it is intended ; and to this end it is of apparent neceflity. For his people's Gike he fanflified himfelf to his office : for their fake he came into the
jiu, fuffered, died, rofe, afcen/fed: and for their
I. § 4. The Saints Everlafting Reft. 27
fake it is that he will return. To this end will Chrift come again to receive his people to himfelf, " that where He is there they may be alfo," John xiv. 3. He that would come to fuffer, will furely come to triumph : and he that would come to purchafe, will furely come to poflefs.
But why ftayed he not with his people while he was here ? Why ? Muft not the Comforter be lent ? Was not the work on earth done? Mult he not receive the recempenfe of reward, and enter into his glory? Muft he not take poffeffion in our behalf : Muft he not go to prepare H place for us ? Muft he not intercede with the Father, and plead- his fuffenngs, and be filled with the Spirit to fend it forth, and receive authority to fub- due his enemies ? Our abode here is fhort : if He had ftayed on earth, what would it have been to enjoy him for a few days, and then die? But he hath more in heaven to dwell among; even the Spirits of thejuft of many generations there made perfect. O what a day will that be, when we who have been kept prifoners by the grave, (hall be fetched out by the Lord himfelf: •when Chrift /hall come from heaven to plead with his enemies, and fet his captives free ? It will not be fuch a coming as his firft was, in meannefs, and poverty, and contempt ; he will not come to be fpit upon and buffeted, and fcorned, and crucified again ; he will not come, O carelefs world, to be flighted by you any more. * And yet that coming, which was in infirmity and reproach for our Hikes, wanted not its glory. If the angels of heaven muft-be the meffengers of that coming, as being tidings of joy to all people : and the heavenly hoft muft accompany his nativity, and muflr praife God with that folemnity ; O with what fhoutings will angels and faints at that day proclaim, " Glory to God, and peace and good- will towards men !" If the ftars in heaven muft lead men to come to worfhip a child in a manger, how will the glory of his next appearing conftrain all the world to acknowledge his fovereignty ? If when he was in the form of a fervant, they cried out, " What 'manner of man is this, that both wind and fea obey -him ?" What fhall they fay when they fhall fee him coming in his glory, and the heavens and earth obey him ? " Then fhall appear the fign of the Son of Mail in heaven, and then (hall all the tribes of the earth G 2: mourn,
23 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. § 4.
mourn, and they Ihall fee the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory." . This coming of Chritl is frequently mentioned in the Prophets, as the great fnpport of his people's fpjrits till then. And whenever the ApofUes would quicken to c'aty, or encourage- to patient waiting, they ufually did it by mentioning Chrid's coming. Why then do we :;ot ufe more this cordial coftfi deration, whenever we war.t fupport and comfort ? Shall the wicked and pro- fane with inconceivable horror behold him and cry out, \onder is he whofe blood we neglected, whqfe grace v,s refilled, whole government we caft off! And*" mall rut. the faints, with inconceivable gladnefs, cry out : is he whofe blood redeemed us, whofe fpirit cleanfed us ! Yonder cc :r..j he in whom vre milled, and now we fee he hath not deceived our truft: he for v. :.o;n we long waited, and now we fee we have not waited in vain. Oh how iLonld it then be the character of a Chriltian, " To wait lor the Son of God frorn heaven, whom he raifed from the dead, even Jeius which delivered us from the wrath to come?" I Thef. i. 10. And with all faithful diligence to prepare to meet our Lord with joy. And feeing his coming is of purpofe to be glorified in his Sntnls, anil admired in all them that lelleif, what thought ihould glad our hearts more than the thought of that day? A little while indeed we have not " feen him, but yet a little while and we shall fee him," for he hath laid, " 1 will not le%re you comfoi tlcfs, but v.ill come unto you." We were com- foitlefs, ihould he not come ? And while we daily gaze and look up to htaven after him, let us remember what the angels faid, "This fame Jefus which is taken up from you into heaven, fhall fo come in like manner, as ye have feen him go into heaven." Let every Chriltian, that heareih and readeth, fay Conies' and our Lord him- feif faith, "Surely, 1 come quickly. Amen. Even fo, come Lord Jeius./''
The fecond ftream that leadeth to paradife, is that great work of Jeius Chrift, in raifing our bodies from the dtift, uniting them again unto the foul. What, faith the Atheift, Shall all theie fcattered bones and duft be- er me a man? Thou fool, doft thou difpute againft the power of the Almighty? Doft thou object difficulties to infinite flrength, Thou blind mole: Thou little
piece
I. § 4. The Saints EverJafting Reft. '2,9
piece of creeping, breathing clay. But come thy war, let me take thee by the hand, and with reverence (as Elihu) plead for GOD; and for that power whereby 1 hope to rife, Seeft thou this great maffy body of the earth ? Upon what foundation doth it (land ? Seeft tbou this vaft ocean of waters ? What limits them, and why do they not overflow and drown the earth? Whence is that conftant ebbing and flowing of her tides ? Wilt thou fay, from the moon or other planets ? And whence have they that influence:1 Muft thou not come to a Caufe of caufcs, that can do all things ? And doth not reafon require thee, to conceive of that Caufe as a per- fect intelligence, and voluntary agent, and not fuch a blind worker and empty notion as that nothing is, which thou called nature ! What thinkeft thou ? is not that power able to effect thy refurreftion, which doth all this ? Is it not as eafy to raife the dead, as to make Tieaven and earth, and all out of nothing ? But if thou be unperfuadable, all I fay to thee more is as the pro- phet to the prince of Samaria (2 Kings, vii. 19.) " Thou lhalt fee that day with thine eyes," but little to thy com- fort ; for that which is the day of relief to the Saints, (hall be a day of vengeance on thee.
Come then fellow-chriftians, let us commit thefe car- cafes to the duft : that prifon (hall not long contain them. Let us lie down in peace and take our reft; it will not be an everlafting r.ight nor endlefs fleep. What if we go out of the troubles and ftirs of the world, and enter into thole chambers of dufi, and the doors be (hut upon us, and we hide ourfelves, as it were, for a little moment, "until the indignation be overpaft ? Yet, behold the Lord cometh out of his place, to punifti the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity;" and then the earth (hall citfclofe us, and the dull (hall hide us no more. As fure as we awake in the morning, when we have flept oat the night, fo fine Ihall we then awake.
Lay down then cheerfully this lump of corruption ; thou (halt undoubtedly receive it again in incorruption. Lay down freely this terreftrial, this natural body; thou (halt receive it again a celeftial, a fpiritual body. Tho' thou lay it down with great difhonour, thou (halt receive it in glory; and though thou art feparated from it through weaknefs, it fhall be raifed again in mighty C 3 power.
3*o The Saints Everlalling Reft. I. § 4,
power. When the trumpet of God fhall found the call, Come away: Rift ye Dead ; who ihall then ftay behind ? Who can refill the powerful comniand of our Lord ? When He ihall call to the Earth and Sea, 0 Earth, 0 Sea, give up thy Dead! the firft that ihall be called are the faints that fleep ; and then the faints that are alive fhall be changed. For " they which are alive and re- main till the coming of the Lord Hiail not prevent them \vhich are afleep. For the Lord himfelf foall defcend from heaven with a fhcut, with the voice of the arch- angel and with the trump of God ; and the Dead in Chrifl ihall rife firft. Then they which are alive, and remain, fhall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord." 'Triumph now, O Chrif- tian in thefe promifes ; thou (halt Ihortly triumph in tbe:r performance. For this is the day that the Lord will make ; " We ihall be glad and rejoice therein." The grave that could not keep our Lord, cannot keep us ; he arofe for us, and by the fame power will caufe us to ariie. " For if we believe that Jefus died, and role again ; even fo them alfo which flept in Jefus, will God bring with him." Therefore let our hearts be glad, and our glory rejoice, and our flefh alfo reft in hope ; for he will not leave us in the grave, nor fuffer us ftill to fee corruption. Yea, " therefore, let us be iUdfaft, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as we know our labour is not in v.iin in the Lord.
The third part of this prologue to the Saints' Reft, Is the iblemn procefs at their judgment, where they fhall firft themfelves be juftified ; and then with Chrift judge the world. All the world muft there appear, young and old, of all eftatcs and nations, that ever were from the cr^arinn to that day. The judgment ihall be fet, and the Nooks opened, and the book of life produced; *' and the dead fhall be judged out of thofe things, which were written in the books, according to their works, and whofoever is not found written in the Book of life, is caft into the lake of fire." O terrible ! O joyful day; Terrible to thofe that have not watched, hut forgot the coming of their Lord ! Joyful to the .Saints, whofe waiting and hope was to- fee this day I Then i'nall the world behold the goodnefs and feverity of the Lord : on them who perifii, Severity; but to his
chofen,
I. § 4. The Saints Everhifling Reft. 31
chofen, Goodnefs. When every one muft give account of his Itewardihip, and every talent of time, health, wit, mercies, affliction, means, warnings, mull be reck- oned for. When the fins of youth, and thofe which they had forgotten, and their fecret fins (hall all be laid open before angels and men : when they (hall fee all their friends, wealth, old delights, all their confidence and falfe hopes forfake them. When they (hall fee the Lord Jefus whom they neglected, whofe word they dif- obeyed, whofe minifters they abufed, whofe fervants they hated, now fitting to judge them : when their own confidences (hall cry out againft them, and call to their remembrance all their mifdoings. Remember at fuch a time fuch or fuch a fin ; at fuch a time Chrift fued hard for thy converfion ; the minifter preffed it home to thy heart, thou waft touched to the quick with the word ; thou didft purpofe returning, and yet thou didft caft off all. . O which way will the wretched finner look ! O who can conceive the thoughts of his heart ? Now the world cannot help him; his old companions cannot help him ; the faints neither can nor will ; only the Lord Jefus can ; but there is the mifery, he will not ; nay, without violating the truth of his word, he cannot ; tho* otherwife, in regard of his abfolute'povver, he might. The time was, finners, when Chrift would, and you would not ; and now, fain would you, and he will not. What then remains, but to cry to the mountains, " Fall on us ; and to the hills, cover us from the prefence of him that fits upon .the throne !" But all in vain ! For thou haft the Lord of mountains and hills for thine enemy, whofe voice they will obey, and not thine. Sinner, make not flight of this ; for as thou liveft (ex- cept a thorough change prevent it) thou fhalt fhortly to thy unconceivable horror fee that day.
Poor, carelefs finner, 1 did not think here to have faid fo much to thee ; but if thefe lines fall into thy hands, " I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jefus Chrift, who fhall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing, and his kingdom :" that thou make hafte and get alone, and let thyfelf fadly to ponder thefe things! afk thy heart, Is this true, or is it not? Is there Inch a. day, and muft I fee it? What do I then? Is it rot time, full time, that I had made fure of Chrift and comfort long ago ? Should 1 fit ftill another day,
•32 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. § 4.
who have loft fo many ? Friend, I profefs to thee, from the word of the Lord, that of all thy fweet fins, there will then be nothing left, but the fting in thy confcience, which will be never out through all eternity. But why trembled thou, O gracious foul ? He that would not overlook one Lot in Sodom: nay, that could do nothing till he went forth ; Will he forget thee at that day? Thy Lord " knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to referve the unjuft to the day of judgment to be punifhed :" he knoweth how to make the fame day the greateft terror to his foes, and yet the greateft joy to his people. " There is no con- demnation to them that are in Chrift Jefus, who walk not after the fleth, but after the Spirit." And, "who fhall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect ?" Shall the Law ? Why, " Whatfoever the law faith, it faith to them that are under the law ; but we are not under the law, but under grace: for the law of the fpirit of life, which is in Chrifl Jefus, hath made us free from the law of fin and death !" Or (hall Con- fcience ? We were long ago " juft ified by faith, and fo have peace with God, and have our hearts fprinkled from an evil confcience ; and the Spirit bearing witnefs with our fpirits, that we are the children of God. It is God that juftifieth, who fhall condemn ?" If our judge condemn us not, who (ball ? He that faict to the adulterous woman, " Hath no man condemned thee ? Neither do T condemn thee :" he will fay to' us, (more faithfully than Peter to him) "Tho' ail men deny thee or condemn thee, 1 will not. Thou haft confeffed me before men, and I will confefs thee before my Father, and the angels in heaven."
What inexpreffible joy may this afford a believer! Our dear Lord fhall be our Judge ! will a man fear to be juxlged by his deareft friend, by a brother, by a father? or a wife by her own hufband ? Did he come down, and fuffer, and weep, and bleed, and die, for thee — and will he now condemn thee ? Was he judged, and condemned, and executed in thy flead, and now will he condemn thee ? Hath it coft him fo dear to fave thee ? And will he now deftroy thee ? Hath he done the moll of the work already, in justifying, preferving, and perfecting thee ? and will he now undo all again ?
O what
I. § 4. The Saints Everlafling Reft. 33
O what an unpardonable fin is Ui\belief, that will charge our Lord with fuch abfurdities ? Well then, fellow Chriftians, let the terror of that day be never fo great our Lord cfan mean no ill to us in all. Let it make the devils tremble ; and the wicked tremble ; but it Ihall make us leap for jo/. And it muft needs aiFecl us deeply with the fenfe of our mercy and happinefs, to behold the contrary condition of others. To fee mod of the world tremble with terror, wjiile we triumph with joy ; to fee them trufl into hell, when we are proclaimed heirs of the kingdom ; to fee our neighbours, that lived in the fame towns, came to the fame congre- gations, dwelt in the fame houfes, and were efteemed more honourable i'-n the world than ourfelves ; now fo differenced from us, and by the Searcher of hearts eter- nally feparated. This, with the great magnificence and dreadfulnefs of the day, doth the Apoftle pathetically exprefs, in 2 Theft", i. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. " It is righte- ous with God to recomper.ce tribulation to them th;it trouble you ; and to you who are troubled, reft with ws; when the Lord Jefus fhall be revealed from heaven with his m/ighty angels, in flaming fire, taking ven- geance on them that know not God, and obey not the gofpel of our Lord Jefus Chrilt ; and who fhall be puni fiied with everlafting dellrucYion from the prefence ot 'the Lord, and from the glory of his power." And row is not here enough to make that day a welcome day, and the thoughts of it delightful to us ? But yet there is more. We (hall be fo far from the dread of that judgment, that ourfelves (hall become the judges. Cbrift will take his people, as it were into commiffion with him ; and they fhall fit and approve his righteous judgment.
" Do you not know that the faints fhall judge the \v . Id?" Nay, " Know you not that we fhall judge angels?" Surely, were it not the word of Chrill that fpeaks it, this advancement would feem incredible, yet even Enoch the feventh from Adam prophefied of this, laying, " Behold the Lord ccmeth, with ten thoufami of his faints, to execute judgment upon all : and to • convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their' ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed ; and of all their hard fpceches, which ungodly firmer*
have
34 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. § 4.
have fpoke againft him," Jade 14, &c. Thus fhall the Saints be honoured, and the "righteous have dominion in the morning." O th.it the carelefs world were but " wife to confider this, and that they would confider their latter end !" That they would be now of the fame mind, as they will be when they fhall fee " the heavens pafs away with a noife, and the elements melt with fervent heat ; the earth alfo, and the works that are therein be burnt up ?" When all (hall be on fire about their ears and all earthly glory confumed. " For the heavens and the earth which are now, are refcrved vmto fire againft the day of judgment, and perdition of ungodly men. Seeing then all thefe things flmll be dilforVed, what manner of perfons ought ye to be-in all holy converfation and godlinefs ; looking for, and hafting to the coming of the day of God ; wherein the heavens being on fire, fhall be diffolved, and the ele- ments melt with fervent heat."
