Meditations on the glory of the heavenly world. I. On the happiness of the soul of believers, at the instant of their separation from their bodies. II. On the glory of the bodies of God's children, in the resurrection world, when they shall be as the angels of heaven. III. On the glory of both soul and body in the heaven of heavens, after the day of judgment, to all eternity. / By Increase Mather, D.D. ; [Six lines of quotations]

Meditations on the glory of the heavenly world. I. On the happiness of the soul of believers, at the instant of their separation from their bodies. II. On the glory of the bodies of God's children, in the resurrection world, when they shall be as the angels of heaven. III. On the glory of both soul and body in the heaven of heavens, after the day of judgment, to all eternity. / By Increase Mather, D.D. ; [Six lines of quotations]

Table of contents

Title page

The Preface.

Advertisement.

THE Happiness Of SAINTS in HEAVEN Is Wonderfully Great and Glorious.

PROPOSITION I.

PROPOSITION II.

PROPOSITION III.

PROPOSITION IV.

USE I.

USE II.

The Glorified SOULS OF Just Men Have attained a Blessed Perfection.

PROPOSITION I.

PROPOSITION II.

PROPOSITION III.

PROPOSITION IV.

IN THE Resurrection World, THE Children of God Shall be as the Angels of Heaven.

PROPOSITION I.

PROPOSITION II.

PROPOSITION III.

PROPOSITION, IV.

Believers HAVE A Well grounded HOPE, OF Perfect Blessedness in Heaven.

PROPOSITION I.

PROPOSITION II.

PROPOSITION III.

USE I.

USE. II.

The CONTENTS.

SCRIPTURES Opened, or Occasionally Cleared, in the Preceding SERMONS.

§

§

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MEDITATIONS ON THE GLORY OF THE Heavenly World.

I. On the Happiness of the Souls of Believers, at the Instant of their Separation from their Bodies.

II. On the Glory of the Bodies of God's Children, in the Resurrection World, when they shall be as the Angels of Heaven.

III. On the Glory of both Soul and Body in the Heaven of Heavens, after the Day of Judgment, to all ETERNITY.

By Increase Mather, D. D.

Phil. I. 23,—Having a desire to Depart, and be withCHRIST.

Heb. XI. 16. They desire a Better Country, that is anHEAVENLY.

Moriar ut te Videam Au [...]

Christus et Coelum non [...] Hyper [...]alen. [...]

BOSTON in N. E. Printed: Sold by [...] Eliot, at his Shop in King [...].

The Preface.

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IN the Subsequent Discourses, I have Studied all possible Plainness and Perspicuity: My design therein being to Profit Ordinary Readers; yea, the Meanest Capacities. I have not therefore (altho' I incline to the Negative) Concerned my self with the Disputes about that Abstruse Question, Whether the Saints in Glory shall have a Perfect Knowledge of the First Being? Or (which is the same Question) see the Divine Essence it self? That Great Scholar and Blessed Martyr, Peter Ramus said truly,He must have Gods own Logick, who is able to give a perfect Definition of God. But a man may Perfectly Define that whose Essence he can see and know. I do not find (Austin excepted) that any of [Page] the Ancients affirm this of the ETERNAL. I know the Schoolmen (in special the Thomists) and Popish Authors; and some Protestants are for the Affirmative. But those very Learned Writers, Gomarus, and his Scholar Dr. Voet, have with great Judgment endeavoured a Confutation of that Opinion. I have not produced any of their Arguments; as judging that it would be little to the Edification of my Hearers: But in speaking concerning the Beatifical Vision, I have chosen to keep to Plain Clear Scripture Revelation, and not to be wise above what is Written.

It was a good Expression of a Pious man, who Dy'd not long since; I would not (said he) part with the Hopes I have by Christ of Heaven, for Ten Thousand Worlds. The Awful Providences of GOD call upon us to get Hearts Weaned from this World, and to make sure of Treasure in Heaven. These SERMONS were Pluckt out of the Burning; when Seven Book-sellers shops in Boston were Consumed in those Flames, which on the [Page] Second of this Instant October. made a dismal Desolation in the midst of this Great Town. Happy are they who in such a Day as this, have an Enduring Substance in Heaven.

It has been Observed, That when God inclines the Hearts of any of His Servants to dwell much in their Meditations on Another World, it is a Sign that they have not Long to be in This World. Mr. Bolton Dy'd Preaching on the Happiness of Heaven. Our Famous Mr. Mitchel (who was in his Time the Glory of Cambridge) his Last Lecture-Sermons were on the Eternal Glory of Believers, after this Life. Those Excellent and Heavenly Discourses have been Printed at London, and I wish they were Reprinted in Boston; where many much Inferiour to them have been so.

If there is any thing in the mentioned Observation (or whether there is or no,) it may be hoped that the Time of my Departure from this Earth is near at [Page] hand. It must needs be so; because I have been an Unprofitable Servant therein, upwards of Seventy and Two Years; and more than Fifty are Expired, since I began my Publick Ministry in Boston. Would Christians Think much of the Vanity of all things on the Earth; and on the Soul-satisfaction which is to be had in Beholding the Glory of JESUS CHRIST in the Heavenly World, surely they would Long to be there.

It is Reported concerning Sylvanus (a Minister at Nazareth) that when Hierom Enquired of him, what he did most of all desire that GOD would do for him; his Answer was, That it would Please Him to Dismiss me out of this Evil World. And another Religious Person (Columbanus) importuned a special Friend of his, who Earnestly Prayed for the Continuance of his Life; that he would not make that Prayer in his behalf. Such were the Language of his Soul to be in the Heavenly Countrey.

[Page]I must acknowledge, that the Prayers of the Lord's People, in the Dear Flock to which I am Related, and of many Others, have been the Means of Lengthning my Days for so long a Time. I am very sensible of their Love, and Bless GOD for it. He has made my Old Age to be a Good Old Age; in that I am not under such Decays (how ever Decayed) as many who have attained to my Years, are; which is a wonderful Mercy; and a signal Answer of the Prayers of my Praying Friends. Nevertheless for the future, Let me intreat them to Pray, not for my Longer abiding here; but that whilest I am in the World, I may be Serviceable; and that I might be made Meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light; and that the Lord will graciously Hasten my being among, the Spirits of Just Men made Perfect.

Increase Mather.

Boston, October 10th, 1711.

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Lately Printed and Published some Excellent Sacramental Meditations, Preparatory for Communion at the Great Ordinance of the SUPPER.

By the late Reverend SAMUEL WILLIARD, M. A. Vice-President of Harvard College, and Pastor of a Church in Boston.

Sold by Benjamin Eliot, at his Shop a little below the Exchange Tavern the North side of King Street, Boston.

THE Happiness Of SAINTS in HEAVEN Is Wonderfully Great and Glorious.

[Page]

Eph. 1. 18.‘—The Riches of the Glory of His Inheritance in the Saints.’

THese words are part of the Apostle's Prayer for the Saints of God in the Church of the Ephesians: In which we have first the Object of the Prayer. The Blessed GOD is the only Object of Prayer; who is in the preceding [Page] Verse styled, The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Father of Glory. He is the God of Christ in respect of Christ's Mediatory Office; and of the New Covenant of which he is the Head. In the Old Testament, God is frequently called the God of Abraham, & of Isaac, & of Jacob; because of his Covenant with them: But in the New Testament, He is Named the God of Jesus Christ; who is the Mediator of the New Covenant. He is said to be given for a Covenant of the People. And God is styled the Father of Glory; for that he is the most Glorious Father, and the Author of all Glory, & he to whom all Glory is due. Secondly, We have the Matter of the Prayer; or the thing which the Apostle prays for, in the behalf of these Saints.

(1.) That God would give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. That Wisdom and Knowledge was already given to them; but he prays that they might have more of it. No Saints on Earth have so much wisdom, but they need more.

(2.)That the eyes of their understanding [Page]might be [...]. What the eye is to the Body, the understanding is to the Soul. He prays that they might have greater measures of Divine Illumination: That they might with the eye of their Souls see further into heavenly Mysteries.

(3.) That they might know what is the Hope of his Calling. God causeth Believers on Christ to hope for the glory of heaven: And they have sufficient ground for that hope. The Apostle prays that they might know this. And this prayer fitly follows upon the former particular; For notwithstanding they have infinite grounds to believe that the glory of heaven shall be their Portion, they cannot know that they have so, except God [...] Enlighten their minds.

(4) That they might [...] how [...] that Glory is which they are called [...] hope for. The Apostle prays not only that they might have assurance of their [...] title to an Inheritance reserved in heaven for them; but that it is a rich & glorious [...]; which are the words before us to insist on.

[Page]I shall Endeavour to give you the Meaning of them, in speaking to the DOCTRINE to be insisted on; which is,

That the Happiness of the Saints of God in the Heavenly World, will be wonderfully Great and Glorious.

Some Propositions for Opening & Confirming the Truth, may be set before us.

PROPOSITION I.

The Saints of God shall enjoy Happiness in Heaven. The Inheritance which the Text speaks of, belongs to his Saints. And it is an heavenly Inheritance; an Inheritance not to be enjoyed on earth, but in heaven.

1. There is and ever has been an holy purpose in the heart of God to have his Saints with him [...] heaven; there to enjoy happiness. When ever God has purposed, shall [...] be accomplished: His Decrees are unalterable: Job 23. 13. He is of one mind, & who can turn him? Men off times purpose, and change their minds upon [...] thoughts: They are subject to [...], [Page] and do not [...] at first so far as afterwards. But it is not so with God only wise. Psal. 33. 11. The Counsel of the Lord stands for ever; the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Now there has been from eternity a gracious purpose in the heart of God, concerning the salvation of his Saints; and their being made partakers of the heavenly Inheritance: 2 Tim. 1. 9. Who has saved us according to his own purpose & grace, i. e. his gracious purpose, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. He has Predestinated them thereunto: Rom. 8. 30. Whom he did Predestinate, them he Called; whom he Called, them be Justified; whom he Justified, them he Glorified Heaven and Happiness was designed for them at the Foundation of the world. When God Created the world, the first thing that he made, was an heaven for his Saints to dwell with him there to Eternity. In the beginning God made heaven; that heaven which is the Saints Inheritance. Therefore, it will be said to them at the last day Come you blessed, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the world, Mat. 25. 34.

[Page]2. God has promised this inheritance to his Saints. He has not only purposed to give it, but has made known his Purpose by his Promise. They are heirs of the Kingdom, which he has promised to them that love him, Jam. 2. 5. Wherefore Heaven is called the Promise: Heb. 10. 36. That you may inherit the Promise. They that inherit Heaven, inherit the Promise. God promised Adam an happy use in Patadise, in case of his continuing this Obedience. But he has promised that which is better than an earthly life in Paradise to the true Believer, viz. Eternal Life in heaven: 1 Joh. 2. 25. And this is the promise that he has [...] Eternal Life. The Covenant of Grace is better than the Covenant of Works: It is a better Covenant; established upon better Promises. Hence the Promises of the Covenant are said to be [...] great & [...], [...] Pet. 1. 4. An [...] in heaven is an exceeding [...] thing; Eternal Life there, is a [...] thing. Now what ever God has [...], will surely be performed. He is a [...] Covenant-keeping God, not [...] [Page] he be otherwise. All that [...] David he performed. This [...] acknowledged [...] the Prayer which he made at the [...] of the Temple; I King. 8. 23, 24. Lord God of Israel, there [...] God [...] thee who keepeth Covenant & Mercy with the Servants that walk before thee with all their heart; whohast kept with thy Servant David my Father that then promised him; they spakest with thy mouth, and [...] fulfilled it with thy hand. And all that God promised concerning the Children of Israel, he made good: Ver. 56. Blessed he the [...], that has given rest to his People Israel, according to all that he promised; there has not failed one word of all his good promise. We may then be assured, that where as God has promised to give his Saints an [...] Rest in the heavenly Ganaan, he will not fail to do it.

3. Jesus Christ has purchased this Inheritance for his saints. They have a right unto it not only by vertue of a promise; but of a blessed p [...]rchase. It is a Purchased Possession, E [...]h. [...]. [...]4. Christ has bought his People with a valuable price: Cor. 7. 23. [Page] Ten are bought with a Price. And when he bought them, he bought heaven for them too. The heavenly Inheritance is infinitely more Valuable than any earthly Inheritance; nevertheless, Christ has given as much for the purchasing of it as it is worth; Namely, his own precious Life & Blood. Believers are bought, & Heaven is bought for them; not with silver, & gold, but with the precious Blood of Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. 1. 19. Silver and Gold will purchase an Earthly Inheritance; but the Heavenly Inheritance is infinitely more Valuable than all the Silver and Gold in the world: But the precious Blood of Christ is of Value sufficient to Purchase it. No meer Man or Creature, did ever Merit any thing at the hands of God; much less so great a Good as the Glory of heaven: But Christ has done it with the price of his infinitely Meritorious Blood. Believers may from the consideration of the infinite Merit of that Blood, have an humble holy Confidence, of their entring into heaven: Heb. 10. 19. Having boldness to enter into the Heliest by the Blood of Jesus. It is not [Page] to be imagined, that Christ has Died in Vain. The Apostle says, If Righteousness came by the Law, then Christ is Dead in Vain, Gal. 1. 21. So it Believers should not obtain the heavenly Inheritance, then Christ has Died and shed his precious Blood in Vain.

4. Heaven is come down into the Souls of those who are indeed Saints of God. Where there is real Sanctity, heaven is come into the Soul: Heb. 3. 1. Holy Brethren, partakers of the Heavenly Calling. Men are apt to think, that the happiness of heaven does consist in a perfect freedom from all afflictive Evils, and in blessed Delights; and so it does in part, but more in Holiness. Perfection in holiness is the glory of heaven. Tis said, We are Chosen that we should be Holy, Eph. 1. 4. We are Chosen that we should be happy; to be holy is to be happy. A sanctified man has an Heavenborn-soul: He is born from above; that is from Heaven. True saving Grace is eternal Life and Glory in the beginnings of it. It is called the first fruits, Rom. 8. 23. The first fruits were but an handful; yet a [Page] pledge of a plentiful crop. So is Grace in the soul, of an harvest of Glory. Hence also, Grace is called the Earnest of the Inheritance, Eph. 1. 14. When men are purchasing an Inheritance, if they give an Earnest Peny, that assures the Inheritance to them. Thus when the holy Spirit begins a work of Grace in the soul of the Believer, that assures him, that the heavenly Inheritance shall be given to him.

5. The Saints of God are his Adopted Children. A Saint and a true Believer on Christ are the same. That glorious Priviledge of Divine Adoption does belong to all true Believers. They may lawfully think and say, that they are the Children of God: Joh. 1. 12. But to so many as received him, to them gave he Power, that is Right or Priviledge, to become the Sons of God; even to them that believe on his Name. They have in them the spirit of Adopted Children, Crying to God, Abba Father; as Children will Cry, Father! Father! when they need any thing. Now if God has Adopted them, he will certainly bestow His Inheritance upon them. Natural [Page] Children are not always Heirs; but Adopted Children are. Believers if they are (as they are) God's Adopted Children, then Heirs; Heirs of God, and JoyntHeirs with Christ, Rom. 8. 17.

6. If it were not for this Heavenly Inheritance, Believers would be the most Miserable men in the world. 1 Cor. 15. 19. If in this Life only we have Hope in Christ, we are of all men the most miserable. For often it is so; that Ungodly men Prosper in the world: They have a brave time of it here; Riches, and Honours, and Earthly happiness, more than heart could wish. When at the same time, the Saints and Servants of God are Exposed to all manner of Miseries; and this it may be too for their Godliness. For thy sake we are Killed all the Day long! Therefore we may be assured that they shall be Happy in another world for ever; and that will more than compensate for all their Afflictions in this world. We may from such Providences conclude, that most certainly that there is both an Heaven and an Hell. Since Wicked men have their Good things in their Life time [Page] here, we may be assured that there is a Life to come in which they shall receive Evil. It was well replied by a Christian Emperor, when some informed him that an Old Noble man above Ninety Years was newly Dead; and that he had been one of the Wickedest men that ever lived, and yet never met with any considerable Affliction throughout the whole course of his Life; then (said the Emperor) we may conclude that Divines tell us the Truth, when they say that there is another World besides this wherein we now Live. Wicked Dives Lived at heart-ease, faring Deliciously every day; but when Dead, and his Soul gone into Eternity, he Cries but, I am in a place of Torment. So when we see Holy men, and it may be such as have done great Service for God, under sore Afflictions and Temptations, we may rest satisfied, that there is an Heaven in which they shall be Comforted. It is against the Light of Natural Reason, so imagine that Vertuous and Godly men shall be more Miserable than the Wickededst of men. Yet so it must be, if there [Page] is not an Heavenly Inheritance reserved for them.

PROPOSITION II.

The Happiness of Saints in the Heavenly World, will be wonderfully Great.

For,

1. The Holy Scriptures do abundantly declare it to be so: 2 Cor. 4. 17. A far more Exceeding Glory. There is a difficulty in translating the Apostle's words, so as to give them a due Emphasis: One translates them, Mire supra modum, A Glory which is wonderfully above measure. Another renders them, Excellently Excelling Glory: Kath, hyperbolen eis hyperbolen. An Hyperbolical Glory, & more than so. No Hyperbole of Expression can be beyond what this Glory really is. Add one Hyperbole to another, and all will come short of what the Happiness really is. It was Luthers saying, that Christ & Heaven admit of no Hyperbole. We can not over speak in setting forth the Excellency of Christ, or the Glory of Heaven: It is Ineffable. When the Apostle was Miraculously caught up to Paradise, he saw a Glory that is Unutterable. [Page] The happiness of Saints in heaven is beyond all Conception; therefore beyond all Expression. Eye has not seen, nor Ear heard; neither have entred into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that Love him, 1 Cor. 2. 9. The Eye can see glorious things: Men may hear of more glorious things than they can see: The heart may think of more than the ear can hear. But the Happiness of Heaven is beyond all Imagination. David when inspired by the Spirit of God, could not but admire this happiness: Psal. 31. 19. O! How great is thy Goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that Fear thee? O how great! Tis wonderfully great. There is a mighty Treasure of Goodness, & so of Glory Laid up for them. And where is it Laid up? It is in Heaven. Saints themselves will wonder and be amazed at their own happiness in the Future state; especially at the glory and happiness which after the Resurrection they shall be the Subjects of, (as hereafter we shall shew:) Notwithstanding their Souls had been in heaven for some time, [...] [Page] wonderfully happy, yet to see such an Addition to their happiness at the Last Day, it will make them wonder & admire, and glorify Christ, from whom proceeds all their Glory: 2 Thes. 1. 10. When He shall come to be glorified in His Saints, & to be admired in all them that Believe in that Day.

2. The things whereunto this Happiness is resembled in the Scripture, declares it to be wonderfully great. If it should be set before us in the proper Dialect of Heaven, whilest we remain in this Mortal state, we should understand nothing of it. Christ said to Nicodemus; Joh. 3. 12. If I have told you Earthly things, & you believe not: How shall you believe, if I tell you of Heavenly things? Christ did by Earthly Similitudes & Parables, set forth Heavenly Mysteries Should he have spoken of Heavenly Glories, in a Style suitable to the Nature of them; mortal men could not have Comprehended it. Therefore is this happiness described by Earthly Similitudes; by such things as men on Earth think the enjoyers of them happy men. [Page] There are Three Expressions in the Text before us, by which the Happiness of Saints in the Heavenly World is denoted.

(1.) It is compared to an Inheritance: If a man has a great Inheritance fallen to him, he is counted an happy man: Therefore is Heaven resembled to an Inheritance: 1 Pet. 1. 4. An Inheritance reserved in heaven for them. The Joys of heaven are called, the Inheritance of the Saints in Light, Col. 1. 12. When Heaven is compared to an Inheritance, it is in allusion to the Land of Canaan, which was divided by Lot to the Children of Israel; and given to them for an Inheritance. Moses said to them, Ye are not come to the Rest [...] to the Inheritance which the Lord your God giveth you, but when you go over Jordan, [...] dwell in the Land which the Lord your God giveth you to Inherit, &c Deut. 1. 2. 9, 10. A great part of their Temporal happiness was in their Inheriting so desirable a Land. It is called a Pleasant Land, & a Goodly Heritage, Jer. 3. 19. But what is Heaven then? Tis said of Canaan, that it was [...] flowing with Milk & Honey, which was [Page]the Glory of all Lands, Ezek. 20. 6. The blessed satisfactions & sweet enjoyments of heaven were figured thereby. If the Land of Canaan was a glorious Land, what a glorious place is Heaven do we think? The holy Patriarcks who sojourned in Canaan desired a better Countrey, that is an Heavenly one, Heb. 11. 16.

(2.) The happiness of Saints in the heavenly world, is set forth by resembling it to Riches. That you may know what is the Riches: Riches imply more than a little: One that has but a little, is not a rich man. There is more than a little happiness in heaven. There they have such an abundance as does fill and [...]atisfy all the desires of their Soul, Psal. 36. 8. All the earthly riches in the world, [...] not make a man truly happy. Solomon was a rich King: But what does he say of all these things after he had had as great experience of what satisfaction was to be found in the Profits and Pleasures, and Honours of the world as ever man had? The Sum total which he brings in [...], Vanity of Vanities, all is Vanity. [Page] [...] 1. 2. Some of the richest men in this world, have been the most miserable men when they have gone out of the world. It was said to the rich man in Hell; Remember that in thy life-time then receivedst thy good things, but now thou art tormented, Luk. 16. 25. One of the Popes said, he could never think of those words without horror. Nevertheless, men are apt to esteem those who are rich to be very happy: Mal. 3. 15. We call the proud (i. e. the rich who are commonly proud) happy. Therefore is the happiness of heaven set forth by great Riches. In heaven there are riches: there are treasures there, Mat. 6. 20. As for the riches of this world they are decerful. Many a man has tho't with himself, if he could but get such an [...], how happy should he be; but when he has obtained it, he has found himself miserably deceived. But in heaven there is the true Riches, Luk. 16. 11. There are some Cities which have an abundance of Riches in them, but never any City so rich, as the City of God the heavenly Jerusalem. The wall of this City is said to [Page] be garnished with all manner of precious Stones, Rev. 21. 19. The street is of pure Gold; and as for the gates of it, they were all Pearls: Every several gate was one Pearl. A Pearl as big as a mans finger, is of great Value: but a Pearl as big as the gate of a City, is that the like whereunto was never known. It is therefore (as a Learned Divine in his Exposition on this Scripture observes) an holy Fiction; intimating that the happiness of heaven is so great, as the world affords nothing comparable to it. Amongst men on the earth, a Kingdom is the greatest Riches: He that has all the Riches of a great Kingdom under his Command, is a rich man: Wherefore the happiness of Saints in the heavenly world, is set forth by that of enjoying a Kingdom: Luk. 12. 32. Fear not little Flock, for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.

(3.) Another expression in the Text before us, whereby the happiness of the heavenly world is denoted, is Glory. Riches and Glory usually go together. Worldly [...] esteem Riches Glory: The Sons of [Page] Laban said of Jacob, he has gotten all this Glory, Gen, 31. 1. Meaning all his Estate: Psal. 49. 16, 17. Be not ye afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased. When he dies, his glory shall not descend after him. Glory is sometimes the same with Honour. These are the two things which men most earnestly desire: If they can obtain these two, Riches and Honour with it, they think they shall want nothing to make them happy: Eccl. 6. 2. A man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wants nothing for his Soul of all that he desires. Both these expressions are used to let us understand what a desirable and happy world the heavenly world is. Heavenly Riches, and heavenly Honours infinitely transcend Earthly ones. Christ says, If any man serve me, him will my Father honour. It may be God will put honour upon him in this world; but to be sure in another world, in Heaven and at the Last Day in the Resurrection world. Then will he commend their Fidelity in the hearing of all Angels and Men. Mat. [Page] 29. 21. We [...] thou [...] enter th [...] into the joy of thy Lord. Their Faith will be found to Praise, and Honour & Glory Christ will confess their [...] before his Father, and before his Angel Rev. 3. 5. And what greater honour [...] there be? Thus shall they [...] Glory. Is it not an honour to be Crowned? Christ will give to his faithful Servants a Crown that fadeth not away. And a Crown of what? A Crown of Life! That's the most Glorious Crown that ever was.

3. If we compare the happiness of Heaven with other things, we shall see that it is wonderfully Great. If we compare it either with the Good things, or the Evil things of this world. If we compare Earth and Heaven together, we shall see there is no comparison between them. Before Sin entered into the world the Earthly Paradise was a delightful place. It was the Garden of Eden; that is of Pleasure. The Heavenly paradise does infinitely excel the Earthly Paradise in all what is desirable. There are things belonging [Page] to the Earth, which make it desirable to Earthly men: There are hidden Treasures in it, with which God fills the Bellies of some men, who have their Portion in this Life. There are precious Stones, Silver, and Gold in the bowels of it: But no Eternal Riches, as there is in Heaven: Heb. 10. 34. Knowing that you have in Heaven a better & an enduring Substance. There are Pleasures to be enjoyed on the Earth; but not Everlasting Pleasures. Whenas in Heaven there are Pleasures for evermore. There it is that God makes his saints to Drink of the River of his Pleasures, Psal. 36. 8. The Souls in heaven swim in holy Pleasures, and they are Perpectual, like a River that keeps running from age to age. There are Honours to be enjoyed on the Earth; but not Everlasting Honours. Death will soon put an end to all worldly Grandieur. But Heavenly Glory will last to Eternity, as hereafter we shall shew. This Earth it self is but like a Stage, which is set up but for a while, and then it must be pulled down. The Scheme, the Fashion of this [Page]world passeth away, I Cor. v. 31. After it has continued a few Thousands of Years, it must be taken down; nay, burnt up. All the Rich and Glorious Cities on the Earth must be destroyed; but Heaven is a City which shall stand to Eternity. It is a City that has Foundations. All the Houses on the Earth shall be consumed with Fire at the latter day: 2 Pet. 3. 10. The Elements shall melt with servent heat; the Earth also & the works which are therein shall be burst up. But Heaven is an Eternal House. These things declare that there is no comparison between Earthly and Heavenly happiness.

Let us compare the Sufferings of God's Children, whilst they are on the Earth, with the Glory which they shall have in Heaven: Rom. 8. 18. I reckon that the sufferings of this present time, are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. That Glory does incomparably Out-ballance all their Afflictions. Put their present Afflictions into One Scale, and their future Glory into the Other Scale, and the weight of Glory [Page] Out-weighs Wonderfully. The weight of Glory does exceed by far and far, the heaviest Affliction that ever any Saint of God was subject unto in this world; suppose him to have been as grievously Afflicted as Job was, who Complains that if his Grief were throughly weighed, and his Calamity laid in the balances together, it would be Heavier than the sand of the Sea. All these Afflictions are as light as a Feather, compared with the Weight of Glory in Heaven. Sometimes One Affliction will Weigh down all the Good and Comfort of this World. If a man is subject to a Tormenting Disease, he would willingly part with all his Estate, to be delivered from that Misery: But the Glory of Heaven Out-balances all. There is no more comparison between them, than there is between a few Sands & a Mountain.

4. If we consider whose Inheritance this is, we must conclude that it is a Rich and Glorious One. It is God's Inheritance: The Riches of the Glory of His Inheritance. It is said to be His,

[Page](1.) Because He is the Bestower of it: Tis his glorious Gift; Psal. 84. 11. He giveth Glory. If he gives Glory, He will give like himself. It is reported concerning a great King, that when he bestowed an Extraordinary Bounty, the Receiver said the Gift was too great; he had not deserved so much: That Liberal King repli'd, If it is too much for you to receive, it is not too much for me to give. The greatest Riches of Glory is not too great for God to give: He has infinite Riches: Enough to make Millions of needy Creatures exceeding Rich: Phil: 4. 19. God shall supply all your need, according to his Riches in Glory. He has not Only Glory, but Riches of Glory: He can make Thousands of Millions of poor Creatures Vastly rich. Can we think, that the Great GOD will bestow a Small Patrimony on his Children? Most certainly, the Adopted Children of God will be the Richest Heirs in the World. Believers are Heirs of God, and Joynt-heirs with Christ, Rom. 8. 17. Parents bestow Inheritances or Portions on their Children, according to what Estate they have: They [Page] that are Vastly Rich, will give Portions accordingly. What a Rich and Glorious Inheritance then will the Infinite GOD bestow on every Child of his?

(2.) This Inheritance is said to be His, because it is his Propriety and Possession. That cannot but be a Rich and Glorious Inheritance, which is God's own Possession: This is true concerning that Heaven which his Saints shall Inherit. An Acute and Worthy Divine Observes, that David does by this, prove that they who Fear the Lord are the happiest men in the world; Psal. 115. 15, 16. Tou are blessed of the Lord, which made Heaven and Earth: The Heaven, even the Heavens are the Lords; but the Earth hath he given to the Children of men. As for the Earth, he gives that to the Sons of men: Let them take it says the Lord, I give it to them: it shall be their Inheritance. But that is not an Inheritance good enough for GOD. No: The Heaven of Heavens is His: Therefore how happy must his Saints be, when he will take them up to that Heaven which he has reserved for himself?

[Page]5. If we consider the Properties of the happiness, which the Saints of God shall enjoy in the heavenly World, we shall see that it is wonderfully great.

For,

(1.) It will Continue for ever & ever. This is implied when it is called an Inheritance. Saints in heaven are not like Tenants at will; but they are Heirs. When an Inheritance is made over to a man, it useth to be to him and to his heirs for ever. The Inheritance of heaven is by the firmest Deed that possibly can be, made over to Christ and to his Heirs for ever; Rom. 8. 17. Joint-heirs with Christ. Other Inheritances are but Temporal: This is an Eternal Inheritance, Heb. 9. 15. Other Inheritances may Corrupt; but this is an Inheritance Incorruptiable, 1 Pet. 1. 4. In this World men may have their Riches taken from them by One means or other; but Heavenly Treasures can never be lost. An Eminent Christian when he was at a Feast, would sometimes say; Here is good Company, and so there is in Heaven; here is a Feast, & so there is in Heaven: [Page]but here is Taking away; whenas there is none of that in Heaven. They that chuse Heaven for their Portion, shall not have it taken from them. David was much affected with the Mercy of God, in that he had not only given him a Kingdom; but had promised that it should be Established in his Family for a Long time to come. This (said he) was a small thing in thy sight. Did he think, the bestowing of a Kingdom on him was a small thing? No: It was a great thing: But the continuance of it in his Family for a long time, made it a much greater Mercy. Saints in Heaven enjoy a Kingdom, not for a long time only; but beyond all time throughout eternal ages. An entrance is ministred to them abundantly, into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ, 2 Pet. 1. 11. If a man should enjoy the Blessedness of the Heavenly World, if it were but for One Day, that would be a greater happiness than for him to enjoy all the Consolations which earth can afford for Thousands of Years; but what then is it to enjoy that Blessedness throughout the never ending Days of Eternity?

[Page](2.) Another property of this Happiness, is, that it admits of no Interruption, no Intermission. It is a Spring Tide that has no Ebb; a Summer that has no Winter; a Day that has no Night following it; Rev. 21. 25. The Gates shall not at all be shut, for there shall be no Night there. There have been Saints on earth, who have sometimes had a great Intimacy of Communion with God; and then they have thought how Happy should they be, if it might be always thus: Oh! it was good to be here. But, alas! This Heaven upon Earth was soon interrupted. Soul Ravishing Joy, has been as that Ancient said, Rara hora et brevis mora: A rare hour and of short stay. Old Bernards Companion being filled with Joy, said; He hoped he should never be Sad more as long as he Lived: His Joy was soon gone, and then he feared he should never have Comfort any more; but be Disconsolate all his Days. But Saints in Heaven have Joy without any intermission: Pleasures for evermore. The Consolation of Heaven is an Everlasting Consolation. The Tree of Life is said to [Page] yield its Fruit every Month; intimating the uninterruptedness of the Delights of Heaven.

(3.) Another property of this Happiness, is, that it is not subject to any Fading. Tis called an Inheritance that Fadeth not away; and a Crown of Glory that [...] not. Things in this World which have a singular Beauty and Glory in them, quickly Fade and Wither. Tis said of the Lily, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like unto it: But it soon withers. Heavens Glory does not so. Here men are taken with a pleasant Object for a while; but when they are used to it; they Loose their Esteem of it. In heaven nothing Withers; nothing grows Old and Scale. After a Saint has been in Heaven as many Millions of Ages as there are Sands on the Sea-shore, the Glory of Heaven is as Fresh and Delightful to him, as it was the first Day of his coming there.

PROPOSITION III.

Notwithstanding all the Saints of God shall partake of the same Happiness in the Heavenly World; nevertheless, as to Degrees of[Page]Glory, there will be a Difference. Every One of them will be Top-full of Glory; yet will there be a Difference, because Some are more Capacious Vessels than Others are. A Small Vessel though full, does not contain so much as a Larger Vessel does. The Apostle speaking of the Glory of Saints in another World says, that One Star differs from another in Glory, 1 Cor. 15. 41. As in this World, there are some Christians who are Stars of the first Magnitude, which Out-shine Others; so will it be at the Last Day, & in Heaven to Eternity. Some shall be placed next to Christ in his Kingdom, which will be a special Dignity and Glory put upon them, Mat. 20. 23.

Several Things may be mentioned which Confirm the Truth before us.

1. There are Some who have a far greater Measure of Grace than Others have. Job was such an One: There was none like him on the Earth, Job 1. 8. He had not his Peer among Mortals. Moses was another who had an Extraordinary Measure of Grace. And Nehemiah speaks of One, of whom he says, that he Feared [Page]God above many, Neh. 7. 2. There are Some who are Strong; Others are Weak in the Faith. Some are Little Children in Grace and Christianity; Others are Men; Others are Fathers, having had a Long standing in the School of Christ, and attained unto a greater Degree and Perfection than Others have arrived unto. Indeed all True Believers are Equally Justified; because the Righteousness of CHRIST is imputed to the Weakest Believer as well as to the Strongest: but they are not all Equally Sanctified. Some are far more Holy and Mortified Christians than Others are. Now if GOD bestows a greater measure of Grace on some of his Servants in this World, there is reason to believe that they shall have a greater measure of Glory in Heaven.

2. There are Some who have done far greater Service for God, and have been more Active Instruments in Glorifying his Name than Others have. Paul could say, I have Laboured more abundantly than they all, 1 Cor. 15. 10. Will not that more [...] have a more [...] [Page] Reward? Has not Christ Promised that it shall? Rev. 22. 12. Behold I come, and my Reward is with me; to give every man according as his Work shall be: Both according to the Quality of his Works, and according to the Quantity of them. It is therefore said, that he which soweth sparingly, shall reap sparingly: and he which soweth bountifully, shall reap bountifully, 2 Cor. 9 6. There are some who have greater Talents committed to them than others Ever had; and they have faithfully improved them to the Honour of the God and Giver of them: He will then honour them accordingly. One has two Talents, another has five: One is made Ruler over five Cities, another over ten. The holy Prophets did Eminent Service for God, in bearing a Faithful Testimony against the Sins of the time: Wherefore a greater Reward will in the Day of Retribution be dispensed to them than to other Servants of the Lord. The Reward of a Prophet is distinguished from the Reward of one who is only a Righteous man, Mat. 10. 41. Some have been Instruments of Converting many [Page] Sinners; and so of Saving many Souls from Death. There is a singular degree of Glory reserved for such in the heavenly World: Dan. 12. 3. They that turn many to Righteousness, shall shine as the Stars for ever and ever. The Apostle said to the Thessalonians, that they would be his Crown & his Glory at the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Their having been the Seals of his Ministry, would add Glory to his Crown at the Last Day, and in Heaven for ever, 1 Thes. 2. 19, 20. Can we think, that every Saint shall have as great a Crown of Glory as Paul shall in that Day?

3. Some Saints have been greater Sufferers for Christ than others have. If we Suffer with him, we shall Reign with him. And when we Reign with him, the greater our Sufferings have been for his sake the greater will our Grown then be. An Emperor once gave a Chain of Gold as big as those Chains of Iron which a faithful Servant of his, had been laid in, when Imprisoned for Fidelity to his Interest. But what will Christ then give to those who [Page] have Suffered Persecutions & Reproaches for their Fidelity to his Interest? Blessed are they, for Great shall be their Reward in Heaven, Mat. 5. 13, 14. The belief of this, was One thing which made Christians in the Primitive Times, very desirous to Dy for the Name of Christ. They were perswaded that Martyrs would have Aureolae; peculiar Crowns of Glory given to them. They in a peculiar manner glorify God. It was said of Peter, that by his Death he should Glorify God, Joh. 21. 19. He died a Martyr: Was Crucified the same day that Paul was Beheaded, as the Martyrologists inform us. If they Glorify God and Christ above Others, will not a singular Crown of Glory be given to them?

PROPOSITION IV.

The Glorious Happiness of Saints in the Heavenly World, is not bro't to its full Perfection at once, but gradually. There are three steps in this Glorious Happiness which I shall now only mention; and (if the Lord will) insist more Largely on each of them, from other Texts of Scripture.

[Page]1. At the Hour of Death Believers on Christ are Happy: Then are they freed from all Sin and Sorrow; Rev. 14. 13. Blessed are the Dead which Dy in the Lord. They pass immediately from Death into Eternal Life, Joh. 5. 24. When they leave this World, they go to a Better; To the Heavenly Paradise. They go to Christ: Being absent from the Body, they are present with the Lord. When their Bodies are Dead, their Souls are Happy in their separate state. Therefore does the Scripture speak of the Spirits of Just men made Perfect, Heb. 12. 23. The Spirit whilst in the Body, is usually called the Soul; but when separated from the Body, it is a Spirit.

2. In the Resurrection at the Last Day, there will be an Addition to their Happiness. For then their Bodies as well as their Souls, will be the Subjects of an immortal Glory. Without doubt the blessed Souls in Heaven, notwithstanding their present Happiness, long for the Resurrection of their Bodies, that both may be in the Heavenly World. Now they desire [Page]it, Heb. 11. 16. And then their Glory will be Visible to the whole World. For the present, it is not known who are Elect and who are Reprobates; who goes to Heaven and who to Hell; but at the Day of Judgment it will be seen who are Sheep and who are Goats. The Glory of the Saints will then be as Visible as the Sun in the Firmament, Mat. 13. 43. In the Resurrection World, they shall be as the Angels of Heaven: Luk. 20. 36. Neither can they Die any more: For they are equal to the Angels; and they are the Children of God, being the Children of the Resurrection. But of this we may Discourse fully hereafter.

3. After the Day of Judgment is over, they shall be Glorified with Christ in the highest Heaven throughout the Days of Eternity. The Children of Israel had an Inheritance in the Land of Canaan. Believers shall have theirs in the Heaven of Heavens: 1 Pet. 1. 5. An Inheritance reserved in Heaven for you. There (and no where else) is that Perfect Blessedness which the Saints of God hope for the Enjoyment [Page] of; Col. 1. 5. The Hope (that is the Blessedness which is the great Object of your Hope) Laid up for you in Heaven. But of this also we may (if God permit) Discourse more Largely.

USE I.

This should put us upon Examining our Title to this Glorious Inheritance. We should not be satisfied without Knowing what is the Hope of our Calling. Have we a good Title? Have we a sure well grounded Hope? To Know this, is a greater Mercy and Happiness, than all the Good which the whole World can afford.

Quest. But how may we know this?

Answ. 1. Are we Saints? The Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints, says the Text. Except we are Saints, we are not fit for this Inheritance, nor does it belong to us. Col. 1. 12. Giving thanks to the Father, who has made us meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light. If it were possible for an Ungodly man to get to Heaven, he would [Page] not find it a place Meet for him. It is a most Holy place. What should an Unholy Sinner do there? He would find nothing there of that which his sinful Soul does most of all delight in. He would find no Company there suitable for him. Sinners do not Love the Company of Saints: They cannot say as David does, All my Delight is with the Saints on Earth. Sometimes if an Holy man comes into the room where there is a Company of Vain persons, they will withdraw presently: The very Presence of an holy man Damps them, and spoils their Mirth. What then would they do in Heaven, where there are none but Saints; and such too as are perfectly Sanctified? Say then, Are we Sanctified? If truly so, then Heaven is Our Inheritance: Act. 20. 32. To give you an Inheritance among all them that are Sanctified. Are our Hearts Holy? Do our Hearts within us desire much Holiness, rather than much of the things of this World? If GOD should put it to our Choice, would our hearts chuse rather to be Holy than to be Rich and Great in the World? That's [Page] a sign that we are bound for Heaven, and that our Souls shall be there when we leave this World: Psal. 24. 3, 4. Who shall ascend into the Hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his Holy place? He that has clean Hands, and a pure Heart! Do we Endeavour to perfect Holiness in the Fear of God, and to purify our selves as He is pure? Then may we hope that we have a right to this Inheritance, 1 Joh. 3. 3. What are our Lives and Conversations, are they holy and heavenly? Do we drive an heavenly Trade continually: Phil. 3. 20. Our Conversation is in heaven. Our Trading is there, says the Apostle. Every Saint of God has the Priviledge of Trading there: He sends Ventures to heaven, and has rich Returns. To be much in Prayer and Praises, is to drive an Heavenly Trade.

2. Is Heaven come down into our Souls? Are we Born from Above? Are we New Creatures? Have we Experienced a New Birth? Are we Born of God? Then the heavenly Inheritance belongs to us, & we have reason to hope for it. He has [Page]Begotten us again unto a lively Hope; to an Inheritance reserved in heaven, 1 Pet. 1. 3, 4. Are we Renewed in the spirit of our Minds? Are we heavenly minded? Do we think much of heaven every day? Are put hearts there: That's a sign that our Treasure is there; and that we our selves shall be there e're long; That Heaven is our Native Countrey, and we are going thither every day.

3. Is Christ ours? The Heaven is ours, not else: 1 Joh. 5. 12. He that has the Son has Life; and he that has not the Son has not Life. He that has Christ has Heaven; and he that has not Christ, has not Heaven. Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life: Joh. 14. 6. The only true Way to obtain Eternal Life in heaven. And how shall we know that we are his? We may know it by our Obedience to his Commandments, Joh. 15. 14. You are my Friends, if you do whatsoever I Command you. Can we say that we do so? Then Christ and all his saving Benefits, Heaven and all are ours: Heb. 5. 9. He is the Author of Eternal Salvation to all that Obey[Page]him. Does Christ dwell in our hearts by Faith? Are we United to Him? Then Christ our Blessed Head in heaven, will draw us thither after him. And as sure as Christ now liveth in heaven, we shall in his good time live with him there. For he has said, Joh. 14, 19, 20. Because I live, you shall live also; You in me, and I in you.

USE II.

How should Saints on Earth Long to be in Heaven? When Monica (the very Pious Mother of Austin) had heard Ambrose Preaching a Sermon about the Glory of heaven; She said upon it, with a Longing to be gone, What do I here! Why do I stay below still? But especially Aged Saints of God should be very willing to exchange Earth for Heaven: It becomes them to say with good Old Simeon, Lord, now lettest thou thy Servant depart in Peace, Luk. 2. 29. The last Miles are wont to seem the longest to the weary Traveller. As we draw near to heaven, we should think the time long until we come there. This [Page] weary world should become tiresome to us. We shall never be happy as long as we are out of heaven: But there we shall have happiness enough. Fulness of Joy & Pleasures for evermore. Altho' the happiness of the Believer is not compleated afore the Resurrection of the Dead, nevertheless, at the hour of his Death, his Soul goes into ineffable Joy. He is immediately in heaven, as from another Scripture shall be Declared and Evinced. It was well spoken by a Dying Saint, I have but one dark Entry to go through, and I shall be in my Fathers house, Viz. the dark Entry of Death: I must pass through the Valley of the shadow of death, and then in heaven: In a world in which there is no sin. And who would not be willing to dy to be in such a world? And then and there the Soul is with Christ. And what can there be more desirable? A Martyr replied to some that Tempted him [...] save his Life by a sinful Recantation; saying, Are you not willing to abide with your Wife and Children? Have you no Love for them? Yes, (said he) I would rather [Page] chuse to Live with them, though in a poor Condition; than to Live without them in the Richest Prosperity: Neverthess, I must needs say, I had rather be with Christ than with any of them. To be with Christ is Infinitely more desirable than to be in this world. Therefore did the Apostle say, I have a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better.

The Glorified SOULS OF Just Men Have attained a Blessed Perfection.

[Page]

Heb. XII. 23.‘—The Spirits of Just Men made Perfects.’

THE Design of the Apostle in the Context before us, is, to Excite Believers unto Holiness: This is urged from the Consideration of those great Priviledges which they are d [...]e subjects of. Singular Mercies call for singular [Page] Obedience and Holiness. Believers under the New Testament are Priviledged above those of the Old Testament: They are under a more Gracious dispensation. The Gospel state of the Church is far more Excellent & Desirable than the Legal state was. That which remains is far more Glorious: Therefore a greater measure of holiness is required and expected from those who are concerned in it. This, with the preceding and following Verse contains the Priviledges which Believers receive by the Gospel. We have therein a description [...] the true Catholick Church. The Catholick Church comprehending all Gods Elect and Called Ones, is distributed into two Parts; Viz. That which is Militant, and that which is Triumphant. The Apostle speaks of Both.

1. He asserts that Believers are come to Mount Sion; the City of the Living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem. By Sion, we are not to understand the Literal Sion; but the Church of God, of which Sion was a Figure. As for the Literal Sion, it had two [...]; On One of which the Temple was Built, [Page] where the Priests did resort to Offer Sacrifice & Incense; which had a Typical respect to the Priesthood of our Lord Jesus Christ: On the Other head of Sion, David and other Kings of Judah had their habitations, who were also Types of Christ. The City of the Living God and the Heavenly Jerusalem, intend the same thing with Sion. Sion was the Upper part of Jerusalem. The Apostle to the Galatians calls it, The Jerusalem which is Above. The Church of GOD was Typified thereby. The Church is the City of GOD which he has built for himself, there to [...] for ever; and it comes down from Heaven. The Church is not an Earthly City; and a great part of the Catholick Church is already in heaven. And as for that part of the Church which is here below, the Ordinances which belong unto it are Spiritual, Divine and Heavenly Institutions. The great Promises which are in the Scripture made to Sion, and to Jerusalem are not to be understood of the Literal Sion and Jerusalem, but of the Church. Glorious things are spoken of that City of GOD.

[Page]2. Another Priviledge of Believers, is, that they are come to an innumerable Company of Angels. The Apostle having spoken concerning the City of God, he proceeds to speak concerning the Citizens or Inhabitants of the heavenly Jerusalem. These are of several Sorts. The first that he mentions are Angels: Of these tis said there are Myriads. That's the Greek word here used. A Myriad is Ten Thousand. Myriads in the Plural Number, denotes [...] Millions; Or as our Translation Expresses it, An innumerable Company: The holy Angels are so. Daniel in a Vision saw Ten Thousand times Ten Thousand of them. Believers are said to be come to them, because they are Fellow-Citizens with Angels. Angels and they are Citizens of the City of GOD: Yea, and they are Fellow-Servants of the same LORD. The Angel said to John, I am thy Fellow-Servant, and of thy Brethren, Rev. 20. 10. Angels in Heaven, and Believers on Earth are incorporated into the same Family of GOD: Eph 3. 15. Of whom the whole Family in heaven & earth is called. [Page] Angels and Glorified Saints are the Family in Heaven: Believers in this World, are the Family on Earth. Angels in Heaven, and Believers on Earth Worship the same GOD. Believers Worship none besides that GOD who made Heaven and Earth; and the Host of Heaven, Viz the holy Angels Worship him, Neh. 9. 6. And they Worship the same Lord JESUS CHRIST. Heb. 1. 6. Worship him all ye Angels. John in the Revelation beheld many Angels; the Number of them was Ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; and he heard them saying, Worthy is the Lamb that was sla [...], to receive Honour & Glory & Blessing. Elect Angels & Elect Men are brought into the same Mystical Body, under Christ the Head of them all: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times, he might gather together in One all things in Christ both which are in Heaven, & which are on Earth, Eph. 1. 10. It may then well be said of Believers, that they are come to the innumerable Company of Angels.

3. They are come to the General Assembly. [Page] The Church under the Old Testament had Conventions and General Assemblies: They had Three such every Year which met at Jerusalem: But those General Assemblies were only of One Nation. Whereas the New Testament Church, is an Assembly gathered out of all the Nations on the Earth: They are Redeemed out of every Kindred, & Tongue, & People, & Nation, Rev. 5. 9. This General Assembly is dignified by two Characters.

(1.) Tis called the Church of the First-born. Among the Israelites, the First-born was Priviledged above the Younger Brethren: he was the chief Heir, having a Double Portion. So they who are of the true Gospel Church, shall Enjoy the Heavenly Inheritance.

(2.) They are described to be such as have their Names written in Heaven. The First-born among the Children of Israel, had their Names Enrolled in an Earthly Register, Numb. 3. 42. But true Believers on Christ, have their Names Registred in Heaven. Christ therefore said to his Disciples, Rejoyce, because your Names are [Page]written in heaven, Luk. 10. 20. This Register is called the Book of Life, Phil. 4. 3. Rev. 20. 15. All the Elect of God have their Names written in that Book; not shall they ever be blotted out of it: The Book of Life, the Register of Heaven has no blot in it.

4. Believers are come to God the Judge of all. This is a word of terror & dread to a Christless Sinner; because the Judge is his incensed Enemy: but it is a word full of comfort to true Believers. For thro' the Mediation of Jesus Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant, God the Judge of all is become their Friend; their best and greatest Friend, so that they have boldness in the Day of Judgment. They may draw near to his Throne, as to a Throne of Grace. God who is the Judge of all, will Judge for them; and will Judge and Condemn their Enemies. He is a Righteous Judge: He will therefore Judge those to Wrath who have troubled his Faithful Servants: And will Judge, that Believers shall have the Crown of Life which Christ has Purchased for them. It [Page] is happy for them that they come to that God who is the Judge of all, as to a Reconciled God and Father in Jesus Christ.

5. Believers are come to the Spirits of Just Men made Perfect. They are the words before us to insist on. Believers on Earth are come to the Saints in Heaven, in respect of Faith, and Hope, and Love. They are incorporated into the same Family: They are united by the same Spirit. Saints on Earth are partakers of the same Holy Spirit, which possesseth Saints in Heaven, altho' not in the like degree and measure. And they are as sure to be with them in the heavenly World, in a little time as if they were there already. Yea, in respect of Christ their Head they are there. By the Spirits of Just men, their never Dying Souls are meant. Every man does consist of two essential Parts, a Soul and a Body: The first man that ever was made did so: And all other men do so. The Soul is often in the Scripture called the Spirit: Especially the Soul in a state of separation from the Body: For [Page] when the Soul is Unbodied, it is a pure Spirit, like the Angels who are called Spirits. The Perfection here spoken of, is only a Perfection of the Soul. Just men are not wholly Perfected before the Last Day. Their Bodies are not Perfected until the Resurrection; but their Souls are Perfected as soon as they leave their Bodies, and go to the Heavenly World.

The DOCTRINE to be insisted on, is;

That there is a Blessed Perfection which the Souls of Just Men attain unto, when their Bodies are Dead.

The Doctrine may be Opened and Confirmed in Four Propositions.

PROPOSITION I.

True Believers on Jesus Christ are Just Men. There are but two sorts of men in the World; the Just, and the Unjust: So does the Scripture distinguish, Act. 24. 15. The whole World is divided into these two. There is not a man upon Earth, but is among the Just, or among the Unjust [Page] All Christless Sinners are the Unjust: All true Believers are the Just. They are Justified Persons: GOD declares them to be so. He is the Justifier of him that believes on Jesus, Rom. 3. 26. A Righteous man and a true Believer on Christ are the same Persons. There is a twofold Righteousness belonging to the Believer.

1. An Imputed Righteousness; Rom. 4. 6. David describes the Blessedness of the man to whom God Imputeth Righteousness without Works. And Ver. 11. Tis said, Abraham is the Father of all them that believe; that Righteousness might be Imputed to them also. Were it not for the Righteousness of Christ imputed to him, no man living could be a just man in the fight of God. Gal. 2. 16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the Works of the Law, but by Faith in Jesus Christ; that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ, & not by the Works of the Law: for by the Works of the Law, shall no Flesh living be justified. Wherefore no Soul of man had ever been among the innumberable Company of Angels, or in the Heavenly Jerusalem, if it had not been for [Page] the Righteousness of Christ imputed to them

2. There is an Inherent Righteousness, which true Believers are also the Subjects of; where ever the Righteousness of Christ is imputed, a work of Sanctification follows. If Christ is made of God unto us Righteousness for our Justification, he is also the Author of Sanctification, 1 Cor. 1. 30. Justification and Sanctification, or Imputed and an Inherent Righteousness always go together. Believers on Christ are holy Persons. They have holy hearts, and they live holy lives, and are therefore just men. It is said of Zachary and Elizabeth, that they were both Righteous before God, walking in all the Commandments & Ordinances of the Lord, Luk 1. 6.

PROPOSITION II.

The Souls of Men do not Dy, nor ly Dormient when their Bodies Dye. The Bodies of men are mortal. Rom 6. 12. Let not sin reign in your mortal Body. But the Soul is not Mortal [...]. The Soul is an Immortal Spirit. In this the Reasonable Soul of man, excels the Sensitive Soul of inferiour Creatures, which does Expire & Dy when their Bodies Dy, Eccl. 3. [Page] 21. Who knows the Spirit of Man that goes upward, and the Spirit of the Beast that goes downward to the Earth? The spirit of a Beast was in the first Creation formed out of the Earth: The Earth brought it forth, Gen. 1. 24. But it was not so with Man. Altho' his Body was made of the Dust of the Earth, his Soul was not so: that came from GOD immediately. His Creator Breathed into him the Breath of Life, and Man became a Living Soul, Gen. 2 7. The Hebrew word Chaijm, signifies Lives in the Plural Number. There is the Vegetative Life of a Plant, the Sensitive Life of a Beast, the Intellectual Life of an Angel. Man by reason of his Soul has all these Lives. He has not only a Mortal, but an Immortal Life. His Soul coming from God, when the Body Dies does not go downward, but upward to him who gave the first Soul to Man. So says Solomon, Eccl. 12 7. The Dust shall return to the Earth as it was: and the Spirit shall return to God who gave it. Wherefore when men Dy, they are said to Depart: Their Bodies do not depart from the Earth: they [Page] abide in the Grave, which is their Long Home; but [...] Souls depart out of their Bodies, and out of this World. Good Old Simeon was very willing to Depart, Luk. 2. 29. Paul knew that the time of his Departure was at hand, 2 Tim 4. 6. And he desired to Depart, Phil. 1. 23. The Greek word Analvo, which is used in all those Scriptures, signifies, To Loose Anchor. A Metaphor taken from Mariners; who Loose Anchor, that so they may pass from One Port to another, & from One Countrey to another. Thus tis with the Believer; when his Body Dies, his Soul goes to a blessed Port, to the Heavenly Countrey. Hence the Soul is said to dwell in the [...], as an Inhabitant in an House. [...] this World, we Dwell, that is to say, our Souls dwell in houses of Clay, Job 4 19. Our Bodies are Houses of Clay. Paul speaks of Two Houses which the Souls of Believers dwell in; first an Earthly, then an Heavenly House. The Body is an Earthly House, when that is dissolved their Souls go to an Heavenly House, 2 Cor. 5. 1. To the same purpose Peter speaks, [Page] 2 Pet. 1. 13. As long as I am, h. e. as long as my Soul is; for the Soul is the Man, in this Tabernacle. The Tabernacle may be pulled down, and yet the Inhabitant who has dwelt in it live still. In Ver. 14. He speaks of putting off the Tabernacle of his Body. The Soul is cloathed with the Body. A Godly man has no more cause to be afraid of Dying, than he would be afraid of putting off his Cloathes & going to Rest. The same Apostle, in ver. 15. calls his Death, his Decease; In the Original, it is my Exodus When Believers Dy, they do as the Children of Israel did, go out of Egypt into a Land flowing with Milk and Honey: They go to Heaven. It is said of Papists, that they Blaspheme (Idolatry is called Blasphemy) them that dwell in Heaven, Rev. 13. 6. Because they Worship Saints departed. At their Departure they are with Christ, Phil. 1. 23. Their Souls are Under the Altar, Rev 6. 9. Christ is the Altar. The Soul being a spiritual substance, and not of the same Nature with the Body, is capable of subsisting by it self out of the Body: Altho' [Page] while it is Embodied, it useth to act by Bodily Organs; nevertheless, it can act without them; and sometimes has done so. In Ecstasies and Trances, the Soul is very active when the Body is senseless, and acts not at all. Peter was in a Trance, & then he had marvellous Visions. Act. 10. 10. A Trance is when all the Bodily Senses are bound, but the soul is at liberty. The Souls of men may Converse with GOD, or with Angels, when their Bodies are cast into a deep sleep. Thus it has been in Divine Dreams: Job 33. 15. God speaks to Men in a Dream, in the Vision of the Night, when deep Sleep falls upon them. Of this Abraham had Experience, Gen. 15. 12. And the Prophet Daniel, Chap. 10. Ver. 9. By these things it is manifest, that the Soul does not wholly depend on the Body as to its Operation; and if not as to its Operation, then not as to its Existence. The Soul when separated from the Body, has not (nor have Angels) bodily Eyes or Ears; nevertheless, it has that which is Analogous thereunto, so that it can see and hear. The Apostle, when his Soul for [Page] ought he knew to the contrary was out of his Body, heard words spoken, 2 Cor. 12. 4. This which has been said, Proves that the Soul is capable of Existing and Living in a state of separation from the Body. And that the Souls of some have done so, we know from Scripture. There was a Child dead: His soul gone clear out of his body. The Prophet Elijah under a Divine Inspiration, Prayed saying, O Lord my God, I Pray thee, let this Childs soul come into him again; and the soul of the Child came into him again, and he revived, 1 King. 17. 21, 22. There was the Daughter of Jairus, a Damsel of Twelve Years Old, known to be dead; but at the Command of Christ her spirit came again, Luk. 8. 55. Yea, the Scripture speaks of some Living still, notwithstanding as to their bodies, they have been dead for more than a Thousand Years. Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob, they are all Living to GOD, Luk. 20. 38. It is said of believing Gentiles that they shall fit down with Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, in the Kingdom of Heaven, Mat. 8. 11. Which words are a description of going to Heaven [Page] Believers when they leave this world, go to a joyful Feast in heaven. Lazarus Died, and was carried by Angels into Abrahams bosom, Luk. 16. 22. He sat down as a Guest with Abraham at the same Feast. But if the Scripture were silent about the Immortality of the Souls of men, it might be known by the Light of Natural Reason. And therefore it has been received as [...] Truth in all Nations, and in all Ages of the World. Not only the more Polite & Civillized Nations, but the most Barbarous Heathen have not been so Barbarous and Brutish, as to have no sentiments of the Immortality of their own Souls. Our American Indians before the Gospel came among them, did not believe that their Souls died with their Bodies: but that they went to another Countrey they knew not whither. Because the Souls Immortality has been the general Sentiment of Mankind, some perverting that Truth, have embraced the absurd Error of the Transmigration of Souls. So did Pythagoras teach his Disciples. And long before him, the Indian Philosopher Phoe, seduced the East Indians into that [Page] Opinion, which remains among them still. Therefore they do not think that Souls dye. The truth is, Not Only that the Souls of men shall not, but that they can not Dy: Mat. 10. 28. Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. It is beyond the Power of any Creature in the world to kill the soul. The Martyrs would comfort themselves with that Thought, when their Enemies would threaten them with Death; they would say, Do your worst, you can but kill our Bodies, you can not kill our Souls. Nay, a man can not kill his Own Soul: He may easily kill his body, but he can not possibly kill his soul. The Damned in Hell would be glad to Kill their Own Souls, if they could possibly do it; but they can not. When the Scripture speaks of the souls Dying, and of the souls Destruction, a natural death like that of the body, is not intended thereby; Only the souls Misery is called Death. When it suffers the Vengeance of Eternal Fire, then it dies. The Soul is capable of Meditating on Eternal Objects, which is an Argument of its Immortality. [Page] It can think of GOD, and CHRIST, and Heaven, and Angels; which Creatures wholly Mortal can't do. That Habit or Principle of Grace which is infused into Regenerate souls, never dies. It is a well of Water springing up into Everlasting Life: A seed which is incorruptible. It abides in the soul Eternally, Joh 4. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 23. 1 Joh. 3. 9. Therefore the soul it self must nee as be immortal. Nor do the Souls of Men ly Dormient, when their bodies Dy. There have been a sort of Men in the world, called Soul sleepers; whose Opinion was that the souls of men sleep with their Bodies, from the time of their Death to the General Resurrection, and that then they shall awake. This Unchristian and Unreasonable Opinion was Condemned in a Synod many Ages since: Yet some men of Corrupt Minds do still maintain it; notwithstanding it is a Notion contrary to the Nature of their Own Souls. Death is often compared to Sleep; but that is in respect of the body and not of the soul. When Stephen Dy'd tis said, He fell asleep; but his Soul did not sleep: for he Died, saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Spirits [Page] are not subject to sleep. Angels being Spirits they never sleep. The like is to be said of Souls separated from their Bodies. As for the Souls of Wicked men, they are in such Misery when their Bodies are Dead, as that they can not sleep, if Otherwise they were capable of it: They are in Flaming Torment. How then can they sleep? And as for the Spirits of Just men, in Heaven they are always Serving and Praising GOD there: Rev. 7. 15. They are before the Throne of GOD, and serve Him Day and Night in His Temple Sinful men in this World, will sleep when they are before GOD: When they are Hearing his Word (as Eutychus did) they'll [...] Asleep. When they should be Praying, they fall Asleep: But in Heaven they do not so.

PROPOSITION III.

The Immortal Souls of Just Men when in a state of Separation from their Bodies, are made Perfect. All those Imperfections which attend them [...] their Souls are Embodied, are done away at the hour of Death, and a Blessed Perfection succeeds. [Page] 1 Cor. 13. 10. When that which is Perfect is come, that which is in Part shall be done away.

Quest. What Perfection is it, which Just Men do then attain unto?

Answ. 1. When they depart out of this world, they have a Perfect Deliverance from all Afflictive Evils. Men whilst in this world, are subject to Affliction more or less; Job. 5. 7. Man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward. But Especially Just men are the men which see Sorrrow in this world. Psal. 34. 19. Many are the afflictions of the Righteous. The Lord JESUS CHRIST has faithfully Forewarned his Disciples that so they might be Forearmed, that in the world they shall have Tribulation: Yea, & that they should Expect it daily; Luk. 9. 23. If any man will come after me, let him Deny himself, and take up his Cross daily. They that will resolve for Heaven, must lot upon it, that they shall meet with many Afflictions in the way: Act. 14. 22. We must through much Tribulation Enter into the Kingdom of God. But when once they are got safe into the Heavenly Kingdom, they shall never see trouble more. [Page] Then and there will that Promise be gloriously fulfilled, Jer. 31. 12. They shall not sorrow any more at all. Just men as long as they are in the Body, are Obnoxious to all sorts of Afflictions; but when out of the Body, to no Affliction at all.

(1.) In this world they are afflicted with Satans Temptations. God will never suffer that Enemy to destroy them; nevertheless, for holy ends He suffers him to afflict them. The History of Jobs Afflictions, are a remarkable Instance of it. He throws Darts at the Faithful Servants of God, and sometimes fiery Ones too. And it is observed, the more good any man does in the world, the more will Satan give him molestation one way or other. And the more Grace any man has, the more is Satan in a rage at him. In great wrath he makes War with those that keep the Commandments of God, and have the Testimony of Jesus Christ. But when once their Souls are among the Spirits of Just men made Perfect, they are got clear of the Devils Territories, and of all his Temptations for ever. They are out [Page] of Satans reach there: For his wrath is only on, or near the Earth: There he goes to and fro, and walks up and down in it. He is confined to this Atmosphere: He can ascend no higher than the Air; where the Prince of this world has a power of Evil Spirits and Tempters under him, Eph. 2. 2. But the Spirits of Just men made perfect, are in an Heaven far above the Air. Satan with his Temptations can't come there. As Christ said to the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so whither the Souls of Just men go when their Bodies dy, the Devil cannot come. He was once in Heaven, but GOD has banished him out of that which was his Native Countrey, and he shall never come there again. When Sennacherib thought to enter Jerusalem, the Lord said, he shall not come into the City, nor shoot an Arrow there,, Isa. 37. 33. So the Sennacherib of Hell shall not come into the Heavenly Jerusalem, nor shoot the Arrows of his Temptations there.