The fourth antecedent to the Saints' advancement is, their folemn coronation, and receiving into the king- dom. For as Chrift, their he;\d, is anointed both king and pried ; fo under him arc his people made unto God both kings and priefts : " To reign, and to offer praifes for ever," Rev. v. 10. "The ciown of righteoufnefs, which was laid1 up for them, fhall by the Lord, the righteous judge, be given them at that day," 2 Tim. iv. 8. " They have been faithful to the death, and therefore fhall receive the crown of life*" and according to the improvement of talents here* fo {hall their rule and dignity be enlarged. So that they are not dignified with empty titles, but real dominion. For " Chrift •will take them and fet them down with himlelf, on his own throne ; and will give them power over the nations, even as he received of his Father. And will give them the morning ftar." The Lord himfelf will give l.-em pofleffion with thefe applauding expreffions ; " Well done, good and faithful fervant, thou haft been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over rnany things ; Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." And with this folemn and bleiled proclamation fhall he en- throne them ; " Come, yc bleifed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you, from the foundation of the world." Every word is full of life and joy. (Come!) This is the holding forth of the golden
fceptre ;
I. § 4. The Saints Everlalhng Reft. 35
fceptre; to warrant our approach unto this glory. Come now as near as you will ; fear not the Bethflie- mite's judgment: for the enmity is utterly taken away. This is not fuch a Come as we were wont to hear, Come take up your crofs, and follow me: though that was fweet, yet this is much more. [Te bleffed} Bleffed indeed, when that mouth (hall fo pronounce us. For though the world hath accounted us accurfed, yet certainly thofe that he bleffeth are bleffed ; and thofe whom he curfeth, only are curfed ; and his bleffing (hall not be revoked. But he hath bleffed us, and it (hall not be revoked. But he hath bleffed us, and we (hall be bleffed. [Of my Father] Bleffed in the Father's love, as well as the Son's ; for they are one ; the Father hath teftified his love, in fending Chrift, accepting his ranfom ; as the Son hath alfo teftified his. [Inherit] No longer bond-men, nor .fervants only, nor children under age, who differ not in poffeffion, but only in the title, from fervauts; but, now we are heirs of the kingdom, co-heirs with Chr'tjl* [The kingdom'] No lefs than the kingdom! Indeed to be King of kings, and Lord of Jords, is our Lord's -own title; but to be kings and reign with him, is ours ; the fruition of this kingdom, is as the fruition of the light of the fun, each hath the r.hole, and the reft neverthelefs. [Prepared for you] God is the Alpba^ as well as the Omega of our bleffednefs. Eternal love hath laid the foundation. He prepared the kingdom for us, and then prepared us for the kingdom. This is the preparation of his counfel ; for the execution whereof Chrift has yet to make a further preparation '[For you] Not for believers only in general, but for you in particular. [From the foundation of the ivorld.~\ Not only from the promife after Adam's fall, but from eternity.
But a difficulty arifeth in our way. In what fenfe is our improvement of our talent, our well-doing, our overcoming, our labouring, vifiting, feeding Chrift in his little ones, alledged as a reafon of our coronation and glory ? Is it not the purchafed pofleffion, and mere fruit of Chart's blood ? If every man muft be judged according to his works, and receive according to what they have done in the flefn, whether good or evil; if "«' God will render to every man according to his deeds," Horn. ii. 6, 7. And give eternal life to all men, if they
patiently
36 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. § 4.
patiently continue in well-doing; if he will give right to the tree of life, Rev. xxii. 14. and entrance into the city, to the doers of his commandments ; and if this laft abfolving fentence be the compleating of our jufti- fication ; and fo " the doers of the law be juftified," Rom. ii. 13. Then, what is become of free-grace ? Or juftification by faith only ? Or the fole rightequfcefs of Chrift to make us accepted ? 1 anf\ver,
1. Let not the names of men draw thee one way or another, or make thee partial in fearching for the truth ; but call not doctrine unfound, becaufe it is theirs ; nor found becaufe of the repute of the writer.
2. Know this, That as an unhumbled foul is far ?pter to give too much to duty and perfrmul righteoui net's, than to Chrift ; fo an humble, felf-denying Chrift ian is as likely to err on the other hand, in giving lefs to duty than Chrift hath given, and laying all the work from himfelf on Chrift, for fear of robbing Chrift of the honour ; and fo much to look at Chrift without him, and think he fhould look at nothing in himfelf; that he forgets Chrift within him.
3. Our giving to Chrift more of the work than fcrip- ture doth, or rather our afcribing it to him out of the fcripture way, doth but dilhonour, and not honour him ; and deprefs, but not exalt his fre^ grace : while we deny the inward fanclifying work of his fpirit, and extol his free juftification, which are equal fruits of his merit, we make him an imperiecl faviour.
4. But to arrogate to ourfelvcs any part of Chrlft's prerogative, is moft defpetate of all, and no dotfrine more directly overthrows the gofpel, than that of jufti- fication by merits of our own, or by the works of the law.
And thus we have feen the Chriftian fafely landed in puradife ; and conveyed honourably to his Reft. Now let us a little further view thofe manfions, coniider his privileges, and fee whether there be uny glory like unto this glory.
CHAP.
I. § 5. The Saints Everlafting Reft. 37
CHAP. V. THE EXCELLENCIES OF OUR REST.
LET us fee more immediately from the pure foun- tain of the fcriptures what further excellencies this Reft affbrdeth. And the Lord hide us in the clifts of the rock, and cover us with the hands of indulgent grace, while we approach to take this view !
And firft, it is a moft fmgular honour of the Saints' Reft, to be called the put-chafed pojjeffion ; that is, the fruit of the blood of the Son of God ; yea, the chief fruit ; yea, the end and perfection of all the fruits of that blood. Surely Love is the moft precious ingre- dient in the whole compofition ; and of all the flowers that grow in the garden of love, can there be brought one more fweet than this Love ? Greater love thau this there is not, to lay down the life of the lover. And to have this our Redeemer ever before our eyes, and the livelieft fenfe and frefheft remembrance of that dying, bleeding love ftill upon our fouls ; Oh how will it fill our fouls with perpetual ravifhments, to think that in the ftreams of this blood, we have fwam thro' the violence of the world, the fnares cf Satan, the Inducements of the flefti, the curfe of the law, the wratli of an offended God, the accufations of a guilty con- fcience, and the doubts and fears of an unbelieving heart, and are parted through allj and arrived fafely at the prefence of God ! Now we are ftupifkd with vile and fenfelefs hearts, that can hear all the (lory of this love, and read all the fufferings of love ; and all with dulnefs, and unaffedednefs. He cries to .us, "Behold and fee, Is rt nothing to you, O all that pafs by ? Is there any forrow litce unto my forrow ?" And we will fcarce hear or regard the voice ; or turn afide to view the wounds of him who healed our wounds at fo dear a rate. But oh, then our perfected fouls will feel as well as hear, and with feeling apprehenfions flame in love for love. Now we fet his piclure wounded and dying before our eyes, but can get it no nearer our hearts, than if we believed nothing of what we read. But theft, when the obftructions between the eye and the under- ftanding are taken away, and the paffage opened be- tween the head and the heart, furely our eyes will ever- D laftingly
38 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. § 5.
laftingly affecl our heart; and while we view with one eye, our flain-revived Lord, and with the other eye, our loft-recovered fouls, thefe views will eternally pierce us, and warm our very fouls. And thofe eyes through which folly hath fo often ftolen into our hearts will let in the love of our deareft Lord forever.
We fKall then leave thefe hearts of ftone and rock, behind us, and the fin that here fo clofe befet us, and the fottifii unkindnefs that followed us fo long, ftiall not be able to follow us into glory. But we fhall behold, as it were, the wounds of love, with eyes and hearts of love for ever. Now his heart is open to us, and ours fhut to him ; but when his heart fliall be open, and our hearts open, Oh the ble/fed congrefs that will then be ! What a paffionate meeting is there between our new- rifen Lord, and the firft fmful woman that he appears to ! How doth love ftruggk for expreffions ? And the ftrained fire fhut up in the bread, drives to break forth ? Mary ! faith Chrift ! Matter ! faith Mary ! and pre- lently ftie clafps about his feet, having her heart as near to his heart as her hands were to his feet. What a meeting of love then will there be, between the new glorified faints, and the glorious Redeemer ! But I am here at a lofs, my apprehenfions fail me, and fall too fliort. Only this 1 know, it will be the fingular praife of our inheritance, that it was bought with the price of blood : and the fingular joy of the faints, to behold the purchafer and the price, together with the poffeflion : neither will the views of theVounds of love renew our •wounds of forrow ; he whofe firft words after his refur- reclion were to a great finner, Woman, <why <weepeji thou ? knows how to raife love and joy by all thofe views, without raifing any cloud of forrow. If a dying friend but deliver a token of his love, how carefully do we preferve it, and ftill remember him when we behold it, as if his own name were written on it? And will not then the death and blood of our Lord everlaftingly Iweeten our pofleffed glory ? Well then, Chriftians, as you ufe to do in your books, and on your goods, to write down the price they coft you : fo on your righte- oufnefs, and on your glory, write down the price, The erfcioui blood of Ckrtfl,
I. § 5. The Saints Everlafling Reft. 39
Yet underftand this rightly : not that this higheft glory was in the ftrideft fenfe purchafed, fo as that it was the moft immediate effecl: of Chrift's death : we irmft take heed that we conceive not of God as a tyrant, who fo delighteth in cruelty, as to exchange mercies for ftripes. God was never To pleafed with tht fufferings of the innocent, much lefs of his Son, as to fell his mercy properly for their fufferings. But the fufferings of Chrift were primarily and immediately to fatisfy juftice and to bear what was due to the finner, and fo to reflore him to the life he loft, and the happi- nefs he fell from : but this dignity which furpaffeth tke firft, is as it were, from the redundancy of his merit, or a fecondary fruit of his death. The work of his redemption fo well pleafed the Father that he gave him power to advance his chofen to a higher dignity than they fell from ; and to give them the glory which was given to himfelf j and all this according to the good pleafure of his own will.
2. The fecond psarl in the Saints1 diadem, is that it is free. This feemeth as Pharaoh's fecond kine, to devour the former. But the feeming difeord is but a pleafmg diverfity which conftitutes the melody. Thefe two attributes purchafed and free, are the two chains of gold, which make up the wreath for the heads of the pillars in the temple of God. It was dear to Chrift, but free to us. When Chrift was to buy, filver and gold was nothing worth ; prayers and tears could not fuffice ; nor any thing below his blood ; but when v;e come to buy, our buying is but receiving : we have it; freely •without money and without price. Nor do the gofpel conditions make it the lefs free . if the gofpel conditions had been fuch as are the law's or payment of the debt required at our hands ; the freenefs then were more queftionable. Yea, if God had faid to us [Sinners if you ivill fatisfy my juftice for one of your fins •, I will for- give you all the rejl,~] it would have been a hard condi- tion on our part, and the grace of the covenant not fo free, as our difability doth require. But if all our condition be our cordial acceptance, furely we deferve not the name of pnrchafers. Thankful accepting of a free acquittance, is no paying of the debt. If life be offered to a condemned man, upon condition that he D 2 (hall
40 The Saints Everlafling Reft. I. § 5.
fliall not refufe the offer, the favour is neverthelefs free. Nay though the condition were, that he fhould beg» and wait before he have his pardon, and take him for his Lord v.'ho hath thus redeemed him, this is no fatif- fying the juftice of the law; efpecially when the con- dition is alfo given by God. Surely then here is all free ; if the Father freely gave the Son, and the Son freely pay the debtt and if God freely accept that way of payment, when he might have required it of the principal ; and if both Father and Son freely offer us the purchafed life upon thofe fair conditions ; and if they alfo freely fend the Spirit to enable us to perform thofe conditions, then what is here, that is not free ? Oh the everkifting admiration that muft needs furprife the faints to think of this freenefs ! What did the Lord fee in me, that he fliould judge me meet for fuch a ftate ? That I who was but a poor, defpifed wretch, fhould be clad in the brightnefs of this glory ? That I, a filly creeping worm, (hould be advanced to this high dig- nity ! He that durft not lift up his eyes to heaven, but flood afar off, fmlting his bread, and crying, " Lord, be merciful to me a fmner ;" now to be lifted up to heaven himfelf ! He who was wont to write his name in Bradford's ftyle, The unthankful, the hard-hearted, the unworthy Jinne r ! and was wont to admire that patience ; fure he will admire at this alteration, when he fliall find by experience, that unworthinefs could not hinder his falvation, which he thought would have bereaved him of every mercy. Ah Chriflian, there is no talk of our •worthinefs or unworthinefs. If worthinefs were our condition for admittance, we might fit down with St. John, and weep, " Becaufe none in heaven or on earth is found worthy. But the Lion of the tribe of Judah is worthy, and hath prevailed ;J and by that title mml we hold the inheritance." We (hall offer there the offering that David refufed, even " praife for that which cofl us nothing." Here our commiffion runs, " Freely we have received, freely give." But Chritl hath dearly revived, yet freely gives. Yet this is not all. If it •were only for nothing, and without our merit, the wonder were great : but it is moreover againft our merit, and againft our long endcavouring6ur own ruin, The broken heart that hath known the defert of fin,
doth
I. § 5. The Saints Everlaftlng Reft. 41
doth both underftand and feel what I fay ! What an aftoniftiing thought it will be, to think of the unmea- furable difference between) our defervings and our re- ceivings ! Between the ftate we fhould have been in, and the ftate we are in ! To look down upon hell, and fee the vaft difference thnt free grace hath made betwixt us and them? To fee the inheritance there, which we were born to, fo different from that which we are adopted to ! Oh, what pangs of love will it caufe within us, to think, yonder was the place that fin would have brought me to : but this is it that Chrilt hath brought me to. Yonder death was the wages of my fin : but this " eternal life is the gift of God, thro* Jefus Chrift my Lord." Doubtlefs this will be our everlafting admiration, that fo rich a crown fhould fit the head of fo vile a finner ! That fuch high advance- ment, and fuch long unfruitfulnefs and unkindnefs can be the ftate of the fame perfons ! And that fuch vile rebellions can conclude in fuch moft precious joys ! But no thanks to us ; nor, to any of our duties and labours, much lefs to our neglecls and lazinefs ; we know to whom the praife is due, and mud be given for ever. And indeed to this very end it was, that infinite wifdom did caft the whole defign of man's lalvation into the mould of Purchafe and Freenefs, that the love and joy of man might be perfected, and the honour of grace moft highly advanced ; that the thought of merit might neither cloud the one, nor ohftruc"t the other ; and that on thefe two hinges the gates of heaven might turn. So then let (Deferved) be written on the door of hell, but on the door of heaven and life ; (The free Gift.)
A third comfortable adjunft of this Reft is, That it is the fellowfhip of the bleifed faints and angels of God. Not fo fingular will the Chriftian be, as to be folitary. Though it be proper to the Saints only, yet it is com- mon to all the Saints. For what is it, but an aflbciation of bleffed fpirits in God ? A corporation of perfected Saints, whereof Chrilt is the head ? The communion of Saints compleated ? For thofe that have prayed, and faded, and wept, and watched, and waited toge- ther; now to enjoy, and praife together, methmlcs {hould much advance their pleafure. He who mention- eth the qualifications of our happinefs, on purpofe that D 3 our
42 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. § 5.
our joy may be full, and maketh fo often mention of our conjunction in his praifes, furc doth hereby intimate to us, that this will be fome advantage to our joys. Certain I am of this, fellow-chriftians, that as we have been together in labour, duty, danger, and ciftrefs, fo fhall we be in the great recompenfe ; and as we have been fcorned and defpifed, fo fhall we be crowned and honoured together ; and we who have gone through the day of fadnefs, fhall enjoy together that day of gladnefs. And thofe who have been with us in perfecution and prifon, fhall be with us alfo in that palace of confolation. When I look in the faces of the people of God, and believingly think of this, yea, what a refrefhing thought is it ! Shall we not there remember our fellowiLip in duty, and in fuffer- ings ? How oft our groans made as it were one found ? our tears but one ftream, and our defires but one prayer. And now all our praifes fhall make up one melody ; and all our churches one church : and all ourfelves but one body : for we fhall be one in Chrift, even as he and the Father are one. It is true we muft be very careful that we look not for that in the Saints, which is alone in Chrift, and that we give them not his preroga- tive ; nor expe<5l too great a p:irt of our comfort in the fruition of them : we are prone enough to this kind of idolatry. But yet he who commands us fo to love them now, will give us leave in the fame fubordination to himfelf, to love them then, when himfelf hath made them much more lovely. And if we may love them, we fhall furely rejoice in them ; for love cannot ftand •without an anfwerable joy. If the fore- thought of fit- ting down with Abraham, liaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, may be our lawful j»y ; then how much more that real fight, and actual pofleflion ? Jt cannot but be comfortable to me to think of that day when I fhall join with Mofes in his Song, with David in his Pfalms of Praife ; and with all the redeemed in the Song cf tl->e Lamb for ever. When we fiiall fee Tunoch walking with God ; Noah enjoying the end of his fingularity ; Jofeph of his integrity ; Job of his patience ; Hezekiah of his uprightnefs ; and all the Saints the end of their faith. O happy day, when I fhall depart out of this crowd and fink, and go to that fame council of fouls ! 1 know that Chrift is All in All,
and
T, § 5. The Saints Everlafting Reft. 43
and that it is the prefence of God that maketh heaven to be heaven. But yet it much fweeteneth the thoughts of that place to me, to remember that there are fuch a multitude of my mod dear and precious friends in Chrift : " with whom I took fweet counfel, and with \vhom 1 went up to the houfe of God, who walked with me in the fear of God, and integrity of their hearts : in the face of whofe conversations there was •written the name of Chrift, whofe fenfible mention of his excellencies hath made my heart to burn within me. To think that fuch a friend that died at fuch a time, and fuch a one at another time, and that all thefe are
entered into Reft , and we fhall furely go to them.
It is a queftion with fome, Whether we fhall know each other in heaven or no ? Surely, there fhall no knowledge ceafe which now we have ; but only that which implieth our imperfection. And what imperfec- tion can this imply ? Nay, our prefent knowledge fhall be increafed beyond belief: it fliall indeed be dene away, but as the light of ftars is done away by the rifing of the fun ; which is more properly doing away of our ignorance than our knowledge ; indeed we fhall not know each other after the flefh ; but by the image of Chrift, andfpiritual relation, and former faithfulnefs in improving our talents : beyond doubt, we fhall know and be known. Nor is it only our old acquain- tance, but all the Saints of all ages, whofe faces in the flefh we never faw, whom we fhall there both know, and comfortably enjoy. Yea, and Angels as well as Saints, will be our blefled acquaintance. Thofe who now are willingly minifterial fpirits for our good, will willingly then be our companionsin joy for the perfecting of our good: and they who had fuch joy in heaven for our convcriion, will gladly rejoice with us incur glorification, I think, Chriftian, this will be a more honourable afiem- bly, than ever you have beheld; andamore happy Society than you were ever of before. Then we fhall truly fay, as David, " I am companion of all them that fear Thee ; when we are come to Mount Sion, and to the City of the Living God, the Heavet.ly Jerufalem, and to an innume- rable Company of Angels : to the general affembly, and church of the firft born, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the fpirits of juft
44 The Saints Everlafling Reft. I. § 5.
men made perfect, and to Jefus the Mediator of the New Covenant." So then I conclude, This is one fm-
Jular excellency of the Reft of heaven, That we are 'Ho-TU-citizfns with the Saint st and of the houfehold of God. 4. Another excellent property of our Reft will be, that the joys of it are immediately from God, JVeJkall fee Go& face to face ; and ftand continually in his pre- fence ; and confequently derive our life and comfort immediately from him. Whether God will make ufe of any creatures for our fervice then ; or if any, of •what creatures, and what ufe; is more than I yet know : but it is certain, that at leaft our greateft joys will be immediate, if not all. Now we have nothing at all immediately, but at the fecond or third hand, or how many who knows ? From the earth, from man, from fun and moon, from the influence of the planets, from the miniftration of Angels, and from the Spirit of Chrift ; and doubtlefs. the farther the ftream runs from the fountain, the more impure it is. It gathers fome defilement from every unclean channel it paffeth thro'. Though it favours not in the hand of Angels, of the imperfections of fmners, yet it doth of the imperfetfion of creatures ; and as it comes from man, it favours of both. How quick and piercing is the word in itfelf! Yet many times it never enters, being managed by a feeble arm. O what weight and worth is there in every pafiage of the blefied gofpel ! Enough, one would think, to enter and force the dulleft foul, and wholly poflefs its thoughts and affections : and yet how oft doth it drop as water upon a ftone ? The things of God which we handle, are divine : but our manner of hand- ling is human : and there is little or none that ever we touch, but we leave the print of our fingers behind us ; but if God fhould fpeak this word himfelf, it would be a piercing, melting word indeed.
If an angel from heaven ftiould preach the gofpel, yet could he not deliver it according to its glory ; much lefs we, who never faw what they have feen, and keep this treafure in earthen veflels. The comforts that flow through fermons, facraments, reading, conference, and creatures, are but half comforts ; in comparifon of thofe which the Almighty fhall fpeak with his own mouth> and reach forth with his own hand. The Chrif-
I. § 5. The Saints Everlafling Reft. 45
tian knows by experience now, that his mod immediate joys are his fweeteft joys ; which have lead of man, and are moft directly from the Spirit. That is one reafon, 1 conceive, why Chriftians, who are much in fecret prayer and meditation, are men of greateft life : becaufe they are nearer the well-head, and have all more immediately from God himfelf. And that 1 con- ceive to be the reafon, why we are more indifpofed to thofe feeret duties, and can eafier bring our hearts to hear, and read, than to fecret prayer, felf-examinatton, and meditation ; becaufe in the former is more of man, and in thefe we approach the Lord alone, and our na- tures draw back from the moft fpiritual duties. Not that we fhould therefore caft off the other, and neglect any ordinance of God : to live above them while we ufe them, is the way of a Chriftian. But to live above ordinances fo as to live without them, is to live without the goverment of Chrift. It is then we fhall have light without a candle ; and a perpetual day without the fun : " for the city hath no need of the fun, neither of the moon to fhine in it ; for the glory of God doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof, Rev. xxi. 23. Nay, There fhall be no night there, and they need no candle, nor light of the fun, for the Lord God giveth them light, and they fhall reign for ever and ever." We fhall then have reft without fleep, and be kept from cold without our cloathing, and need no fig- leaves to hide our fhame ; for God will be our Reft, and Chrift our cloathing, and fhame and fin will ceafa together. We fhall then have health without phyfic, and ftrength without the ufe of food ; for the Lord God will be our ftrength, and the light of his counte- nance will be health to our fouls and marrow to our bones. We fhall then (and not till then) have enlight- ened underftandmgs without Scripture, and be governed without a written law. For the Lord will perfect his law in our hearts, and we fhall be all perfectly taught of God ; his own Will fhall be our law, and his own face fhall be our light for ever. We fhall then have communion without facraments, when Chrift fhall drink with us of the fruit of the vine, that is, refrefh us with the comforting vine of immediate fruition, in the king- dom of his Father.
5. A
46 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. § 5.
5. A further excellency of this Reft is this : it will be a fuitable Reft: fuited, i. To our natures. 2. To our defires. 3. To our necefllties.
1. To our natures. If fuitablenefs concur not with excellency, the bell things may be bad tons : for it is not that which makes things good in themfelves, to be good to us. In our choice of friends, we oft pafs by the more excellent, to chufe the more fuitable. Every good agrees not with every nature. The choiceft dain- ties which we feed upon ourfelves, would be to our beafts, as an unpleafing, fo an infufficientfuftenance.
Now here is fuitablenefs and excellency conjoined. The new nature of the Saints doth fuit their fpirits to this Reft : and indeed their holinefs is nothing elfe but a fpark taken from this element, and by the Spirit of Chrift kindled in their hearts, the flame whereof, as mindful of its divine original, doth ever mount aloft, and tend to the place from whence it comes. Gold and earthly glory, temporal crowns and kingdoms, could not make a Reft for Saints. As they were not redeemed with fo low a price fo neither are they endued with fo low a nature. As God will have from them a fpiritual worfhip, fuitable to his own fpiritual being ; fo will he provide them a fpiritual Reft, fuitable to his people's fpiritual nature.
A heaven of the knowledge of God, and his Chrift ; and a delightful complacency in that mutual love, and everlafting rejoicing in the fruition of our God, a per- petual finging of his high praifes : this is a heaven for a Saint ; a fpiritual Reft, fuitable to a fpiritual nature. Then we fhall live in our element. We are now as the fifti in fome fmall veflel of water, that hath only fo much as will keep him alive ; but what is that to the full ocean ? We have a little air let into us, to afford us breathing : but what is that to the fweet and frefh gales upon mount Slon ? We have a beam of the fun to lighten our darknefs, and a warm ray to keep us from freezing ; but then we (hall live in its light, and be revived by its heat for ever.
2. It is fuitable to the defires of the Saints : for fuch as is their nature, fuch are their defires ; and fuch as their defires, fuch will be their Reft. Indeed we have now a mixed nature ; and from contrary principles,
arifc
I. § 5. The Saints Everlafting Reft. 47
arife contrary defires. But it is the defires of our re- newed nature which this Reft is fuited to. Whilft our defires remain corrupt and mifguided, it is far greater mercy to deny, yea, to deftroy them, than to fatisfy them ; but thofe which are fpiritual, are of his own planting and lie will furely water them, and give the increafe. He quickened our hunger and thirft for righ- teoufnefs, that he might make us happy in a full fatis- faction.
Chriftian, this is Reft aft«r thy own heart : it con- taineth all thy heart can wifh, that which thou longed for, prayeft for, laboured for, there thou fhalt find it all. Thou hadft rather have God in Chrift, than all the world ; why there thou fhalt have him. Defire what thou canft, and afk what thou wilt, as a Chriftun, and it fliall be given thee ; not only to half of the kingdom, but to the enjoyment of both kingdom and king. This is a life of both defire and prayer ; but that is a life of fatisfaftion and enjoyment.
3. This Reft is fuitable to the Saints' necefllties alfo, as well as their natures and defires. It contains what- foever they truly wanted : not fupplying them with grofs created comforts, which, like Saul's armour on David, are more burthen than benefit : but they fliall there have the benefit without the burthen ; and the pure fpirits extracted (as it were) fhall make up their cordial, without the mixture of any drofTy or earthy fubftance. It was Chrift, and perfect holinefs, which they mod needed, and with thefe fhall they be fupplied.
4. Another excellency of our Reft will be this, that it will be abfolutely perfect and compleat ; and this both in the fincerity and univerfality of it. We fhall then have joy without forrow, and reft without wearinefs : as there is no mixture of our corrup- tion with our graces, fo no mixture of fufferings with our iblace ; there is none of thofe waves in that harbour, 'which now tofs us up and down. To-day we are well, to-morrow lick ; to-day in efteem, to-morrow in difgrace ; to-day we have friends, to-morrow none ; nay, we have wine and vinegar in the fame cup. If re- velations ihould raife us to the third heaven, the meflen« ger,of Satan muft prefently buffet us : but there is none of this incoaftancy in hcaren. If perfect love cafts out
fear;
48 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. § 5.
fear ; then perfect joy muft needs caft out forrow, and perfect happinefs exclude all the relicks of mifery. There \vill be an univerfal removal of all our evils. And though the pofitive part be the fweeteft, and that which draws the other after it, even as the rifing of the fun excludes the darknefs ;. yet is not the negative part to be flighted, even our freedom from fo many and great calamities. Let us therefore look over thefe things more punctually, and fee what it is that we fhall here reft from. In general, it is from all evil. Particularly, Fitjl, from fin. Secondly, fufFering.
Fir/}, It excludeth nothing more directly than fin ; whether original, and of nature ; or atfual, and of con- verfation ; for " there entereth nothing that defileth, or worketh abomination, nor that maketh a lye." What reed Chrift have died, if heaven could have contained imperfect fouls ? " For to this end came he into the world, that he might put away the works of the Devil." His blood and the Spirit have not done all this, to leave us after all, defiled. For what communion hath light •with darknefs ? And what fellow/hip hath Chrift with Belial ? He that hath prepared for fin the torments of hell, will never admit it into the bleffednefs of heaven. Therefore Chriftian, never fear this ; if thou be once in heavens thou (halt fin no more. Is not this glad news to thee, who haft prayed and watched, and la'ooured againft it fo long ? I know if it were offered to thy choice, thou would ft rather chufe to be freed from fin, than to be made heir of the world. Thou fhalt have thy defire : thofe vile temptations, which thou couldft no more leave behind thee, than leave thy- felf behind thee, fhall be now left behind for ever. If they accompany thee to death, they cannot proceed a ftep further. Thy underftanding fhall never more be troubled with darknefs : ignorance and error are incon- fiftent with this light. Now thou walkeft like a man in twilight, ever afraid of being out of the way ; but then will all darknefs be difpelled, and our blind under- ftandings fully opened.
O what would we give to know clearly all the pro- found myfteries in the doctrine of redemption, of jufti- tication, of the nature of grace, of the divine attributes ! What would we give to fee all dark Scriptures made plain, to fee all feeming contradictions reconciled !
When
L § 5. The Saints Everlading Red. 49
When glory hath taken array the veil from our eves, a'l this will be known in a moment; we fhall then fee clear- ly into all the controveriies about doftrine or difciplme that now perplex us. The pooreft Chriftian is prclb-.v.ly there a more perfect divine, than any are here. We are now through our ignorance fubjecT: to fuch mutability* that in points not fundamental, we change as the moon ; but when once our ignorance is perfectly healed, then lliall we be fettled, refolved men ; then Ihall our re- proach be taken from us, and we fhall never change our judgment more. Our ignorance now doth lead us into error, to the grief of our more knowing brethren, to the disturbing the church's quiet, to the fcandalizing ot others, and weakening ourfelves. How many a faithful foul is feduced into error ! Loth they are to err, God knows ; and therefore read and pray, and yet err Rill. And in lefTer and more difficult points, how can it be otherwise ?