(2.) Believers whilst in this world, are subject to Afflictions from the World. For the World hated them. It hated Christ; [Page] and the more a man does resemble Christ, and the more service he does for the Name of Christ, the more will the World hate him, Joh. 15. 19. And if they are Hated by the World, they will be Persecuted. It ever has been so, and ever will be so. The Seed of the Serpent will have an Enmity against the Seed of the Woman: 2 Tim. 3. 12. All that will live Godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer Persecution. The more Godly any man is, the more shall he be Persecuted by Ungodly men. If they can discover themselves to be the Seed of the Serpent in no other way, they will do it by their Venomous Tongues, in Reproaches and Revilings. But when the Bodies of Righteous men are in their Graves, the Wicked will cease from troubling; and when their Souls are in Heaven, that Promise in 2 Sam. 7. 10. will be fulfilled in the perfection of it, I will appoint a place for my People Israel, and will plant them that they may dwell in a place of their own [...] neither shall the Children of Wickedness afflict them any more. When their souls are placed in heaven, they are in a place of [Page] their own. This world is not their own: It is not their home. On Earth they are Strangers & Pilgrims; not Earth, but Heaven is their home. This world is not to the Believer his own, but another mans, Luk. 16. 12.

(3.) Just men while their Spirits abide in Flesh, meet with many Afflictions from the holy Providence of God. In Love & Faithfulness He Orders Afflictions for them: Prov. 3. 12. For whom the Lord Loveth, he Correcteth, even as a Father the Son, in whom he Delighteth. They many times meet with sad Disappointments, which prove a sore Affliction to them. But when once their souls are in Heaven, they will meet with no Disappointments there; unless it be, that they will find Heaven to be a far happier place than Ever they could imagine. Here they meet with Losses which afflicts them: It may be with Losses in their Estates; as Job a just man, lost all: A Vastly Rich man, and suddenly as Poor as Job. But when once they are in Heaven, they shall have a better and greater Estate, than ever any man in this world had; and never loose any part of it: Heb. [Page] 10. 34. You took joyfully the spoiling of your Goods, knowing in your selves, that ye have in Heaven a better & an enduring Substance. In this world, they are Afflicted with the Loss of Friends, of near and dear Relations; it may be of Children, which sometimes proves a very bitter heart-piercing Affliction. In Rama was there a Voice heard, Lamentation, and Weeping, & great [...]; Rachel Weeping for her Children, and would not be Comforted, because they are not, Mat. 2. 18. In Heaven there are none of these Losses. There Friends never part. In this world, they are sometimes Afflicted with Bodily Infirmities and Pains: But in the Heavenly World there shall be no more Death, nor Crying, neither shall there be any more Pain, Rev. 21. 4. In this world the Lord's Servants may be subject unto Divine Desertions: GOD hides his Face from them, and that proves a Soul-wounding Affliction. Heman Complains, that his soul was full of trouble; that the Lord had cast off his soul, and hid his Face from him; and that he suffered the Terrots of God almost to Distraction. The Church [Page] complains, that the Comforter which should relieve her Soul, was far from her. There are none of these Complaints in Heaven. The blessed Souls there, have the Face of GOD always shining upon them. Then and there the truth of that Scripture will be seen; Isa. 54. 8. In a little Wrath I hid my Face from thee, for a Moment; but with Everlasting Kindness will I have Mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. Thus shall the Righteous be Eternally Delivered out of all their Afflictions. But the Spirits of Just me when separated from their Bodies, enjoy a far more Perfect Happiness than this, of being Delivered from all Afflictive Evils.

For,

2. They are Perfectly freed from Sin. Rom. 6. 7. For he that is Dead, is freed from Sin. The Believer whose Heart is Sanctified & Sin Mortified in him, is now freed from Sin as to the Dominion of it; but when his Body is Dead, he is perfectly freed from Sin as to the Being of it: unto which the Apostle in those words has respect: When once their Souls are in Heaven, before the [Page] Throne of God there, they are Sinless & Faultless: Rev. 14 5. They are without Fault before the Throne of God.

For,

(1.) They are perfectly delivered from Original Sin, That which the Scripture calls, the Sin that dwells in us; under which holy men Mourn as long as they continue in this world: Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am, Who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death? One of the Ancients fitly compares indwelling sin to Ivy in the Wall of an House. Others have as fitly compared it to the Leprosy in the House of the Israelites, which must be pulled down before it could be perfectly cleansed and cleared of that woful Evil, Lev. 13. 45. A man becomes a sinful Creature, as soon as there is an Union between his soul and his body; and the just man ceaseth to be a sinner, when that Union is dissolved. When he giveth up the ghost, indwelling sin giveth up the ghost with him. The habit of sin is wholly Eradicated out of his soul. The disposition to sin is then perfectly abolished: The [Page] root and seed of sin has no more an inherence in his soul. There is no more in him any inclination to that which is Evil, or any indisposition to that which is Good.

Hence,

(2.) There is a perfect blessed freedom from all Actual Sin. When once the Just mans Soul is in Heaven, he shall never sin more, in Word Thought or Deed; never have one Vain Thought in his mind, nor speak one Unprofitable Word throughout the Days of Eternity. The Just mans spirit when separated from his body, is in a place where there never was any Sin: For there never was any Sin in Heaven, which is therefore called an Inheritance Undefiled. If sin had been committed there, it would have defiled Heaven, as it did Paradise. And there never shall be sin there. There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that Defileth, Rev. 21. 27. On Earth there is not a man wholly free from sin: Eccl. 7. 20. There is not a just man on Earth, that doeth good, & sinneth not. But in Heaven there are Just men who never sin: and none [Page] but such are there. In Heaven they are in the immediate presence of GOD, and are always sensible that they are so; and therefore they sin not. When their Souls are absent from the Body, they are present with the Lord, 2. Cor. 5. 8. The Lord Jesus Christ receives their Souls, and presents them to God. Wherefore Dying Stephen said. Lord Jesus receive my spirit, Act. 7. [...]. Dr. Goodwin speaks of an holy man, who when Dying Expressed himself after this manner, Notwithstanding I am assured that God Loves me, and will receive my Soul: nevertheless, I should be afraid to appear before so Glorious a Presence did I not know that Christ is in Heaven to present me to Him. Therefore the Souls of [...] men when Separated from their Bodies are sinless: For Christ will present them as without sin to his Father [...] He is able to present you [...] before the presence of his Glory. [...] there is in the hearts of some [...] [Page] holy Spirit of GOD has wrought this desire in their hearts. He would not put such longings into their souls, if he did not intend to give them their desire. Some may be ready to say, But how is it possible that a Soul which has so much sin in it, should be made perfectly pure from sin in a moment of time? To this that answer may be given, which the Angel gave to the Virgin Mary; when she was astonished at the wonderful thing God would do for her, and said, How can this be? The Angel said, To God nothing is unpossible. GOD is able to cause such a wonderful Change in the Soul to be accomplished in One Day, in One Moment. GOD who Converts a Soul from a state of sin in a moment; who turns a Sinner into a Saint in a moment, as he has often done, can make a Sinful Soul to become a Sinless Soul in a moment. And the Consideration of what shall be done to the Saints, whom Christ shall find alive on the Earth when he shall come to Judge the World at the Last Day, may Confirm our Faith concerning this also. Their Bodies & their Souls too will be wonderfully Changed in [Page] a moment. Just before the Last Trumpet shall sound, they will have Souls & Bodies subject to Sin; but as soon as the Trumpet is heard sounding, they are made Perfect in a moment. Behold, I shew you a Mystery; We shall not all Sleep, but we shall all be Changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last Trump, (for the Trumpet shall sound, and the Dead shall be raised Incorruptible, & we shall be Changed,) 1 Cor. 15. 51, 52. And thus it was with Enoch, & Elijah, when they were Translated: Before their Translation they were subject to sin; but in a moment perfectly freed from sin. Why then should it not be so with the Souls of Just men, when they are Translated from Earth to Heaven? But this shall be further Confirmed and Cleared in the next Proposition.

3. The Spirits of Just men when in a state of separation from their Bodies, attain unto a great Perfection in Knowledge. There is a world of Ignorance and Error which the minds of Good men (as well as Others) are subject unto, as long as they are in the Body: but when absent from [Page] the Body, that Ignorance & Darkness Vanisheth away. They will then see clearly those things, which now they have but a very dark and imperfect Knowledge of: 1 Cor. 13. 12. Now we see through a Glass Darkly, but then Face to Face: now I know in part, but then I shall know, even as also I am known. Sin has miserably Darkned the Ey of the Understanding: In Heaven that Darkness is perfectly removed. Adam before his Fall, had a very quick and clear Understanding: He could see into the Nature of the several Creatures which were bro't before him, & at the first fight could give them suitable Names. Whatever Wounds are given to the Understanding by the Fall, are perfectly Cured in Heaven. The Soul is capable of Containing a Vast measure of Knowledge. It is said of Solomon, that GOD gave him Understanding exceeding much, & largeness of Heart, even as the sand that is on the Sea-shore. What an infinite Number of Sands are there on the Sea-shore? So there was an infinite Number of Notions comprehended in Solomons mind. But there [Page] is not a Soul among the Spirits of Just men made Perfect, which has not a far more inlarged Understanding than ever Solomon had. That Eminent Divine but now mentioned, says, that an Elect Infant dying as soon as it comes into the world, suppose but an hour old, when once it is in Heaven, has a greater measure of knowledge than Solomon had. Doubtless it is so: For Heaven is full of Glorious Light, Col. 1. 12. The Blessed Souls there know more of the Nature and Attributes of GOD, than in this World they could attain unto. Agur says, I neither Learned Wisdom, nor have the Knowledge of the Holy, Prov 30. 4. David speaking of the Attributes of GOD, says, Such Knowledge is too Wonderful for me; it is high, I can not attain unto it, Psal. 139. 6. But in Heaven they have blessed Attainments. A great part of the Happiness of the Glorified, is in this Knowledge. It is Life Eternal to know GOD. And they have a far greater and clearer Knowledge of the Works of Creation, and of the Divine Wisdom shining therein, than whilst in this World they could discern. These [Page]are parts of his Ways: How little a Portion is heard of Him; but the Thunder of His Power who can understand? And here we are in much Darkness concerning the Providences of GOD. They are very Mysterious. There is a Wheel within a Wheel. Good and0 Wise men know not what to think of them; they are at a Nonplus. Providences seem to run counter to Promises. Our Dark, Shallow Understandings can not Comprehend the Mystery of them; but in Heaven we shall. Hear how the Psalmist speaks, Psal. 73. 16, 17. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me, until I went into the Sanctuary of God, then I understood, &c. Thus when in the Heavenly Sanctuary, we shall see clearly the Reasonableness, the Wisdom, the Faithfulness of GOD in all His Providential Dispensations. And in Heaven we shall have a perfect Understanding of the holy Scriptures. There are many difficult places of Scripture: Peter says of Paul's Epistles, that in them there are some things hard to be Understood, 2 Pet. 3. 16. The most Learned men in the World, have found a [Page] great Difficulty in Solving some Dark Passages in the Scripture. In Heaven they will be made Plain. When our Lord JESUS CHRIST Conversed with his Disciples after his Resurrection, it is said, that He Opened their Understandings, that they might Understand the Scriptures, Luk. 24. 45. How much more will He Open their Understandings, when their Souls shall be with him in Heaven? The Knowledge of the Mystery of Christ, is the most Excellent and Desirable Knowledge. The Apostle counted all things Loss, for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus. To know more of CHRIST is the Delight of Angels, 1 Pet. 1. 12. A greater Perfection in this Knowledge, is reserved for Heaven; where we shall know Even as we are known. We see then, that Saints in Heaven have attained unto a Perfection in Knowledge: Which must not be understood of an Absolute, but of a Comparative Perfection: For Glorify'd Souls are still attaining unto greater degrees of Knowledge: Angels in Heaven do so; and therefore the like is to be said of the Spirits of Just men Glorify'd, [Page] Eph. 3. 10. Both Angels and Glorify'd Souls, shall E're long know that which at present they do not know, Mark 13. 32. But they have a Perfect Knowledge, Compar'd with what in this world they had. And it adds to their Happiness, that they attain unto a great perfection in Knowledge, without any difficulty. As long as we are in this world, we must take a great deal of pains, and spend a great [...] of time to acquire a small degree of Knowledge: But when the Soul of a Just man comes to Heaven, he will gain more Knowledge in One Day, and without being at any Labour for it; than he could arrive unto in this world by a Thousands Years hard Study. Who then would not long to be in Heaven? Yet shew I unto you that which is more Excellent than Knowledge.

4. The Spirits of Just men in the Heavenly World, have attained unto a blessed Perfection in Holiness. That Sanctification which was begun in their Souls whilst on Earth, is there bro't to a glorious Perfection. The good Work in them is then [Page] finished, Philippians 1. 6. The habit of Grace which was wrought in the Soul by Regeneration, does not Dy with the Body; but goes with the Soul to Heaven & into Eternity. Grace is a Seed of God which remains; an Anointing which abides in the soul. Death is so far from divesting the soul of its Graces, as that it perfects in a [...] what was defective in them. [...] in Grace is the desire of every Godly man in this world; but the attainment of none. Tis Heavens attainment. Believers whilst in this world, are partly spiritual and partly carnal; partly holy & partly sinful: There is flesh and spirit in a continual Combat: But in Heaven all is spiritual, all is holy. The Will of the glorify'd soul is perfectly Conformed to the will of God. Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven; So we are to Pray, and the Expression does imply, that among the Saints in Heaven, there is a perfect Conformity to the Will of GOD. And as the Will, so the Affections which depend thereon are Perfectly sanctify'd when the soul is in Heaven. There is nothing it [Page] regular in them: Glorify'd souls desire nothing, delight in nothing but what they should desire and delight in. There is no disorder in their Affections; they are never out of frame, as too often they are in this world. But Especially, that chief Affection of Love is Perfectly Sanctify'd: There is no defect in it; 1. Joh. 4. 18. Perfect Love casts out Fear. Tis so in Heaven. The spirits of Just men there, are made perfect in Love. There is no Fear there, but all is Love. Glorify'd souls are always in a flame of Love to God & to Jesus Christ. In Heaven that great Commandment is fulfill'd, & that perfectly. The great Commandment is, Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. In Heaven they do so. And as their Love to God, so their Love to one another is perfect. In Heaven there is Light, and there is Love in the Perfection of both. In this world, the best and most holy Servants of Christ, in some lesser points [...] in their Judgments, and sometimes in their Affections too. Pani & Barnabas, altho Apostles; [Page] had a sharp Contention. So had Hooper & Ridley, altho' Martyrs; and Luther & Zwinglius, altho' Eminent Reformers both of them. In Heaven they agree perfectly. It was well spoken by a German Divine, writing to his Friend, Whether (said he) I shall see you again in this World is uncertain; but we shall meet in that World, where Luther & Zwinglius have no difference. The Garment of Love is a chief Ornament of the New Man. Wherefore the Apostle says, Above all, put on Charity, which is the bond of Perfectness. Love is a fulfilling of the Law. When that is perfect, there will be a perfect Obedience to the whole Law of God. So it is among the Spirits of Just men made perfect in Heaven.

PROPOSITION IV.

The Spirits of Just men are made Perfect at the Instant when their Bodies Dy. It has been shew'd under the former Proposition, that the Souls of Believes are made perfect whilest they are in their separate state; we proceed now to shew that they are so Immediately at the hour of Death. They [Page] shall not wait a long time for their Blessedness. When once the Union between soul and body is dissolved, they are happy. Altho' they shall not receive their full Reward before the Resurrection; nevertheless, they shall receive a blessed part of it before that. God said to Abraham, I am thy Shield, and thy exceeding great Reward, Gen. 15. 1. Thy Shield to protect thee in this Life; and thy Reward in the Life to come at the end of this Life. When once a mans Work is done, then cometh his Reward. His work is finished when he ceaseth to be on the Earth, and therefore then comes the Reward of Glory: Joh. 17. 4, 5. I have Glorified thee on the Earth, I have finished the Work thou gavest me to do; now Glorify me. There are many Scriptures which intimate, that the separate Souls of Believers are immediately Happy upon the Death of their Bodies: Luk. 16. 9. That when you sail, they may receive you into Everlasting Habitations. Ceasing to be in this World, is Failing; when also all Earthly Enjoyments fail. Tis then that Just men are received into the Everlasting [Page] Habitations prepared for them. They go immediately to the Heavenly Paradise. Christ said to the Penitent on the Cross, This Day thou shalt be with me in Paradise, Luk. 23. 43. Christ Dy'd but three hours before the Day was done; the Penitent Dy'd after him, yet that Day his soul was with Christ in Paradise. When our Momentany Afflictions are ended, then comes Glory, 2 Cor. 4. 17. That Moment is this present Life: That no sooner ends but Glory begins. When the Earthly House of the Body is dissolved, the Believer is in an Heavenly House, 2 Cor. 5. 1. Their souls do not remain in a Naked condition; but instead of a Cloathing of Flesh, a Cloathing of Glory is put upon them: which is that they desire, Ver. 2. No sooner is the Cloathing of Mortality put off, but the Cloathing of Glory is put on, as in the 4th. Verse of that Chapter. This blessed Truth is likewise Revealed in the Book of Revelation. The 9th. Verse in the 6th. Chapter, speaks of those who suffered Martyrdom, under the Pagan Emperor: Their Bodies were slain, but their [Page] Souls were under the Altar; they were with Christ, and expected that their Murderers, who were still dwelling on the Earth should have Justice Executed on them, for shedding innocent Blood. Now tis said of those holy Souls, those Spirits of Just men, that white Robes were given to every one of them, Ver. 11. White Robes are an Ensign of Glory. The glorious Angels of Heaven, would sometimes appear in white Robes; and the Spirits of Just men made perfect are like Angels; and therefore they must be represented as having white Robes on them. Moreover, the words allude to the Priests their being admitted into the Temple, who when they were first bro't into the inner Court, had white Robes put upon them. Thus the Souls of Just men when they first enter into the Heavenly Sanctuary, have white Robes given to them; they are immediately Cloathed with Glory. We have also in the Revelation, a Prophesy relating to such as should suffer Martyrdom under the power of Antichrist. Of these we understand that Scripture, Rev. 14. 13. Blessed[Page]are the Dead which, Dy in the Lord, from hence forth: Tea, saith the Spirit. Antichrist has caused the Professors of the true Gospel, to be put to Cruel Deaths: Burning is such a Death. There is a Law in Antichrists Kingdom, that Hereticks (which is the Name they give to the Professors of the true Religion) shall be Burnt to Death. Now to encourage the Martyrs, the Spirit says, Blessed are the Dead which Dy in the Lord. You may suffer a painful Death, yet be of good Comfort, as soon as ever you are Dead you shall be Blessed. Says the Spirit, when a Righteous man Dies, his Soul is among the Spirits of Just men made perfect in Heaven, before his Body is laid in the Grave. Isa. 57. 1, 2. The Righteous is taken away from the Evil to came; he shall enter into Peace, they shall rest in their Beds, i. e. in their Graves. It is in respect of their Souls that they enter into Peace; which imports their being in blessed Tranquility, and this as soon as ever they are taken away out of this world, before their Bodies are laid to rest & sleep in the Grave. Let us consider a little a [Page] Promise which God made to Abraham; Gen. 15. 15. Thou shalt go to thy Fathers in Peace; thou shalt be buried in a good Old Age. That word Going to Fathers, is Emphatical; and has respect to the Soul. It is true, that that Expression of Sleeping with Fathers, is sometimes used in the Scripture to denote no more than Dying; it has respect to the Body, whose Death is a Sleep: But that great Divine, whom we have diverse times taken notice of, has Judiciously Observed, that Going to Fathers implies more, viz. that the Soul goes to that World where Fathers are gone before. When Abraham Dy'd, in respect of his Soul he went to Abel, and to Noah, & to Shem, and to other of his Fore-fathers, who were gone into the Heavenly World before him, where the Spirits of those Just men were made Perfect. Before his Burial could be accomplished, his Soul was gone and got among the immortal Spirits of his Fathers. Let us observe further what is said of Abraham, Gen. 25. 8, 9. Where we see that Promise made to him fulfilled: Abraham gave up the Ghost, and [Page]Died in a good Old Age; and was gathered to his People, and his Sons Buried him. As soon as he gave up the Ghost, that is resigned his Spirit unto God, he was gathered to his People. That Expression implies, that there were a Company gone before him, and Gathered together; and that Abraham instantly at his Death was Gathered with them. Gathering implies Sorting: As long as they are in this world, Good & Bad are mixed together; not Only in the same Countrey, but the Wheat and the Tares grow together in the same Field of the Church: But at Death all the Good are Gathered into the Heavenly Garner, Mat. 3. 12. And there they are kept safe by themselves; not so much as One Ungodly Soul with them. Observe three particulars in what is said of Abraham. (1.) That he gave up the Ghost. (2.) That he was Gathered to his People. (3.) That he was Buried: The two first were before the last. The like is said of Jacob; Gen. 49. 33. He yielded up the Ghost, and was Gathered to his People. This was some time before his Burial. If it be asked; [Page] By whom are the Spirits of Just men Gathered to their People? Answ. It is by the holy Angels of Heaven. As at the Last Day, they shall Gather all the Elect together, and bring them to Christ; Mat. 24. 31. He shall send his Angels, and they shall gather together his Elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. So the Angels Gather the Souls of Just men, and bring them to Christ in Heaven. Angels are always near unto them; but Especially in their Dying hours. Their Souls must pass thro' their Enemies Countrey. The Air is the Devils Territory. Tho Lord will send a Convoy of Angels to Conduct their departing Souls; they will fly with them to the Regions of Bliss and Glory. When Elijah was translated, Angels were sent to fetch him to Heaven, 2 King. 2. 11. So it is when the Souls of Just men are Translated from Earth to Heaven. Famous Mr. Hollands last words were, Thou fiery Chariot that comest Down to fetch Elijah, [...] me to my happy Hold. This honour have all the Saints▪ Yea, the meanest of them. When [...] Dy d, [Page] he was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosom, Luk. 16. 22. Lazarus a poor man, yet in what State is he Conducted to Heaven? Angels were sent to fetch him thither. Thus we see, that the immortal Spirits of Just men are Immediately Blessed when separated from their Bodies. The Martyrs of JESUS have Dy'd in the Faith of this Truth; and have Rejoyced in the Meditation of it. The Martyr Bradford said to his Fellow-Martyr, Be of good Comfort, Brother; for we shall have a merry Supper with the Lord this Night. Mr. Wischart a Famous Martyr in Scotland, within a few hours before his Death, said, Some have Reported that I believ'd, that the Souls of men Sleep with their Bodies; I am far from being of that Opinion: I certainly know, that I shall be with Christ this very Night. [...] Taylor when he came within two Miles of Hadley, where he was to be Martyr'd, Now (said he) I lack but two Miles, and I am at my Father's House. Mr. Sanders, Kissing the Stake said, Welcome the Cross of Christ; Welcome Everlasting Life. Dr. Juels Dying [Page] words were, This Day let me see the Lord Jesus.

We proceed to some APPLICATION of the DOCTRINE. There are several Inferences from the Truth which has been Explain'd and Confirm'd.

Inf. I. Christians ought not to Mourn Immoderately, for the Death of their Godly Friends. The Consideration of their present Happiness, should Moderate our Griefs. When their Bodies are Dead; if they Dy in the Lord, their Spirits, their Souls are safe and happy. A man who has an Entire Love for another, will Rejoyce at his Friends gain; altho' he should himself lose something by it. It is a Loss to us, when any of our Precious Praying Friends are taken from us by Death: But they are happy Gainers, & that Meditation should quiet us. For me to Dy is Gain, said the Apostle. Should we not Rejoyce at our Friends Gain? Especially if they have gained a great Good; if they have gained a Crown, and a Crown of Life too? This Consideration Christ set before his Disciples, [Page] to Comfort and Compose their spirits, which were much Troubl'd and Dejected at the thoughts of his Leaving them; Joh. 14. 28. If you Loved me, ye would Rejoyce, because I go to the Father. So if our Friends and dear Relations who are gone from us, are gone to the Father and to Christ, at that we should Rejoyce. The Death of Children is a sore Affliction, and if they Dy in their Sins, without any signs of Repentance, that aggravates the Bitterness. This made David take on so, when Absalom was Dead: He was much mov'd, and went into his Chamber and [...]ept; and thus he said, O my Son Absalom, my Son, my Son Absalom: would GOD I had Dy'd for thee, O Absalom my Son, my Son, 2 Sam. 18. 33. Q. D. If I had Dy'd, I had gone to Heaven; but now thou art Dead in thy Sin and Rebellion against GOD, and against thy Father; I have no hope but thou art gone to Eternal Torments. But when there is good ground to believe, that they are gone to the Heavenly World, that marvellously alleviates the Affliction. As we see also [Page] in David; when his Infant Child dy'd, he said, I shall go to him; but he shall not return to me: I shall go to him into the Grave, and to him in Heaven too. And truly there is reason to believe this, concerning all Children of Godly Parents dying in their Infancy: For GOD has taken them into His Covenant; that Covenant is a Covenant of Life; they have not Violated the Covenant; therefore we may hope that GOD has given them Eternal Life in Heaven, where they attain unto that Perfection, which in this world is not attainable. Do's not our Saviour say, that of such is the Kingdom of Heaven? Mat. 19. 14. Therefore should Parents with a quiet spirit, submit unto such Dispensations of the Divine Providence.

Inf. II. The Joys of Heaven are Wonderful. As the Happiness of Souls there is Wonderfully Great, so their Joy must needs be so too. In One happy Day of their Death, they are Delivered from all Sorrows and from all Sin at Once; and this must needs cause an inexpressible Joy. What [Page] Joy was there among the Children of Israel, when they saw themselves at Once for ever Saved from the Egyptians? They Sang for Joy. But what Songs of Joy do we think there are in Heaven, among the Spirits of Just men made Perfect? What Joyful Hallelujahs, when they know that they shall never Sorrow, nor Sin, nor be Tempted any more? In Heaven they have [...] Assurance. In this World, there are many true Believers, who have not Assurance. Nay, it is possible, that they may go out of the World under Doubts & Fears: But as soon as they are among the Spirits of Just men made Perfect, they have Assurance for ever. This must needs cause Joy, & Exceeding Joy. Jude 24. Presented before the Presence of His Glory with Exceeding Joy. Some Believers in this Life, have had Prelibations of Heaven; some Blessed Foretasts of it. And then what Joys have their Souls been filled with? 1. Pet. 1. 8. Ye Rejoyce with Joy unspeakable, & full of Glory. It was commonly thus with the Martyrs. As their Sufferings did abound, their Consolations did [Page] abound; and their Joy could no man take from them. They would sometimes call a Prison, a Delectable Paradise. If the foretaste of Heaven has such Joy in it, what is Heaven it self? Some when they have been on the borders of Heaven just ready to take Possession, have had Soul [...] Joys. There was in Lanceshire, a very Religious Gentlewoman, Mrs. Catharine Brettergh, who excelled in Charity and other Graces, had great conflicts on her Death-bed, having been (as she expressed it) in a roring Wilderness of We, but after that in unutterable Joys. She said, O the Joyes! the Joyes! the Joyes! which I feel, they are Wonderful! they are Wonderful! they are Wonderful! And there was a singularly Pious Gentleman in Cheshire, Mr. John Bruen: The Day before he fell Sick of that Sickness whereof he dyed, a near Relation saying to him, I doubt you may have hurt your sell by rising so early and continuing so long in your Closer, he replied, You would not think so, if you had seen such Glorious things I saw this Morning when I was Praying, [Page] for they were so wonderful and unspeakable, that whether I was in the body, or out of the body with Paul, I can not tell. But then what ineffable Joy does the Spirit of a Just man feel when he is got safe within the Everlasting Gates of Heaven! The Joys of Heaven are wonderfully great in respect of the degree and measure of them. In Heaven there is not only Joy but fulness of Joy, Psal. 16. 11. The Joy there, is greater than what a Mortal man can bear up under. It is related of an Eminent Minister in Scotland, that he was so overpowered with these Joys as to Pray that he might not have more until his Spirit was gone out of the Earthly Tabernacle. Lord (said he) hold thy hand: I am a Vessel of clay and I can bear no more. A Saint in heaven has as much Joy as ever his Soul can hold. Nay, more than that must be said, the Joy there is greater than the capacious Soul of a faithful Servant of God is able to contain. Math. 25. 21. Well done, thou good & faithful Servant, enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. In this World, Joy enters into the Soul, but in Heaven the Soul enters into Joy. And heavenly Joys are wonderfully [Page] great in respect of the continuance of them. Pleasures for evermore, Psal. 16. 11. They are not like Earthly Joys which are but a flash, and over in a Moment: but the Joys of heaven are as the Days of heaven, they will continue as long as there shall be any heaven: They are lasting, yea everlasting Joys. Isai. 35. 10. The ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Sion with Songs, and everlasting Joy, upon their heads, they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee [...]

Inf. III. The Souls of Men and Women who dy in their Sins, are after the death of their Bodies very Miserable. What have they to Comfort them? Their Earthly Comforts go not with them to another World. They have no Interest in them after their Souls are in a state of Separation from their bodies. Luk. 12. 20. This night thy Soul shall be required of thee, then whose shall those things be that thou hast provided? What becomes of the Sinners Soul when his body dies? Whither does it go? To what Company? To what Place? His Soul goes not to an innumerable company [Page] of holy Angels, but to a company of Devils. It was a dismal word which the Devil spoke to Saul, when he said to him, To morrow thou shalt be with me, 1 Sam. 28. 19. The Sinner that dies to day, to morrow his Soul will be with Devils: his soul does not go to be with the spirits of Just men made perfect; but to the souls of these Wicked men, who have died and gone to Hell before him. When a wicked man dies, his soul goes to be with the soul of Gain, and of Pharaoh, and of Judas; with other Sons of Perdition. His departed soul is carried to a woful Prison. It is said of the Sinners of the Old Ungodly world, that their Spirits, their immortal Souls are in Prison, 1 Pet. 3. 19. Those horrid Giants which Lived before the Flood, their souls are in Hell; and when Ungodly men dy, their souls go to remain with them until the Great Day of Judgment. Prov. 21. 16. The man that wanders out of the way of Understanding, shall remain in the Congregation of the Dead. In the Original it is, the Congregations of [...], viz. of the Giants, who were [Page] Drown'd and Damn'd, when their Foundation was Overflown with a Flood. These are represented in the Scripture as being in Misery, and sighing because of their Misery. Those words in Job 26. 5. which are translated, Dead things are form'd under the water: A Learn'd and Great Expositor reads, The Giants Sigh under the water; denoting the Misery of those wicked men, who Lived before and were Destroy'd by the Flood; and so of all other sinners after their Bodies are Dead. The design of the Parable of Dives & Lazarus, is to declare the Misery which Dead and Damn'd sinners are in before the Day of Judgment. While Dives lay Buried, he was in a place of Torment; and whilest his Brethren were yet Living on the Earth, and had the means of Grace vouchsased to them; Moses and the Prophets to instruct them; which after the Day of Judgment they have not. Its true, that then they shall be in greater Misery than at present they are; when their [...] as well as their Souls shall be in flaming Torment. Nevertheless, they are now in grievous [Page] Misery. Despair is a Miserable thing: [...] Spira when he felt the horrors of it, thought it was worse than hell. The woful souls in hell, despair of ever seeing any Good: They know they shall never see any Earthly good more. Job 27. 8. What is the hope of the Hypocrise, tho' he Bath gained, when God taketh away his soul? And which is an infinitely greater Misery, they Despair of ever obtaining the Pardon of their Sins, or the Salvation of their Souls. They know that their Day of Grace is past; and the thought of the terrible Sentence which will be passed upon them at the great Day of Judgment, fills them with unspeakable Anguish and Horror. It is with them as with those who have Sinned Unpardonably: There remains no more Sacrifice for sins; but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment, and of fiery Indignation which shall devour the Adversaries.

Ins. IV. Oh! That every One of us might make sure of this One thing, that when we Dy and leave this World, our immortal Spirits[Page]may go to be with the Spirits of Just men made Perfect. Christ has said, There is One thing Needful, Luk. 10. 42. For us to make sure that we shall go to Heaven when we Dy, is that than which nothing is or can be more Needful. We have Mortal Bodies; and Death for ought we know, may come upon us Suddenly. And every One of us has an Immortal Soul: Should not then every One of us be often thinking, If I should Dy who Night, what would become of my Soul [...] Is that safe for Eternity?

Therefore make sure that we are now among Just men: That we are true believers on Christ, that so His Righteousness may be imputed to us for our Justification; That Death may find us in [...] And that we Live Righteous and Holy Lives, without which it will be a [...] thing for us to pretend unto having [...]. That Faith which is not attended [...] of New Obedience, is not [...] Alas! Many men are like [...]; he said, Let me Dy the Death of the Righteous, and let my [Afterwards] be [...] He [Page] knew that Righteous men will be Happy after this Life; that when their Bodies Dy, their Souls go to Heaven: Such a Death he was willing to have had; but took no care to Live the Life of the Righteous. If we are Perfect whilest in this world in respect of Sincerity, and an Entire Obedience to the Commandments of God, we shall be Perfect in Happiness, when we must be here no longer. Then when our bodies rest in the Grave, our Souls will enter into Peace. For this we have a remarkable Promise, and with that I Conclude, Psal. 37. 37. Mark the Perfect Man, and behold the Upright; for the End of that Man is Peace.

IN THE Resurrection World, THE Children of God Shall be as the Angels of Heaven.

[Page]

Luk. XX. 36.‘Neither can they Dy any more; for they are equal unto the Angels, and are the Children of GOD, being the Children of the Resurrection.’

THere was among the Jews a Sect of Hereticks, call'd Sadduces. Writers inform us, that they took their Name from a Rabbi, whose Name was Zadok. He had a Master who taught his Disciples that their Obedience to [Page] GOD should not be Mercenary: Men ought to serve Him, altho' they should receive no Reward for it. Whence Zadok, and those which were his Followers, concluded there would be no future Reward: Consequently no future World, or Resurrection from the Dead. Some of these came to our Lord JESUS CHRIST with an Objection which they thought was an unanswerable Argument against the Resurrection of the Dead. They pretended that there was a Woman Married to Seven Husbands successively: If there shall be a Resurrection, whose Wife of the Seven shall she then be? Christ gives them to understand, that they Reasoned like Ignorant men; and their want of Knowledge was the cause of their great Error. Another Evangelist asserts, that he said to them, To do Err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the Power of God, Mat. 22 29. The Scriptures affirm a Resurrection of the Dead. The Ancient Sadduces owned no part of the Scripture to be a Foundation for Faith, besides the Five Books of Moses, Therefore Christ Consuted them out of [Page] One of those Books, for which they pretended the greatest Veneration. Nor were they duely apprehensive of what the Scripture declares concerning the infinite Power of GOD. Had they Considered that as they ought to have done, they would not have tho't it impossible, nor would it have seem'd incredible to them, that He should Raise the Dead. Further to Convince them of their Error, Christ informs them, that they Argued from a false Principle: For their Objection supposeth, that in the Resurrection World there will be Marrying and giving in Marriage. Which is a very false Supposal, & a gross Error. For altho' in this world, Marriage among mortal Men is necessary for the continuance of Mankind: In that World in which men shall be immortaliz'd, there will be no more Marriage than there is among the Angels of Heaven. Holy Angels are in the Scripture call'd the Sons of God, in respect of Similitude: They resemble the immortal GOD, more than any Other Creatures do. So are the Children of the Resurrection, call'd [Page] the Children of God. They shall Live a Celestial Life, like the Angels; and resemble God as they do. And after the Day of Judgment, they shall be God's Domesticks: They shall Live with Him in the same House for ever; as Children dwell with their Father in their Fathers House.

The DOCTRINE before us, is;

That the Children of God shall in the Resurrection World, be in some Respects Equal to the Angels of Heaven.

I shall (by the help of CHRIST) Endeavour to Explain and Confirm the Doctrine, in Four Propositions.

PROPOSITION I.

There shall be a Resurrection of the Dead. The Grave is the House appointed for all the Living: But altho' some shall abide a long time in that House; it is a Long Home, none shall continue there always; but they shall be brought forth Out of it. Joh. 5. 28, 29 The hour is coming, in which [...] that are in their Graves shall come forth. [Page] This is a truth which has been but little believed: Very few comparatively have given credit to it. For it is not known by the Light of Nature; Only by Divine Revelation. The Immortality of the Soul, may be known by the Light of Nature, as we have formerly declared. Thence the Philosophers among the Gentiles, did generally, assert and maintain that for Truth: But that a Dead Body should Rise and be Immortaliz'd, is that which Reason without Revelation can not apprehend. Hence the most Learned men among those who had no other Light above the dim Light of Natural Reason, have derided the Notion of a Resurrection. In the University at Athens, were the most Learned men in the World; how they Entertain'd the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Dead, we see in Act. 17. 32. When they heard of the Resurrection of the Dead, some Mocked. One of the most Learned men among the Heathen Writers, calls that great Scripture Truth, Puerile Deliramentum; a Childish Dotage. He thought that to man but such as were Dilirious would believe it. [Page] Nevertheless, all Christians do believe it. Tertullian Elegantly begins One of his Books with these words, Resurrectio Mortuorum Fiducia Christianorum; The Resurrection of the Dead is the Faith of all Christians. And for this Faith among Other holy Truths of the Gospel, they were Hated and Persecuted by their Enemies, who would not only Murder and Martyr them; but would Burn their dead Bodies to Ashes, and scatter those Ashes far and near; and then would Laugh at Christians, who thought it possible for such a Body to Live again. But this was because like the Sadduces, they knew not the Scripture nor the Power of God. It is true, that nothing less than Infinite Power can Raise the Dead; but that can Easily do it. Wherefore the Apostle when he Preach'd a Sermon in the hearing of some who dis-believed the Resurrection, puts them in mind of the Power of God: Act. 26. 8. Why should [...] be thought a thing incredible with you, that Goa should Raise the Dead. What can not Omnipotence do. Altho' to make a Body that is dead and [Page] turn'd to dust, to live again is above the Power of all the Men on Earth, or of all the Angels in Heaven; Nevertheless [...] nipotence can do it. That Power which created the World out of nothing, can easily do it. We may also Argue from the Omniscience of God, that there is a possibility of the Resurrection. He that has such Infinite Knowledge, with His Almighty Power can Raise every man that is or shall be dead. All things are Naked & Opened unto his Eyes; neither is there any Creature which is not manifest in his Sight. He knows all that are dead: And he has a singular Eye on the dead Bodies of [...] Servants. When their Flesh and their [...] are dissolv'd and turn'd to Dust, there is not an Atom of that Dust, but what is known to the Omniscient GOD. Let the dust of their dissolv'd Bodies be dispersed never so much, the Omniscient GOD knows where every particle of it is; and he knows how to make the dissolv'd Flesh and Bones, to become Flesh and Bones again and to live. As tis said concerning the Dry Bones in Ezekiel, in which [Page] there is a manifest Allusion to the Resurrection of the Dead at the Last Day. Can these Bones Live? O Lord God thou knowest [...] The Bones came together Bone to his Bone: The Sinews and the Flesh came upon them, and their Skin covered them; Breath came into them, and they Lived & stood upon their Feet, Ezek. 37. 7, &c. Moreover, There is some resemblance of the Resurrection in the Ordinary Works of Providence, which altho' we can not thence infer, that certainly there shall be a Resurrection, we may infer a Possibility of it. In the Winter Season, Plants seem, as if they had no Life or Vegetation in them, but in the Spring we see them Revive wonderfully. GOD by his Spirit and Power Reviveth the Face of the Earth, Psal. [...]4. 30. We see Corn is cast into the Ground, it Dyeth there, and yet after that it Ri [...]th again. By this Similitude, does our Saviour Illustrate the Resurrection, Joh. 12. 24. Except a Corn of Wheat fall into the Ground and Dye, it abides alone; but [...] Dye, it brings forth much Fruit. [...] was that Wheat which Died and [...] [Page] again, & bro't forth much Fruit, by which GOD is Glorify'd, and his Elect are Sav'd. After the like manner does the Apostle reason, 1 Cor. 15. 35,—Some [...], How are the Dead raised? with what [...] do they come? That which thou sowest, is not quickned, except it Dye. God giveth it a body, as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. When the Bodies of men are put into the Grave, they are sowen there; they will spring up at last, altho' it may be long first. There is also a notable Representation of the Resurrection, by that [...] some Naturalists Observe, viz. That [...] are Consumed to Ashes, & those [...] into Salt, out of that Salt there [...] made to spring up the perfect form of [...] Plants so Dissolv'd. Is it not [...], for Bodies that are turn'd to Dust [...], to be Restored to Life again, [...] Power and Wisdom of GOD? But it is the holy Scripture, that gives us to understand, that there is not only a Possibility, or a Probability; but a Certainty of the Resurrection of the Dead. From hence it is, that the Servants of God do [Page] not only Think that there shall be a Resurrection, but they are Sure of it. Wherefore when Christ told Martha, that her [...] [...]rother should rise again, she reply'd, I [...] that he shall rise again in the Resurrection at the Last Day, Joh. 11. 24. The Resurrection is asserted in the Scriptures of the Old Testament. Therefore the Jewish Church believed it: Their Faith of the Resurrection was built in special on that Scripture, Dan. 12. 2. Many of them that sleep in the Dust of the Earth shall awake, some to everlasting Life, and some to Shame and everlasting [...]. Sometimes in the Scripture, (and [...] very often) All denotes Many [...] sometimes Many is put for All: So [...] the Scripture mention'd. In the first [...] made to Fallen man, the [...] from the Dead is [...], viz. That the Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents Head, Gen. 3. 15. Therein is implied, that Christ should destroy the works of the Devil; therefore that he shall deliver from Sin and Death, which are the works of the Devil. The [Page] great Plot contriv'd in the Head of the Old Serpent, was to bring an Eternal Death, both of Body and Soul upon all Mankind: The bruising of the Serpents Head intimates, that Christ has disappointed the Plot, and deliver'd his Elect from that Death which Sin has brought upon them. Hence the Servants of God that Liv'd in Ancient times, before the Scripture was written; believed the Resurrection. Job who liv'd before Moses, was comforted with the assurance he had of the Resurrection of his Body: Job. 14. 15. Thou shalt call, at the Last day thou wilt call me out of the Grave, and I will answer thee; I shall rise suddenly, as a Servant at the call of his Master. My Body is, and my Resurrection Body much more will be the wonderful work of thy hands. In the appointed time, thou wilt have a desire to the work of thy hands. Again he says, That altho' Worms shall destroy first his skin & then his body, nevertheless, he knew that he should see his Redeemer stand on the Earth at the latter Day, Chap. 19. 25, 26. The Book of [Page] Psalms also speaks of the Resurrection: Psal. 17. 15. When I awake, se. when I awake out of the sleep of Death at the Resurrection, I shall be satisfied with thy likeness. To this purpose some interpret the Psalmists words, in Psal. 139. 18. When I awake I am still with thee; when I shall arise out of my Grave, I shall always be with God. Then shall we ever be with the Lord. But the New Testament has more clearly and abundantly made known this Truth unto the World. Wherefore it is said, 2 Tim. 1. 10. That our Saviour Jesus Christ, has abolished Death; and brought Life & Immortality to light through the Gospel. The Gentle world knew nothing about the abolition of Death, or of a Resurrection to Everlasting Life, until CHRIST caused the Gospel to Publish it to the Nations. All the Evangelists speak of the Resurrection. It is often asserted in the Acts of the Apostles. We find there that Paul made a Publick Confession of his Faith concerning it: I Confess (said he) that I believe all things written in the Law and in the Prophets;[Page]and have Hope towards God, that there shall be a Resurrection of the Dead, both of the Just and the Unjust, Act. 24. 14, 15. In his Epistle to the Corinthians, there is a whole large Chapter, the design of which is to prove the Resurrection of the dead. As the Oracles of God begin with this Doctrine, in the Book of Genesis, so they conclude with it in the Book of Revelation, Ch. 20. 12, 13. I saw the Dead small & great, stand before God; the Sea gave up the [...] which were in it; and Death & Hell delivered up the Dead which were in them.

PROPOSITION II.

The very same Body which Dy'd shall Rise again. Otherwise it would not be properly a Resurrection; Which is as much as to say, Iterata Surrectio; A rising again of the same which fell; or taking up that which was laid down, and not another thing instead of it. If another Body should be Created and the Soul United to it, that could not be call'd a Resurrection; because that Body never fell to the Ground. It would be a Creation, and not a Resurrection. And the Soul might then [Page] say at the Day of Judgment, This is none of my Body; My Body is not raised; I never liv'd in this Body before Death made a separation between my body & soul. Most true it is, that the Body will be wonderfully changed, from what it was in this world: Phil. 3. 21. He shall change our Vile Body; but there will not be an Essential Change. As a Goldsmith makes a New Vessel of an Old Plate; not by changing the Metal, but by changing the External Form and Fashion of it: So in the Resurrection, the Body will be Matevially and Substantially what it was before Death: There will be New Qualities and Glorious Properties in the Resurrection Body, which were not there whilest in their Mortal state; of which we shall speak under the next Proposition; Nevertheless, it will be a Body still; and Essentially the same Body that dy'd. Do we not think, that Enoch & Elijah, have now the same Bodies in Heaven, which they had on Earth; notwithstanding their being Gloriously Changed? And the like is to be said concerning those Saints, whom [Page] our LORD shall find alive on the Earth, at his Coming to Judge the World. Their Bodies will be wonderfully Changed in the twinkling of an Eye; but they shall not be Annihilated; and New Bodies Essentially differing from the former Created and given to them: I Cor. 15. 51, 52. There have been some pretenders to believe the Resurrection of the Body; but not of the same Numerical Body, which was put into the Grave. So said the Manichees many Ages since: So say the Socinians at this day. So that this has been an Old Error lately revived. As long ago as Tertullian's time; there were some such among Professed Christians, whom he justly calls, Partiarios Sententiae Saducaeorum; Half Sadduces, or Sharers with the Sadduces, in their Opinion of denying the Resurrection. Although in the Creed commonly used, the Article of the Resurrection is Expressed, I believe a Resurrection of the Body; in many Creeds it was a Resurrection of the Flesh: And it was so Express'd, in Opposition to those who said, that the Resurrection Body would [Page] not be Flesh; but that it would be Metamorphosed into an Aerial Body. Moreover, to declare their abhorrence of their Tenent, who held that the same Body which dy'd and was bury'd shall not rise again, the Christians in Africa, when they recited that Article of the Creed, I believe the Resurrection of the Body, they would lay their hands on their Body and say, I believe the Resurrection of this Body. The denial of the Resurrection of the same Body that dy'd, is a great Error. It strikes at a Fundamental Article in our Christian Religion. I shall therefore further insist on the Truth before us, and mention several things for our Confirmation and Establishment in the Faith of it.

1. The holy Scriptures Expresly declare a Resurrection of the same Body. Job believ'd, that notwithstanding his Body should be Consumed in the Grave, he should Rise again at the Last day with the very same Body. I will not trouble you with the Critical Disputes of Learn'd men, about the translation of his words; [Page] but in our English Bibles they run thus, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he shall stand at the latter Day on the Earth; and though after my skin Worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God; whom I shall see for my self, & mine eyes shall behold, & not another, tho' my reins be consumed within me, Job. 19. 25, 26, 27. He did not think, that after the Resurrection he should have an Aerial Body; but that he should have Flesh, & that be should have Bodily Eyes, the same throne had before his Death; and that with them, he should see GOD his Redeemer; namely our Lord Jesus Christ, who is GOD as well as Man; and because he is a Man He may be seen with Bodily Eyes. One reason why Believers shall have Bodily Eyes restored to them at the Latter day, is, that so they may behold the Glory of the God man JESUS CHRIST. Job moreover says, I, myself, and not another. How can words be more Exprest? And does not the Apostle say [...], This Corruptible (not [...] but this Corruptible) shall put on [...] 1 Cor. 15. 53. He speaks [Page] as plainly and demonstratively, as if he had pointed with his Finger and said, This very Body. Again, he says to the Philippians, Christ shall Change our Vile Body, that it may be Fashioned like unto His Glorious Body, Phil. 3. 21. That very Body which was a Subject of Vileness, shall be a Subject of Glory. It shall be the same Numerical Body. That Body which was Ours, and not another which was not Ours. It is related in the History of the Bohemian Persecution, that when a Noble Martyr, the Lord Henry Otto, was Condemned to Death for his Religion, (having appeared vigorously for the Protestant Interest in that Kingdom) he said unto his Persecutors and Murderers, You may cut my Body in pieces, Yet I do believe that my Saviour will gather them together again, & Cloathe them with Skin; so that with these Eyes I shall see him; with these Ears I shall hear him; and with this Tongue I shall praise him; and with this Heart I shall rejoyce in him for ever.

2. That Body which our Saviour Christ had after his Resurrection, and which he [Page] has now in Heaven, is the very same Body which dy'd and lay in the Grave. His Resurrection did not turn his Body into a Spirit, Luk. 24. 39. And altho' since his Ascension, his Body is become more Glorious than the Sun in the Firm [...]ment: When he appeared to Soul, it was with a Light above the brightness of the Sun, Act. 26. 13. Yet nevertheless, it remains a body still. That very Body which was Once hanging on the Cross at Jerusalem, is now at the Right Hand of GOD in Heaven. From Heaven he declares, as in Rev. 1. 18. I am He that Liveth & was Dead; and behold I am Alive for evermore. The same Body which was Dead is now Alive, and may be seen with bodily Eyes: For so did the Martyr Stephen see him, Act. 7. 55, 56. He Looked up st [...]adfastly into Heaven, & saw the Glory of God, & Jesus standing at the Right Hand of God. There appeared a wonderful Glory; and at the Right Hand of that Glory, he saw the Man JESUS standing, he said, [...] the Heavens Opened, & [...] standing at the Right Hand of God. [Page] That Humane Nature, which the Eternal Son of GOD has assumed, will never be laid aside: He is a Man still. There is One Mediator between GOD and Men, the Man Christ Jesus. And when he shall come to Judge the World, He will come with that very Body, which was Once Dead and in the Grave. GOD has appointed a Day, in which He will Judge the World, by that Man whom He has Ordained, Act. 17. 31. We conclude then, that the Children of God shall have the same Bodies, but most wonderfully Changed in the Resurrection World, which they had in this World: For Christ is Risen as the first fruits, I Cor. 15. 23. Their Resurrection will hold a Conformity with His.

3. If we duely Consider the Remunerating Justice of GOD, we may from that Infer, that the same Body which dy'd shall rise again. God will dispense Rewards to men, according to what they did whil'st in their bodies. That Body in which the Soul Liv'd whilst on the Earth, will in the Body which shall appear before the Judgment-seat [Page] of Christ, after the Resurrection to be made a Subject either of Glory or of Punishment: 2 Cor. 5. 10. We must all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things Done in his Body, according to what he has Done, whether it be good or bad. That body which has been partaker with the soul in doing either Good or Evil, it is just and reasonable that it should partake in the Reward; and not another instead of it. Can we think, that the Body which has joyned with the Soul in Sinning against God, shall escape Punishment; and another Body that never Sinned, suffer the Vengeance of Eternal Fire? How does that stand with Justice? And as for the Faithful Servant of Christ, his Body has joyned with his Soul in serving the Lord; and therefore that very Body shall be a Subject of Glory. That Head which has been contriving to promote the Glory of GOD, that Tongue which has been speaking for Him, those Hands which have been at work for Him, those Feer which have been going about to do good, shall be [Page] Glorified at the Resurrection of the Just.

4. The Bodies as well as the Souls of Believers are Redeemed by Christ, United to Him, and Sanctified by his Spirit dwelling in them. Therefore they are the bodies, and not Others instead of them, which shall be Raised up to Eternal Life at the Last Day. That very body which the believing soul now lives in, and shall dye and be put into the grave, has been Redeemed with the Blood of Christ, I Cor. 6. 20. Can we imagine, that the body which Christ has Purchased with his Blood, shall never Rise out of the Grave; but that his Soul after the Resurrection shall dwell in another body, which Christ never dy'd for the Redemption of it? That body which belongs to Christ as a member of his Mystical Body, which is United to him shall Rise to Glory. This is to be affirm'd of the mortal body, which the believing soul now abides in 1 Cor. 6. 15. Know ye not that your Bodies are the members of Christ? Christ has by his Spirit taken Possession, not Only of the [Page] believers soul, but of his body also: which is the reason of its being raised up to an Everlasting Life: Rom. 8. 11. If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the Dead, Dwell in You: He that raised Christ from the Dead, shall also Quicken your mortal Bodies, by his Spirit which Dwells in you. That body in which the Holy Spirit dwells, is the body that shall dy, and that shall be made alive again. The body of the true Believer is a subject of Sanctification; and therefore that very body shall be a subject of Glorification. He has given himself, soul and body to God in Jesus Christ, and has served God with both; therefore both shall Live Eternally: Rom. 12. 1. Present your Bodies a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto GOD, which is your reasonable Service.

There comes to my thoughts, the Dying Expressions of a Learned and Godly Physician in Germany. As his Death approached, he uttered such words as these; ‘The Lord will put a Guard to this body, viz. his holy Angels, to keep my Dust and Bones, which have been and [Page] shall be for ever the Habitation of the Holy Spirit. It is impossible, that this Flesh and Mass of my Body, which has been ingrafted into the Body of Christ, should be Annihilated, or for ever continued in the state of Death: But thou the Fountain of Life, shall require from the Earth this thine Own Image; even out of the smallest Crumbs of Dust and Ashes which are there, and send forth thy Spirit, again to Build up this a Glorious and a Living Body; that it may become an Habitation for thee to Dwell in for ever!’

PROPOSITION III.

Wonderful will be the Happiness of the Children of GOD in the Resurrection World. It has been shewed, that the Happiness of the Saints of GOD in another World will be Wonderfully Great; and that their Souls do attain unto a Blessed Perfection in the Heavenly Paradise, when in a state of Separation from their Bodies: We now proceed to shew, that there will be a marvellous Addition to their Happiness and Glory, in the Resurrection World [...] [Page] then their Immortal Spirits shall not loose any thing of that Perfection, which they had in a Separate State: but their bodies will have a Glory, which in this World they had not.

In Order to the Clearing and Confirmation of the Truth before us, several things may be mentioned as Demonstratations of it.

1. The Children of GOD shall in that World, in diverse respects attain unto Angelical Perfection. The Text before us says, They shall be Equal to the Angels: Which another Evangelist Expresseth by saying, They shall be as the Angels of GOD in Heaven: i. e. Very like unto them. Which is not to be so understood, as if they should in all respects be as the Angels are. We may not suppose, that the Humane Nature shall be turned into the Angelical Nature. Men and Angels are of different Natures. It is said of our Saviour Christ, that since the Children of GOD are partakers of Flesh & Blood, He also himself likewise took part of the same, Heb. 2. 14. Angels have not Flesh and [Page] Blood. Not did Christ take on him the Angelical Nature, verse 16. Angels have not bodies as Christ had, and still has, and ever will have, a body which (as formerly was said) may be seen with bodily eyes. Mark 14. 62. You shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of Power, and coming in the Clouds of Heaven. Then the Eyes of every man in the World shall see him. Rev. 1. 7. Behold, he cometh with Clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also that pierced him. But the Angelical Nature is invisible to bodily eyes. And therefore when tis said, That the Children of the Resurrection shall be as the Angels, we may not think that they will loose their Humane Nature, and be turned into Angels. Angels are in respect of their Nature, Spirits: Psal. 104. 4. He has made his Angels Spirits: but men shall not be made Spirits. It is true, That the Resurrection body will be a Spiritual body. So sayes the Scripture, as anon we shall shew. Tis not said that the Body shall then be a Spirit, only that it shall be Spiritual. Between a Spirit & a Body there is an essential [Page] difference. If it is a Spirit it is not a Body; if it is a Body it is not a Spirit. When therefore Christ appeared to his Disciples, after his Resurrection; and they were terrified supposing they had seen a Spirit; to convince them of their Error he said to them, A Spirit has not Flesh and Bones as you see me have, Luk. 24. 39. Now as Christ retains the essentials of Humane Nature, so shall all the Children of God do in the Resurrection World.

Quest. But then in what respect shall they be as the Angels in Heaven?

Answ. [1.] In that they shall then very much resemble the blessed God as the Angels of Heaven do. Therefore they are called, The Sons of God, Job. 38. 7. And the Name of Gods is given to them. Psal. 97. 7. Worship him all ye Gods, that is to say, All ye Angels; so does the Apostle interpret those words of the Psalmist, Heb. 1. 6. There will be a wonderful impression of the Divine Image on them. There was so on Adam before the fall: but there will be a far more Glorious impression of the Divine Image on the Children of the [Page] Resurrection, then there was on Adam in his first Creation, therefore are they called the Sons of God.

More particularly,

(1.) Angels excel in Wisdom & Knowledge. It is said concerning the particular Time when the Day of Judgment shall begin, Of that Hour knows no man, no not the Angels of heaven, Mat. 24. 36. importing that Angels have a great measure of Knowledge. Davids great Wisdom was set forth by saying, He was wise according to the Wisdom of an Angel of God, to know all things that are on the Earth, 2. Sam. 14. 20. The Children of the Resurrection shall be adorned with Angelical Knowledge. If their Souls attain unto a Marvellous Perfection in Knowledge whilest in their Separate State, (as from another Scripture has been declared) that Knowledge will not be diminished by a re-union with the Body, in the Resurrection World. What an imperfect Knowledge has a Child compared with the Knowledge of a Learned man? A greater difference than that, there is between the Knowledge which [Page] the Children of God have whilest in this World, and that which they shall have in that World. Hence the Apostle speaks as in 1 Cor. 13. 11. When I was a Child, I spake as a Child, I understood as a Child, I thought as a Child, but when I became a Man I put away Childish things. Our Knowledge now is weak and childish, but then it will be manly and perfect.

(2.) The Angels of heaven are called Holy Angels, Math. 25. 31. They are the Holy Ones the Prophet speaks of, Da [...]. 4. 17. They are perfectly pure from Sin. When they appeared to men, their Raiment has been White, an Emblem of their Purity as well as their Glory. But thus shall it be with the Children of God, in the Resurrection World. They shall have no more Sin in them, than the Angels of heaven have. Then will the Spouse of Christ be all fair, and no spot in her, Cant. 4. 7. It will be a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and without blemish, Eph. 5. 27. We are taught to Pray, Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. So it shall be in the Resurrection [Page] World. Saints on Earth will then do the Will of God, with a perfection Equal to that of Angels in Heaven.

[2.] The Children of the Resurrection cannot dye. So it is said in the Text before us: Neither can they dye any more. It is on this account especially that they are said to be Equal with the Angels, viz. In respect of a blessed Immortality. It is to be affirmed of Angels, not only that they shall not, but that they cannot dye. It is said of the Immortal Souls of men that they cannot be killed; much more may it be said of Angels, they cannot be killed. God who made them is able to Annihilate them, but they cannot dye: they cannot be resolved into pre-existent Principles, because they were not made out of such. In this World there is not a man but what shall dye: What man is he that liveth and shall not see death? But in the Resurrection World there is not one that shall dye. They who were Mortal in this World, become Immortal in that World, There it is that Mortality is swallowed up of Life, 2 Cor. 5. 4. So are the Children of the Resurrection, [Page] as the Angels of heaven. Some may say, but is it not said of the blessed God, That He only has Immortality, 1 Tim. 6. 16. Ans. It is most true, that He only has Immortality Originally. He only has Immortality from Himself: but Angels have Immortality by the Gift of God. They are not subject to any decay of Nature as Mortal Creatures are. Notwithstanding they have lived more than five Thousand years, they are as strong and vigorous as ever they were, without any the least decay. So shall it be with the Children of the Resurrection. There they Eat of the Tree of Life, the meaning of which, is, that the Gift of Immortality is conferred on them, Rev. 2. 7. But of this further under the next Demonstration of the Proposition before us; Which is,

2. That the Resurrection body will be adorned with very glorious Properties, in respect whereof wonderful will be the Happiness of the Children of God, in the Resurrection World. The Apostle mentions Four Properties of the Resurrection Body, which we shall a little insist on, and enquire into.

[Page](1.) Incorruption: 1 Cor. 15. 42. It is sown in Corruption, it is raised in Incorruption. The Apostle comes over with it again, in Ver. 53. This Corruptible must put on Incorruption. The Immortality of the Resurrection body, is implied in the Incorruption of it. Since Sin has entred into the world, there is nothing more subject to Mortality, than the frail Bodies of men. They no sooner begin to Live, but they begin to Dy: They are subject to Death by a thousand Casualties; also by inward Diseases. There are the seeds of all Diseases in the body, which prove Mortal to it. Besides, Nature does in time decay. If there were no other Disease to hasten Death, Old Age is a Disease which will infallibly bring to the Grave at last; and there it becomes Corruption it self. Job 17. 14. I have said to Corruption, thou art my Father; to the Worm thou art my Mother & my Sister. They and I shall dwell in the same House together, as Fathers and Mothers, and Brothers and Sisters use to do. The Grave is that House. But the Resurrection body is subject to no Death. It [Page] will be an heavenly body. Then the souls of Believers will be Cloathed upon, and dwell in their House which is from heaven. 2 Cor. 5. 1. They have born the image of the Earthly; but they shall bear the image of the Heavenly, 1 Cor. 15. 49. The Resurrection Body will abide like the Days of heaven, without being subject to any Decay. There have been some few in the world, whose bodies had been Dead, but were restored to Life again: So it was with Lazarus; and some few Others mentioned in the Scripture, both in the Old and in the New Testament. These Dy'd again. It shall not be so with the Children of God in the Resurrection at the Last Day. They shall have a better Resurrection than those had, Heb. 11. 35. When they awake out of the dust where their bodies have been sleeping, it will be to Everlasting Life, Dan. 12. 2. As our Saviour CHRIST, when He rose from the Dead, was no more subject to death: Rom. 6. 9. Christ being raised from the Dead, Dieth no more, Death hath no more Dominion over him. So shall it be with all the [Page] Children of God, when they are Once the Children of the Resurrection. But more than this is impli'd in the Incorruptibility of the Body. If Adam had not Sinn'd, he shou'd have been Immortal; he shou'd never have Died; which was implied in the Threatning, in case he did Eat of the Forbidden Tree; In the Day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely Dye, Gen. 2. 17. We might rationally infer, that if he did continue in his Obedience, he should surely Live and not Dy: Yet we cannot say, that he should have been Incorruptible. When tis said the Resurrection Body will be Incorruptible, that intends its not being subject to any Alteration. Adam's body before Sin entred into the world, was naturally subject to Alteration: It was naturally subject to an expense of Spirits, and might have been killed with Hunger, and would have been so, if Food had not been ministred to him. The Tree of Life was provided for him, which had (I doubt not) a Natural Vertue in it for the prolongation of Life. Therefore his Body was not made Incorruptible. It was subject to [Page] Passion. A great blow would have hurt it. Fire would have consumed it. But the Resurrection Body will be Impossible: No Natural thing can hurt it. That which hapned to the three Princes who were cast into Nebuchadnezzars burning fiery Furnace, upon whose Bodies the Fire had no Power, was a Miraculous Providence; but the Resurrection Bodies of the Children of God, will not be subject to sufferings by Fire any more than their Souls shall. In this the Raised Bodies of Saints and Sinners will differ. And Believers shall be far more happy than Adam was. It could not be said of Adam, he cannot Dye. He was sensible that he might possibly Dy. Nor did the Serpent say to our first Parent, that there was no Possibility; only that there was no Certainty of their Dying upon their Eating the forbidden Fruit. He said, Gen. 3. 4. You shall not surely Dy. But the Resurrection Body of the Believer, is so Immortaliz'd as that there is not a Possibility of its Dying any more, which is meant by the Incorruptibility of it. Thus are the Children of [Page] the Resurrection, Equal to the Angels.