Can it be expected, that men void of learning an-1 flrength of parts, unftudied and untaught, fhould atthj •firil onfet know thole truths, which they are aimed in- capable of knowing at all? When the greateil divines of cleareft judgment acknowledge fo much difficulty, that they could almo:l find in their hearts, fome times to profefs them quite beyond their reach ? But O thaC happy approaching day, when error fhall vaniih away for ever, when our understanding fhall be filled with God himfelf, whofe light will leave no darknefs in us ! His face (hall be the Scripture, where we ihali read the. truth : and himfelf inftead of teachers and counfellors, to perfect our understandings, and acquaint us with himfelf. No more error, no more fcandai to others, no more difquiet to our own fpirit, no more millaken zeal, for falfehood. Many a good man hath here in his mif- tiken zeal, been a meuns to deceive and pervert his bre- thren ; and when he fees his own error, cannot again tell how to undeceive them : but there we ihall all con- fpire in one truth, as being one in Him who is the truth. And as we lliall reft from all the fin of our under - {landings, fo of our wills, affections, and converfation. We Ihall no more retain this rebelling principle, which is Itill withdrawing us from God. We ihall no more be Oppreffed with the po'.vs.: of -<?ur corruptions, uor vexed 1C with
50 The Saints Everlafling Reft. I. § 5.
v-ith their prefence : no pride, pafflon, florhfulnefs, fenfelefihefs fhall enter with us ; no ftrangenefs to God, and the things of God ; no coldnefs of affections, nor imperfection in our love ; no uneven walking, nor grieving. of the fpirit ; no fcar.dalous action, or unholy converfation : we fhall reft from all thefe for ever. Then fhall our understandings receive their light from the face of God, as the full moon from the open fun : Our wills fhall correfpond to the divine will, as face anftuers face in a glafs ; and his will fhall be our law and rule, from \vhich,we fhall never fwcrve again. I conclude there- fore with the words next my text, He that is entered inta h'ts Reft, has ceafed from bis oiun works, as God did from his. So that there is a perfect Reft from fin.
Secondly, It is a perfect Reft from fufFering. When the caufe is gone the effect ceafeth. Our fufferings were but the confequents cf our finning, and here they both ceafe together.
We fhall rett from all the temptations of Satan. What a grief it is to a Chriftian, though he yield not to the temptation, yet to be ftill folicited to deny his Lord ? That fuch a thought mould be caft into his heart ? That he can fet about nothing that is good, but Satan is ftill difiuading him from it, or difoouraging him arter it ? What a torment, as well as a temptation is it, to have fuch horrid motions made to his foul ? Sometimes un- dervaluing thoughts of Chrift ; fometimes unbelieving thoughts of Scripture; fometimes injurious thoughts of Providence ; to be tempted fometimes to turn to prefent things ; fometimes to play with the baits of fin ; fome- times to venture on the delights of the flefh ; and fome- times to Athcifm itfelf ? Efpecially, when we know the treachery of our own hearts, that they are as tinder, ready to take fire, as foon as one of thefe fparks Ihall fall upon them ; but when the day cf our deliverance comes, we fhall fully reft from thefe temptations : Satan is then bound up, the time of tempting is over; the time of torment to himfelf, and his conquered captives, is then come ; and the victorious faints fhall have tri- umph from temptation. Now we walk among his fnares, and are in danger of being circumvented with his wiles: but then we are quite above his fnares. He hath povcr here to tempt us in the v.-iideni?fs. but he enter-
eth
I. § 5. The Saints Everlafting Reft. 51
eth not into the Holy City : he may fet us on the pinna- cle of the temple in the earthly Jerufalerh, but the New Jerufalem he may not approach. Perhaps he m;;y bring us to an exceeding high mountain ; but Mount Sion, the City of the living- God, he cannot afcend. Or if he fhould, yet all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, will be but a poor bait to the foul which is poiTeiTed of the kingdom of our Lord.
2. We (hall reft from all our temptations which we now undergo from the world and the flefn, as well as Satan : and that is a number inexprcffible. O the hourly dangers that we here walk in ! Every fenfe is a (hare ; every member a fnare ; every creature a fnare ; every mercy a fnare ; and every duty a fnare to us. We can fcare open our eyes, but we are in danger : if we be- hold them above us, we are in danger of envy : if we fee fumptnous buildings, pleafant habitations, honour and riches, we are in danger to be drawn away with covetous defires : If the rags and beggary of others, we are in danger of applauding thoughts of unmerciful- nefs ; if we fee beauty, it is a bait to us ; if deformity, to loathing and difdain. We can fcarcely hear a word fpoken, but contains to us matter of temptation. How foon do flanderous reports, vain jefts, or wanton fpeeches creep into the heart ? How (trong and prevalent «i temptation is our appetite-? And how conftant and flrong a watch doth it require? Have we comelinefs and beauty ? What fuel for pride ! Are we deformed ? What an occafion of repining ! Have we (Irength of reafon, and learning ? Ohow hard is it not to be puffed up ? To hunt after applaufe ? To defpife our brethren ? Are we unlearned, of (hallow heads and (lender parts ? How apt then to defpife what vye have not ! And to undervalue that which we do not know ! And to err with confidence, becaufe of cur ignorance ! And if conceitcdnefs and pride do but ftrike in, to become a x.ealous enemy to truth, and a leading troubler of the church's peace, under pretences of truth ? Are we men of eminence and authority ? How ftrong is our temptation to (light our brethren ! To abufe our trufl. ! To feek ourfelves ? To ftand upon our honour and privileges ! To forget ourfelves, our poor brethren, and the public good ! How hard to devote our power to E 2 his
52 The Saints Everlafiing Reft. I. § 5.
his glory, from whom we have received it ! How prone to make our wills our law ! Are we inferiors ? Hnw prone to grudge at other's pre-eminence ! And to bring their actions to the bar of our judgment ! Are v:e rich, and not too much exalted ? Are we poor, and rot discontented ? Do we fet upon duties ? They are ihares too : either we are ftupid and lazy, or reft on them and turn from ChriiL In a word, not one word that-falls from the mouth of a Minifter and Chriftian, but is a fnare ; not a place we come into, not a word that our tongues fpeak, not any mercy we poifefs, not a L;t we put into our mouths, but they arefnares: not that God hath made them fo, but through our own cor- ruption they become fo to us. So that what a fad cafe ;tre we in : efpecially they that difcern them not ; for it is alnioft impoflible they ihculd efcape them ! It was n®t for nothing that our Lord cries out, " What I fay to one, I fay to all, Watch." We are like the lepers at Samaria, " if \ve go into the city, there is nothing but famine; if we lit dill, we perifh."
But for ever bleffed be omniponent Love, which faves us out of all thefe, and makes our ftraits but the advan- tages of the glory of his grace! And " bleffed be the Lord, who hath not given our fouls for a prey, our ibul is efcaped as a bird out of the fnare of the fowler ; the fnare is broken, and we are efcaped." Now, our houfes, our clothes, our fleep, our food, our phyfic, our father, mother, wife, children, friends, goods, lands, are all fo many temptations : and ourfelves the greateft fnare to ourfelves : but in heaven, the danger and trouble is over ; there is nothing but what will ad- vance our Joy. Now every companion is beckoning us to fin, and we can fcarce tell how to fay them nay : but our rell will free us from all thefe. As Satan hath no entrance there, fo neither any thing to ferve his malice ;, but all things there with us confpire the praties of our grtat Deliverer.
3. And as we reft from the temptations ; fo alfo from all abufes and perfecutions which we fufferat the hands of wicked men. We ihall be fcorned, derided, im- prifcned, baniftied by them no more ; the prayers of the fouls under the altar will then be anfwered, and God «•/// avenge their blood on thofe that dwell en the earth.""
This
I. § 5. The Saints iverlafting Reft. 53
This is the time for crowning with thorns, buffeting' fpitting on : that is the time for crowning with glory- Now the law is decreed on, " That whofoever will live godly in Chrift jefus, lhall fuffer perfecutions : then they that fuffered with him, fhall be glorified with him." Now we muft be hated of all men for Chrift's name fake : then will Chrift be admired in his Saints that were thus hated. We are here as the fcornand off-fcouring of all things ; as men let up for a gazing-ftock to angels and men, even for fjgns and wonders amongft profeffing Chriftians ; they put us out of their fynagogues, and caft out our name as evil, and feparate us from their company : but we fhall then be as much gazed at for our glory, and they will be iliut out of the church of the faints, and feparated from us, whether they will or no. They now " think it ftrange that we run not with them to all excefs of riot" : they will then think it more ftrange that they ran not with us in the defpifed ways of God. We can fcarce now pray in our families, or fing praifes to God ; but our voice is a vexation to them : how muft it torment them then, to fee us praifing and rejoicing, while they are howling and lamenting !
Brethren, you that now can attempt no work of God without refiftance, and find you muft either lofe the love of the world, and your outward comforts, or elfe the love of God, and your eternal falvation : coafider, you fhall in heaven have no difcotiraging company, nor any but who will further your work, and gladly join heart and voice with you in your everlafting joy and praifes. Till then " PoUefs your fouls in patience": bind all reproaches as a crown to your heads ; efteem them greater riches than the world's treafcre : Account it mat^ ter of joy <wLen ye fall Inlo tribulation. You have feeu that our God is able to deliver us ; but this is nothino- to our final deliverance: " He will recompenfe tribula- tion to them that trouble you: and to you that are troubled, R.eft with Chrift."
4. We (hall then alfo reft from all our fad divifions, and unchriftian quarrels with one another. As he faid, who faw the carcafes lie together, as if they had em- braced each other, who had been flain by each other in a duel ; " How lovingly do they embrace one another, who perifhed through their mutual enmity !" So, how E 3 lovingly
54 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. § 5.
lovingly do thoufands live together in heaven, who lived in divisions on earth ! As he laid, who beheld how quiet- ly and peaceably the bones and duil of mortal enemies «Jid lie together; " You did not live together fo peace- .jbly." So we may lay of multitudes in heaven, Now
of one mind, one heart, and one employment. You lived not on earth in fo fweet familiarity. There is no contention, becaufe none of this pride, igno- i ance, or other corruption : Paul and Barnabas are now i'uily reconciled. There they are, not every man con- ceited of his own understanding, ajid in love with the ilTbe oi his own brain ; but all admiring the divine per- fection, and iu love whh God and one another. As old Gryneus wrote to his friend, " If I fee you no mere on. c.t:-;h, yet we (hall there meet, where Luther and Zuing- lius are now well agreed." There is no recording our brethren's infirmities : nor raking into the fores which
~:ed to heal. There is no plotting to ftrenghten our party : nor deep designing againft our brethren.
And is it not a fhame ard pity, that our courfe is now fo contrary ? Surely, it ili2re be forrcw or luame i;i heaven, we fljall then be both furry and aftarr.ed to }< uk one another in the face,; to remember all this carriage on earth, even as the brethren of Jofeph were, 10 behold him, when they remembered their former inkind ufage. Is it not enough that all the world is ;' gain ft us, but we muft alfo be agavpfl. ourfelves ? Did 1 ever thir.k to have heard Cbriuiaos fo to reproach and fcorn Chriftians ? and men profeffing the fear of God, to make fo little confcience of cenfuiing, vilifying,
.gracing one another ? O what hellilh things lire ignorance and pride, thut can bring men's fouls to
cafe as this ! Paul knew what he faid, when he
...ded, that " a novice fhould not be a teacher;. k;\ being lifted up, he fhould full into the condemnation oi the devil." i Tim. iii. 6. He difcerned that fuch young Chriftiur,s that have got but a little fmattering
_ Jge in religion, lie in greateft danger cf this pride and condemnation. \Vho but Paul could have
.1 that among the very teachers and governors of fo choice a church as Ephefus, there were fome that
_:Js fhould be notorious feel makers ? " That
: c\vrjelves men (hculd ariie, fpeaking perverfe
things,
I. § 5. The Saints Everlafting Reft. 55
things, to draw away difciples after them," A&s xx. 30, Who then can expert better from any Society now, how knowing and holy foever ? To-day they may be unanimous, and joined in love ; and perhaps within a. few weeks be divided, and at bitter enmity, through their doting on queftions that tend not to edify.
5. We fhall then reft from all which we now undergo by participating with our brethren in their calamities. Alas, if we had nothing upon ourfelves to trouble us, yet what heart could lay afide forrows, that lives in the found of the church's fufferings ? If Job had no- thing upon his body to difquiet him, yet the me/Tage of his children's overthrow, mull needs grieve the moll patient foul. Except we are turned into fteel or ftone, and have loft both Chriftian and human affection, there needs no more than the miferies of our brethren to fill our hearts with forrows. The church on earth is a mere hofpital, which way foever we go, we hear com- plaining ; and into what corner foever we caft our eyes, we behold cbje&s of pity : fome groaning under a dark underftanding, fome under a fenfelefs heart, fome languifliing under unfruitful weaknefs, and fome bleeding for mifcarriages and wilfulnefs, and fome in a lethargy, that they are part complaining ; fome crying out of their pining poverty ; fome groaning under pains and infirmities ; fome bewailing a whole catalogue of calamities, efp^cially in days of common fufFerings : but our day of Reft will free us and them from all this. Now we may enter many a poor Cbriftiaivs cottage, and fee poverty pofieffing and filling all : how much better is that day, when we fhall fee them filled with Chrift, clothed with glory, and equal with the greateft princes ?
But a far greater grief it is to our fpirits, to fee fuch an one, with whom we took fweet counfel, now fallen off to fenfuality, turned durnkard, worldling, or a per- fecutor, and thefe trying times have given us too large occafion for fuch forrow : to fee our deareft friends turned afide from the truth of Chrift, and confident in the flelh, continue their neglecl of Chrift and their fouls, and nothing waking them out of their fecurity : and to think how certainly they fhall be in hell for «ver, if they die ia their prefent ftate : and will it no*
• be
56 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. § 5.
be a blefied day, when we fliall reft from all thefe for- rows ? " When the people fhall be all righteous, even the work of God's hands, the branch of his planting, that he may be glorified ?" Thus fhall we reft from our participation of our brethren's fufferings.
6. We lhall reft fiom all our perfonal fufferings. And though this may feem a fmall thing to thofe that live in continual eafe, and abound in all kind of prof- perity ; yet, methinks, to the daily afflicted foul, it ihould make the fore-thoughts of heaven delightful : and I think 1 fliall meet with few of the faints, but will lay, that this is their own cafe.
Though we are reconciled by the blood of the co- venant, and the price is paid for our full deliverance ; yet our Redeemer fees fit to leave this meafure of mifery upon us, to remind us of what we would elfe forget : to be ferviceable to his wife and gracious defigns, and advantageous to our full and final recovery. As all our fenfes are the inlets of fin ; fo they are the inlets of forrow. Grief creeps in at our eyes, at our ears, and almoft every where : it fei/.eth upon our head) our heart, our flefli, our fpirits ; and what part doth efcape it ? Fear devours us, and darkens our delights, as the froft nips the bud : cares feed upon our fpirits, as the fcorching fun doth wither the delicate flowers. Or, if any have fortified his inwards againft thefe, yet he is naked ftill without.
What tender pieces are thefe dutly bodies ? What brittle glaiTes do we bear about us ? And how many ihoufand dangers are they hurried through ? And how hardly cured, if once cracked ? O the multitude of (lender veins, of tender membranes, nerves, fibres, mufcles, arteiies: and all fubjccl to obftruclions, tenr fions, contractions, refohitions, ruptures, or one thing or other to caufe their grief! Every one is a fit object for pain, and fit to communicate that pain to the whole : but fin, and flefli, and duft, and pain, will all be left behind together.
O the bleffed tranquility of that region, where there is nothing but fweet continued peace ? No fuccefllon of joy there, becaufe no intermiffion. Our lives will be but one joy, as one time will be changed info eternity. O healthful place, where none are fick ! O fortunate
land,
I. § c. The Saints Everlafting Reft. 57
land, where all are kings ! O place moft holy where all are priefts ! How free a ftate, where none are fer- vants, fave to their f-ipreme monarch ! Our face iliall no more be pale or fad ; our groans and fighs will be done away, and God JhaU wipe away all tears from our eyes. No more parting of friends, nor voice of lamen- tation heard in our dwellings : no more breaches, nor difproportion in our friendfliip, nnr any trouble accom- panying our relations : no more care of matters for fervants, or parents for children, or magiilrates over fubjecls, or minifters over people. O what room can there be for any evil where the people is perfesfHy rilled with God ? " Then fliall the ranfomed of the Lord return and come to Sion with fongs, and ever- lafting joy upon their heads. They ihall obtain joy and gladnefs, and forrow and fighing fhall flee away," Ifaiah xxxv. 10. Hold out then a little longer, O my foul; bear with the infirmities of thine earthly taber- nacle ; endure that fhare of forrows, that the love of the Father fhall impofe ; fubmit to his indignation alfo, becaufe thou has finned again'l him ; it will be thus but a little while ; the found of thy Redeemer's feet are even at the door ; and thine own deliverance nearer than many others. And thou, who haft often cried in the language of the divine Poet,
" Sorrow was all my foul ; 1 fcarce believ'd, Till grief did tell me roundly, that I liv'd," flialt then feel, that God and joy is all thy foul ! the fruition of whom, with thy freedom from all thefe forrows, will more fweetly, and more feelingly, make thee know, and to his eternal praife acknowledge, that thou liveft. And thus we lhall red from all af- fliflions.
The laft blefled attribute of this Reft is, That it is an Eternal ReJL This is the crown of our crown ; without which all were comparatively nothing. The very thought of leaving it would embitter all our joys ; and the more, becaufe of the fingular excellencies we mull forfake. It would be a hell in heaven, to think of once loiing heaven : as it would be a kind of heaven to the damned, had they but hopes of once efcaping.
It makes our prefent life of little value (were it not for the reference it hath to eternity) to think that we
rnuft
58 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. § 5.
mud fhortly lay it dowri. How can we take delight in any thing, when we remember how ftiort that delight will be? But, O bleffed eternity! where our lives are perplexed with no Inch thoughts, nor our joys in- terrupted with any fuch fears ! O what do I fay when I talk of eternity ! Can my {hallow thoughts conceive it ? To be eternally bleffed, and fo blefTed ! Surely this, if any thing, is the refemblance of God : eternity- is apiece of infmitenefs. Then, " O Death, where is thy fting? O Grave where is thy victory?" Days, and nights, ami years, time, and end, and death, are •words which there have no fignification ; nor are ufed, except perhaps to extol eternity ; as the mention of hell, to extol heaven ; all the years of our Lord, and the years of our life, are fwallo\vecl up and loll in this eternity.
While we were fervants, we held by Icafe ; and that but for a term of tranfitory life : " But the Son abideth in the houfe for ever." ' Our earthly paradife in Eden had a way out, but none, that we could ever find, in again : but this eternal paradife hath a way in, (a milky way to us, but a bloody way to Chrifl) but noway out again ; " For they that would pafs from hen^ce to you (faith Abraham) cannot:" a flrange phrafe ! Would any pafs from fuch a place, if they might ? Could they endure to be abfent from God again one hour ? No : but upon fuppofal they would, yet they could not. O then, my foul, let go thy dreams of prefent pleafure ; and loofe thy hold of earth and flefh. Fear not to enter thy eftate, where thou (halt ever after ceafe from thy fears. Sit down and gladly once a day bethink thyfelf of this eternity : among all the arith- metical numbers, ftudy the value of this infinite cypher, which, though it ftand for nothing in the vulgar ac- count, doth yet contain all our millions, as much lefs than a fimple unit. Lay by the perplexed and contra- dicting chronological tables, and fix thine eye on this eternity ; and the remote lines which thou couldft not follow, thou (halt fee all altogether here concentrated. Study lefs thefe tedious volumes of hiftory, which con- tain but the filent narration of dreams, and are but the pictures of the adions of (hadows : and inftead of all, ftudy frequently, ftudy thoroughly this one word [Eter-
I. § 6. The Saints Everlafting Reft. 59
nity,'] and when thou haft thoroughly learned that one word, thou wilt never look on books again. What ! live and never die ! rejoice, and ever rejoice ? O what fweet words are thcfe ! . This word [Everlaftlng] con- tains the accomplifhed perfection of our glory. O that the wicked fmner would but foundly Rudy this word ££ver/a/lixg :] methinks it fhould Itartle him out of his deep deep ! O that this gracious foul would believingly ftudy this word [Ewrkylittg~\ methinks it fhould revive him in the deepeil agony ! And mud I, Lord, thus live for ever ? Then will 1 alfo love for ever. Mud my joys be immortal ? And fiiall not my thanks be alto immortal I Surely, if I fhall never lofe my glory, I will never alfo ceafe thy praifes. If thou will both perfect and perpetuate me, and my glory, as I flvall be thine, and not mine own, fo lhall my glory, be thy glory ; and as they did take their fpring from thee, fo all fhall devolve to thee again ; and as thy glory was thine \ihimate end in my glory, fo fhall it be alfo mine end, whan thou haft crowned me with that glory which hath no end. And " to thee, O King eternal, immortal, invilible, the only wife God, fhall be the honour and glory, for ever and ever. Amen."
CHAP. VT.
THE PEOPLE OF GOD DESCRIBED.
HAVING thus performed my firft talk of defcribing the Saints' R.eft ; it remains that now I proceed to the fecond, and fhew you what the people of God ure, and why fo called ; for whom this bleffed Reft rernaineth.
Regeneration is the fivft and great qualification of the people of God. To be the people of God without regeneration, is as impoffihle as to be the children of men without generation ; feeing we are born God's enemies, we maft be new-born his foils, or elfe remain his enemies llill.
Chrift hath fpoken h vritlt his mouth, •" That except a man be born again, h^ cannot enter into the kiogclom of God." The i>Tem.f il re'orn^.fien of life, without
this
60 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. § 6.
this new life wrought in the foul, may procure our fur- ther delufion, but never our falvation.
But by what acts doth this new life difcover itfelf ?
The firft work I call Conviction, which comprehends the knowledge of what the Scripture fpeaks againft fin and finners ; and that this fcripture which fpeaks fo, is the word of God himfelf. It comprehends alfo, fome knowledge of ourfelves, and our own guilt, and an ac- knowledgement of the verity of thofe confequences, which from the plague of fin in us, and threats in fcripture, conclude us miferable.
2. As there muft be Conviction, fo alfo fenfibility. God works on the heart, as well as the head : both were corrupted and out of order. The principle of new life doth quicken both. All true fpiritual know- ledge doth pafs into the affections. The great things of fin, of grace, and Chrift, and eternity, which are of weight, one would think to move a rock ; yet fhake not the heart of the carnal profeflbr, nor pierce his foul to the quick : though he fhould be a constant preacher of them to others, yet they little affect himfelf: when he is preffing them upon the hearts of others, you would little think how infenfible is his own foul : his invention procureth him zealous and moving expressions, but they cannot procure him anfwerable affections.
The things that the foul is thus convinced and icnfible of, are efpecially thefe :
i. The Evil of Sin. The finner is made to 'know :ind feel, that the fin which was his delight, is a more loathfome thing than toads or ferpents, and a greater evil than plague or famine, or any other calamities : it being a breach of the righteous law of the moil high God, difhonourable to Him, and deilructive to the finner.
Now the finner reads and hears the reproofs of fin, as words of courfe ; but when you mention his fin, he feels you fpeak to his very heart, and yet is contented you fhould fliew him the word : he was wont to marvel, what made men keep fuch a liir againll fin, what harm it was for a man to take a little pleafure : he law no fuch heinoufnefs in it. But iiow the cafe is altered ; God hath opened his tyes, to fee its inexprdSible vilcnefs.
2. The
I. § 6. The Saints Everlading Reft. 61
2. The Soul in this great work is convinced and fenfible, as of the evil of fin, fo of its own mifery by reafon of fin. They who before read the threats of God's Law, as men do the ftories of foreign wars ; now find it is their own ftory, and perceive they read their own doom, as if they found their names written in the curfe, or heard the Law fay, as Nathan, Thou art the man. The wrath of God feemed to him, but as a. ftorm to a man in a dry houfe : but now he finds the difeafe is his own, and feels the pain in his own bowels. In a word, he finds himfelf a condemned man, dead and damned in point of law, and that nothing was wanting but mere execution to make him abiblutely and irrecoverably miferable.
Whether you will call this a work of the Law or Gofpel, it is a work of the Spirit wrought in fome meafure in all the regenerate : and though fome judge it unneceflary bondage, yet it is beyond my conceiving, how he fhould come to Chriil for pardon, that firfl found not himfelf guilty and condemned : The whole need not the ph^/ician, but they that are Jick. Yet I deny n^t, but the difcovery of the remedy as foon as the mi- fery, may prevent a great part of the trouble, and the diftincl: effect on the foul, to be wich much more difficulty difcerned ; nay, the actings of the foul are fo quick:, and oft fo confufed, that the dillincl order of thefe workings may not be apprehended or remembered at all : and perhaps the joyful apprehenfions of mercy may- make the fenfe of mifery the focner forgotten".
3. So doth the Spirit alfo convince the foul, of the creature's vanity and infufficiency. Every man naturally is a flat idolater, our hearts were turned from God in our firft fall ; and ever fince, the creature hath been our god : this is the grand fin of nature : when we fet up to ourfelves-a wrong end, we muft needs err in all the means. The creature is to every unregenerate man his god : he afcribeth to it the divine prerogatives, and alloweth it the higheft room in his foul, or if ever he come to be convinced of mifery, he fleeth to it as his faviour. Indeed God and his Chrift have ufually the name ; but the real expectations is from the creature, and the work of God is laid upon it. His pleafure, his profit, and his honour, is the natural man's Trinity ; '
F and
62 The Saints Eveflafting Reft. 1. § 6.
and his Self, that is thefe in Unity : indeed, it is that flefh that is the principal idol ; the other three are deified in their relation to ourfelves. It was our firft fin, to afpire to be as gods ; and it is thegreateft fm that runs in our blood, and is propagated in our nature from generation to generation.
When God fhould guide us, we guide ourfelves ; when he fhould be our fovereign, we rule ourfelves. The laws which/ he gives us, we find fault with ; if we
'had had the making of them, we fhoul-d have made them otherwife : when he fhould take care of us, (and muft, or we perifh) we will eare for ourfelves ; when •we fhould depend on him daily, we had rather keep our flock ourfelves, and have our portion in our own hands ; when we fhould fland at hi? difpofal, we fhould beat our own ; and when we fiiould fubmtt to his providence, we ufually quarrel at it ; as rf we knew better what is good for us than he, or how to difpofe all things mope •wifely. This is the language of a carnal heart, tho' it doth not always fpeak out. When we fhould fludy God, we ftudy ourfelves ; when we fhould -mind God, we mind ourfelves ; when we fhould love God, tve love ourfelves; when we fhould truft God, we truft OUT- felves ; when we fhould honour God, we honour our- felves ; when we fhould aferibeto God, and admire him, we afcribe to, and admire ourfelves ; and inftead of God, we would have all men's eyes and dependance on
-us, and all men's thanks returned to us, and would gladly be the only men oa earth, extolled and admired by all.
And thus- we are naturally our own idols : but down falls this Dagon, when God does once renew the foul. It is the great bufinefs of that great work to bring the heart back to God. He convinceth the finner, i. That the creatures can neither be his god to make him : 2. Nor yet his Chrift, to recover him from his mifery, to reftore him to God who is his happinefs. This God doth, not only by preaching, but by providence alfo : becaufe words will hardly take off the raging fenfes, therefore doth God make his rod to fpeak, and con-
,tinue fpeaking, till the finner hear, and hath learned, this great leffon.
This
I, § 6. The Saints Everlafting Red. 63
This is the great reafon why affli&ion doth fo ordi- narily concur in the work of converfion. Thefe real arguments which fpeak to the quick, will force a hear- ing when the mod powerful words are ilighted. When a (inner made his credit his God, and God iliall caft him into the loweft difgrace : or bring him that idolized his riches, into a condition wherein they cannot help him, or caufe them to take wings and fly away ; what a help is here to this work of conviction ! When a man that made his pleafure his god, whether eafe, or fports, or mirth, or company, or gluttony, or drunkennefs, or cloathing, or buildings : or whatfoever a ranging eye, a curious ear, a raging appetite, or a luftful heart could defire, and God {hall take thefe from him, or give him- their fting and curfe with them, and turn them into gall and wormwood, what a help is here to Conviflion ! When God fhall caft a man into a lang.uilhing ficknefs, and inflicT: wounds and anguifh on his heart, and ftir up againft him his own confcience, and then, as it were, take him by the hand, and lead him to credit, to riches, to pleafure, to company, to fports, or whatfoever was deareft to him, and lay, Now try if thefe can help you : can thefe heal thy wounded confcience ? Can they now fupport thy tottering cottage? Can they keep thy de- parting foul in thy body? or fave thee from mine ever- lafting wrath ? Will they prove to thee eternal plea- fures ? or redeem thy foul from the eternal flames ? Cry aloud to them, and fee now whether thefe will be in- ftead of God and his Chrift unto thee? O how this works with the fmner ! When fenfe itfelf acknowledged the truth, and even the flefh is convinced of the crea- ture's vanity.
4. The fourth thing that the foul is convinced and fenfible of, is the abfolute neceffity, the full fufficiency, and perfect excellency of Jefus Chrift.
This conviction is not by mere argumentation, as a man is convinced of fome unconcerning confequen.ce by difpute : but alfo by the fenfc of our defperate mi- fery, as a man in a famine, by the neceffity of food ; or a man that has read, or heard his condemnation, is convinced of the abfolute neceffity of a pardon. Now the fmner finds himfelf in another cafe than ever he was aware of: he feels an infupportable burden upon him, F 2 and
64 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. § 6.
and fees there is none but Chrift can take it off: he perceives that he is under the wrath of God, and that the law proclaims him a rebel and an out-law, and none but Chrift can make his peace : he is as a man purfued by a lion, that muft periih, if he find not prefent fanc- tuary : he feels the curfe doth lie upon him, and upon all he hath for his fake, and Chrift alone can make him blefied : he is now brought to this dilemma, either he muft have Chrift to juftify him, or burn in hell for ever : he muft have Chrift to bring him again to God, or be fhut out of his prefence everlaftingly. .And no wonder if he cry, as the martyr Lambert, None but Chrifl, none lut Ghrijl. It is not gold, but bread, «that will fatisfy the hungry ; nor any thing but pardon, that will com- fort the condemned. All things are now but drofs and dung .' and 'what ive counted gain, is noiu but Icfs in con- farifon of Chriji : for as the fmner feeth his utter mifery, and the difability of himfelf, and all things to relieve him : fo he doth perceive, that there is no laving mercy out of Chrift. There is none found in heaven or on earth that can open the fealed Book fave the Lamb ; •without his blood there is no remiflion, and without re- miflion there is no falvation. Could the finner now make any Ihift without Chrift, or could any thing elfe fupply his wants, and fave his foul, then might Chrift be disregarded.: but now he is convinced, that there is no other name, and the neceftlty is abfolute.
2. And as the foul is thus convinced of the neceflity of Chrift, fo alfo of his full fufficiency : he fees, tho* the creature cannot fave, and himfelf cannot, yet Chrift can. Tho' the fig-leaves of our own unrighteous Righ- teoufnefs are too fhort to cover our nakednefs, yet the Righteoufnefs of Chrift is large enough : ours is diipro- portionable to the juftice of the law, but Chrift's doth extend to every tittle : his fufferings being a perfect fatisfaclion to the law, and all power in heaven and earth being given to him, He is now able to fupply every one of our wants, and to fave to the uitermojl all that come to Him.