(2.) Another Property of the Resurrection Body, is the Glory wherewith it shall be Adorned: 1 Cor. 15. 43. It is sown in Dishonour, it is raised in Glory. Two things may be implied in that Glory: One of which is the Admirable Beauty of the Resurrection Body. Adam in his first Creation was a very Beautiful Person; without doubt far Exceeding Absalom in Beauty, of whom it is said, That in all Israel there was none so much to be Praised as Absalom for his Beauty; from the sole of his Foot even to the crown of his Head, there was no blemish in him, 2 Sam. 14. 25. Some who are the Children of God, in this world have great Deformities in their Bodies. And the most Beautiful Bodies, soon after they are Dead become Deformed; therefore are said to be sown in Dishonour. When the Body is Sown, when it is put under Ground, it soon becomes a deformed unlovely Carcass: But when Raised from Death, the Beauty of it will be Perfect, because of the Comeliness which God will then put upon it. Again, This Glory intends [Page] Brightness as well as Beauty; A shining Splendor. This is Emphatically called Glory. Ver. 41. There is One Glory of the Sun, and another Glory of the Moon, and another Glory of the Stars; for One Star Differs from another Star in Glory. The Sun Out-shines the Moon; the Moon Out-shines the Planets. These are two great Lights, Gen. 1. 16. The Moon Out-shines the other Planets, which are Stars of Light, Psal, 148. 3. Planets shine with a greater Light than fixed Stars. Some of these shine with a greater Light than Others. Hence are they said to differ in Glory. And so will it be with the Children of God, in the Resurrection world. Whil'st in this world, their Souls are in a dark Lanthorn: The Earthly Body is a dark Lanthorn; but it will not be so after the Resurrection. That Celestial Body will shine Gloriously. When our Saviour Christ was Transfigured in the holy Mount, and Moses & Elias appeared in Glory, tis said, His Face did shine as the Sun, and his Raiment was white as the Light. This was but a Glympse of that Glory which CHRIST [Page] and his Saints shall appear in at the Last Day. When Moses had been Conversing with GOD in the Mount, his Face shone with such Brightness, that the Children of Israel were not able to Look upon him for the Glory of his Countenance, 2 Cor. 3. 7. Much more will it be so, when the Children of GOD shall Ever be with the LORD. It is said of Stephen, that when he was convented before the Council, they saw his Face as it had been the Face of an Angel; importing that it did shine with rays of Light, as the Face of an appearing Angel used to do, Act. 6. 15. with Mat. 28. 3. How much more will the Faces of GOD's Children shine in the Resurrection World; when they shall be as the Angels of God in Heaven? The Scripture says, that they shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament, and as the Stars for ever & ever, Dan. 12. 3. Nay, more; They shall shine as the Sun. This is a great Truth, and then cannot Easily believe it: Wherefore CHRIST affirms it with great Solemnity; Mat. 13. 43. Then shall the Righteous shine forth as the Sun, in the [Page]Kingdom of their Father. Who has Ears to hear, Let him hear; Importing that this is so wonderful a Truth, as that Men will hardly give Credit to it. There is no Creature seen by us, that shines with so great a Glory as the Sun does. Therefore is that Glory made use of to fet forth the Glory of the Resurrection Body. Not but that it will Out-shine the Sun. The Bodies of the Saints (says a Famous Divine) will so shine, as to Eclipse the Glory of the Sun; for which he produces that Scripture, Isai. 24. 23. Then shall the Moon be Confounded, and the Sun Ashamed. Another Late Writer Expresseth himself thus; What sight more Glorious, than to behold so many Saints, Like so many Suns to Shine with incomparable Lustre! A Saint in Heaven carries with him, a Light equal to that of the Sun Seven times doubted. The Souls of the Blessed, shall not only be Glorious; but their very Bodies shall be filled with Glory, & invested with a Eight Seven times Brighter than that of the Sun: For altho' it be said in the Gospel, that the Just shall shine as the Sun, Isaiah the Prophet [Page] says, that the Sun in those Days shall shine seven times more than now it doth. Men are apt to think, that these are only the Hyperbolical Expressions of some Divines: But why should they think so; when the Scripture says, that the Lord JESUS CHRIST shall change our Body, that it may be Fashioned Like unto His Glorious Body? There is no Glory which Eyes can behold, comparable to the Glorious Body of JESUS CHRIST; Since the Fulness of the Godhead dwells in Him Bodily, Col. 2. 9. The Glory of that Body infinitely Excels the Glory of the Sun, or of the brightest created Being. It is said of the Heavenly Jerusalem, that the City has no need of the Sun or of the Moon, for the Lamb is the Light thereof, Rev. 21. 23. Now altho' there shall not be an Equality in the Glory of Saints, to that of Christ; nevertheless, there will be a Conformity to it: And a Glory of the same Nature, though as to Degree no way Proportionable. Joh. 17. 22. The Glory which thou gavest me, I have given them. And there will in the Latter Day be such Reflections [Page] of the Glory of Christ on them, as will cause them to be admired, 2 Thes. 1. 10. Their enemies who despise them in this World, will then admire them, because of the Glory of Christ shining on them. Yea, and they shall wonder at themselves to see what a glorious change Christ has wrought on them. As suppose a man to be brought out of a Dungeon, and to be clothed with Prince-like Robes, he'l be affected unto wonderment, as undoubtedly Joseph was when brought out of Prison and made the Ruler over a great Kingdom; so will it be with the Saints of God when they shall be brought out of the Grave, and clothed with Immorrality and Glory.

(3.) Another Property of the Resurrection-body, is, That it will be endowed with Marvellous Strength. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in Power. What weak things, what poor Creatures are the best and greatest of men? Psal. 39. 5. Verify every man at his best estate is altogether Vanity. Not only some men, but every man: Kings as well as beggars, and this at their [Page] best, are not only vain but vanity it self, and altogether so. What can can be said more to set forth humane frailty! But the Resurrection will make a blessed change. Whilest in this World, the Bodies of Gods Children as well as of other men, are subject to manifold weaknesses & infirmities. How many hundreds of diseases do Physicians tell us that the body is subject unto? But the Resurrection body shall not be subject to any disease, nor to any grief or pain. God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, Neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away, Rev. 21. 4. Nor can it easily be imagined how great the Strength of this now weak body shall then be. How great was Samson's Miraculous Strength, When he took the doors of the gates of the city and the two posts, and went away with them bar and all, Judg. 16. 3. But what was Samsons bodily strength, compared with that of the Resurrection body? The Angels are called Mighty Angels, and they Excel in Strength, Psal. 103. 20. When the Children of the Resurrection shall be as the [Page] Angels of Heaven, they will Excel in Strength. Anselm, Luther and Mr. Burroughs think that they will be able to remove Mountains, and to make the Earth to shake, as sometimes Angels have done, Math. 28. 2. Their Strength will be wonderful. And that which adds to the wonder, is, that this Strength will never decay with Age. It is said of Moses that when he was an hundred and twenty years old, his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated, Deut. 34. 7. This was Miraculous. And Caleb could say, I am this day fourscore and five years old, as yet I am as strong as I was in the day that Moses sent me, (when he was but Forty-two years old) as my strength was then, so is my strength now. This also was Extraordinary [...] commonly if men through the strength of Nature live to Fourscore, their decayed strength is full of Labour and Sorrow through the Infirmities of Old Age. But the Resurrection body will be as strong and vigorous after it has lived Millions of years, as it was when first raised in Power. The bodies of [...] and Elijah, [Page] which have been in heaven for thousands of years are as full of Celestial vigour as they were when first translated to glory. So shall it be with the Children of the Resurrection.

(4.) The Resurrection body will be a Spiritual body. 1 Cor. 15. 44. It is sown a Natural body, it is raised a Spiritual body. This is a Marvellous Expression. Luther says of it, Est sermo plane inauditus. Since Body and Spirit are of quite differing Natures, a Spiritual body is a wonderful body. The Resurrection body will have a spiritual Eye, and a spiritual Ear, and spiritual Hands, and as to all other parts of the body they will be spiritual. And therefore (as an acute and deep searching Divine has rightly observed) There will be spiritual objects suited thereunto: but what these Objects shall be we know not. The Scripture speaks of a glory which shall be revealed in us, Rom. 8. 18. What a spiritual body is, and what the objects are, which will be suitable for it, is a glory which shall be revealed: but thus much we know that the carnal objects which [Page] are suited to the Natural body whilest it Lives an Animal Life in this World, are not suitable for the Spiritual body. Meat and Drink agree with the Natural body, and that body is for them: but it is otherwise with the Spiritual body. It is said, Meat is for the belly, and the belly for Meats, but God shall destroy both it and them, 1 Cor. 6. 13. The belly, i. e. the Stomach craves for Meat, and God has made & appointed Meats suitable for the Natural Appetites of the body, but the Resurrection body is not for Meats, nor Meat for it. The Spiritual body will have no need, nor desire of Meat or Drink. It shall never hunger or thirst. One of our English Martyrs, a faithful Minister (his Name was Robert Samuel) after the Bishop of London (bloody Bonner) caused him to be cast into Prison, he there suffered much by hunger and thirst; The night before his Death, an Angel appeared to him in his sleep, saying, Be of good comfort Samuel, for after this day thou shalt never suffer hunger any more: Nor did he, for the next day he was Martyred Thus in the Resurrection [Page] World, the Children of God shall not be Subject to hunger or thirst, nor to any other of those infirmities which the Natural body is subject unto. Rev. 7. 16. They shall hunger no more, nor thirst any more. The Spiritual body will not need such things to preserve life as the Natural body does. Without these props to support Nature, to shore up the Earthly Tabernacle, it would soon fall to the ground. The Children of the Resurrection shall stand in no more need of Meat and Drink or Sleep, than the Angels of Heaven do. In that respect they shall be Equal to the Angels. They shall Live a Spiritual and Angelical Life. The body shall then be no Impediment to the Soul as now it is. In this state of Infirmity, the Spirit is willing, but the Flesh is weak, Math. 26. 41. It will not be so after the Resurrection. The Spiritual body will be gloriously possessed and acted by the Almighty Spirit of God, who raised it from the dead. Thus shall the Resurrection body be a Spiritual body. And because it is so, it will be able (which now it cannot) to ascend as well as descend. [Page] So shall the raised Saints be [...] the Angels of Heaven, who can as easily ascend as descend. There is a Scripture which not only the old Jewish Interpreters, but Judicious Christian Expositors, conceive, has respect to what the Children of God will be able to do after the Resurrection. It is that, Isa. 40. 31. They shall mount-up with wings as Eagles. And because their Bodies shall be Spiritual, they will be able to move with wonderful Agility & Celerity, They shall in that respect also, be as the Angels of Heaven. An Angel goes from one place to another with the greatest swiftness. It is said of the Angel Gabrrel that he did fly swiftly, Dan. 9. 21. As Lightning in a Moment of Time flies from one side of Heaven to the other. Such like is the motion of Angels: Heb. 1. 7. He makes his Angels Spirits, his Ministers a flame of fire. We read of Asahel, that he was light of foot as a wild roe, 2 Sam. 2. 18. The Spiritual bodies of the Children of the Resurrection, will be able to go from place to place with an incomparably swifter motion, than any Creature on the [Page] Earth can do. The raised bodies of Gods Children will some of them be ten thousand Miles distant from the place where Christ shall Erect his Throne at the Day of Judgment, yet shall they be with him in a Moment. Say not, But how is it possible for a Corporeal Substance to move with such Celerity? Is not the Light a Corporeal Substance? Yet it comes down from the Sun and from the Stars (no man can say how many Millions of Miles,) in a few Minutes of an hour. The old Astronomers suppose that the Sun goes above a Million of Miles in the space of an hour. The raised Saints shall (as has been shewed) out shine the Sun in glory, and then (sayes our Judicious Mr. Norton) Why may we not think that they shall have a swifter Motion than the Sun it self has? My Brethren, the things which you have heard this day are Marvellous Truths, and none but Christians who believe the Scripture, will believe that ever a clod of Earth should be raised to such Perfection, and adorned with such glorious Properties. I proceed to a third Demonstration of the Proposition before us.

[Page]3. The Children of God in the Resurrection World shall have a glorious Dominion. Psal. 49. 14. The upright shall have dominion in the Morning, VIZ. in the Morning of the Resurrection. Christians in the Primitives Times believed that they should receive a Kingdom, and it was a comfortable Meditation to them. We see what their Faith was concerning it, Rev. 5. 10. We shall reign on Earth. They might well believe so, because there are many Prophesies and Promises of it in the Scripture. Psal. 15, 16. Thy Children whom than mayst make Princes in all the Earth. Dan. 7. 27. The Kingdom (not in heaven, but) under the whole heaven shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most high. Christ dehorting his Disciples from contending about honour and dominion in this World, said to them, I appoint unto you a Kingdom, Luk 22. 29. One would think that should suffice although they should in the mean time be poor and despised. And the Apostle speaks of it as a known received Truth, 1 Cor. 6. 2. Kn [...]w you not that the Saints shall Judge the World: But [Page] they did not expect to be Judges Sitting upon Thrones in this present World, but in the Resurrection World, for so had Christ promised them. Math. 19. 28. Ye that have followed me in the Regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit on the Throne of his glory, shall sit upon twelve Thrones. The Resurrection is called the Regeneration. The bodies of the Children of God will then be New born coming out of the womb of the Grave, and all things will then be made new. Tertullian sayed fifteen hundred years ago, Confitemur regnum nobis repromissum, sed alio statu utpote post Resurrectionem: We own (saith he) that there is a Kingdom promised to us, but it belongs to another State, it will not be until after the Resurrection. Then will the happiness and glory of the Children of God be wonderful. When (to express Spiritual Mysteries by Earthly Similitudes) they shall appear with Crowns on their heads, and Scepters in their hands, and sit upon Thrones ruling the Nations as with a [...]od of iron, yea, and judging the Reprobate Angels too, Rev. 2. 26. [...] Cor. 6. 3.

[Page]

PROPOSITION, IV.

None besides the Children of God shall have a blessed Resurrection. The Text before us speaks of their Resurrection only. All and only such shall be as the Angels of Heaven. The Jewish Writers (some of them) have a fond and heretical Opinion, that only Israelites shall have a Resurrection of their bodies. It is true, that none but such as are Israelites indeed in whom there is no guile shall have an happy Resurrection. Although all the dead shall come out of their Graves, the evil as well as the good, the unjust as well as the just; Not only they whose Souls are in Heaven, but they whose Souls are in Hell shall have their bodies restored to Life again at the day of Judgment. The Sea shall give up the dead which are in it, and death, that is the Grave shall give up the dead which are in it, and Hell shall deliver up the dead in it, the Souls which are there shall Live in their Bodies again; Nevertheless, the Resurrection of the Wicked is as no Resurrection at all. Theirs is called the Resurrection of Damnation, Joh. [Page] 5. 29. The Souls in Hell wish that their bodies might never Live again. Like as men who are in a sad Prison, had rather be always there and to endure their present Misery, than to be fetched out from thence only to be Condemn'd to a terrible Death and Executed. So it is the case here. The Souls of men who have dyed in their Sins are in a Prison, and so are their bodies too, the Grave is their Prison. At the universal Resurrection they must be bro't out of Prison Body & Soul, to have a Sentence of Eternal death passed upon them, to be Doomed unto Everlasting fire: so that their Resurrection will be worse than none at all. The Children of God are properly the Children of the Resurrection. They only shall have a Resurrection unto Life; others unto the second Death. The Scripture speaks Emphatically of the Resurrection of the Just, Luk. 14. 14. The unjust shall not receive an happy reward. The Resurrection of Believers on Christ, proceeds from such Causes as may not be affirmed of others.

For,

[Page]1. It is because of the Covenant which they are in with God, that they are made partakers of an happy Resurrection. As for Unbelievers, although some of them pretending to Christianity may be Externally in Covenant with God, they are not Internally and Really so, and therefore their Resurrection cannot be by vertue of that Covenant which they never had a Real Interest in: but Believers have. By this Argument Christ proved against the Sadduces, that there will be a Resurrection, as we see in the Verse following our Text before us, That the dead are raised Moses shewed in the bush, when he called the Lord, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, for he is not the God of the Dead, but of the Living. Those holy Patriarchs were Dead and in their Graves when God said to Moses, I am their God, I am in Covenant with them. That which is in Covenant with GOD shall Live Eternally, therefore so shall the bodies of his Children, which implies their Resurrection. For the Covenant is made with the Person consisting of Body & Soul, and [Page] not with the Soul only altho' principally. Hence the bodies of Believers and not their Souls only are the Subjects of the Seals of the Covenant. So concerning Baptism the first Seal of the New-Testament, the body is the Subject of that Ordinance. Believers have their body washed with pure Water. The Lord sayes to the true Believer, as sure as thou hast been Baptized, so certain is it that thy body shall have a blessed Resurrection. He has therein Communion with Christ in respect of the benefits both of his Death and Resurrection, Rom. 6. 3, 4. He shall as surely be raised up at the Last Day to Eternal Life as Christ is risen. Moreover, Believers do with their bodies Sacramentally, as well as with their Souls by Faith, feed upon Christ Exhibited in the Lord's Supper. That body which does with a believing Soul Eat the Flesh and drink the Blood of Christ, shall have a Resurrection to Everlasting Life. Joh. 6. 54. Whoso eats my flesh and drinks my blood has Eternal Life, and I will raise him up at the Last Day. [...] does the Believers Resurrection [Page] proceed from Gods Covenant with him. The Resurrection of the body to Eternal Life, is a special Promise contained in the Covenant, 1 Joh. 2. 25.

2. The Resurrection of Believers is Purchased for them by the Blood of Christ. We cannot say so of Unbelievers dying in their Sins. It is by the Death of Christ that we are Redeemed from the Curse of the Law, of which the death of the body is some part. Christ by shedding his blood did Merit his Own Resurrection. He was brought back again from the dead through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant, Heb. 13. 20. The same is to be affirmed of Believers, as we see in that Scripture to which the Text to the Hebrews has a respect, viz. Zech. 9. 11, 12. By the blood of the Covenant I have sent forth thy Prisoners but of the pit. Turn ye Prisoners of hope. The Grave is a Prison, but the Blood of Christ has caused the Prison door to be opened, the bodies of Believers which Rest there in Hope shall come out of that pit. All that Redemption which Believers shall be the Subject of, is Merited by the [...] of [Page] Christ. Rev. 5. 9. Thou hast Redeemed us by thy Blood. The Resurrection of the body is part of that Redemption. The Scripture speaks of the Redemption of the Body, Rom 8. 23. The Bodies as well as the Souls of Believers are said to be bought, 1 Cor. 6 20. It is the Blood of Christ and nothing else that has bought them.

3. It is by vertue of the Resurrection of Christ that Believers obtain a blessed Resurrection. Thus does the Apostle argue. 1 Cor. 15. 12, 13. If Christ be Preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no Resurrection? If there be no Resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. As sure as Christ is risen, Believers on him shall rise. For he rose as a Publick Person Representing all the Elect of God. Verse 21, 22. Since by man came death, by Man came also the Resurrection of the Dead, for as in Adam all dy, so in Christ all shall be made alive. There are two roots from which Death and Life proceed, viz. Adam & Christ. The first Adam, by reason of his being a Publick Reason Representing all Mankind, has be [...] [Page] a root of death to all his Children. Christ the second Adam, Representing all the Children of God, has been a root of Life to them all. Because He Rose from the dead and Liveth for ever more, they shall do so too. This also may be denoted by that Expression of Christs being the first born from the Dead, Col 1. 18. Under the Law, a Ransom was to be Paid for the First born, and then the rest of the Children were free, because the first born was a Publick Person, Representing all the Children of the Family. Thus, if Christ is Redeemed from the Power of the Grave, then so are all the Children of God in him. When Christ opened the Womb of the Grave and came forth, then all Believers were freed by vertue of the Ransom which HE had paid. Hence also, the Resurrection of Christ is mentioned as a first fruits. Christ is risen from the Dead, and became the first fruits of them that slept, 1 Cor. 15. 20. The first Fruits were Consecrated, and by vertue of that Consecration all the Corn on the ground was Sanctified. Thus inasmuch as Christ us [Page] Risen, all the dead Bodies of the Children of God, which are as so many grains of [...] in the Ground, are consecrated and virtually Risen with Christ. And this also [...] peculiar to Believers.

4. [...] vertue of their Union with Christ, [...] Believers obtain a blessed Resurrection. As for Unbelievers they are not United to Christ, and therefore have not a Resurrection unto Life. He that has not the Son, has not Life. Christ and all true Believers, are One Mystical Body. The blessed Head of that Body has been [...] over Death, and triumph'd over the Grave. Therefore so shall all the Members which belong to that Head. Because of that intimate Union which is between Christ and Believers, some Scripture, which speak of the Resurrection, are to be understood both of Christ and of his Church. Thus, Hos. 6. 2. After two Days he will Revive us, in the third Day he will Raise us up, and we shall Live in his sight. The Words allude to the Resurrection of Christ, yet are applied to the Church, [...] is Risen with Christ their Head. [Page] Because Christ was Raised from the dead, Believers shall Live in his sight for ever. And thus also may we understand that Scripture; Isa. 26. 19. Thy Dead body shall Live, together with my Dead body shall they arise. Awake and Sing, ye that [...] in the Dust. Christ says to the Believer, Thy dead body did Rise with Mine. When my dead Body rose out of the Grave, thin [...] did so too. The Resurrection of my dead Body, was a pledge & certain fore [...] of the Resurrection of thy dead Body.

From the Doctrine thus Confirmed, we may Infer several things for our Instruction in Righteousness.

Inf. I. All the Children of GOD are Infinitely beholden to the Lord Jesus Christ. They are beholden to Him for the Resurrection of their Bodies. The Apostles Preached through Jesus the Resurrection, from the Dead, Act. 4. 2. We had never had an happy Resurrection if it had not been through Jesus. And therefore not One that shall dy in a Christless Estate will [Page] have such a Resurrection. Christ has made Believers to be happier than Ever Adam in Paradise was. For the present they are under a better Covenant. The Covenant of Grace is better than the Corenant of Works, and Established upon better Promises. It is through Jesus Christ, that we are concerned in the Corenant, Isa. 42. 6. There are heavenly blessings, and such a glorious Perfection of Happiness Promised to Believers on Christ, as we cannot say Adam had a Promise of. That Heaven which is Promised to Believers, does incomparably Excel the Earthly Paradise which belonged to Adam, and in which he should have Lived happily with a Confluence of Earthly blessings, if he had not Sinned. And for the present, Believers appear before God in a more glorious Righteousness than Adam had before his fall. He had only a Righteousness of his Own, which was not the Righteousness of One that is God; whenas the Righteousness of God is upon all that believe, Rom. 3. 22. The Righteousness of Christ is imputed to them, and that is [Page] the Righteousness of God. And when Believers shall become the Children of the Resurrection, they will be far more glorious than ever Adam was. He was made Lower than the Angels, and not Equal to them in his first and best Estate. But as for Believers, Christ has advanced them to an Equality with Angels in more respects than one, as we have shewed. Oh! how are we beholden to Christ? Nay, in respect of him they are dignified above Angels. For He took not on him the Nature of Angels, but the Nature of Man He has assumed. The Believer is nearer akin to the Son of God, than any Angel in heaven is.

Inf. II. There is a respect due to the Dead Bodies of Gods Children. Since they shall be Raised out of their Graves to such Glory as has been shewed, there is certainly a respect due to them. Altho' we may not worship their Raliques as Idolatrous Papists do, Nevertheless, it is a great iniquity to cast contempt upon them Precious in the sight of the Lord is the [Page] Death of his Saints. When their dead Bodies are turned to dust, it is Precious Dust. That Body which is United to Christ, and has been Redeemed by his Blood, Death does not separate from his Love. They then who manifest their contempt and hatred of such holy Bodies, have not the Love of Christ nor his Spirit in them. A decent Burial is a respect due to the Bodies of Dead Saints. To deny it to those who are the Children of God, is great Impiety; or not to suffer them to have that honourable Interment which is due to their Station. It is noted as a great Wickedness in [...], that he would not permit the Prophet Urijah to be so honourably Buried as was proper and suitable for a Prophet of God, but he Cast his Dead Body into the Graves of the common People. And it is Observable, that the Providence of God met with him, and [...] his impiety [...]. For notwithstanding he was a King, and the Son of a King, there was no [...] Solemnity or Lamentations for him, but he was [...] the [...] by an [...], drawn and cast[Page]forth beyond the Gates of Jerusalem, Jor. 22. 19. A just Punishment for his Barbarity towards a faithful Prophet. Such like Barbarity would the Heathen sometimes use towards the Servants of the Lord, of which the Psalmist complains, Psal. 79. 2, 3. The Dead Bodies of thy Servants have they given to be Meat unto the fowls of the Heaven, the flesh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the Earth. And there was none to bury them. And Papists have been as inhumane as ever were Pagans. It was prophesied concerning them, that they would kill the faithful Witnesses of Christ, and not suffer their Dead Bodies to be put in Graves, Rev. 11. 9. That Prophesy has been fulfilled as in other Places, so in England, when Popery reigned there. By the Popes decree, the bones of Wick [...]ff, (that famous Witness against the Idolatry of those times) Forty years after he was Dead and Buried, were dug out of his Grave and Burnt to ashes, and those ashes thrown into a River. The Emperor Charles V. was a Person of more generosity and humanity, than the Pope, for [Page] when some urged him to cause Luther to be exhumated, he utterly refused it. But in England by the Instigation of the Popish Bishops Bucer, and Fagius, two Learned Readers of Divinity in the University of Cambridge, were taken out of their Graves. Peter Martyr an Eminent Learned man, once belonging to the University in Oxford, left the Land on Queen Maries Accession to the Throne, and so escaped their Rage; but by direction of the cruel Cardinal Pool, they caused Martyr's Wife, a godly and charitable Matron, to be taken out of her Grave after she had been dead two years, and to be laid in a dunghill; only she was honourably Re-interr'd in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. Thus have Pagans and Papists used inhumane Cruelties towards the dead Bodies of the Lords Servants. But what Confusion will take hold on them, when they shall see these holy Bodies glorified in the Resurrection World, and themselves the Subjects of shame and everlasting contempt?

[Page]Inf. III. The Children of God should be careful not to Sin with their Bodies, but to Serve and Glorify GOD with them. That body which shall become a wonderfully glorified Body in another World, should be a very Sanctified Body whil'st in this World. How vile is it to make such a Body an Instrument of Sin and Dishonour to the Name of God? The Body is for the Lord, 1 Cor.6.13. This lets us see the heinous evil which is in Sins against the Body; Especially when the Children of God shall any of them be guilty of them. Sins of Intemperance are in a peculiar manner against the Body: Drunkenness is so. It is an horrid thing for a godly Man to abuse his Body with Strong Drink. What? that Body which shall be Raised in Glory! But most of all, Sins against the Seventh Commandment are Sins against the Body: Other Sins are not so comparatively with that. They are without the Body, but he that commits Sins of that Nature, Sinneth against his own Body. 1 Cor. 6, 18. Sin [...] when Christ [Page] shall appear, Believers shall appear with him in Glory, the thought of it should cause them, not only to abstain from Fleshly Lusts, but to Mortify them, Col.3 4, 5. To set forth the evil which is in Sins against the Body, the Apostle says, Know you not that your Body is the Temple of the holy Spirit? What horrible Sacriledge is it to defile the Temple of GOD? The Apostle infers, Therefore Glorify God in your Body. That Head, that Tongue, those Hands, those Feet which shall be Raised to Glory in the Resurrection World, ought to be made use of as Instruments to promote the Glory of GOD in this World. This Meditation, My Body shall one Day be a Subject of wonderful Glory, will cause a Man that has Grace in his Soul to be careful not to Sin with his Body.

Inf. IV. Shall the Children of GOD be as the Angels of Heaven in another World? then they should endeavour to be & do as like them as may be whilest in this World. We should aim & endeavour after that which we cannot attain unto [...] We cannot attain [Page] unto that Perfection in Holiness which the Children of the Resurrection shall have, yet should we aim at it. Phil. 3. 11, 12. If by any means I might attain unto the Resurrection of the Dead. Not as though I had already attained, or were already Perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. I (sayes Paul) was running away from Christ, but he apprehended me, He stopt me and converted me, that he might make me perfectly holy and happy in the Resurrection World; This perfection am I striving after. So should we endeavour to be as the Angels of Heaven, in respect of our Obedience to God, to do his Will an Earth as they do it, Heaven. Then's is a willing Obedience: They are glad to be imployed in any Service for GOD: They hearken to the Voice of his Word and do his Pleasure: They Serve the LORD [...] and fervently, and so should we be fervent in Spirit Serving the Lord. They are never, weary in Serving GOD. We should not be weary in well doing. The holy Angels are constant in [Page] their Obedience, they do not draw back. The Living Creatures, (Angels are they) turned not when they went: they went every one straight forward, Ezek.1.9. To turn back from the holy Commandment is to be like the Angels of Hell, and not like the Angels of Heaven. Angels are humble Spirits. They will visit Prisons to be helpful to the Servants of Christ. When Peter was in Prison, an Angel visited him there: They will do kind Offices for Poor beggars. They will help a poor Lazarus in his way to Heaven. So should we Condescend to men of low Estate, Rom.12.16. Angels do good to those unto whom they Minister freely. They knew that we cannot require them for any thing they do for us, our Clarity should be like theirs. Luk.6.35. Do Good, and Lord, hoping for nothing again. Angels are beneficent to unworthy Ones. To unthankful Murmurers. Such were the Children of Israel in the Wilderness, yet when God commanded them to do it, they supplyed them with Bread every Day. Psal.78.25. Man did Eat Angels food. Angels are very Serviceable:[Page]They are Inspectors over the World. The World fares the better for them: More especially they do kind Offices for them that fear the Lord. Psal. 34. 7. The Angel of the Lord encumpeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. And are they not all Ministring Spirits sent forth to Minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation? We should in this respect indeavour to be and do like them. Gal. 6. 10. As we have therefore Opportunity, let us do good to all men, especially to them who are of the houshold of [...]. Angels are full of Zeal for GOD: When his honour is concerned, they are all in a Flame. Those Ministers of his are then a flame of Fire. Hence are they call'd Seraphims; that is Burners: They burn with an holy Zeal. They are Zealous in Executing the Holy Judgments of God upon Sinners. When the great Tyrant Nebuchadnezzar was made an astonishing Example to the world, the Decree of the Most High against him, was Executed by those holy ones, Dan. 4. 17. When the wicked Sodomites were Destroyed by a[Page]strange Punishment on those workers of Iniquity, the holy Angels said, We will Destroy this Place because the Cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to Destroy it, Gen. 19. 13. So shall it be at the end of the World: The Angels shall come forth, & shall sev [...]r the wicked from the Just, & shall [...] them into a [...] of fire, Mat. 13. 49, 50. The Angels of Heaven are much in Praising GOD, they delight therein. There was with the Angel a Multitude of the heavenly Host, Praising God, Luk. 2. 13. They are ever at that work. 'Tis Angelical to delight in Praising GOD. David was an Angelical Man, and he delighted in Praising the Lord, Some have Observed that in the Book of Psalms, he is Praising God above two hundred times. The Angels of Heaven Love and Admire the Lord Jesus Christ: They are taken with the Mystery of Christ, and take Pleasure in Searching into it, 1 Pet. 1. 12. They Adore the Person of Christ. There is not One Angel in Heaven but what do's Worship the Lord Jesus Christ: Heb. 1. 6.[Page]Worship Him all ye Angels. Millions of them are Wondering at his Glory. Ten thousand Times ten thousand Angels stand about the Throne in Heaven, are saying, Worthy is the Lamb, Rev. 5. 11, 12. They call upon one another to set forth the Glory of Christ. Isai. 6. 3. One Cryed to another, & said, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts, the whole Earth is full of his Glory. Every Knee in Heaven bows to Him, and every Tongue there Celebrates his Praises; and shall not we on Earth do so? Had we the Tongue of Men and Angels, we could not set him forth according to what He is worthy of. He has done more for us, than ever He did for Angels. He has dyed for us, but not for them. They are indeed beholden to him as GOD for their Beings. By Him were all things created that are in Heaven and in Earth, visible and invisible: But He is our Mediator and Redeemer, which cannot be said of Angels; if then they Love and Admire and Serve our Lord Jesus Christ, let us go and do so.

[Page]Inf. V. The Children of GOD may have great Comfort in Meditating on the Resurrection World. The Doctrine of the Resurrection, is to Believers on Christ a Comfortable Doctrine.

It is so,

1. As to Themselves. It affords matter of Comfort in respect of whatever Afflictions they may for the present be Subject unto: Deep Afflictions are a Metapherical Grave. They are fitly resembled there unto. Psal. 88. 10. With thou shew wonders to the Dead? shall the Dead arise and Praise thee? So did he speak when under sore Affliction both in his Body (for tis thought he was a Leper, v. 18.) and in his Soul which were full of Troubles, and almost distracted with the Terrors of God. When the Lords People did as it were ly buried in a Grave of long Affliction in Babylon, the Lord said to them, I will open your Graves, & cause you to come up out of your Graves, Ezek. 37. 12. He that will bring the Bodies of his Saints out of their Graves at the last Day, [Page] they may be sure will bring them out of what ever Grave of Affliction, they may Ly Buried in for a time. There are Children of God who are Afflicted with Bodily Weaknesses and Infirmities; and it may be for a Long time. We read in the Gospel, of a Daughter of Abraham, who had been bowed Down with a spirit of Infirmity Eighteen Years, Luk. 13. 11. There will be no Bodily Infirmities to complain of in the Resurrection World. This also affords Comfort to the Children of God, against the Fear of Death. God said to Jacob, Be not afraid to go Down into Egypt, I will surely bring thee up again, Gen. 46. 3, 4. So He says to the Believer, Be not afraid to go down into the Grave, I will surely bring thee up again; and in the mean time, Thou shalt see Joseph, thy Soul shall be with JESUS. Therefore should they go into the Grave, not only Willingly but Chearfully. The tho'ts of their Death being near at hand, should be a Comfort to them. And it is moreover, a comfortable Meditation, for Believers who dy in these Last Ages of the world, [Page] that they shall not continue Long in their Graves. It was a comfort to Christ, that altho' He knew he should Dy, He also knew that he should not abide Lon [...] the state of Death: Isa. 50. 8. He is near that Justifieth me; I shall not be Long in my Grave. Believers in the Latter Days, have in this respect an Happiness above what they had in the Years of Ancient Generations. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Samuel and all the Prophets have been in their Graves, for more than Two Thousand Years. Altho' we know not the precise Time when it will be; Nevertheless, we have Scripture-ground to apprehend, chat the Resurrection of the Just will be within far less Time than Two Thousand Years.

2. The Doctrine of the Resurrection, administers matter of Comfort to Believers, against the Death of their Godly Friends and Near Relations, who have Dy'd in the Lord. They shall Rise again. As Martha said of her dear Brother Laza [...]us, Joh. 11. 24. I know that he shall Rise [Page]again at the Last Day. We shall see our dear Friends, and they shall see us and converse with us in the Resurrection World. Austin in One of his Epistles, comforts a Pious Lady, whose Husband was Dead, by telling her that she should see him again in a Better World; and altho' she should not Eat and Drink with him as in this world, nevertheless (says he) You shall Know him and Love him, more than ever you did whilest in a state of Mortality. The Gentiles would take on Extreamly, when a near Relation dy'd; because they had no hope of ever seeing them again, as not believing a Resurrection from the Dead. But Christians should know better; 1 Thes. 4. 13, 14 I would not have you ignorant, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow [...], as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus Died, and Rose again, ever so them also which sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him. This implies, that we shall see and know our Friends in the Resurrection World; Else the thought of the Resurrection, [Page] would not have such Consolation in it. The Apostle likewise says to the Thessalonians, that they would be his Crown of Rejoycing at the coming of Christ. Therefore Paul will know those Thessalonians, to whom he was a spiritual Father; and be able to distinguish them from Other People. So Godly Parents will know their Children, and Children their Parents. Many a Father will then Bless GOD for giving him such Children; and Children for giving them such Parents. And many a Godly Mother, when she shall see her Children again at the Resurrection, will Bless GOD for making her the happy Instrument of bringing Children into the world, which shall help to People Heaven with Inhabitants.

Inf. VI. We should make sure of our obtaining a Blessed Resurrection. This Assurance is attainable. Job had it, and it was a great Comfort to him in all his Afflictions.

[Page]Oh! That men would consider that Death is certain. Oh! that they were Wise, and would consider their Latter End; and that a Resurrection from the Dead, is as certain as Death it self. But every man shall not have a Blessed Resurrection. Nay, but very few that shall: Few there be that find it. It was a fearful word which the Devil in a Possessed man once uttered, saying, I know that at the Day of Judgment, I shall have more will be with me, than Christ will have with Him. But if a man shall not have an Happy Resurrection, what will be his Portion? What will be his Doom? How dismal when his Body shall be brought Out of the Prison of the Grave, and his Soul Out of the Prison of Hell, to appear before the Judgment-seat of CHRIST, to have a Sentence of Eternal Death pronounc'd upon him by the Son of GOD, and after that holy Angels cast him into the Fire which never shall be Quenched? And, Oh! that Sinners would remember that Now, before their immortal Souls are separated from their Bodies, [Page] is the Only Time for them to make sure of a Blessed Resurrection. He that does not make sure of it before Death, will never make sure of it. Therefore NOW be in Earnest about it: Do it with thy Might; for there is no Work in the Grave whither thou goest. There will be no hope of it after that fatal hour, if it is not done before that. When once the Body is gone down into the Pit of the Grave, and the immortal Soul into the Pit of Perdition, into blackness of Darkness for ever, there's no more hope: Isa. 38. 18. They that go down into the Pit, cannot hope for thy Truth. And we should always Remember, that it will not be Long before Death will be here. Who can say how soon, how suddenly? Have we not Examples of sudden Deaths, often set before us? It may be this is the Last Sabbath which some of us shall ever see, the Last Sermon which some of us shall ever hear. And as Death shall Leave us, so will the Resurrection Find us; Either among those that shall Rise to Everlasting Life, or among those [Page] who shall Rise to a Second Death which shall be Eternal.

QUESTION.

What shall we do, that so we may be Sure of a Blessed Resurrection?

ANSWER.

1. Let us make Sure that our Souls be Risen out of a State of SIN. Are our Souls Quickned, which Once were Dead in Trespasses and Sins? If our Souls have Experienced a Spiritual Resurrection, our Bodies shall have a Blessed Resurrection at the Last Day. Is there a Spiritual Life infused into our Souls? Is there a work of Saving Grace begun there? Have we truly Repented of all our Sins? [...] they shall not Ly down with us in the Grave, and Rise up with us to Condemn us at the Great Day. Is there none in this Assembly, but what can say as in the Presence of GOD, I know not of any One [Page] Sin I have been guilty of, but I have Confessed it, Repented of it; and through Christ my Peace is made with God? Are we true Believers on CHRIST? All and only such are Regenerate. Then there is a blessed Scripture for us to Meditate on, and take Comfort from: It is that, Joh. 1 [...]. 25, 26. Jesus said, I am the Resurrection and the Life; be that Believeth on me, though be were Dead, yet shall be Live. And whosoever Liveth, and Believeth on me, shall never Die.

2. The way for us to Obtain a Blessed Resurrection of our Bodies, is to be always doing Good, and serving GOD whil'st we are in the Body. I have hope (says the Apostle) that there shall be a Resurrection of the Dead. And then he adds, Herein do I Exercise my self, to have always a Conscience Void of Offence toward God, and toward men, Act. 24. 15, 16. When serious thoughts of the Resurrection, shall make a man diligent in Serving GOD, and in Endeavours to be Useful unto Men, [...] [Page] a sign of his being One that shall have a Blessed Resurrection. Then shall we receive a Reward according to what we have Done whilest in the Body. Works of Piety towards GOD, will then be Rewarded. Mat. 6. 6. When thou Prayest, enter into thy Closet, and when thou hast shut thy Door, Pray to thy Father which is in Secret, and thy Father which Seeth in Secret, shall Reward thee Openly. And when will Prayer and other Works of Piety, be Rewarded Openly? In the Resurrection World, they shall be Rewarded Openly before the whole World. The like is to be said concerning Acts of Charity towards Men, they shall be Recompensed at the Resurrection of the Just, Luk. 14. 14. And therefore the more Good we have done in the World, the greater will the Recompence of Reward then be; the Thought whereof should Encourage us to be very Laborious in Serving the LORD. Wherefore the Apostle, after he had Discoursed Largely concerning the Resurrection of the Children [Page] of GOD, makes this Conclusion; Be ye always Abounding in the Work of the Lord, for as much as ye know, that your Labour is not in Vain in the Lord, 1 Corinth. 15. 58. In the Resurrection World, when you shall be as the Angels of Heaven, you will certainly know and see, that your Labour has not been in Vain in the Lord.

Believers HAVE A Well grounded HOPE, OF Perfect Blessedness in Heaven.

[Page]

Col. 1. 5.‘—The Hope which is laid up for you in Heaven.’

THE Apostle in the Third Verse of the Chapter, gives Thanks to God for these Colossra [...]s. In this Verse he me [...]tions the Reasons why he did so. It was on the account of that Grace which was wrought in them, by the [Page] Preaching of the Gospel. There are two particular Graces instanced in.

1. The Grace of Faith; described from the Object of it, Viz. CHRIST: Your Faith in Jesus Christ.

2. The Grace of Love; which is also described from the more peculiar Object of it, Viz. Saints; and all such. The Love which you have to all the Saints.

The words before us, are Expressive of that which was the moving Cause, inducing these Believers to the Exercise of those Graces: The consideration of that Blessedness which they Hoped to Enjoy in another World, had this Effect upon them. Hope is here (as in other Scriptures) put for the Good Hoped for; which is Perfect Blessedness. Nothing less than that is the Object of the Believers Hope. And it is a Sure, Well-grounded Hope: They shall surely Obtain the Happiness they Hope for. Since,

(1.) It is Laid up for them. It is Deposited in a Safe Hand.

(2.) It is in a Safe Place; Viz. In Heaven.

[Page]The DOCTRINE before us to be insisted on, is,

That all true Believers on JESUS CHRIST have a Sure Well-grounded Hope, of obtaining Perfect Blessedness in Heaven.

PROPOSITION I.

Believers on Christ Hope for Blessedness in another World. They have a Blessed Hope, Tit. 2. 13. They Hope [...] Salvation. They put on for an Helmet, the Hope of Salvation, 1 Thes. 5. 8. They Hope for Life. Hence is that Expression of a Lively Hope, 1 Pet. 1. 3. Yea, Eternal Life is the Object of their Hope, Tit. 1. 2. They Hope for Glory, Rom. 5. 2. The Happiness of Believers in the future state when they are gone out of this world, is sometimes called Life; and sometimes Glory. Psal. 73. 24. Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel, and afterwards receive me to Glory. Happiness does consist in the Enjoyment of the Chief Good, which is indeed all Good at once; and thence a Soul-satisfying Good; which this whole [Page] world with all its Delights and Comforts is not. Only GOD in JESUS CHRIST is that Good. The full Fruition of Him, which is not to be obtained on Earth but in Heaven, is that which Believers Hope for, with an earnest Expectation and Desire: Psal. 42. 2. My Soul thirsteth for God, for the Living God; when shall I come and appear before God? David Longed for Communion with God here in his holy Ordinan [...]s; but much more for an Immediate and Soul-satisfying Communion with Him in Heaven.

PROPOSITION II.

The Believers Hope of Blessedness, is a Well-grounded Hope. They have sufficient Reason for their Hope: 1 Pet. 3. 15. Be ready always to give an Answer to every man that asks you, a Reason of the Hope that is in you. Pagans thought that Christians were no better than Mad-men, for that they willingly Exposed themselves to great Sufferings in this world; only because they hoped for Happiness in another World. But they had good Reason for what they did. They shall not be [Page] disappointed of the Blessedness which they Hope for. Therefore tis called a Good Hope, 2 Thes. 2. 16. GOD even our Father has given us Everlasting Consolation, and Good Hope through Grace. It is a Good Hope, not only because the Object of it is the greatest Good; but it shall be made Good. Believers shall certainly Enjoy the Good which they have Hoped for. Hence tis said to be an Hope which makes not ashamed, Rom. 5. 5. This was David's Consolation: Psal. [...]19. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy Commandments. Let the faithful Servants of God hope for Happiness in another World as much as they will, they shall not be ashamed on the account of a disappointed Hope. Herein is the difference between the Hope of true Believers and of Other men. Some that have not true Faith, yet hope for Happiness in another World; but tis not Well-grounded: Their Hope is a Vain Presumption, and not the Grace of Hope. An Hypocrite who has only an External Religion, may have a Confident Hope: but us a False [Page]Hope. The House of his Hope is built on a False Bottom, which will shake under him, and end in a ruinous Fall. Death will put an End to all his hopes for ever. Job 27. 8. What is the hope of the Hypocrite, when God shall take away his Soul: But the True Believer has Hope in his Death, Prov. 14. 32. When his Body dieth, his Hope doth not die: But then he Obtains a great part of the Blessedness which he has Hoped for. The Anchor of his Hope is sure and steadfast. Yea, as sure as the Promise of God; Nay, as the Oath of God, than which 'tis impossible that any thing should be more sure.

For,

1. The Believers Hope is from GOD. Therefore 'tis a sure Hope. If we speak of the Object of the Believers Hope, or the Future Happiness he Hopes for, which (as was said) is called his Hope, it is from God as the Author of it; and tis therefore called the Glory of God: Rom. [...]. 2. We rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God. He has prepared that Glory for all true Believers on Jesus Christ. At the Last [Page] Day, he will say unto them, Come ye Blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, from the Foundation of the World, Mat. 25. 34. The Believer hopes for nothing less than a Kingdom. One of the Ancients says, that the Primitive Christians were often speaking of a Kingdom; and expressing their joyful hopes that they should in God's time Enjoy it: which made their Enemies Look on them as a Phanatical sort of People: But their Faith assured them that God had prepared such a Kingdom for them. And he likewise prepares them for it. Therefore does the Scripture speak of Vessels of Mercy, which [...] asore prepared unto Glory. Rom 9. 2 [...]. He that has wrought us for the self same thing is God who also has given unto us the Earnest of the Spirit, 2 Cor. [...]. [...]. That self same thing, is the blessedness of heaven; a Building of God, an House [...] made with hands Eternal in the Heavens, which they shall enjoy when Mortality shall be swallowed up of Life. God has made an Heaven for us, and he makes us fit for that Heaven. He has [Page] made us Meet to be partakets of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light. We have not wrought this Meetness in our selves; but it is GOD that has done it, by a Work of Regeneration on our Souls; and by giving his Spirit to us, as a Pledge of what he has prepared for us. Then is our Hope sure and certain, and we cannot miss of Heaven. Or, if we speak of the Grace of Hope which is wrought in the Souls of Believers, that also is from God. There are three Graces in which Christianity does Eminently consist, viz. Faith, Love, and Hope; of all which the Apostle speaks in this with the preceding Verse. Where GOD gives Faith, he gives those Other Graces also. All Grace is from him: And the Grace of Hope in particular is so. Hence he is styled the God of Hope, as being not only the Object, but the Author of this Grace. It is by the Power of the Holy Spirit, that this Grace is wrought in Believing Souls. They abound in hope through the Power of the Holy Ghost, Rom. 15. 13. In this also the False hope of a man that has no true Faith, and the Well-grounded [Page] hope of the Believer, differ. The Unbelievers Confidence is not from GOD. It is an Hope of his Own making: He kindles a Fire, and walks in the light of his Fire, and in the sparks which himself has kindled, Isa. 50. 11. Hence his hope is compared to a Spiders web, Job 8. 14. The Spider spins his web out of his own bowels: So does the Hypocrite his hope. But the Believers hope is of a Divine Original: It is an hope of God's Begetting, of his Creating. He has begotten us unto a lively hope, 1 Pet. 1. 3. It is therefore a sure and a good hope; an hope that will end in the fruition of the good hoped for.

2. The Believers Hope is built on CHRIST. 1 Tim. 1. 1. The Lord Jesus Christ is our hope. He has been the hope of his People in all Ages of the world: Jer. 14. 8. O the Hope of Israel, and the Saviour thereof. Who is that hope of Israel? It is Christ the Promised Messiah, who was to come into the world to be the Saviour of it. Hence Paul said to the Jews, For the hope of Israel I am bound with this Chain, [Page] Act. 28. 20 It was for his Preaching Christ, that a Chain was upon him. Now Christ is a sure and safe Foundation for us to build our hope upon: Isa. 26. 4. Trust ye in the Lord for ever; for in the Lord Jehovan is Everlasting Strength. He is called Tzur Gnolamim, the Rock of Ages. The house of the Believers hope is Founded on this Rock of Ages, therefore it shall not fail nor fall, but stand to Eternity. It is said of the wise builder, That he built his house upon a Rock, and the Rain descended, & the Floods came, & the winds blew & beat upon the house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon a Rock, Mat. 7. 24, 25. The true Believer is the wise Builder: Christ is the Rock on which his house, his hope is built and stands for ever. All the Powers of Darkness can never shake it. More particularly;

(1.) The Believers hope of blessedness in another world, is built upon the Merits of Christ's Obedience. Not upon the Merit of their Own Works or Righteousness: For that would be to build on the Sand. Men never did Merit any thing by their imperfect Obedience, much less [Page] Eternal Life. It comes to us not as due Wages, as Death is, but as the Free Gift of God: Rom.6.23. The wages of Sin is Death, but the gift of God is Eternal Life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. It was a prodigiously Proud & Insolent Speech of a Popish Jesuit, That if God would give him Heaven Gratis, he would not Accept of it on those terms; he would do something to deserve it at the hands of God. Our imperfect and sinful Obedience (and the best that we do or can do is so) cannot be Meritorious of any thing but Death. Only the Obedience of Jesus Christ the Son of God, is Meritorious: Rev. 5. 12. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain. For his Obedience is perfect, and without any defect. He has fulfilled all Righteousness, Mat. 3. 15. There was no Precept of the Law of God whatsoever, that was a Duty incumbent on the Man Christ Jesus to fulfil it, but he has done it; and not failed in the manner of Performance. Now the Righteousness of this Obedience of Christ, is imputed to the true Believer on his Name. The Righteousness of God which is [Page]by Faith in Jesus Christ is upon all that believe, Rom. 3. 22. That's the Righteousness of One who is God as well as Man, and therefore Infinitely Meritorious. Tis the only Righteousness which God will accept of in order to the Justification and Salvation of a Sinner; and it is Faith that does Entitle a man to this Righteousness, and make him able to say truly, This Glorious Righteousness is mine. God would make his Law Honourable & Glorious: Therefore it must be Fulfilled, and perfectly Obeyed. This no man since Adams Fall, being involved in the Guilt of his sin, could ever do. Nevertheless, Believers in respect of their Surety, have done it. Sin has wounded and weakned men so, that they cannot obtain Righteousness & Salvation by the Law; but then God has sent his Son, That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us. Rom 8. 3, 4. Christ's Fulfilling of the Law is imputed to us, if we truly believe on his Name God graciously accepts of what our Surety has done for us, as if we our selves had done the same. Moreover, in order to the Satisfaction [Page] of Divine Justice, it was necessary that the Penalty of the Law should be endured. This also has Christ our Blessed Surety, been willing for our sakes to submit unto, that he might obtain our Reconcilation to GOD, and our being accepted as Righteous; 2 Cor. 5. 21. For he has made him to be Sin for us. It was by the holy Imputation of God that he was made so. Our Sins were imputed to Him, & thence he was made a Sin-offering in our stead: That we might be made the Righteousness of God in him; That the Righteousness which God will accept of might be imputed to us. This said Justin (one of the Martyrs in the Primitive times) was a sweet Exchange. And a later Martyr said, Behold a Wonderful Exchange; Christ has my Sins, and I have his Righteousness. This then is that which the Believers hope of blessedness in Heaven is built upon: It is on the Merit of Christ's Blood; on the Obedience of his Passion, as well as on the Obedience of his Life. He has carried the Merit of his Blood to heaven with him. By his own Blood he entred [Page]into the holy place, having obtained Eternal Redemption for us, Heb. 9. 12. But therefore believers hope (as well may they hope) that they shall enter into heaven also. They may have, and should have an humble Confidence of it. Heb. 10. 19. Having boldness to enter into the holiest of all, by the Blood of Jesus. What can keep out of heaven, but only Sin? The sins of Believers are all satisfied for. The Blood of Christ has made a full Atonement for them; and taken away the Guilt & Condemnation due for them. This indeed no other blood could do. The blood of all the Sacrifices under the Old Testament could not Purge the Conscience, or take away the Guilt of Sin. The Law made nothing Perfect, but the bringing in of a better Hope has done it, Heb. 7. 19. The Priesthood of Christ, the Sacrifice which he has offered, giveth unto Believers a better ground of hope than the Law did. Because of the bringing in of this Hope, not only the Mercy of God, but his Justice also, concur and conspire in the Salvation of his People: Psal. 85. 10. [Page] Mercy & Truth are met together, Righteousness & Peace have kissed each other. Nay, Justice it self looks on Believers with a smiling Countenance: Ver. 11. Righteousness shall look down from Heaven. It is not only Consistent with the Justice of God to pardon the Sins, and save the Souls of Penitent Believers, but in respect of Christ, Justice Obligeth him to it. Tis therefore said, That He is faithful & just to forgive us our Sins, and to cleanse us from all Unrighteousness, 1 Joh. 1. 9. It cannot stand with Justice to demand Satisfaction twice for the same Debt, of the Surety & of the Principal too. Christ our Surety has made a Full Payment of our Debt: He has Saved us to the Uttermost; and has left nothing for us our selves or for any other to do after him, that so the Debt might be satisfied for.

(2.) The Believers Hope is built on the Resurrection of Christ. The Scripture speaks of a Lively Hope, by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead, 1 Pet. 1. 3. For that makes it clear, that God has received full Satisfaction in the Death of [Page] Christ. As our Surety he was put into the Prison of the Grave: God himself has Opened the Prison-door, and he is gone forth; we may therefore hope, yea, we may rest assured of it, that our Debt is fully Paid. Christ at his Resurrection was discharged from that imputed Guilt, which was the cause of his Sufferings and Death. Hence his Resurrection is called his Justification: Isa. 50. 8. He is near that Justifieth me: I must be put into the Grave (says Christ) but God will soon Raise me up from thence. And when Christ was thus Justified, by his being Raised from the Dead, all Believers were Virtually Justified. He was Delivered for our Offences, and Raised again for our Justification, Rom. 4. 25. When the Believer does by Faith look upon the Resurrection of Christ, he may say, I have a Good, i. e. a Guiltless Conscience: For all my Sins have been satisfied for, that Debt is wholly Paid. How does that appear? It is Evident from the Resurrection of Christ, 1 Pet. 3. 21. If Christ had not Risen from the Dead, we must for ever Despaired of Salvation. [Page] But by that we know that his Death has been Meritorious & Satisfactory in our behalf. Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect? It is God that Justifieth. Who is he that Condemneth? It is Christ that Dyed: Yea, rather that is Risen again, Rom. 8. 34. But there is something further to be added: For notwithstanding the Death of Christ and his Resurrection, there are many in the world without Hope, because they are without Christ, Eph. 2. 12. They have not a real Interest in him.

Therefore,

(3.) Believers Hope of Heaven is built on their Union with Christ: Col. 1. 27. Christ in you the Hope of Glory. Christ abides in them, and they in him, as Branches abide in the Vine. He dwells in the believing Soul; Eph. 3. 17. That Christ may Dwell in your hearts by Faith. It is impossible that a soul which is United to Christ, should miss of Heaven. As long as this Union continues, the Believer is in a safe Condition. Now that Union is Indissoluble and Eternal. Death it self cannot dissolve it. [Page] That dissolves the Union which is between the Soul and the Body; but not the Union which is between Christ and the Soul. Death put an End to all Natural and Civil Relations, but not to that Spiritual Relation which is between Christ and his People. He has said to the Believer, I will Betroth thee to me for ever, Hos. 2. 19. As in Marriage, as long as both Parties Live, the Relation continues. Thus as long as the Eternal Son of God and the immortal Soul of the Believer shall Live, this blessed Union will remain; therefore the Hope which is built upon it, is a sure well-grounded Hope. Thus for the Second Demonstration of the Truth before us.

3. The Happiness which believers hope for, is committed to a Sure Hand. Hence tis said to be Laid up; The Hope laid up: As a Treasure which is trusted in the hands and custody of a Faithful Depositary: Such an one has no fear of Loosing his Depositum, but hopes to Enjoy it in due time. In whose hand is the believers hope Deposited? Who has laid it up for him? It is [Page] an Able Hand, who can keep it safe: 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed, and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him. His Soul, his Eternal Life, all the Everlasting Concerns of another World the Believer has trusted Christ with them all. The Object of the Believers Hope is a Depositum which Christ has laid up for him. And reserved for him, 1. Pet. 1. 4. When tis said, the believers hope is Laid up, Committed, Reserved, all these Expressions aim at the same thing; they denote Safety and Security. Sometimes when a man has that which is Precious and Valuable, he will put it into the hands of a Friend to keep for him, and if it is put into the hand of an Able and Faithful Friend, he may well hope for the Enjoyment of it. So is it here. It is well for Believers, that their Salvation is not in their Own Keeping For if it were, they would soon Loose it, as Adam did, when he was trusted with the Lives of all the World. But as for Believers, their Souls and the Eternal safety thereof, are in the hands of a Faithful [Page] Keeper, and a Mighty Keeper: Joh. 10. 28, 29. I Give them Eternal Life, and they shall never Perish; neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand. My Father is Greater than all; none is able to pluck them out of my Father's Hand.

4. The Blessedness which Believers Hope for, is Laid up in a Safe Place, as well as in a Sure Hand. It is laid up in the securest Place in the whole Creation. For where is it Laid up? It is in the Heaven of Heavens. So says the Text, The Hope which is Laid up for you in Heaven. So the Apostle Peter, An Inheritance Reserved for you in Heaven, 1 Pet. 1. 4. There is no danger of Loosing a Treasure which is Laid up there. No Enemy can come there to Rob us of it: Mat. 6. 20. Lay up for your selves Treasures in Heaven, where Thieves do not break through and Steal. Hope is the Souls Anchor, and it is an Anchor that will hold, as being Fastned in Heaven: Heb. 6. 19. Which Hope we have as an Anchor of the Soul, both sure & stedfast, and which entreth into that within the Vail. By the Vail in the Temple [Page] there was an Entrance into the Sanctuary, which was a Type of Heaven. The Soul of the Believer does, by Faith and Hope cast Anchor in Heaven; which is therefore sure and steadfast, come what come can. Whilest in this world, we are in Storms: We are in a Tempestuous Sea, yet are we safe enough if we have an Anchor within the Vail, if the Anchor of our Hope is laid up in Heaven, that Anchor will hold; and as long as the Anchor holds, the Vessel is safe.

PROPOSITION III.

The Blessedness which all true Believers shall Enjoy in Heaven, will be a Perfect Blessedness. There is no Perfection of Happiness to be hoped for on this side Heaven. All Earthly happiness is attended with that which makes it an Imperfect happiness. Wherefore David said, I have seen an end of all Perfection, but thy Commandment is exceeding Broad, Psal. 119. 96. He saw that all the Honours, and Riches, & Pleasures which this World can afford, would not make Happy; but the Commandment directs in the right way to Heaven, and [Page] there's Perfection, and a Perfection which no End of it can be seen. Although in respect of their Souls, Believers attain unto a Blessed Perfection when they Leave this world; as from another Scripture has been Largely shew'd, the Spirits of Just men are then made Perfect: Nevertheless, their Happiness will not be Compleated until after the Resurrection and Day of Judgment, when they shall go to Heaven Body and Soul, namely, to that Heaven where Christ in respect of his Humane Nature now is. Hence Christ said to Peter, Whither I go, viz. to that Heaven whither I am going, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards: Viz. when thou shalt leave this world, Joh. 13, 36. The Lord also said to his Disciples, I go to prepare a place for you; that where I am, there you may be also, Joh. 14. 3. And where is that but in his Father's House? When Once they are there, they shall want nothing that can Conduce to a Perfection in Happiness.

There are Four Particulars to be Considered, as Concurring in the Blessedness [Page] of the Heavenly World. [I.] There is the Blessedness of the Place. [II.] Of the Society. [III.] The Beatifical Vision. [IV.] The Eternity of the Enjoyment.

1. The Blessedness of the Place. That Heaven which is to be the Seat of the Blessed, is a most blessed and desirable Place. There are some Countries on the Earth, which are far more desirable to Live in, than Others are. But the Scripture tells us of an Heavenly Countrey. There is no Countrey on the Earth to be compared with that. Tis said of the Holy Patriarchs, they Desire a better Countrey, that is an Heavenly, Heb. 11. 16. It appears that Heaven is a most Desirable Place from several things.

1. From the Types of it. There are Glorious Types of it mentioned in the Scripture; e. g. The Land of Canaan was a desirable Countrey to Live in; Tis called the good Land. When the Children of Israel had provoked the Lord by their Unbelief, He Swore that they should not [Page] see the good Land, Deut. 1. 35. It is called the glorious Land, Dan. 11. 16. It was the Glory of all Lands, Ezek. 20. 6. So is Heaven the Glory of the whole Creation: It is the Goodliest part of the Creation of God. Because of the Land of Canaan was a Figure of Heaven, therefore (as from another Scripture we have shew'd) Heaven is called an Inheritance. None but Israelites had a right to inherit that Land. Thus none but Believers on Christ, have a right to the Heavenly Inheritance. It was by means of Joshua, that the Children of Israel Inherited Canaan: It is by means of JESUS our Lord, that Believers Inherit Heaven. The Children of Israel dwelt in Houses which they never built: So do the Children of God in Heaven, dwell in Mansions which they had not the least hand in building them. The Land of Canaan is called the Land of Promise, Heb. 11. 9. Heaven is so much more. We have need of Patience, that after we have done the Will of God we may receive the Promise, Heb. 10. 36. Heaven it self is that Promise. This was the reason why [Page] some of the Patriatchs were so desirous to be Bury'd in the Land of Canaan. Jacob & Joseph Dy'd in Egypt, yet would they be Buried in Canaan; thereby testifying their Valuation of that Land, not meerly for it self, but as it was a Type of Heaven. No Question but that it was for this, that Moses was so Exceeding desirous (had the Lord seen it meet) to have seen that Land. He prayed, until God bid him be silent, and speak no more unto him of that matter; and said, I pray thee let me go over and see the good Land which is beyond Jordan, that goodly Mountain, Deut. 3. 25. What Mountain was that? Tis supposed that it was Mount Moriah, on which Abraham was Commanded to Sacrifice Isaac; and on which afterwards the Temple was built: that Mountain was a Type of Heaven, which is a Goodly Mountain indeed. The Temple also was a Type of Heaven. That was a Beautiful House: There was not such another Glorious Building on the Earth. David said, It must be Builded for the Lord; and it must be exceeding Magnifical; of Fame and of [Page]Glory throughout all Countries, 1 Chron. 22. 5. Solomon said it should be wonderful Great, 2 Chron. 2. 9. And taking it with the Buildings belonging to it, it was a wonderful Great House. Yet this house in all its Glory and Magnificence, was but a shadow of Heavens Glory. Again, Paradise was a Type of Heaven. That is in the Scripture called Eden, which signifies Pleasure, and the Garden of the Lord. It was a Garden which GOD himself Planted; the like was never on the Earth. How happy had Adam been, might he have continued there? But to be in the Heavenly Paradise, is an inexpressibly greater Happiness. It is promised to him that Overcomes, that he shall Eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God, Rev. 2. 7. Christ in Heaven, is that Tree of Life in the midst of the Paradise of God. Believers shall there Feed upon and be Satisfied with beholding his Glory, throughout the Ages of Eternity.