3. The Soul is alfo here convinced of the perfect ex- cellency of Jefus Chrift, both as he is confidered in relation to us ; both as he is the only way to the Father, and as he is the end, being one with the Father. Before,
he
L § 6. The Saints Everlafling Reft. 65
he knew Chrift's excellency, as a blind man knows the light of the fun ; but now, as one that beholdeth his glory.
And thus doth the Spirit convince the Soul.
4. After this fenfible conviction, the will difcovereth alfo its change ; and that in regard of all the fore- men- tioned objects.
1. The fin which the underflanding pronounceth evil, the will doth turn from, with abhorrence. Not that the fenfitive appetite is changed, or any way made to abhor its object ; but when it would carry us to fin againft God; this diforder and evil, the will abhorreth.
2. The mifery alfo which fin hath procured, as he difcerneth, fo he bewaileth. It is impoffible that the foul now living, fhould look either on its trefpafs againll God, or its own felf-procured calamity, without fome compunction. He that truly difcerneth, that he hath killed Chrift, and killed himfelf, will furely in fome meafure be pricked to the heart. If he cannot weep, he can heartily groan ; and his heart feels what his un- tlerftanding fees.
3. The creature he now renounceth as vain, and turneth it out of his heart with difdain. Not that he undetvalueth it or difclaimeth its ufe ; but its idolatrous abufe, and its unjuft ufurpation.
There is a two-fold error very common in the de- fcriptions of the work of converfum. The one of thofe v, ho only mention the Tinner's turning from fin to God, •without mentioning the receiving Chrift by faith.- The other of thofe, who only mention a fmner's believing, *nd then think they have faid all : nay, they blame • them as legalifts, who make any thing but the bare believing of the love of God in Chrift to us, to be part • of the work ; and would perfuade poor fouls to queition all their former comforts, and conclude the work to have been only legal, becaufe t4iey have made their change of heart and turning from fin, part of it; and have taken up part of their comfort from the reviewing of thefe.
Indeed, fhould they take up here without Chrift, or
take fuch a change inftead of Chrift, in whole or in
part, the reprehenfion were juft. But can Chrift be
the way, where the creature is the end ? is he not the
F 3 only
66 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. § 6.
only way to the Father? Can we feek to Chrift to reconcile us to God, while in our hearts we prefer the creature before him? in the foul of every unregeneratc man, the creature is both God and Chrift. Can Chrift be believed In, where our own righteoufnefs, or any other thing, is trufted in as our faviour ?
The truth is ; a turning from the creature to God, and not by Chrift, is no true turning : fo believing in Chrift, while the creature hath our hearts, is no true believing. And therefore in the work of felf-exami- nation, whoever would find in himfelf a thorough fincere work, muft find an entire work ; even the one of thefe as well as the other.
In the review of which entire work there is no doubt but his foul may take comfort. And it is not to be made fo light of, as moil do, that fcripture doth fo ordinarily put repentance before faith, and make them jointly conditions of the gofpel : which repentance con- tains thofe acls of the will before exprefled.
It is true, if we take faith in the largeft fenfe, then it contains repentance in it ; but if we take it ftri<frly, no doubt there are fome a&s of it go before repentance, and fome follow after.
4. And as the Will is thus averted from the fore- mentioned objects; fo at the fame time doth it cleave to God the Father, and to Chrift. Its firft a<5Hng con- iifts efpecially in intending and defiring God for his portion and chief good ; having been before convinced, that nothing elfe can be his happinefs, he now finds it in God ; and therefore looks towards it. But it is yet rather with defire than hope. For alas, the finner hath already found himfelf to be a ftranger and an enemy to God, under the guilt of fin, and curfe of the law, and knows there is no coming to him in peace till his cafe be altered ; and therefore having been before convinced alfo, that only Chrift is able and willing to do this, and having heard this mercy in the gofpel freely offer- ed ; his next aft is, to accept of Chrift as his Saviour and Lord.
Therefore both miftake: they who only mention our turning to Chrift, and they who only mention our turning to God in this work of converfion. St. Paul's preaching was Repentance toivardt God and Faith toward
I. § 6. The Saints Everlafling Reft. 67
our Lordjefus Chr'tfl. And Life eternal confifts, firft, in knowing the only true God, and then, Jtfa Chri/l whom He hathfent, John xvii. 3. The former is the natural part of the covenant, To take the Lord only for our God. The latter is the fupernatural part, To take Chrift only for our Redeemer. The former is firft ne« ceflary, and implied in the latter.
Though repentance and good works are required to our full juftification at judgment, as fubfervient to, or concurrent with faith ; yet it is the nature of this juftifying ;faith to accept of Chrift for our Saviour and our Lord. I call it accepting, it being principally an aft of the will; but yet alfo of the whole foul. This accepting being that which the gofpel prefleth to, and calleth the receiving or accepting Chrift. I call it an affectionate accepting, though love feem diftinft from faith, yet I take it as efTential to that faith that juftifies. To accept Chrift without love, is not juftifying faith. Nor doth love follow as a fruit, but immediately concur ; as an eflential to a true accepting.
It is an accepting him for our Saviour and Lord. For in both relations will he be received, or not at all. It is not only to acknowledge his fufferings, and accept of pardon and glory, but to acknowledge his fovereignty, and fubmit to his government, and way of faving.
The work (which Chrift accepted of, and is to per* form) is, to bring the finners to God, that they may be happy in him ; and this both really by his Spirit, and relatively in reconciling them, and making them fons ; and to prefent them perfect before him at laft, ind to poflefs them of the kingdom. The obtaining of thefe are the finners lawful ends, in receiving Chrift ; and to thefe ufes doth he offer himfelf to us.
5. To this end doth the fmner now enter into a cordial covenant with Chrift. But he was never ftriclly, nor comfortably in covenant with Chrift till now. He is fure Chrift doth conferit, and now doth he cordially confent himfelf; and fo the agreement is fully made.
6. With this covenant concurs, a mutual delivery ; Chrift delivereth himfelf in all comfortable relations
to
68 The Saints Everlafting Reft. I. § 6.
to the (inner, and the (inner delivereth up himfelf to be faved and ruled by Chrift. Now doth the foul rs- folvedly conclude, 1 have been blindly led by the flefli, the world, and the devil, too long, almoft to my deftruclion : 1 will now be wholly at the difpofa' of my Lord, who hath bought me with his blood, and will bring me to his glory. And thus the compleat work of faving faith confifteth in this covenanting, or myftical marriage of the fmner to Chrift.
Thus you have a naked enumeration of the e/Tentials of this people of God ; not a full portraiture of them in all their excellencies, nor all the notes whereby they are difcerned. And though it will be part of the fol- lowing application, to put you upon trial ; yet bceaufe the defcription is now before your eyes, and thefe evi- dencing works are frefh ill your memory, it will not be unfeafonable, to take an account of your own eftate, and to view yotirfelves exadlly in this glafs, before you pafs. And I befeech thee, reader, as thou haft the hope of a Chriftian, yea, or the reafon of a man, to deal thoroughly, and fearch carefully, and judge thyfeif as one that muft fhortly be judged by the righteous God ; and faithfully anfwer to thefe few queftions.
And firft, Haft thou been thoroughly convinced of an univerfal depravation, through thy whole ioul ? And an univerfal wickednefs, through thy whole life ? And how vile a thing this fin is ? And that by the tenor of the covenant which thou haft tranfgreflbd, the lead fin deferves eternal death ? Do'il thou confcnt to this law, that it is true and righteous? Haft thou perceived thyfeif fenteaced to this death by it, and bten convinced by thy undone condition ? Haft thou farther feen the utter infufficiency of every creature, either to be itfelf thy happinefs, or the means of curing this thy mifery, and making thee happy in GodJ Halt thou been convinced, thai thy happiirefs is only in God as the end, and only in Ghrilt as the way to him ? and that thou muft be brought to God by Chrift, or periih eternally? Haft thou feen hereupon an abfolute neceflity uf enjoying Chrift? and the full fufficiency that is in him, to do for thee whatsoever thy cafe requireth, by reafon of the fullnefs of his fatibfaclion, the greatneis of his power, dignity of hii peifon, and the freenefs of
his
u , The Saints EverlaSing Reft. 69
his promifes ? Haft thou difcovered the excellency of this pearl to be worth thy felling all to buy it ? Hath all this been joined with fome ienfibility ; as the con- vidions of a man that thirfteth, of the worth of drink ; and not been only a change in opinion, produced by reading and education, as a bare notion in the under- ilanding? Hath it proceeded to an abhorring of fin? Have both thy fin and mifery been a burthen to thy foul ? And if thou couldil not weepy yet could thou groan under the insupportable weight of both ? Hail thou renounced all thine own righteoufnefs ? Haft thou turned thy idols out of thy heart ; fo that the creature hath no more the fovereignty ; but God and Chrift ? Doft thou accept of Chrift as the only Saviour, and expect thy juftification, recovery, and glory from him alone ? Doft thou take him alfo for Lord and King ? And are his laws the powerful commanders of thy foul ? Do they ordinarily prevail againft the commands of the flelh, of Satan, of the greateft on earth that (hall countermand ? And againft the intereft of thy credit, profit, pleafure, or life ? So that thy confcience is direftly fubjeft to Chrift alone ? Hath he the higheft room in thy affections ? fo that though thou canft not love him as thou wouldft, yet nothing elfe is loved fo much ? Haft thou made a hearty covenant to this end ? and delivered up thyfelf to him ? and takeft thyfelf for his and not thine own? Is it thy utmoft care and watchful endeavour, that thou mayeft be found faithful in this covenant? If this be trsly thy cafe, thou art one of the people of God : and as fure as the promife of God is true, this blefled reft remains for thee. Only fee thou abide in Chrift, and continue to the end : for, if any man draw back, his foul will have no pleafure in him.
CONCLUSION.
And thus 1 have explained to you the fubjeft of my text : and (hewed you darkly, what this reft is, and briefly, who are this people of God. O that the Lord would now open your eyes, to difcern and be aiFe&ed with the glory revealed ! that he would take off your hearts from thefe dung-hill delights, and ravifti them with the views of thefe everlafting pleafures! that
he
70 The Saints Everlafliing Reft. II. & i.
he would bring you into the ftate of his holy and hea- venly people for whom alone this reft remaineth ! that you would exactly try yourfelves, by the foregoing defcription ! that no foul of you might be damnably deluded, as to take your natural or acquired parts for the characters of a faint ! O happy, and thrice happy you, if theie fermons might have fuch fuccefs with your fouls, that fo you might die the <k<iih of the righteous, and your lajl end be like his.
Saints Everlafting Reft,
p A R T ii. c H A P i.
I HAVE been hitherto prefenting to your undcr- ftandings, the excellency of the Reft of the Saints. Let your hearts now chearfully embrace it, and im- prove it, and I (hall prefent it to you, in its refpeclive ufes.
I will lay together all thofe ufes that mod concern the ungodly, and then thole that are proper to the godly themfclves.
The inconceivable Mifery of the Ungodly in their Lofs of this Rejl.
And firil, if this Reft be for none but the people of God, what tidings is this to the ungodly world? That there is fo much glory, but none for them : fo great joys for the Saints of God, while they muft con- fume in perpetual forrows ! If thou who readeft thefe words, art a ftranger to Chrift, and to the holy nature and life of his people, and fhalt live and die in the condition thou art now in; I am a meflenger of the faddeft tidings t9 thee, that ever yet thy ears did hear, that thou Ihalt never partake of the joys of heaven, nor have the leaft tafte of the Saints eternal Reft. 1 may fay to thee, as Ehud to Eglon, 1 have a meflage to thee from God : but it is a mortal meflage, that as fure as the word of God is true, thou flult never fee the fece
of
II. § i. The Saints Everlafting Reft. 71
of God with comfort. This fentence I am commanded to pafs upon thee ! Take it as thou wilt, and efcape if thou can ft. I know if thy heart and life were tho- roughly changed, thy relation to Chrift. and eternity, would be changed alfo ; he would then acknowledge thee for one of his people, and give thee a portion in the inheritance of his chofen. But if thou end thy days in thy prefent condition, as fure as the heavens are over thy head, and the earth under thy feet; as fure as thou liveft and breatheft in this air, fo fare (halt thou be (hut out of this Reft of the Saints, and receive thy portion in everlafting fire. I expedl: that thou ftionldft in the pride of thy heart, turn upon me and fay, And when did God (hew you the book of life, or tell you who they are that fhall be faved, and who (hut out?
I will not anfwer thee according to thy folly ; but plainly difcover this thy folly to thyfelf, that if there be yet any hope, thou mayeft recover thy underftanding, and return to God and live. Firft, I do not name thee, nor any other ; I only conclude of the unrege- nerate in general, and of thee conditionally, if thou. be fuch an one. Secondly, I do not go about to de- termine who fhall repent, and who ihall not, much lefs that thou {halt never repent and come to Chrift. Thefe things are unknown to me ; 1 had far rather fhew thee, what hopes thou haft before thee, if thou wilt fit ftill and lofe them : and 1 would far rather perfuade thee to hearken in time, before the door is (hut againft thee, that fo thy foul may return and live, than tell thee that there is no hope of thy repenting and returning. But if the foregoing defcription of the people of God do not agree with the ftate of thy foul ; it is then a hard queftion, whether thou (halt ever be faved ? Even as hard a queftion, as whether God be true ? Do I need to afcend up into heaven, to know, " That without holinefs none fhall fee God ; or, that only the pure in heart ihall fee God ? or, that except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God ?" Cannot thefe be known without fearching into God's counfels ? And yet durll thou afk me, ho'w I know who fhall be faved ? What need I go up to heaven to enquire that of Chrift, which he came down to earth to tell us ? And fent his Spirit in his prophets and apoftles to
tell
72 The Saints Everlafting Reft. II. § i.
tell us ? And hath left upon record to all the world ? And though I do not know the fecrets of thy heart, and therefore cannot tell thee by name whether it be thy ftate, or no ; yet if thou art but willing and dili- gent, thou mayeft know thyfelf, whether thou art an heir of heaven, or not. And this is the main thing that I defire, that if thou be yet miferable, thou mayeft difcern it, and efcape it. But canft thou efcape, if thou neglecl Chrift and falvation? " If thou love father, mother, wife, children, houfes, lands, or thine own life better than Chrift ; if fo, thou canft not be his difciple ?" And confequently canft never be faved by him. Is it not as impoffible for thee to be faved, except thou be born again, as it is for the devils themfelves to be faved ? Nay, God hath more plainly and fre- quently fpoken it in the Scripture, that fuch finners as thou fhalt never be faved, than he hath done, that the devils (hall never be faved. And doth not thefe tidings go cold to thy heart ? Methinks, but that there is yet life and hope before thee, and thou haft yet time and means to have thy foul recovered, the fight of thy cafe fhould even ftrike thee dead with amazement. But becaufe I would fain have thee, if it be poffible to lay it to heart, I will here flay a little longer, and fhew thee, firft, the greatnefs of thy lofs ; fecondly, the ag- gravation of thy nnhappinefs in this lofs ; thirdly, the pofitive miferies that thou muft endure, with their aggravations.