2. The Names whereby Heaven is described in the Scripture, declares it to be [Page] a Blessed & a Glorious Place. The Heaven which I am speaking of, and in which the Hope of Believers is Laid up, is called the third Heaven. Paul was Caught up to the third Heaven, 2 Cor. 12. 2. The Hebrew Writers have (as the Scripture has) distinguished Heaven into three Regions, Each one of which is called Heaven.

(1.) There is the Aerial Heaven, in which the Birds fly, and the Clouds appear. The Scripture speaks of the Fowls of Heaven, and the Clouds of Heaven. All that space which is between the Earth and the Stars is called Heaven.

(2.) There is the Etherial Heaven, where the Sun, Moon, and Stars. glitter. Hence the Scripture speaks of the Stars of Heaven. With these God has Garnished that which is the Second Heaven.

(3.) There is the Supreme Heaven, that which is the Seat of the Blessed, and of which the holy Angels are the Native Inhabitants; who are therefore said to be the Angels of Heaven, Mat. 22. 30. This is the Third Heaven, which is also called the Heaven of Heavens, Deut. 10. 14. Importing [Page] that it is of all Heavens, the most Excellent & Glorious One. Sometimes it is called Heaven Absolutely and Emph [...]tically: No other heaven is worth the mentioning in Comparison of this. It is also called the City of God. The City of Jerusalem, which was the Perfection of Beauty, and the Joy of the whole Earth, was but as a Shadow of it. It is the City whose Builder & Maker is God, Heb. 11. 10. All other Cities have been Built by Men, but this no man had an hand in Building it, or in making any part of it; only GOD himself by his own Infinite Power and Wisdom. The Greek word there used for Builder, is Technites; which signifies an Artificer. GOD alone was the Artificer, when this City was Built. He has shewed his Art, his Skill, his Incomparable Wisdom in Framing of it. No Creature could have been the Author of such a Building; as we shall see and believe when God shall bring us into it. There it is that the Great King has his Residence, and keeps his Court with more than ten thousand times ten thousand of [Page] the Noblest Creatures that ever were made, attending on him. This Heaven is the Palace Royal of the Divine Majesty. Mean persons may dwell in poor Cottages, but Kings in Magnificent Houses. What do we think of the Palace in which the King of the World, the Lord of Heaven and Earth, has his holy Habitation? How Glorious is it? Look [...] from heaven the Habitation of thy holiness, and of thy glory. This heaven is called God's Throne, Mat. 5. 34. When Kings Sit upon their Thrones, they appear in all their Glory. In heaven God appears in such Glory, as no mortal Man is able to behold. When Moses Prayed, Shew [...] thy Glory, God said to him, Thou canst not see my Face; no man shall see me & live.

3. The wonderful Extent of this Heaven, sets forth the Glory and Magnificence of it. The heavenly Jerusalem is called the Great City. The Circuit of it is said to be Sixteen Thousand Furlongs, which make Fifteen hundred Miles, Rev. [...]. [...]. There never was so great a City, or [...] way comparable to it. Old Babylon and [Page] Rome, have been accounted the greatest Cities that ever the Sun saw. Yet neither of them were above Fifty Miles in Compass. Wherefore this Description of the heavenly Jerusalem, does intimate unto us, that Heaven is of wonderful Extent. The Spaciousness of it, is incredible to the Unbelieving World. All other Places and all Creatures are comprehended within the Circumference of it. The Glorious GOD is an Immense Being, and therefore cannot be Contained within the Limits of Place: The heaven of heavens cannot Contain him, 1 King. 8. 27. But the whole Creation is Circumscrib'd with the Heaven of Heavens. The Height of it is wonderful: It is the Top of the Creation. Nothing is above it. Glory be to God in the Highest, Luk. 2. 14. The heaven of heavens is the highest part of the Creation of God. That heaven for height is Unsearchable, Prov. 25. 3. I know, Astronomers have their Conjectures about it; and they are but Conjectures. The Old Astronomers have maintained, that it is above Eighty Millions of Miles, from the [Page] Earth to the Starry Heaven. Late Astronomers, suppose it to be many times more, than that amounts unto. Not only Mathematicians, but some Divines have affirmed; That if a man should Travel an hundred Miles every Day, he would not in the space of Four Thousand Years, reach the Stars; and that the Third Heaven is above the Stars, as much as that is above the Earth. We know from the Scripture, that the Empyrean Heaven is Vastly above the highest Stars, but how much higher no man can say. And it is Presumption in those men, who go about to Determine it. Hence Eliphaz said to Job, Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the height of the Stars how high they are, Job. [...]. 12. Thou seest (says he) that [...] [Page] is a wonderful Meditation, for a Christian when he walks abroad in the Night, and beholds the Stars, to think with himself, This Body of mine which is now walking here on the Earth, shall one Day walk above the Stars: For so it shall, when after the Resurrection it shall be in that Heaven which is far above them. But then how Vast must the Extent of this Heaven be? The Earth is by Geographers concluded, to be One and Twenty Thousand and Six Hundred Miles in Compass. It is but like a Point in a great Circle, compared with the rest of the World. The Stars are incomparably greater than the Earth. Late Astronomers presume, that they are so many Suns; and some of them at least as big as the Sun. A Late Learned Writer Conjectures, that the Sun is above Three Thousand and Four Hundred times as big as the Earth. Another supposeth, the Body of the Sun to be many Thousand times greater than the Body of the Earth. How Vast then is the Space of that Heaven, in which all the Planets & all the Fixed Stars are Contained? But [Page] the heaven of heavens is of a much Vaster Extent. Well might our Lord say to the Disciples, In my Father's house there are many Mansions. There is Room enough in that heaven for Thousands of Millions of Saints and Angels to Delight themselves for ever. Yet all this heaven as Vast as it is, will God give for an Inheritance to his Children. It was said to Abraham, Lift up thine Eyes, and Look Northward, and Southward, and Eastward, and Westward; all the Land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy Seed after thee, Gen. 13. 14, 15. Thus does the Lord say of the Spiritual Children of Abraham, true Believers on Jesus Christ, Let them with an Eye of Faith take a View of the heavenly Canaan, let them Consider how Good and how Great it is, I will give it all to them.

4. There are Admirable Properties of this Heaven, by which we may see how Desirable a Place it is. Blessed Properties which cannot be said of this Sinful Earth. And what are they?

Answ. (1.) A Blessed Purity is to be Affirmed of that Heaven in which the [Page] Believers hope is laid up. It is true that as to the Matter of it, it is a Pure Substance. The Purest Gold, the Richest Gems are not to Compare with it; nor is any Earthly thing: But it is a Place of the Greatest Purity on an higher Account, than that of the Matter out of which it does Consist. For it was never Defiled with any Sin; and is therefore called an Inheritance Undefiled, 1 Pet. 1. 4. It is an holy heaven. Psal. 20. 6. He will hear from his holy heaven; with the saving strength of his right hand. How should there be Sin there, when there is such a Glorious Presence of God in it? There never was, there never shall be any Sin there. There shall in no wise enter into it anything that Defiles, Rev. 21. 27. Then I am sure that Sin cannot enter into it, for that is the defilingest thing that ever was. This Earth was a far more desirable place before Sin entred into it, and brought a Blemish and a Curse upon it, than now it is. They that have an earnest desire to be perfectly pure and holy, may well Long to be in heaven [...] [Page] For there they will find that Purity which their Souls breathe after. The holy of holies in the Temple, was a Type of the heaven of heavens.

(2.) Another Property of this heaven is, the Constancy of its Nature. It was not made out of Pre-existent Principles, as all things that shall Perish and be subject to Change were. It was made out of Nothing, as soon as ever the W [...]k of Creation began, Gen. 1. 1. It was made before the Starry heaven, and before the Earth, which was Created the day before the Sun Moon and Stars were made. For Angels are the Inhabitants of it; and they shouted when they saw God lay the Foundations of the Earth, Job 38. 6, 7. It remains the same that it was the first Day that the World began, without any alteration; and will do so to all Eternity. It is therefore called an Inheritance which is Incorruptible, 1 Pet. 1. 4. In this world, all things are subject to Change: Here is not our Rest. It is not a Place to continue in: But heaven is; Heb.13.14. Here we have no continuing City, but we seek one [Page]to come. Our Days on Earth are as a shadow, and there is no abiding. But in heaven there are Mansions, which are Everlasting habitations, Luk. 16. 9. It is the greatest Folly in the world, for men to think that their houses on Earth shall be continued for Ever; and their dwelling places to all Generations: But Heaven is an eternal house: 2 Cor 5. 1. We have a building of God, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

(3.) Another Property of this heaven is, a wonderful Splendor. A marvellous Clarity and Brightness beyond what is in the most Resplendent Gems. It is called a Throne of Sapphire-stone, which shines with a great Brightness, Ezek. 1. 26. The Elders of Israel had a wonderful Vision: the Son of God appeared to them in an Humane shape: They saw the God of Israel, and there was under his Feet as it were a Paved work of Sapphire-stone; and as it were the body of heaven in its clearness, Exod. 24. 10. Thus had they a Miraculous Glympse of heaven. The third Heaven is by Divines called the E [...]py [...]ean heaven; [Page] not for its heat, but for its light. Hence also resembl'd to a Jasper Stone, Rev. 21. 11. Writers say of the Jasper, that the brightness of it never ceaseth; the Clouds do not darken it, nor does it leave shining when the Sun shines; nor does the splendor of it hurt the Eyes; but the more men look on it, the more it pleaseth them. One of our own Divines says truly, All the Lustre and shining Beauty of Diamonds and Precious Stones, if they could be united into one Object, are not to be compared with this. The Sun & Stars may be look'd on as spots of Darkness, compar'd with this Heaven. There is [...] Night there. How should there, when all the Glorified Body's of the Children of God, shall shine as so many Suns in the Kingdom of their Father?

Hence,

(4.) This heaven is a most Delightful Place: For which cause it has the Name of Paradise given to it; as but now we shewed. Hence also it is in the Scripture compared to a Mountain of Spices. The Song of Songs which is Solomons, Concludes [Page] with these words, Make hast, my Beloved, and be thou like a Roe on the Mountains of Spices. This is the Believers Prayer, Make haste, Lord JESUS, to Judge the World, and to carry me with thy self, to be with thee in Heaven; which is resembled to a Mountain, because of the height and stability of it; and of Spices, because 'tis a Sweet and Delightful Place. What a Difference is there between this World and Heaven? Here we Live in Valleys, in a Valley of Tears, in Bottoms of Death and Misery: But HEAVEN is a Mountain, in which there is nothing but what is Delightful and [...].

Thus concerning the Happiness of the Place in which the Believers Hope is Laid up. We proceed;

II. To shew that Saints in heaven will be happy in the Blessed Society which there they shall have Communion with. That will add to the happiness of the Place. And with whom will their Fellowship there be?

[Page] Answ. 1. The most Perfect and Blessed Communion of Saints, is in Heaven. This Evil World has but Few Real Saints in it. They are the Excellent Ones of the Earth. But, alas! They are thin sowen: Psal. 12. 1. The Godly man ceaseth, the Faithful fail from among the Children of men. But this world abounds with Sinners, which makes it a woful and undesirable World. Psal. 120. 5. Wo is me, that I dwell in Mesech: that I sojourn in the tents of Kedar. This Earth is a Mesech; it is Over-spread with the tents of Kedar. It generally lyeth in Wickedness. And in the Visible Church, there are many who are not Real Saints. There are Tares mixed with the Wheat; and will be so to the End of the world. Yea, in the Purest Churches in the world, there are Hypocrites. There are not only Wise, but Foolish Virgins there, Mat. 25. 2. Who are those Foolish Virgins? Are they not Hypocrites in Pure Gospel Churches? For men to think they can Deceive GOD, with giving their Names and not their Hearts to Him; and to put a Cheat upon their own Souls, is Egregious Folly: But [Page] thus do Hypocrites. Whereas in the Church Triumphant in Heaven, they are all Real Saints; there is not One Hypocrite among them, nor ever shall be: Job 13. 16. An hypocrite shall not come before him: He shall never come into the Gracious and Glorious Presence of GOD in the heavenly world. And not only Real Saints, but Perfect Ones: Sinless ones are in Heaven. What an Heaven upon Earth would this world be, if there were none but Saints in it; and those altogether Free from sinful Infirmities? But alas! there is no such People, no such Countrey to be found on the face of the Earth. It has been Related, That when holy Churches were first Planted in New-England, some in other parts of the world Reported, That New England was New-Jerusalem; a Pious man who Lov'd to be among the Saints of God, was thereby induced to come hither: But after he had been here a while, he sighed and said, I see that New England is not Heaven! Men here have their sinful Infirmities, as well as in other places. But in Heaven they have not so. There that [Page]which is perfect is come, and that which is imperfect is done away. And then after the Day of Judgment, not only some of the Elect of God, but all of them shall be together in heaven. The Great Congregation of the Righteous, the General Assembly and Church of the First-born will be there, maintaining a Blessed and Sinless Communion, and declaring the great [...] which God has done for them. There is very little spoken in the Scripture, concerning the Providences of God towards the Long-liv'd Patriarchs, who Liv'd before the Flood. Without doubt, they had marvellous Experiences of the Goodness of God, and his wonderful Works towards them. It is the Observation of an Eminent Divine, that the Story of those things is reserved for Heaven; and there they will have time enough to Declare them; and to Praise the Lord in the Great Congregation. And it is hence Evident, that the Saints in Heaven shall Know one another: Otherwise there would be little comfort in their Communion. They who are Strangers to one another, [Page] cannot have an intimacy of Communion; as in Heaven the Saints shall have. Such as knew them in this world, and have got to heaven before them, will be glad to see them come thither after them; and will give them a Joyful Reception; and in a special manner if they were their Benefactors on Earth. Wherefore CHRIST Exhorting his Disciples unto acts of Charity to the poor Servants of God, says, When you fail, i. e. when you dy, and cease to be in this world, and all things here shall fail and be of no advantage to you, they shall receive you into everlasting habitations, Luk. 16. 9. They unto whom you have been Charitable, will receive you with great Joy. As if a man gone into a Far Countrey, shall see his Friend who has been Kind to him come thither after him, he Receives him with Joy. Heaven is a Far Countrey: Our Friends to whom we have been Beneficial, who are arriv'd there before us, will be glad to Receive us into their Communion there. Especially such as unto whom GOD has made us Spiritual Benefactors. [Page] When a Faithful Minister of Christ shall come to heaven, the Souls there who have been Converted or Edified by his Ministry, will greatly Rejoyce to see him. I have shew'd from another Scripture, that the Servants of God shall Know one another in the Resurrection World: Yea, such as were not known to them in this world; Nay, Ungodly men shall then know those holy Servants of God who dy'd and went to heaven long before they themselves had a being, Luk. 13. 28. We way from thence Argue, that much more shall Saints in Heaven know one another; yea, such as were in heaven many Ages before them. When our Saviour was Transfigured in the holy Mount, in the presence of three of his Disciples, (which Transfiguration was a little Emblem and Figure of Heaven) there appeared Moses and Elias talking with him; and Peter knew who they were, Mat. 17. 3, 4. How did he know those who had been in Heaven many Ages? It is a Vanity to say (as some have done) that Peter knew them, because he had seen [Page] their Pictures; for the Jews did not allow of, nor had they any such Pictures among them. But there was a Divine Irradiation on his Mind, causing him to know who they were. Much more will it be so in Heaven. Then shall we know which of the Saints there is Moses, and which is Joshua, and which is Samuel, and which is David; and so of all the rest. The tho't of this was a great Comfort to Bullinger when he was on his Death-bed: I am going (says he) to be with the holy Patriarchs, and Prophets, and Apostles, and Martyrs who are gone to Heaven before me. It is Reported, that the Night before Luther Dy'd, some proposed that Question to him, Whether Saints in heaven shall know one another? He Answered, that surely it shall be so: For which he gave this (among other) Reasons, Adam in Paradise knew who Eve was, as soon as ever he saw her. Much more will it be so in the Heavenly Paradise

2. In Heaven there is an innumerable Company of Angels, with whom we shall there have a Blessed Communion. There [Page] is Joy in Heaven, Joy among the Angels of God over a sinner that Repents, Luk. 15. 10. Then certainly the Angels Rejoyce, when they see a Soul come to Heaven to joyn with them in Glorifying God there. It is true, that whilest we are in this World, we have a Communion with Angels, more than we know or think of; for it is secret and invisible. As long as we abide in a state of Mortality, the Presence of an Angel is awful and terrible to us. An Angel appear'd to Samson's Mother: She knew him not to be an Angel, if she had, she would have been more terrify'd; but she said to her Husband, A man of God came to me, and his Countenance was like the Countenance of an Angel of God, very terrible, Judg. 13. 6. But in Heaven we shall be Equal to the Angels, as immortal as they are; and therefore capable of holding a Familiar Communion and Conversation with them. The Lord said to the Prophet, If thou wilt walk in my Ways, I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by, Zech. 3. 7. Who were they that stood by? They were [Page] holy Angels. There are blessed Walks in heaven. They that walk in the ways of the Lord here on Earth, shall one Day walk with Angels in those Celestial walks. There shall we be as Familiar with holy Angels, as Fellow-servants can be with one another. When John fell at the Feet of an Angel to Worship him, he Charg'd him, Do it not; I am thy Fellow-servant: For Fellow-servants to Worship one another, is most Unreasonable, Rev. 19. 10. Now this is a great happiness. Dr. Taylor (he that suffer'd Martyrdom in Queen Mary's Days) Blessed God for sending him to Prison, because there (said he) I became acquainted with that Angel of God, Mr. John Bradford. A Very Holy Man, is an Angel Incarnate. If it is an happiness to have Communion with an Angelical Man, tho' in a Prison, what is it to Converse with Angels, who have not (nor ever had) any Sin in them; and this Conversation not in a Prison, but in the Heavenly Paradise? There they will inform us, what Services they have done for the Church of God, by the Direction of our Lord [Page] Jesus Christ; who is their Lord as well as ours: And what Kind Offices they have done for us, which now we know nothing of; so shall we Joyn with Angels, and they with us in Eternal Hallelujahs, to GOD and to JESUS CHRIST. Then shall we see that Scripture Blessedly Fulfilled, Rev. 5. 13. Every Creature in Heaven, heard I, saying, Blessing, Honour, Glory and Power be unto him that fitteth on the Throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

3. Saints in Heaven shall have a Blessed Communion with One, who is better than any Saint on Earth or Angel in Heaven, that is with JESUS CHRIST. It was a blessed word which Christ spake to the Disciples, Joh. 14. 2, 3. There are many Mansions in my Father's House; I go to prepare a Place for you,; and if I go and prepare a Place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also. When He has them with him in his Father's House, there will be a Ravishing Communion between them. The Apostles were singularly happy, in [Page] that they were admitted to a Free Conversation with Christ, when in his state of Humiliation here on Earth. It was said to them, Blessed are your Eyes, for they see that which many Prophets & Righteous men have desired to see, but have not seen them, Mat. 13. 16, 17. But how great is their Blessedness, who see Christ in Glory; and Converse with him there? Notwithstanding he is Exalted far above all Angels and Men, He Condescends to Entertain a Communion with his Saints in Heaven as his Brethren. When Joseph was in all his Glory, he Comforted his Brethren, and spoke Kindly to them, Gen. 50. 21. Christ will speak nothing to his Saints in Heaven, but [...] shall be Kind and Comfortable. When he was Transfigured, there appeared Glorify'd men talking with him, Luk. 9. 30. What Communications there are and shall be, between Christ and the Glorified, We know not; nor shall we until we are among them. But we know th [...] they have a Blessed Fellowship with the Son of God in Heaven: and [...] very great part of [Page] their Happiness does consist in that Communion. It is Heaven to be with Christ. The happiness of heaven is thus Expressed by our Saviour himself; Joh. 17. 24. Father, I will that they whom thou hast Given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my Glory. The Humane Nature of Christ, in which dwells the Fulness of the Godhead Bodily, is as full of God as it is possible for a Creature to be. There is more of God to be seen in that Man, than in all the Creatures in Heaven or Earth. The Man Christ Jesus, is the most Glorious Object that Eyes can behold. It is Christ's being there, that makes Heaven to be Heaven indeed. Believers who Dy'd under the Old Testament were in a blessed Estate, Nevertheless, when the Man Christ Jesus Ascended to Heaven, his coming there was a great Addition to their happiness. His Presence filled heaven with a New Glory, beyond what Glorify'd Souls had seen before that Day. It is Christ's being there, that makes heaven to be so desirable. The Apostle therefore said, I desire to depart, and to be with Christ, [Page] Phil. 1. 23. He does not say, I desire to depart that I may be in Heaven; but that I may be with Christ. To be with Christ is better than to be in Heaven without Him.

III. The Perfection of Blessedness consists in Seeing GOD. It is so Expressed in the Scripture, Heb. 12. 14. Follow Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. All the Blessedness of Heaven is denoted by that, of Seeing the Lord. The Glorify'd have a clear and immediate Sight of GOD. They do not see him through the Glass of his Word & Works, as is in this World they do; but have an Open, Clear, Full Sight of him; 1 Cor. 13. 12. Now we see through a Glass Darkly; but then Face to Face: Now I know in part, but then shall I know even as I am known. Here we have but a Dark and Very Imperfect Knowledge of God. Both the Object and our Eyes are covered with Darkness; but in heaven that Darkness is Removed, so that we see clearly; as two men who are near together & behold one [Page] another Face to Face. In this Life, our sight of God is by Faith: We Walk by Faith, and not by Sight; But in heaven there is an immediate Vision and Fruition of him. Not that in heaven God the Father is seen with Bodily Eyes. The Divine Nature cannot be seen. He is the Invisible God, whom no man has seen nor can see, as to a Corporeal Vision. But Mental Knowledge is in the Scripture Expressed by Vision. It is an Intellectual Vision of GOD which Saints in Glory are Blessed with. He is seen with the Eye of the Understanding. Not that the Blessed have a Comprehensive Vision or Knowledge of GOD. No Creature can Comprehend the Incomprehensible Being of GOD. Finite has no proportion to Infinite. Therefore no Finite Understanding can have a Perfect Knowledge of the Infinite Being: Job 11. 7. Canst thou by searching find out God [...] Canst thou find out the Almighty to Perfection? No Creature can ever do it. Nevertheless, there is an Intellectual Knowledge of God, in which the Essence of Happiness does consist: [Page] This all the Blessed have. Blessed are the Pure in Heart, for they shall see God, Mat. 5. 8. As to the Degree and Measure of this Vision, it is according to the Pleasure of God, who will doubtless Vouchsafe greater Manifestations of himself to some Saints in Heaven than to Others, (as he does on Earth) according to the Soveraign Good Pleasure of his Will. But such a Vision of God all the Glorify'd shall have, as will make them happy. And nothing short of that can make the Rational Creature happy. One of the Ancients speaks with true Devotion, when he says, If thou, Lord, shouldst give me never so much, except thou wilt give me thy Self, I cannot be satisfied. Nothing will make a man happy, but that which will give to his Soul a fulness of Satisfaction. No Created Good can do that: But the Vision & Fruition of GOD will do it: Psal. 17. 15. I shall behold thy Face in Righteousness; I shall be satisfied with thy Likeness. Nothing will make a man happy, but that which will make him Impeccable; that is uncapable of Sinning. The Beatifical Vision will be [Page] attended with that Happiness. An Impossibility of Sinning in the Man Christ Jesus, proceeds from the Personal Union of the Humane Nature with the Divine. But in Glorify'd Saints, it proceeds from the Beatifical Vision. They are so filled with the Fulness of GOD, and so taken up with GOD, that it is impossible that they should Sin whilest they are so; and they Will be so for ever and ever. It remains then that the Happiness of the Glorify'd in Heaven, consists chiefly in this Vision of God. Yea, the Happiness of the Angels is, and for ever Will be in this. When they have finish'd that Course of Obedience appointed for them, they shall be Rewarded. And what shall their Reward be? Surely a Contemplation of the Infinite Perfections which are in GOD. The Happiness of Christ consider'd as Man, is in this Beatifical Vision. Christ therefore has said, Thou wilt shew me the Path of Life; in thy Presence, or as the Original Words are, in thy Face there is fulness of Joy. Happiness in the Perfection and Fulness of it, is in being with GOD and beholding His [Page]Face, Psal. 16. 11. Yea, the Blessedness of GOD himself, is in Beholding his own Infinite Excellencies and Glory. So has he been most Blessed from all Eternity. This then is that which Elect Angels and Men Will be taken up with in Heaven, throughout the Days of Eternity. It Will be impossible for them to see to the End of the Divine Perfections; but there is Infinitely more still. After the Day of Judgment, it is said, that God shall be all in all, 1 Cor. 15. 28. For the present, Christ is all in all. All comes to us through the Hands of a Mediator: But in Heaven all will come from God Immediately. All the Elect of God shall be satisfy'd from GOD alone. While in this World, they Receive Comfort from Creatures, from Friends & kind Relations; And Spiritual Comfort from holy Ordinances: They suck Consolations from those Breasts. But in Heaven God will be instead of all. No need of any thing else to make us Happy. And GOD alone shall be the Object of our Love. In Heaven we shall Love no Creature [Page] out of God, but all in God; or rather God in them all.

IV. Blessedness consists in the Eternity of the Enjoyment. When Eternity and Blessedness meet together, that's Perfect Blessedness. It has formerly been declared, and let me now say it again, that to Enjoy the blessedness of Heaven, if it were but for One Day, would have more of Consolation and true Happiness in it, than there is in a Thousand Years of the greatest Earthly Prosperity. One Day there is better than a Thousand elsewhere, Psal. 84. 10. But what then is an Eternity of that Happiness? Could the Saints in Heaven have the least Fear of ever being deprived of so great Blessedness, the thought of that would make them Miserable. For th [...] greater the Happiness is, the greater the Misery in being Deprived of it. But they know that if once in Heaven, for ever there: Rev. 3. 12. He shall go no more out. This the Psalmist knew, and it was his great Consolation, when walking in the Valley of the shadow of [Page] Death; Psal. 23. 6. Goodness & Mercy shall follow me all the Days of my Life; and I shall Dwell in the House of the Lord for ever. Heaven is that House of the Lord, in which Believers shall dwell for ever, when the days of their Life on Earth are ended. There is nothing in Heaven but what speaks Eternity. GOD is there: And he is the Eternal: And therefore he speaks, as Deut. 32. 40. I lift up my Hand to Heaven, and say, I Live for ever. He is the Ever-living God. CHRIST is in Heaven, and he is styled, the Everlasting Father, Isa. 9. 6. Angels are there, and they cannot Dy: And the Saints which are there, are in that respect like them; Neither can they Dy any more. Heaven it self is an Eternal House, 2 Cor. 5. 1. Hence it is called a City that has Foundations, Heb. 11. 10. It is not like the Tents which the Children of Israel dwelt in whilest in the Wilderness, which might easily be taken down and removed, Numb. 9. 17. But it stands on an Eternal Foundation. That Beatifical Vision which Glorify'd Saints enjoy, is Perpetual and Eternal. Christ [Page] says concerning the holy Angels, that in Heaven they do always behold the face of his Father in Heaven, Mat. 18. 10. The like is to be said of Glorify'd Saints in Heaven: Psal. 41. 12. As for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever. The blessed Presence and Glory of Christ in which they take such Soul-satisfaction, in Heaven they shall enjoy it for ever. 1 Thes. 4. 17, 18. So shall we be ever with the Lord. Comfort one another with these words. The Life which Saints in Heaven Live, is an Eternal Life: Mat. 10. 30. In the World to Come, Eternal Life. The Glory of Heaven is an Eternal Glory: 1 Pet. 5. 10. The God of all Grace has called us into his Eternal Glory, by Christ Jesus. The Scripture speaks of an Heavenly Kingdom, 2 Tim. 4. 18. The Lord will preserve me unto his Heavenly Kingdom. This Heavenly Kingdom is an Eternal Kingdom. It is called the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 2 Pet. 1. 11. This is a Blessed Truth, and it is Wonderful and Amazing. The thought of Eternity is an [Page] Astonishing Meditation. If Sinners would be perswaded to think seriously of the Eternity of that Misery which they are going into, it would Amaze them. Miserable Francis Spira, after his Apostasy, Cry'd out in the anguish and horror of his Soul, If I were to be in Hell but for a Thousand Years, methinks it might be Endured; but when I think of Eternity, I am Amazed. So would Saints think more of Eternal Blessedness, it could not but Affect their Souls. A Late Writer (of which I have elsewhere taken Notice) Relates concerning an Eminent Minister of Christ, that some who were Conversing with him, observing by his Countenance that he was in a deep Meditation, Enquired of him what his tho'ts might be upon? He immediately uttered that Word, For ever! For ever! For ever! And for near upon a Quarter of an Hour said nothing else; but continued Repeating that Word, FOR EVER. His Soul was swallowed up with the Contemplation of Eternity, and with thoughts of being For ever with the Lord.

Doth any one say, But how can this [Page] be, that such Sinners as we have been & are, should be partakers of so great Blessedness, & the Enjoyment of it be Eternal?

I Answer. This astonishing Grace of God proceeds from two Causes.

1. From his Free Infinite Love. He is Rich in Mercy, and because of his Great Love, we hope for Mercy unto Eternal Life. The Love of GOD is like Himself. Yea, it is Himself. That Love is Eternal and Unchangeable: Jer. 31. 3. I have Loved thee with an Everlasting Love. Infinite Love can Confer a Blessedness in respect of duration Infinite, on Unworthy Creatures.

2. Our Lord Jesus Christ has given an Infinite Price to Purchase this Blessedness, for them whom God has given to him. Christ being God as well as Man, His Sufferings and Obedience must needs be of Infinite Worth and Value, Meriting an Infinite Happiness. His Blood is called the Blood of God, Act. 20. 28. It is therefore Infinitely Meritorious. Man being Finite, his happiness cannot be Infinite Intensively: but therefore the happiness [Page] which Christ has Merited, must be Infinite Extensively in respect of Duration; otherwise there would be no Proportion between the Price and the Purchase.

USE I.

By way of Instruction, there are several Inferences Obvious before us.

Inf. I. Believers ought to be well Contented with their Portion, altho' it may be they have but Little of this Worlds Good. If they have Heavenly Good things, let them be satisfy'd therewith. The Blessedness of Heaven is Enough. If they have Christ and Heaven, why should they care for more? Jacob once said, It is enough, that Joseph is yet alive, Gen. 45. 28. Now (says he) I have Lived Long enough, & in this thing I have Happiness enough. How much better may the Believer say, I have enough, since Christ and Heaven is mine? In Heaven there are Riches enough. Oh! the Riches of the Glory of that Inheritance. You have been told something of it, but how [Page] little a Portion is it that we know or can know of it, as long as we are in this world? If a Minister should Study all his Days to set forth the Glory of Heaven, he could not declare a Millionth part of that Blessedness. The Consideration of it, should make Christians to slight this Vain World, which with all the Pomp and Glory of it, should be Contemptible in their Eyes. They have that which is better than what the Earth can afford, which should render these things as despicable to them. In Solomon's Days, Silver was nothing accounted of, 1 King. 10. 21. There was such Plenty of Gold, which is a more precious Metal, that Silver was slighted. This world in which we Sojourn, should be of no account with Believers, because they are going to an Infinitely Better & more Desirable World, where they have Treasure laid up and reserved for them: Heb. 10. 34. Knowing in your selves that you have in Heaven a better and enduring Substance. The Richest man that ever was on the Earth, was not so Rich as the Poorest Believer is: Jam. 2. 5. Has not God Chosen [Page]the Poor of this World, Rich in Faith, and Heirs of the Kingdom, which he has promised to them that Love him? They are Rich in sure Bonds, and Rich in Reversion. The Devil Proffered Christ all the Kingdoms of the World, and the Glory of them, if he would but fall in with his Interest. But how were they all disdained? All the Kingdoms of the World are of no Value, compared with that Heavenly Kingdom, which God has Promised to the Believer? Oh! Happy Believer; thy Portion is not only a Great One; but that which shall never nor any part of it be taken away from thee. Therefore be Thankful and rest Contented with thy Portion. And the rather should Christians be well Satisfy'd with the Providence of God, in case they are but Low of it as to the World, Considering that for the most part, they that have much of this World, that's all the Portion they shall ever have: Psal. 17. 14. Men of the world, which have their Portion in this Life. And if they must have no other Portion but what they have in this Life, Wo to them, they will be Miserable [Page] men to Eternity. Christ said, Wo to you that are Rich, for you have Received your Consolation, Luk. 6. 24.