Firft, The ungodly in their lofs of heaven, lofe all that glorious perfonal perfection, which the people of God there enjoy. They lofe that fhining luftre of the body, furpaffing the brightnefs of the fun. Though even the bodies of the wicked will be raifed incor- ruptible, yet that will be fo far from being a -happinefs to them, that it only makes them capable of the more exquifite torments. They would be glad then if every member were a dead member, that it might not feel the punifhment inflicted on it ; and the whole body were a rotten carcafe, or might again lie down in duft and darknefs. Much more do they want that immortal perfection which the blefTed partake of: thofe holy difpofitions ; that ble/Ted conformity to the holinefs of -God ; that chearfwl readincfs to his \vill ; that perfect
retfitude
II. $ I. The Saints Everlafting Reft. 73
rectitude of all their actions: inftead of thefe they have their old ulcerous deformed fouls, that perverfenefs of will, that diforder in their faculties, that loathing of good, that love to evil, that violence of paffion, which they had on earth. It is true, their understandings will be much cleared, both by the ceafing of temptation and deluding objecls, and by the fad experience which ,|jhey will have in hell, of the falfehood of their former c/mceits and delufions. Bat the evil difpofition is never the more changed ; they have the fame difpofitions ftill, and would commit the fame fins, if they could : they want but opportunity ; certainly they (hall have none of the glorious perfections of the Saints, either in foul or body. There will be a greater difference between thefe wretches and the glorified Chriftian, than there is betwixt a toad and the fun in the firmament.
But the great lofing of the damned will be their lofs of God, they lhall have no comfortable relation to him, nor communion with him : " As they did not like to retain God in their knowledge ;" but bade him, *' Depart from us, we defire not the knowledge of thy ways ;" fo God will abhor to retain them in his houf- hold, or to give them entertainment in his fellowfhip and glory. He will never admit them to the inhe- ritance of his faints, nor endure them to ftand amongft them in his prefence ; but bid them, " Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity, I know you not." Now thefe men dare believe the Lord, if not blafpheme, in calling him by the title of their Father ; how boldly and confidently do they daily approach him with their lips, and indeed reproach him in their formal prayers, with that appellation ! as if God would father the devil's children! or, as if the {lighter's of Chrift, the friends of the world, the haters of godlinefs, or any that delight in iniquity, were the offspring of heaven ! They are ready now, to lay confident claims to Chrift as if they were fmcere believers. But when that time is come, Chriil (hall feparate his followers from his foes, and his faithful friends from his deceived flat- terers, where then will be their prefumptuous claim ? Then they fhall find that God is not their father, but their foe, becaufe they would not be his people. And as they would not confer: that God fhould by his Spirit G - dwell
74 The Saints Everlafting Reft. II. § i.
dwell in them, fo {hall not thefe evil doers dwell with him : the tabernacles of wickednefs flrall have no fsl- lowfhip with him : nor the wicked inhabit the city of God : " for without are dogs, forcerers, whoremongers, murderers, idolaters, and whatfoever loveth and maketh a lie." God is firft enjoyed in part on earth, before ha can be fully enjoyed in heaven. It is only they that walked with him here, who (hall live and be happ« with him there. Oh, little" doth the world know what a lofs that foul hath, who lofeth God ! What were the world but a dungeon, if it had loft the fun ? What were the body, but a loathfome carrion, if it had loft the foul ? Yet all thefe are nothing to the lofs of God. So that as the enjoyment of God, is the heaven of the Saints; fo the lofs of God is the hell of the ungodly. And as the enjoying of God is the enjoying of all ; fo the lofs of God is the lofs of all.
Thirdly, As they lofe God ; fo they lofe all thofe delightful affections and actions, by waich the bleifcd feed on God: that transporting knowledge: thofe ra- vifhing views of his glorious face: the inconceivable pleafure of loving God : the apprehenfions of his in- finite love to us: the conftant joys which his Saints are taken up with, and the rivers of confolation where- with he doth fatisfy them. Is it nothing to lofe all this ? The employment of a king in ruling a king- dom, doth not fo far exceed the employment of the vileft flave, as this heavenly employment exceedeth his.
Fourthly, They fhall be deprived of the blefled fo- ciety of Angels and glorified Saints. Inftead of being companions of thofe happy fpirits, and numbered with thofe joyful and triumphing kings, they muft now be members of the corporation of hell, where they fhall have companions of a far different nature. While they lived on earth, they loathed the Saints, they impri- foned, banilhed them, and caft them out of their So- cieties, or at leaft they would not be their companions in glory. Now you are fhut out of that company, from which you firft fhut out yourfelves ; and are feparated from them, whom you would not be ioined with. You could not endure them in your town, nor fcarce in the ^ingdcm ; you look them as Ahab did Oas, tor the " tioublers cf the land ;" anJ as the apoflks were take,n
for
II. § 2. The Saints Everlaftirig Reft. 75
for " men that turned the world upfide doxvn." If any thing fell out amifs, you thought all was through them, When they were dead or banifhed, you were glad they were gone ; and thought the country was well rid of them. Theymoleiled you with their faithful reproving your fin : their holy converfation troubled you. You fcarce ever heard them pray or fmg praifes in their families, but it vexed you ; and you envied their liber- ty of worfhipping God. And is it then any wonder if you be feparated from them hereafter ? The day is near when they will trouble yon no more : betwixt them and you, will be a great gnlf fet, that thofe that would pafs from thence to you (if any had a defire to cafe you with a drop of water) cannot, neither can they pafs to them, who would go from you.
C II A P. II.
The Aggravation of the Lofs of Heaven to the Ungodly,
I KNOW many will be ready to think, if this be all, they do not much care : what care they for lofincj the perfections above ? What care they for lofing God", his favour or his prefence ? They lived merrily without him on earth, and why fhould it be fo grievous to be without him hereafter ? And what care they for being deprived of that love, and joy, and prailing of God? They never tafted fweetnefs in the things of that nature ; or what care they for being deprived of the fellowfliip of Angels and Saints ? They could fpare their company in this world well enough, and why may they not be without it in the world to come ? To make thefe men therefore underftand the truth of their future condition, I will here annex thefe two things :
1. I will (hew you why this lofs will be intolerable, and moft tormenting then, though it feem as nothing now.
2. I will ftiew you what other lofles will accompany thefe : which though they are lefs in themfelves, yet will now be more fenfebly apprehended.
i » Then, that this lofs of heaven will be mod tor- menting, may appear by thefe confidsrations.
G 2 i. The.
76 The Saints Everlafting Reft. 11. § 2.
I. The under (landings of the ungodly will be then cleared, to know the worth of that which they have loft. Now they lament not the lofs of God, becaufe they never knew his excellency, nor the lofs of that holy employment and fociety, for they were never fenfible what they were worth. A man that loft a jettel, and took it but for a common ftone, is never troubled at his lofs ; but when he comes to know what he has loft, then he lamenteth it!
Though the underftandings of the damned will not then be fanclified ; yet they will be cleared from a multitude of errors. They think now that their ho- nour, their eftates, their pleafures, their health and life, are better worth their labour, than the things of another wrrld ; but thefe things which had their hearts, have left them in mifery : when they know by experience, the things which before they did but read and hear of, they will be quite in another mind. They would not believe that water would drown till they were in the fea ; nor that ths fire would burn, till they were cull into it; but when they feel it they will ealily believe. All that error of their mind, which made them fet light by God, and abhor his worfhip, and vilify his people, •will then be removed by experience ; their knowledge fhall be increafed, that their forrows may be increafed. Doubtiefs thefe poor fouls would be (comparatively) happy, if their underftandings were wholly taken fiom them, if they had no more knowledge than idiots, or brute beafts; or if they knew no more in hell, than they did upon earth, their lofs and mifery would then lefs trouble them. N
How happy would they now think themfelves, if they did not know there was fuch a place as heaven ? Now when their knowledge would help to prevent their mifery, they will not know : but then when their knowledge will but feed their confuming fire, they (hall know whether they will or no.
2. The lofs of heaven will more torment them then, . becaufe as the underftanding will be cleared, fo it will be more enlarged, and made more capacious, to con- ceive the worth of that glory which they have loft. The ftrength of their apprehenfions, as well as the truth of them, will then be increafed. What deep ap- prehenfions
17. § 2, The Saints Everlafting Reft. 77
prehenfions of the wrath of God, of the madnefs of finning, of the miferyof finnners, have thefe fouls that now endure this mifery, in comparifon of thofe on earth that do but hear of it ? What fenfible appre- henfions of the worth of life, hath the condemned man that is going to be executed, in comparifon of what he was wont to have in the time of his profperitj ? Much more will the actual deprivation of eternal blellednefs make the damned exceeding apprehenfive of the great- nefs of their lofs : as a large veilel will hold more water than a (hell, fo will their more enlarged underftandings contain more matter to feed their torment, than now their fhallow capacity can do^
3. And as the damned will have deeper apprehenfions of the happinefs they have loft, fo will they have a clofer application of this doftrine to themfelves, which will exceedingly tend to increafe their torment. It will then be no hard matter to them to fay, This is my lofs, and this is my everlafting mifery. The want of this is the main caufe why they are fo little troubled at their condition ; they are hardly brought to believe that there is fuch a ftate of mifery, but more hardly to believe that it is like to be their own. This makes fo many fermons to be loft, and all threatnings and warn- ings prove in vain. Let a minifter of Chrift fhew them their mifery ever fo plainly, they will not be perfuaded that they are fo miferable. Let him tell them of the glory they muft lofe, and the fufferings they mult fee),, apd they think it is not they whom he means. We find in all our preaching, by fad experience, that it is one of the hardeft things in the world to bring a wicked man to know that he is wicked ; a man who is in the way to hell, to know that he is in that way ; or to make a man fee himfelf in a ftate of wrath and con- demnation : how feldom do you hear men, after the plained difcovery of their condemned ftate, cry out, I am the min ! Or to acknowledge, that if they die in their prefent condition, they are undone for ever !
There is no perfuading men of their mifery till they feel it, except the Spirit of the Almighty perfuade them.
Oh, but when they find themfelves fuddenly in tHe land of darknefs, perceive by the execution of the fen- G 3 tence
78 The Saints Everlafting Reft. II. § 2.
tence that they were indeed condemned, and feel them- felves in the fcorching flames, and fee that they are (hut out of the prefence of God for ever, it will then be no fuch difficult matter to convince them of their mifery ; this particular application of God's anger to them- felves, will then be the eafieft matter in the world ; then they cannot chufe but know and apply it, whether they will or no.
4. Again, As the underftanding and confciences of fir.ners will be ftrengthened, fo will_their affections be more lively and enlarged : as judgment will be no longer blinded, nor confcience ftifled, fo the affections v. ill be no longer ftupified. A hard heart now makes heaven and hell feem but trifles : and when we have fhewed them everlafting glory and mifery, they are as men half afleep, they fcarce take notice what we fay, our words are caft as ftones againft a hard wall, which fly back in the face of him that cafteth them. We talk of terribly aftonifhing things, but it is to dead men that cannot comprehend it : we fpeak to rocks, rather than to men ; the earth will as foon tremble as they. But when thefe dead wretches are revived, what paf- fionate fenfibility ! What working affections ! What pangs of horror ! What depth of forruw, will there then be ! How violently will they fly in their own faces ! How will they rage againlt their former mad- riefs ! The lamentations of the mod paflionate wife for the lofs of her hufband, or of the tendered mother for the lofs of her children, will be nothing to theirs for the lofs of heaven. O the felf-accufing, and tormenting fury of thofe forlorn wretcher, ! How they will even tear their own hearts, and be God's executioners upon themfelves ! I am perfuaded, as it was none but them- ielves that committed the fin, and themfelves that were the meritorious caufe of tht-ir {offerings, fo themfelves will be the chief executioners of thofe fufferings ; God will have it for the clearing of his Juflice : even Satan himfelf, as he was not fo great a caufe of their finning as themfelves, fo he will not be fo great an inftrument of their torment. How happy would you think your- felves then, if you were turned into rocks, or any thing that had neither paiTon or fenfe ! How happy were you, if you could nc\v fed, as lightly as you ' • were
II. § 2. The Saints Everlafling Reft. 79
were wont to hear f And if you could fleep out the time of execution, as you did the time of the fermons that warned you of it ! But your ftupidity is gone, it will not be.
5. Moreover, it will much increafe the torment of the damned, that their memories will be as- large and ftrong as their underftanding and affections. Were their lofs never fo great, and their fenfe of it never fo paffionate, yet if they could but lofe the ufe of their memory, thofe paffions would die, and that lofs, being forgotten, would little trouble them. But as they cannot lay by their life and being, fo neither can they lay afide any part of tl|at being, Underftanding, con- fcience, affections, memory, muft all live to torment them, which fhould have helped to their happinefs. And as by thefe they fhould have fed upon the love of God, and drawn forth perpetually the joys of his pre- fence ; fo by thefe muft they now feed upon the wrath of God, and draw forth continually the pains of his abfence.
And yet thefe men would never be brought to con- fider ; but in the latter days (faith the Lord) they fhall perfectly confider it : when they are enfnared in the \vorksoftheir own hands ;jvhen God hath anefted them, and judgment is paft upon them, and vengeance is poured out upon them to the full, then they cannot chufe but confider it whether they will or no. Now they have no leifure to confider, nor any room in their memories for the things of another life. But then they Ihall have leifure enough, they fhall be engraven upon the tables of their hearts. God would have had the doctrine of their eternal ftate to have been written on the pofts of their doors, on their houfes, on their hands, and on their hearts : and feeing they rejected this counfel of the Lord, therefore fliall it be written always before them in the place of their thraldom, that which way foever they look, they may ftill be- hold it.
I will briefly lay down fome of thofe confiderations, which will thus feed the anguiih of thefe damned wretches.
i. It will torment them to think of the greatnefs of the glory which they have loft. Oh, if it had been
that
80 The Saints Everlaflmg Reft. II. § 2.
that which they could have fpared, it had been a fmall matter : or, if it had been a lofs reparable with any- thing elfe ; if it had been health, or wealth, or friends, or life, it had been nothing ; but to lofe that exceeding, eternal weight of glory. —
It will torment them to think of the poflibility that once they were in of obtaining it. Then they will re- member, the time was, when I was in as fair a poffibi- lity of the kingdom as others ; 1 was fet upon the ftage of the world ; if I had played my part wifely and faith- fully, now I might have been amongft yonder blefled Saints, who am now tormented with thefe damned fiends! The Lord did fet ..b^jpre me life and death, and having chofen death, 1 aeferve to fuffer it ; the prize was once held out before me; if I had run well, I might have obtained it ; if I had ftriven, I might have had the maftery; if I had fought valiantly, I might have been crowned.
3. It will yet more torment them to remember, not only the poffibility, but the great probability that once they were in to obtain the crown. It will then wound them to think, " Why, 1 had once the gales of the Spirit ready to have aflifted me. I was fully purpofed to have been another man, to have cleaved to Chrift, and to have forfaken the world ; I was almoft refolved to have been wholly for God : I had even caft off my old com- panions : and yet 1 turned back, and loft my hold, and broke my promifes, and flackened my purpofes ; almoft God had perfuaded me to be a real Chriftian, and yet I conquered thofe perfuafions. What workings were in my heart J When a faithful minifter prefled home the truth. O how fair was I once for heaven ! 1 had almofl had it, and yet I have loft it ; if I had but followed on to feek the Lord, and blown up the fparks of defire which were kindled in me, I had now been bleffed among the Saints."