Inf. II. Believers should not think much of any Difficulty or Affliction, which they meet with in the way to Heaven. The Great Reward which they shall Receive in Heaven, will be an Infinite Compensation for all that they have Done or Suffered for Christ. In this World they have Tribulations, and it may be Great Ones: Act. 14. 22. We must through much Tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God. But let these Tribulations be never so much, they are not Comparable to the Glory of Heaven. Ireckon (saith the Apostle, and it was a true Reckoning) that the Sufferings of this present time, are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed, Rom. 8. 18. Therefore Christians should not be Offended at the Cross which is in the way to Glory. They should Consider Christ & Follow his Example. Looking unto Jesus, who for the Joy that was set before him, endured the Cross, despising the[Page]Shame, Heb. 12. 2. The Afflictions of God's Children will not be forever: They shall not be Confounded World without end: But their Happiness will last World without end. After they have Suffered a while, Glory comes. Well did the Martyr say, Hold out Faith and Patience a little longer, and your work will be at an end. Their Afflictions will last but for a Moment; and they will be a Means to Prepare them for, and Augment their Happiness and Glory in Heaven: 2 Cor. 4. 17. Our Light Affliction which is but for a Moment, worketh for us a far more Exceeding and Eternal Weight of Glory. Consider a little; In Opposition to Affliction, there is Glory: And to Light Affliction, a Weight of Glory: To Afflictions for a Moment, there is Eternal Glory; Nay, a far more Exceeding Glory. The Apostle heaps up one Expression upon another, as if he wanted Words to Express how great the Blessedness and Glory of Heaven is; as indeed no words can express it. Who that has this in his heart, will not Rejoycing in Hope, be Patient in Tribulation?

[Page]Inf. III. Believers on Christ should be Very willing to Dy and leave this World, so they may Enjoy that Hope which is laid up for them in Heaven. When ever God calls them to it, they should Dy willingly. Indeed, there are but few men who Leave this World willingly. Their Souls are Forc'd out of their Body's, full sore against their wills. Tis with them as it was said of the Enemies of David, Their Souls are slung out, as out of the middle of a Sling, 1 Sam. 25. 29. Or, as it was said of the Rich Fool, Thy Soul shall be Required of thee, Luk. 12. 20. Death comes upon them like an unwelcome Baili [...], and drags their Souls out of their Bodies. It may not be so with Believers on Christ: They should Dy with a Good will. 2 Cor. 5. 8. We are willing to be absent from the Body. For certainly Death, how ever it has been their Enemy, is now their Good Friend: The Day of their Death will be a better Day to them, than the Day of their Birth. Why then should they be afraid or unwilling to bid it welcome? There are holy Men spoken of in the Scripture, who were [Page] Very willing to Dy, and go out of this sorrowful sinful World. Abraham was so. He was full of Days, Gen. 25 8. Said to be so, not only in that he Liv'd to a good Old Age, but he was weary of the World: he had had his Full of it; and was desirous to be gone to a Better; that is to an Heavenly Countrey. Jacob was willing to Dy: he said to Joseph, Now let me Dy, Gen. 46. 30. The like we see in Simeon; he said, Lord, Now lettest thou thy Servant Depart in Peace, Luk. 2. 29. The Apostle Paul Desired to depart & to be with Christ, Phil. 1. 23. I might mention other Examples, (besides those in the Scripture) of Good Men unto whom Death has been very welcome. He that Reads the History of the Martyrs, will see how willing they were to Dy, that so they might go to Christ. They were afraid of nothing so much, as lest their Persecutors would let them Escape, and not take their Lives from them, when they offered themselves to Death for the Name of Christ: They Rather Erred in too much Forwardness, than in too much Backwardness to part [Page] with their Lives, which they did not Love unto the Death. I could tell you of many holy Servants of Christ in these Latter Ages, who notwithstanding they were Contented to Live, Desired rather to Dy. When Mr. Dod had been dangerously Sick, but the Physician told him, that now there' was hopes of his Recovery; he Reply'd, ‘You think by what you say to Comfort me: But you make my heart Sad. It is as if you should tell one that has been sore Weather-beaten at Sea, and hoped that he was come to the End of his Wearisome Voyage, that he must go back again.’ Mr. Edward Deering, said to his Friends, If I were put to my Choice, whether I would Dy or Live, if it may stand with the holy Will of God, I would a Thousand times rather Chuse to Dy & go to Heaven, than to Continue Longer in this Evil World. The Servants of God have at present the more Reason to be willing to Dy, for that the Days are Evil; and they are like to be verse. Tis true, that Happy Times are coming; but the way will be made for them, by Terrible things in Righteousness [Page] The World must be more Reformed, before the Good Times come. The Learned and Noble Monsieur du Plessis, not long before his Death, thus Expressed himself, I have indeed Desired to Live, that I might see the Deliverance of the Church, but seeing no Amendment in the World; I see nothing that should invite me to Continue in it. Nay, Christians should not only be willing to Exchange Earth for Heaven, but they should Long for the Blessed Day: 2 Pet. 3. 12. Looking for, & hasting to the Coming of the Day of God. When we think the Time Long until it comes, we hasten to it. For this Believers should Groan Earnestly, desiring to be Cloathed upon with their House which is from Heaven, 2 Cor. 5. 2. That Famous German Divine Bucholtzer, in his Old Age writing to a Friend, tells him, That he Desired nothing in this World so much, as the Happy Hour of his Death.

Two Things will make us Long for Heaven.

[Page]1. Frequent daily Thoughts of the Blessedness which is there, and no where but there to be Enjoyed. The more we think of Heaven, the more we shall Long to be there. Try if you find it not so: Make the Experiment, & I know you will find it so. Let us then be Heavenly Minded. When thoughts of Heaven are continually running in our Minds, that's to be Heavenly Minded. Were that Glory and the Eternity of it more thought on, all things on this Earth would seem Little to us, and be swallowed up with those Meditations.

2. A Well-grounded Assurance of our own Interest in Heaven, will make us Long to be there. Men would fain be where their Treasure is; Mat 6. 21. Where your Treasure is, there will your Hearts be also. If a Man knows that he has Treasures laid up in Heaven, the Longings of his Soul will be there. He will be often thinking and wishing with himself, Oh! that I were there. When shall it be? How long first? When will the Happy Day break upon my Soul? A Christian that [Page] knows he shall have better Riches in Heaven instead of it, joyfully parts with Earthly Riches. You took Joyfully the spoiling of your Goods, knowing that you have in Heaven better Substance; says the Apostle to the Hebrews. So they that know they shall have an Eternal Life in Heaven, will readily part with a Temporal Life for it. Christ said to the Disciples, Rejoyce because your Names are written in Heaven. They that have Assurance of their Names being written in Heaven, cannot but Rejoyce at the tho'ts and foresight of their going thither. Alas! How many are there who say, We know that Heaven is a Blessed Place, and we should be very willing to Dy, had we Assurance that our Souls should then go to Heaven? Assurance is the beginning of Heaven upon Earth: It is a Praelibation of Heaven. It causeth Joy Unspeakable and full of Glory. Saints that have it may go Rejoycing to heaven. A Famous Biographer, Writing the Life of M. Vessenbech, (who was a Learned and Singularly Pious Lawyer in Wittenbergh) says, [Page] that he went out of the world with these Words, The Lord has given me a fight of that blessed Place of Eternal Joy, where I shall be quickly, and which it has been my greatest longing to have it hastened. The same Author informs us, that Zuniger (a celebrated Physician at Bafil, and an Ornament to the University in that City, on the account of his great Learning & Godliness) had these for his dying Words, My Spirit leaps within me for Joy, that now the Time is at last come, when I shall see God Face to Face; whose Glory I have had some glimpse of here, and whom I have by Faith longed after, and after whom my Soul has Panted.

USE. II.

There is a Double Exhortation before us.

(I.) To Unbelievers, not to rest in their present Estate, without a well-grounded Hope of this Heavenly blessedness. (II.) To Believers, to Make ready for Heaven.

[Page]Exhor. I. Let Unbelievers Endeavour after, and not be at rest until they have Obtained a well-grounded Hope of this blessedness. Oh! that some plain known Truths which are Awakening Considerations, might be duely laid to heart.

Consider, 1. That as long as Men remain in a Christless Estate (as all Unbelievers do) they have no reason to think that this blessed Hope belongs to them. If Christless, then Hopeless. Eph. 2. 12. Ye were without Christ, having no Hope. They that would see Heaven, must first get into the Way which leads thither; A Christless Sinner never was in that Way. For Christ Himself is the Way: So has He said, Joh. 14. 6. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man comes to the Father but by Me. Jesus Christ is the only Way unto Eternal Life, No man will ever come to the Enjoyment of God in Heaven, but by Him. The way of Faith in Christ, which is always attended with Obedience to the Commandments of God, is, and [Page] ever has been the Way to Heaven. It is therefore called, The Way Everlasting, because the Servants of God in all Ages of the World have gone to Heaven in that Way, Psal. 139. 24. The Unbeliever has been going astray, ever since he was born. He has been departing from the Living God, by an evil heart of Unbelief. His back has been on Heaven, and his face towards Hell, going down to the Chambers of Death. There are but two ways, viz. the way to Heaven, and the way to Hell; and every Man in the World is going in one of these ways. The true Believer on Christ is in the way to Heaven; the Unbeliever in the way to Hell. Joh. 3. 36. He that believes on the Son of God, has Everlasting Life: he that believeth not the Son, has not Life; but the Wrath of God abideth on him. What folly is it, for a Sinner who is Going, nay Running in the way to Hell, to hope or think that he shall get to Heaven? No, he must Turn about, and go on in another way. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil wayes; for why will you dy?

[Page]Consider, 2. That a Portion in Heaven is the only thing that Men can make sure of. As for Earthly things there is no making sure of them. 1 Tim. 6. 17. Trust not in uncertain riches. If men seek after them never so Earnestly, they are not sure that they shall Obtain them. They are fitly compared to a Shadow, which flies from those that pursue it: Or, if men gain them, they are not sure that they shall keep them. Labour not to be Rich: wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings, they flee away. Men often-times loose more in One Day, than they have gained in many Years. A man may be a Rich man in the Morning, and a Poor man before Night. Was it not so with Job? The like is to be said of Worldly Honours. Was not Hamam advanced and set above all the Princes in the Court and Kingdom of Persia? But on a sudden he falls into the utmost disgrace: All his Places and Power taken from him, and he exposed unto a most ignominious death. Such [Page] Examples have often been seen in th [...] World. The Most High Powereth Contempt upon Princes. Men are not, no [...] can they be sure of Life it self in this World. No man knows that he shall Live One day to an end. How many instances have we known of Sudden Death? But whilest Life continues we may make sure of Heaven: For it is freely Offered to us in the Gospel. Rev. 22. 17. Whosoever will, let him take the Water of Life freely. They that are willing to have Heaven for their Portion, & Eternal Life there, may have it if they will. Do but hearken to Christ, and consent to what He proposeth and Heaven is yours. He said to the Young man in the Gospel, Come and follow me, and you shall have Treasure in Heaven, Math. 19. 21. And if a man has once made sure of that Treasure, he shall never loose it. He has there a Portion which shall not be taken from him. As for Earthly Treasure, Fire, or Water, or Thieves, or Enemies may take [...]away: but an Estate in Heaven, is Laid u [...] in a safe Place. The man that has an Inheritance[Page]reserved for him in Heaven, all the Enemies in the World can never deprive him of it. Therefore they that are Wise will make their obtaining of that their chief endeavour.

Consider, 3. There are but few comparatively, who have a sure well-grounded Hope of blessedness in Heaven. Many presume they have when they have not. Alas! there are but few that ever set one step in the Way which leads thither. Narrow is the Way which leads unto Life, and Few there be that find it; The son of God Himself has so declared, Math. 7. 14. It has ever been thus in all past Ages, that but few have gone to Heaven. The Old World before the Flood must needs be very full of People, because of the Longovity of those Patriarchs. If Jacob after the Flood had Lived four hundred years, he must have seen some Millions of his Posterity: but the first Patriarchs Lived some of them almost a thousand years; whence we conclude, that many Millions of Souls perished in that Universal deluge; [Page] but how few Godly Souls were there among them? The Apostle calls them, The World of the Ungodly, 2 Pet. 2. 5. When the Children of Israel came out of Egypt, they were Six hundred thousand fit for War: yet but two of them entred into Canaan. One of the Ancients observes, that as the Land of Canaan was a Type of Heaven, so that those two were a Type of the Small Number of Persons that shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Is it not said in the Prophet, I will take you One of a City, and Two of a Family, or Tribe, Jer. 3. 14. Among those who have the Gospel Preached to them, but few are true Believers: Math. 22. 14. For many are called, but few are chosen. Nay, it is an awful Truth, that but few of those who belong to the Visible Church will be Saved. Church-Members, tremble at it! Rom. 9. 27. Though the Number of the Children of Israel be as the Sand of the Sea, a Remnant shall be Saved. What! but a Remnant among those who are in Number like the Sand of the Seas, and these also the Children of Israel, the Visible Church [Page] and People of God? Verily, the Heirs of Heaven are but a Little, Little Flock. Luk. [...]2. 32 Fear not, Little Flock; for it is your Fathers good Pleasure to give you the Kingdom. How should this thought awaken in us, utmost Endeavours to make sure of our being of those few!

Consider, 4. Many are deceived with False Hopes, until it is too late for them to mend their Error. Their Souls drop into Hell, with a Confident but Groundless Expectation of going to Heaven. Thus it was with the Scribes and Pharisees: They thought they should go to Heaven. They Trusted to themselves that they were Righteous, Luk. 18. 9. They knew that Righteous men shall go to Heaven when they dye, and they supposed themselves to be such: yet Christ told them, That they could not escape the Damnation of Hell, Math. 23. 33. And he said to his Disciples, Math. 5. 20. Except your Righteousness shall exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Alas! [Page] Many build their hopes of Heaven on false Foundations, on sandy Bottoms, and then the house of their hope will fall, and great will be the fall of it. Some, yea many, build their hopes of Heaven on their Morality: they are not to be taxed with any Scandal: No one can say to them black is their Eye. Thus the Pharisee said, I am not as other men are, Extortioners, Unjust, Adulterers. So Paul before his Conversion, was Touching in Righteousness of the Law blameless. There are who think they must go to Heaven, because they have a Form of Religion, and a great Measure of Knowledge in the Scriptures. Many such Formalists there were among the Jews, who deceiv'd themselves with Vain hopes of Heaven and Happiness. Rom. 2. 17,—Thou art called a Jew, and restest in the Law, and makest thy boast of God. And art confident, which hast a form of Knowledge, and of the [...] in the Law. Many Preachers will be Excluded Heaven at the last Day, altho' their having been such was a ground of their Self deluding hope: Math. 7. 22. [Page] Have not we Prophesied in thy Name? Such Considerations as these should cause us to make sure work of it, in our Endeavours to obtain the blessedness of Heaven. If ever we were in Earnest in any thing, it should be in a Master of such Infinite Moment, wherein our Eternity and our Immortal Souls are concerned. Oh! besiege Heaven with fervent Prayers, before it is too late; Left with the foolish [...] afterwards you cry, Lord, Lord, Open to us, when the Door of Heaven is shut for ever. Know you not the Kingdom of Heaven suffers Violence and the Violent take it by force? Remember the Words of the Lord Jesus Christ, Strive to Enter in at the Strait Gate; the Gate of Heaven is a Strait Gate, for many shall seek to Enter in, and shall not be able. Seeking is not Enough, there must be Striving. There are men in the World, who if they would but take as much pains to get to Heaven as they do to get the World, it would be happy for them. And as ever we desire Heaven, we must make sure that our Faith be of the right [Page] sort. That we close with Christ as [...] Gospel Offers him to us. That we Receive him in his Person, altho' with his Cross; and in all his Offices, as the Great and Only Prophet, Priest and King of our Souls. And make sure that we Repent of Sin, and that truly & throughly. Remember that One Sin Lov'd and Liv'd in, will be the Ruine of a mans Soul: suppose Drunkenness, Uncleanness, Covetousness or any other Iniquity. Better cut off [...] Right hand, and cast it from thee', than that thy Whole Body should be cast into Well. Forsake all Sin; that's the way to go to Heaven. Ezek. 18. 30. Repent & turn your selves from all your Transgressions, so Iniquity shall not be your Buine.

Exhor. II. To Believers; Make ready for Heaven. You are sure of it, if true Believers. For we are Saved by Hope: But let us Prepare and be in a Reachness for the Blessed Hope. It was Christ's Exhortation to his Disciples, Be you also ready. Mat. 24. 44. Heaven is ready to receive us, when we once are ready for it. There are [Page] some true Believers who are not so Ready Prepared for heaven as were to be desired: Not so Meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light as should be. Certainly the Disciples were not, when Contending about Superiority; and the Lord said to them, Except you be Converted, you shall not inherit the Kingdom of heaven, Mat. 18. 3. There is an Habitual Meetness for heaven, in respect of a Work of Grace [...] in the Soul. Thus all true Believers are made Meet for the heavenly World. But there is also an Actual Meetness; Viz. when Christians keep their Souls in Trim: As 'tis said of the Wise Virgins, that they trimmed their Lamps, Mat. 25. 7. When we Live in a Lively Exercise of Grace, and in a longing Expectation and holy Desire of the Lord's Coming, then are our Lamps trimmed; we are ready. As to this Actual Meetness to leave this world and go to the better Countrey that is the heavenly, many true Believers are Deficient therein.

[Page]QUESTION.

What shall We Do, that so We may be Ready for Heaven?

ANSWER.

1. Grow in Grace. The Wheat must be ripe before it is gathered into the [...] So must Believers afore they are gather [...] into the heavenly barn. Now growth in Grace ripens for Heaven. If we see a man grow in weanedness from the World, and in heavenly dispositions, we may Conclude, that he will not be Long out of Heaven: He is Ripening apace for a better World, and there shall he be quickly. God has appointed what measure of Grace his Servants shall attain unto. They cant get to Heaven until they have attained unto the full measure allotted for them, and then they shall soon be there. Christians should not be like Stakes in an hedge which grow not, but rather like Lillies in [Page] a field which grow until they dye. We should therefore be diligent in improving Means of Grace in order unto growth. The Word of God is appointed as the Instrument, not only to begin a work of Grace but to increase it. 1 Pet. 2. 2. Desire the sincere Milk of the Word, that you [...] grow thereby. And the Lord does [...] proportion measures of Grace, according to Mens diligence in attending [...] Word. Tis said, Take heed how you [...] for to him that has, shall be given, Luk. 8. 18. They that have the Grace to make in due improvement of their hearing the Word, shall have more Grace given to them. The Lords Supper is instituted, not to begin but to strengthen the work of Grace where it is begun. And when Believers draw nigh unto God in that holy Ordinance, with due Preparation for it, they will surely grow in Grace thereby. For in that Ordinance in a special manner, they Behold as in a glass the Glory of the Lord, and are changed into the same image from Glory to Glory, i. e. from one degree of Grace unto another, 2 Cor. 3. 18. So [Page] will they in due time appear to be Vessels of Mercy prepared unto Glory.

2. Let us be Fruitful in Good Works. Growing in Grace, & Abounding in Good Works is making hast to Heaven. When men remove from one Place to another, they use to send their Goods before them. It has been well observed by a Pious Divine, that when Jacob returned to [...] own Country, he sent his droves [...] him, and he followed after. Thus [...] we send droves of Duties & Good Works both of Piety and Charity to go before us to the heavenly Country, which if we are true Believers on Christ, is our own Country, and we shall e're long follow. By this we lay up for our selves Treasure in Heaven. Let us then do all the Good we can whilest we are on the Earth. And there will be a double blessed consequent of it. One is that we shall be the sooner in Heaven. For if we make hast in doing Good Works, the sooner shall we come to the End of our Works, and then we shall be in Heaven, whither our Works as to [Page] the blessed reward of them will follow us. Blessed are the Dead which dye in the Lord, they cease from their Labours and their Works follow them. Our Saviour Christ said to God, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do: and now, O Father, glorify me with thy self, Joh. 17. 4, 5. So when the Believer has finished his [...], he shall be glorifyed in Heaven, [...] if he abounds therein, he will soon [...] finished it. And then another Consequent is, that the greater will the Glory be when we shall come there. For Christ has said, That He will give to every Man according as his Work shall be. By abounding in Good Works, we Obtain a Bill of Exchange for Heaven, which will be accepted by the Faithful and Glorious Pay Master. 1 Tim. 6. 18, 19. Be rich in good Works, laying up in Store for themselves a good Foundation, (a sure Bill of Exchange is a good foundation) against the time to come, that they may lay hold on Eternal Life.

[Page]3. Let our Care be, that if Death come upon us Suddenly, we may have nothing to do, but to Dy and go to Heaven. No man in the world knows, but that he may be taken away by a Sudden Death. So it has been oft-times, not only with Ungodly men; but with Saints of God, and Eminent Ones too. Yea, some of [...] have with an humble Submission to [...] Will of God, Desired and Prayed for [...] a Death. To be sure, there is no [...] in the Scripture to Pray against it; as some do. It is surely a great Favour of God, to have a Quick and an Easie Passage into his Heavenly Kingdom. Our Care and Endeavour should then be, that if the Lord should Call for us Suddenly, we may be Ready to go at the first Call: That when he shall send the Messenger of Death for us, we may be Ready to go at the first Knock: Luk. 12. 35, 36. Let your [...] be Girded about; so it is with men that are ready to go: And you your selves [...] unto men that Wait for their Lord: that when he Comes and Knocks, they may[Page]Open to him immediately. It's a sad thing when Death comes Suddenly, for a man to think, There is such a thing, and such a thing, which if I had thought I should have Died, I would have done; but it has been neglected, and now I am uncapable of performing it. It is therefore a Duty and good Prudence, for a man always to [...] a Testamentary Disposal of his [...] Estate in Readiness by him; lest [...] Death should make him Dye [...]; which it may be he would be loth to do. The Prophet said to Hezekiah, Set thine House in Order: i. e. Make thy Will; for thou shalt Dye, Isa. 38. 1. The neglect of this Duty has been an Omission, which many Good men have been found Faulty in; and which has occasioned a great deal of Trouble and Confusion in their Families, when they have been gone out of the World. But especially, and above all; our Care should be to set our Souls in Order; that nothing is left Undone in matters wherein our [...] are Concerned: That if Death should come Suddenly, there may not be a Cry [Page] as with some it has been, My Time is done, but my Work is not done, nor well begun neither. Let us be able to say, My Peace is made with God, I am in Christ; I know not of any one Sin that ever I was guilty of in my Life, but I have Unseignedly Repented of it. Then welcome Death, welcome Heaven.

Therefore,

4. If we would be in a Readiness for [...], our Care should be to Walk Close [...] GOD. Let us beware of Blotting [...] for Heaven, by giving [...] to Temptation at any Time: Luk. 2 [...]. 34. Take heed to your selves, left at any Time, your Hearts be Overcharged with Surfeiting, and Drunkenness, and Cares of this Life. A Christian should Live every Day as if it were his Last Day: The meaning of which is not, that he should do just those things & none other than what he would do, [...] he knew he should Dy the next Day. But he should be as Careful not to [...] his Time, and not to Commit any Sin against God; or Delay the Performing of any Known Duty, as he would be [Page] [...] were this Day to give his Account to God, what he has done, and how he spent the Days on Earth. We should Live in a [...] Expectation of our being called out of This, into the Eternal World. So [...] Joh; All the Days of my Appointed Time, [...] I wait until my Change shall come. We [...] soon be gone out of this Evil World; [...] know not how soon: The sooner the [...] if so be the Will of GOD. In the [...] time, we should Live Watching, and [...] and Praying, and Seeking, and Hop [...]: For here have we no Continuing City; but we seek One to Come. Our Souls within us should say, Come Lord Jesus, come Quickly. Come and Receive us to thy Self; that where thou art we may be also, in the Mansions which thou hast Prepared for us, in thy Father's House. Amen, LORD JESUS, Even so be it, Come Quickly.

THE END

The CONTENTS.

[Page]

TEXT. Eph. I. 18. PAGE

DOCT. That the Happiness of the Saints of God [...] Heavenly World will be wonderfully Great & Glorious. [...]

Prop. I. The Saints of God shall enjoy Happiness in Heaven. p. [...]

Proved by Six Arguments, from p. 4 to 13.

Prop. II. This Happiness is wonderfully Great. p. ibid

Confirmed in [...] Particulars; p. 13 to 30

Prop. III. As to Degrees of Glory in Heaven, there will be a great difference. ibid

Prop IV. The happiness of Saints in the future World, is brought to its Perfections gradually. p. [...]

USE I. This Should put us upon Examining our [...] their Inheritance [...]

USE II. Saints on Earth should long to be in Heaven [...] [...]

TEXT. Heb. XII. 23. The words with those in the Context [...] [...]

DOCT. That there is a Blessed Perfection [...] of just men attain unto, when their Bodies are [...] [...]

Prop. I. True Believers on Jesus Christ [...] [...]

Prop. II. The Souls of [...] do not Dy, nor [...] when their Bodies Dy. p. 55.

Prop. III. The Immortal Souls of [...] when in a state of Separation from their Bodies, are made Perfect. p. 64.

For, 1. They are perfectly delivered from all afflictive Evils. p. 65 to 71

2. From Sin. ibid to 76.

3. They attain [...] a great Perfection in Knowledge. ibid

4. To a blessed Perfection in Grace and Holiness. p. 81

Prop IV. The Spirits of Just men are made Perfect at the Instant when their Bodies Dy. p. 84

USE Inf. I. Christians ought not to Mourn immoderately for the Death of their Godly Friends. p. 93

Inf. II. The joyes of Heaven are wonderful p. 95

Inf. III. The Souls of [...] who Dy in their Sins, are after the Death of their Bodies in a Miserable estate. p. 99.

USE. Exhort. Let us make sure of this one thing, that when our Bodies dy [...], our Souls may [...] be with the [...] of Just Men. [...]

[Page] [...] XX. 36. p. 105

[...] That the Childen of God shall in the [...] World, be in some Respect euqal to the Angels. p. 108

[...] I. There shall be a [...] of the Dead. ibid

[...] II. The same [...] that Dy'd [...] Rise again p. 117

[...] III. Wonderful will be the Happiness of the Children [...] in the Resurrection World. p. 128

[...] IV. None besides the Children of God shall [...] a [...] Resurrection. p. 155.

[...] Inf I. All the Children of God are infinitely beholden [...] the Lord Jesus Christ. p.163

[...] Inf. II. There is a respect [...] to the Dead bodies of Gods [...] p. 165

[...] Inf. III. Believrs should be careful not to Sin with their [...] to [...] & glorify God with them. p. 169

[...] whilest in this World should endeavour [...] p. 170.

[...] may have great Comfort in meditating [...] World. p. 176

[...] Inf. VI. We [...] made sure of our obtaining a blessed [...] surrection, [...] p. 180

TEXT. [...] p. 187

DOCT. [...] all true believers on Jesus Christ, have a sure well-grounded Hope of obtaining Pefect blessedness in Heaven. p. 189

Prop. I. Believers [...] in heaven ib

Prop. II. It [...] p. 190

Prop. III. The blessedness [...] shall enjoy in Heaven, will be a perfect [...] p. 207

USE I. Believers ought to [...] with their Portion, altho' it may be they [...] of this Worlds Good. p. 246

Inf. II. They should not [...] of any Affliction which [...] with in the way to Heaven. p. 249

[...] Believers should [...] willing to [...] & leave this [...] so they may enjoy [...] which is [...] up for them [...]. p. 2 [...]

[...] double Exhortation. I. To Unbelievers p. 2 [...]

[...] make Ready for Heaven. p. 2 [...]

SCRIPTURES Opened, or Occasionally Cleared, in the Preceding SERMONS.

[Page]

Chapt. | Verse. | Page.
Genesis.
2 | 7 | 56
3 | 15 | 114
15 | 1 | 85
00 | 15 | 89
25 | 8 | 90
II. Samuel.
7 | 10 | 68
00 | 19 | 28
Job
14 | 15 | 115
17 | 16 | 136
22 | 12 | 217
26 | 5 | 101
Psalm.
31 | 19 | 14
49 | 14 | 153
78 | 25 | 172
85 | 11 | 201
115 | 15, 16 | 26
119 | 96 | 207
Proverbs.
21 | 6 | 100
Canticles.
8 | 14 | 224
Isaiah.
26 | 19 | 16;
40 | 31 | 151
90 | 8 | 178, 204
97 | 1, 2 | [...]8
Jeremiah.
14 | 8 | 195
Daniel.
4 | 17 | 173
Hosea.
6 | 2 | 162
Zechariah.
3 | 7 | 131, 132
9 | 11 | 159
Matthew.
19 | 28 | 154
Luke
16 | 9 | 85, 228
00 | 22 | 61
20 | 36 | 107
00 | 37 | 157
John
3 | 12 | 15
14 | 6 | 41
Acts
6 | 15 | 142
7 | 55 | 123
I. Corinthians.
15 | 22, 23 | 160, 161
00 | 28 | 240
00 | 42 | 136, 138
00 | 43 | 140, 141
00 | 44 | 148, 149, 150
II. Corinthians.
4 | 17 | 13
5 | 1, 2 | 86
00 | 5 | 193
Ephesians.
1 | 18 | 16, 17, 18, 19
Philippians.
3 | 11, 12 | 171
Colossians.
1 | 5 | 204, 205, 206
00 | 18 | 161
II. Thessalonians.
1 | 10 | 15, 145
2 | 16 | 191
Hebrews.
6 | 10 | 207
7 | 19 | 200
11 | 10 | 214
12 | 22, 23 | 46, 47, 48, 49
I. Peter.
3 | 15 | 190
0 | 21 | 202, 203
Revelation.
2 | 7 | 135
6 | 9, 10 | 87
11 | 9 | 167
13 | 6 | 58
14 | 13 | 89
21 | 16 | 215, 216

Information about this book

Title statement

Meditations on the glory of the heavenly world. I. On the happiness of the soul of believers, at the instant of their separation from their bodies. II. On the glory of the bodies of God's children, in the resurrection world, when they shall be as the angels of heaven. III. On the glory of both soul and body in the heaven of heavens, after the day of judgment, to all eternity. / By Increase Mather, D.D. ; [Six lines of quotations]

Mather, Increase, 1639-1723.

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Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI :

Date

2005-03.

ID [DLPS]

N01272

ID [TCP]

N01272

ID [STC]

Evans 1516

ID [NOTIS]

APX9131

ID [IMAGE-SET]

1516

ID [EVANS-CITATION]

99026103

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Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 1516.

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(Evans-TCP ; no. N01272)

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— Meditations on the glory of the heavenly world. I. On the happiness of the soul of believers, at the instant of their separation from their bodies. II. On the glory of the bodies of God's children, in the resurrection world, when they shall be as the angels of heaven. III. On the glory of both soul and body in the heaven of heavens, after the day of judgment, to all eternity. / By Increase Mather, D.D. ; [Six lines of quotations], Mather, Increase, 1639-1723..

Extent

[2], v, [1], 276, [4] p. ; 16 cm. (8vo)

Sold by Benjamin Eliot, at his shop in King Street.,. Boston in N.E. printed: :: 1711.. (Error in paging: p. 263 misnumbered 163.) (Bookseller's advertisement, p. [1], 3rd count.)

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