4. Yet further, it will much add to their torment to remember, that God himfelf did condefcend to entreat them : how long he did wait, how freely he did offer, how lovingly he did invite, and how importunately he did folicit them ! How the Spirit did continue ftriving with their hearts, as if he were loath to take a denial : how Chrift ftood knocking at the door of their hearts,
fermon
II. § 2. The Saints Ever lafting Reft. Si
fermon after fermon, and one fabbath after another, cry- ing out, Open, finner, open thy heart to the Saviour, And / 'will come in and flip with thee, and thou <w'ith me. Why doft thou thus delay ? What doft thou mean, that thou doft not open immediately? How long Jhall thy vain thoughts lodge 'within thee ? Woe to thee, O un- worthy finner ! wilt thou not be made clean ? Wilt thou not be pardoned and fan&ified, and made happy ? When fhall it once be ? O that thou wouldeft hearken to my word, and obey my gofpel. "Then fhould thy peace be as a river, and thy righteoufnefs as the waves or die fea : though thy fins were as red as crimfon, I would make them white as fnow : O that thou waft but wife to confider this ! And that thou wouldeft iu time remember thy latter end, before the evil days come upon thee, and the years draw nigh, when thou (halt fay of all thy vain delights, 1 have no pleafure in them ?" Why finner! Shall thy Maker thus befpeak thee in vain ! Shall the God of all the world befeech thee to be happy, and befeech thee to have pity upon thy own foul, and wilt thou r.ct regard him ? Why did he make thy ears, but to hear his voice ? Why did he make thy underftanding but to confider? Or thy heart but to entertain the Son of his love ? " Thus faith the Lord of Hofts, confider thy ways !" —
O how all thefe paffionate pleadings of Chr'ijl will patfionately tranfport the damned with felf-indignation ! That they will be ready to tear out their own hearts. How frefh will the remembrance of them be ft ill in their minds lancing their fouls with renewed torments ? What felf-condemning pangs will it raife within them, to remember, how often Chrift would have gathered them to himfelf, " Even as the hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but they would not ?'* Then will they cry out againft themfelves, How juftly is all this befallen me ? Muft 1 tire out the patience of Chrift ? Muft I make the God of heaven to follow me in vain, till f had wearied him with crying to me, Repent, return ! Muft the Lord of all the world thus wait upon me, and all in vain ! Oh, how juftly is that patience now turned into fury, which falls upon my foul with irrefiftible violence ! When the Lord cried, out to me in his word, " How long will it be before
thou
82 The Saints Everlafting Reft. II. § 2.
thou wilt be made clean and holy !" My heart, or at leaft my practice anfwered, Never : I will never be fo precife : and now when I cry out, How long will it be till 1 be fieed from this torment, and faved with the Saints ! How juftly do I receive the anfwer ! Never, never." O Tinner, I befeech thee, for thy own fake, think of this while the voice of mercy foundeth in thine ears ! Yet patience continueth waiting upon thee : can(t thou think it will do fo nil! ? Yet the offers of Chrift and life are m-.ide to thee in the gofpel, and the hand of God is ftretched out to thee ; but will it ftill be thus ? The Spirit hath not yet done ftriving with thy heart : but doft thou know how foon he may turn away, and give thee over to a reprobate fenfe ? Thou haft yet lite, and time, and ftrength, and means ; but doft thou think this life will always laft ? Oh " feek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near :" " lie that hath an ear to hear let him hear" what Chrift now fpeaketh to his foul. And, " To day, while it is called to-day, harden not your hearts, left he fwear in his wrath that you fhall never enter into his Reft." For ever bleffed is he, that hath .MI heart and ear, while Chrift hath a calling voice.
5. Again, it will be a moll cutting confederation to thefe, to remember on what eafy terms they might have efcaped their mifery. If their work had been to remove mountains, to conquer kingdoms, then the impollibility •would fomewhat afTuage the rage of their felf-accufing confcience. If their conditions for heaven had been, the fatisfying of juftice for all their tranfgreffions, the fuffering of all the law that lay upon them, or bearing the burthen which Chrift was fain to bear ; this were nothing but to fuffer hell to efcape hell. But their con- ditions were of another nature. The yoke was eafy, and the burthen was light, which Jefus Chrift would have laid upon them ; his commandments were not grievous. It was but to repent, and accept him as their Saviour; ftudy his will, and feek his face ; to remove all other happinefs, but that which he procureth us, and to take the Lord alone for our fupreme good ; to renounce the government of the world and the flefh, and to fubmit to his meek and gracious government , to forfake the ways of our own devifing, and to walk ia
his
II. § 2." The Saints Evcrlafting Reft. 83
his holy delightful way ; to engage ourfelves to this by covenant with him, and to continue faithful in that covenant.
Thefe were the terms on which they might have en- joyed the kingdom. And was there any thing unrea- fonable in all this ? Was it a hard bargain to have heaven upon thefe conditions ?
When the poor wretch (hall look back upon thefe eafy terms which he refuted, and compare the labour of them with the pains and lofs which he there fuftaineth, it cannot be now conceived how it will rent his very heart! "Ah, thinks he, how juftly do 1 fuffer all this, who would not be at fo fmall pains to avoid it ? Where was my xmder (landing when I neglecled thy gracious offer : when I called the Lord a hard mafter ? And thought his pleafant fervice to be a bondage, and the fervice of the devil and my fle'fh to be the only free- dom ? Was I not a thoufand times worfe than man, when I cenfured the holy way of God, as needlefs precifenefs ? And cried out on it, as an intolerable burthen ? When I thought the laws of Chrift toe ftridl : and all too much, that I did for the life to come? O what had all the trouble of duty been, in comparifon of the trouble I now fuftain ? Or all the fufFerings for Chrift and well-doing in comparifon of thefe fufFerings that. I mud undergo for ever ? What if I had fpent my days in the ftrideft life. What if I had lived ftill upon my knees ? What if I had loft my credit with men ? And had been hated of all men for the fake of Chrift ? And borne the reproach of the fooliui ? What if I had been imprifoned, or banifhed, or put to death ? O, what had all this been to the miferies that I now fufFer ? Would not the heaven which 1 have loft, have recom- penfed all my loffes ? And (hould not all my fufFerings have been here forgotten? What if Chrift had bid me do fome great matter ? As, to live in continual tears and forrow, to fuffer death a hundred times over ? (Which he did not.) Should 1 not have done it ? How much more when he only faid, " Believe arid be faved : leek my face, and thy foul (hall live : love me above all, walk in my fweet and holy way, take up thy crofs and follow me, and I will fave thee from the wrath of God, and I will give thee everlafting life." O gracious
offer!
84 The Saints Everlafting Reft. II. § 2.
offer ! O eafy terms ! O curfed wretch, that would not be perfuaded to accept them !
6. This alfo will be a moft tormenting confideration, to remember what they fold their eternal welfare for. When they compare the value of the pleafures of fin, with the value of the recompence of reward, how will the vaft difproportion aftonifh them ! To think of a few pleafant cups or fweet models, a little eafe, or how to delight the flefh ; and then to think of everlafting glory ! What a vaft difference between them will then appear ? To think, " This is all 1 had for my foul, my God, my hopes of bleflednefs !" It cannot poflibly be expreifed how thefe thoughts will tear his heart. Then will he exclaim againft his folly, " O miferable wretch ! Did 1 fet my foul to fale for fo bafe a price ! Did I part with my God for a little dirt and drofs ? And fell my Saviour as Judas, for a little filver ? O for how fmall a matter have 1 parted with my happinefs ! I had but a dream of delight, for my hopes of heaven, and ROW 1 am waked, it is all vanilhed : where are now my honours and attendance ? My morfels are now turned to gall, and my cup to wormwood. They delighted me no longer than while they were paffing down ; and is this all that I have had for the ineftimable treafure ? O what a mad exchange did I make ? What if I had gained all the world, and loft my foul ? But ala^1 ! How i'mall a part of the world was it, for which 1 gave up my part of glory ?" O that fmners would think of this, when they are fwijnming in delights, and lludying to be rich and honourable ! When they are defperately ven- turing upon known tranfgreffions, and finning againft the checks of confcience !
7. Yet much more will it add unto their torment, when they confider that all this was their own doings, and that they wilfully procured their own deilruftion : had they been forced to fin, it would much abate the rage of their confciences, or if they were punifbed for another man's tranfgreffions ; or if any other had been the chief author of their ruin : but to think, that it was the choice of their own wills, and that God had fet them in fo free a condition, that none in the world could have forced them to fin againft their wills, this will be a griping thought. " What (thinks this wretched
creature)
II. § 2. The Saints Everlaftiiig Reft. .85
creature) had I not enemies enough in the world, but 1 muft be an enemy to myfelf ! God would neither give the devil, nor the world fo much power over me, as to force me to commit the lead tranfgreflaon. If 1 had not confented, their temptations had been in vain ; they could but entice me, it was myfelf that yielded, and did the evil : and mull I needs lay hands upon my own foul, and embrue my hands in my own blood ? Who ftiould pity me, who pitied not myielf, and who brought all this upon mine own head ? Never did God do me any good, or offer me any thing for the welfare of my foul, but I refilled him : he hath heaped mercy upon me, and renewed one deliverance after another, to entice my heart to him, and yet was I never heartily willing to ferve him : he had gently chaftifed me, and made me groan under the fruit of my difobe- dience, and yet, though 1 promiied largely in my affliction, I was never unfeignedly willing to obey him."
Thus will it gnaw the hearts of thefe wretches to re- member, that they were the caufe of their own undo- ing : and that they wilfully and obilinately perfifted in their rebellion, and were mere volunteers in the fervice of the devil. They would venture, they would go on, they would not hear him that fpoke againft it : God called to them to hear and ilay, but they would not : men called ; confcience called, and faid to them, (as Pilate's wife,) ' Have nothing to do with that hateful I'm; for I have fuffcred many things becaufe of it:" but they would not hear ; their will was their law, their rule, and their ruin.
8. Lallly. It will yet make the wound in their con- fcienccs much deeper, when they (Lall remember, that it was not only their own doing, but that they were at fo much coft and pains for their own damnation. What great undertakings did they engage in to effect their ruin, to refift God, to conquer the Spirit, to overcome the power of mercies, judgments, and tb? Word itfelf, to filence confcience ? All this they did take upon them and perform. What a number of fins did they manage at once ; what difficulties did they fet upon ! Even the conquering the power of reafoa itfelf. What dangers did thsv adventure or*, though they walked in conti- H v.ual
86 The Saints EverlafHng Reft. II. § 2,
mial danger uf the wrath of God, and knew he could Jay them in the duft in a moment ; though they knew they lived in danger of eternal perdition, yet would they run upon all this. What did they forfake for the ferv-ice of Satan, and the pleafures of fin ! They for- fook their confcience, their belt iriends, their hopes of falvation.
Oh the labour that it cofteth poor wretches to be damned! Sobiiety they might have at a cheaper rate, and a great deal of health and eafe too; and yet they \vill rather have gluttony and drunkennefs, with pover- ty, and lhame, and ficknefs, with the outcries and la- mentations of wife and children, and confcience itfelf. Contentednefs they might have with eafe and delight ; yet will they rather have covetoufnefs and arr.bi'.jon ; though it coft them iludy, and cares, and fears, and labour of body and mind, and continual unquietnefs and diftraction of fpirit. Though their anger be no- thing but a tormenting themfelves, and revenge anc envy confume their fpirits, and keep them upon a con- tinual rack ; though uncleannefs dettroy their bodies, and eilates, and names ; yet will they do and iuffer all this, rather than fuffer their fouls to be faved.
O how the reviews of this will feed the flames in hell ! With what rage will thcie damned wretches curfe themfelves, and fay, Was damnation worth ail rhy coll and pains ? Was it not enou^a.that I peiiflied through my negligence, and that 1 fat (till while Satan played his game, but I mud feek fo diligently my own perdition ? Might I not have been damned on free <co!t, but 1 muft purchafe it fo dearly.'1 I thought I could have been faved without fo much ado ; and could 1 not have been deitroyed without fo much ado ? How well is vtll my care, and pains, and violence now re- quited ! Muft I work out fo laboriouily my own dam- nation, when God commanded me to work out my fal- vation ? O, if I had done as much for heaven as I did; for hell, 1 had furely had it. I cried out of the tedious v.ay of godlinefs ; and yet 1 could be at more pains for Satan and for death. If I had loved Chrift as ftrongly as I did my pleafuies, my profits, and honours, and thought on him as often, and fought him as painfully, O how happy had 1 now been ! But juftly do I fuffer
the
II. § 3- The Saints Everlafting Reft. 87
the flames of hell, who would rather buy them fo dear, than have heaven when it was purchafed to my hands." Thus 1 have (hewed you fome of thofe thoughts which will aggravate the mifery of thefe wretches for ever. O that God would perfuade thee, who readeft thefe words, to take up thefe thoughts nov, for the- preventing of that inconceivable calamity, fo that thou mayeft not take them up in hell as thy own tormentor.
CHAP. III.
Tkev Jkall lofe all Things that are comfortable > as -well at flea veu.
HAVING fhewed you thofe confiderations which will then aggravate their mifery. I am next to ihew you, their additional lodes, which will aggravate it. For as " godlinefs hath the promife both of this life, and that which is to come ;" and as God hath faid, " that if we firft feek his kingdom and righteoufnefs, all things elfe fhall be added to us :" fo alfo are the ungodly threat- ened with the lofs both of fpiritual and corporal bleiT- i'ngs : and becaufe they fought not firft Chrift's kingdom and righteonihefs, therefore fhall they lofe both it, and that which they did feek, and there fhall be taken from them even that little which they have. If they could but have kept their preient enjoyment, they would not have much cared for the lofs of heaven : but catching at the fhadow for the fubftance, they now find they have loft both : and that when they rejected Chrift, they rejected all things. If they had loft and forfaken all for Chrift, they would have found all again in him ; for he would have been all in all to them : but now they have forfaken Chrift for other things, they fhall lofe Chrift, and that alfo for which they did forfake him.
But I will particularly open to you fome of their other loffes.
r. They ihall lofe their prefent conceit of their in- fereft in God, and of his favour towards them, and of their part in the merits and iufterings of Chrift. This falfe belief doth now fupport their ibirits, and defend them from the terrors that would elfe feize upon them : fcut what will eafe their trouble when this is gone ? H 2 ' When
88 The Saints Everlafting Reft. II. § 3,
When they can believe no longer, they will be quiet no longer. If a man conceit that he is in fafety, his conceit may make him chearful till his mifery comes, and then both his conceit and comforts vanilh.
There is none of this believing in hell ; nor any per- fuaiions of pardon or happinefs, nor any boafting of their honeily, nor juttif) ing themfelves. This was but latan's ftratagem, that being blindfold, they might fol- low him the more boldly ; but then he will uncover their eyes, and they (hall fee where they are.
2. Another addition to the mifery of the damned will be this : that with the lofs of heaven, they fhall lofe all their hopes. In this life, though they were threatened with the wrath of God, yet their hope of efcaping it did bear up their hearts. We can now fcarce fpeak with the vileft drunkard, or fwearer, or Icorner, but he hopes to be faved for all this. O happy world, if falvation were as common as this hope ; even thofe whole hellifh nature is written in the face of their converfation, whofe tongues plead the caufe of the devil, and fpeak the language of hell ; yet ftrongly hope for heaven, though the God of heaven has told 'hem no fuch (hall ever come there. Nay, fo llrong are men's hopes, that they will difp'ute the caufe with Chrift himfelf at judgment, and plead " their eating ;tnd drinking in his prefence, their preaching in his name, and catling out devils," (and thefe are more probable arguments than our baptifm, and common profeffion, and name of Chriftians,) they will ttifly deny that ever they neglected Chrt/i, in hunger, nakecfvefs, prifon, till Chrift confute them with the fentence of their condemnation. Though the heart of their hopes will be broken at their death, yet, it feems, they would fain plead for fuch hope at the general judgment.
But, O the fad liate of thefe men, when they mud bid farewel to all their hopes ! When their hopes {hall all peiiih with them ! " The eyes of the wicked (hall fail, and their hope (hall be as the giving up of the ghoft." The giving up of the ghoft is a fit, but terrible refemblance of a wicked man's giving up his hopes.
For