A Glance of Heaven, Sermon 2

A Glance of Heaven · Sermon 2

p. 55HIDDEN SECRETS Revealed by the GOSPEL.

The second Sermon.

I. COR. 2. 9.

As it is written, Eye hath not seene nor eare heard, &c.

THE Apostle sets out the Gospell here with all the commendations that any skill in the world can be commended by.The scop… coherence & division, more cleared. From the authour of it, God. From the depth of it, it is Wisedome, in a mystery, hidden wisedome. From the antiquity p. 56of it, it was ordained before the world was. From the benefite and use of it, for our glory. God is content his wisedome should be honoured in glorifying us, such is his love. And then when it was revealed, that none of the Princes of the world (he meanes not onelyonly commanding Potentates, but he being a scholar himself, esteemed Philosophers, Pharisees, and learned men to be Princes: because the excellencie of a man is in the refined part of man his soul) none of these Princes of the world,The wisedom of God h…d from wise men. for all their skill and knowledge, knew this.

In this verse hee shewes the reason why Eye hath not seene, nor eare heard, &c. He removes knowledge, by removing p. 57the way and means of knowledge. The meanes of knowledge in this world is by the passage and entrance of the sences: Now this heavenly mystery of the Gospell, it is such a knowledge as doth not enter into the soule by the sences.

The poynts we propounded, 1 Point.were these, I That God hath a people in the world, whom he favours in a speciall manner.

Then secondly, For these 2that he accounts his friends he hath prepared great matters.

Kings prepare great matters for those they meane to advance: what shall wee thinke then God will doe for his friends?

Now these things prepared, 3they are great matters p. 58indeed, for in the third place they are such as Eye hath not seene, nor eare heard, &c.

4And then in the fourth place the disposition, and qualification of those for whom God hath prepared such great matters, it is for those that love him, not for his enemies, or for all men indifferently, but for those that love him.

Of the first, and second I spake in the former, and I wil not now stand to speake of them, but enlarge my selfe in the two last.

The things that God hath prepared for them that love him, Observation.are such excellent things, as neither eye hath seene, nor eare heard, &c. He meanes the naturall eye, and eare, p. 59and understanding or heart of man.

There bee 3. degrees of discovery of heavenly things.

First in the doctrine of 1them, and so they are hid to them that are out of the Church.

And then secondly, in 2the spirituall meaning of them, and so they are hid to carnall men in the Church.

And then thirdly, in regard 3of the full comprehension of them, as they are indeed, and so they are reserved for heaven: wee have but a little glimpse of them, a little light into them in this world. Now in this place is meant the things that are discovered p. 60in the Gospell, especially as they are apprehended by the Spirit, together with the consummation of them in heaven. For they differ onelyonly in degree, the discovery of the heavenly things in the Gospell here the priviledges, and graces, and comforts of Gods children, and the consummation of them in heaven. And wee may reason from the lesser to the greater, if so be that a naturall man, (though hee have naturall eyes, and eares, and wits about him) cannot conceive the hidden mysteries of the Gospell, Naturall wits conceive not the Gospelspiritually with application: much more unable is he, and much lesse can hee conceive those things of a better life. Now the things p. 61of the Gospell, the priviledges, the graces and comforts which Christ the spring and head of them all, in whom all are, and whence we have all, cannot be comprehended by a naturall man, he can discourse of them as far as his natural wit conceives them; but not understand heavenly things in their owne light as heavenly things, as the things of the Gospell.Wicked men talk of repentance, but do not rerepent. They can talke of repentance (that wee commonly speake of, which is a mystery) but notwithstanding who knowes repentance by the light proper to it, but he that by the spirit of God hath sinne discovered to him in its owne colours? H… knowes what it is to grieve for sin. p. 62The sicke man knowes what it is to bee sicke: the Phisitian knows it by definition, by books, and so he can inlarge it: but if he be not sicke, the sicke patient will speake to better purpose. So there is a mysteryin the common things of the Gospell; repentance, and griefe for sinne. A holy man feels it another matter because he feeles sinne discovered by the Spirit of God:A holy man feeles sin heavy. and so in faith, in the love of God, and every grace of the Gospell is a mystery. If one come to the schoolemen, they will tell you of faith, and dispute learnedly of it, and deduce this from that: but when he comes to be in extremitie? when the terrours of p. 63the Lord are upon him, when he comes to use it, he is a meere stranger to it: to cast himselfe being a sinfull creature into the armes of Gods mercy, hee cannot doe it without a further light of the Spirit discovering the hidden love of GOD to him in particular; and so for other graces. Therefore they do but speake of these things, (men that are unsanctified) as a blind man doth of colours, they inwardly scorne the truth they speake of: and those to whom they speake, if by the power of Gods Spirit they come to profit by the things they teach, if themselves be carnall,Carnall men hate the light. they hate them. A carnall man believes not a p. 64whit of what hee sayth: hee hath onelyonly a common light for the good of others: a common illumination to understand and discover things, and a doctrinall gift to unfold things for other, and not for themselves: for themselves they scorne them in their hearts, and in their lives & conversations; and they will speake as much, when it comes to selfe-deniall in preferment, in pleasures, in anything that is gainfull: tush tell him what hee hath taught, or what hee knowes out of the booke of God, he cares not, hee knowes them onelyonly by a common light:They know them but by a common light but for a particular heavenly light with application, and taste to himself, p. 65springing from an alteration by the Spirit, hee never knowes them so. Therefore content not thy selfe with a common light: for together with our understanding, God alters the taste of the whole soule: he gives a new eye, a new eare, to see and heare to purpose, and a new heart to conceive things in another manner than he did before.

But you will aske, How can a godly man know them at all, seeing eye hath not seen, nor eare heard, &c.

I answer: First,An objection answered for explicatiō. the things of another life (as wee see here) are knowne by negation, as God is,1. Answ. by way of removing imperfections. The naturall eye sees them not, nor the naturall eare p. 66heares them not, &c. no, nor the spirituall eye, nor eare, in a full measure: so things transcendent, that are above the reach of man, are described in the Scriptures by the way of denial, which is one good way of knowledge.

That yee may know the love of God that is above knowledge, sayth the Apostle,Ephes 3.Eph 3 Ephes. 3. that yee may know it more and more: but it is above all knowledge in regard of the perfection of it. As a man may see the sea, but hee cannot comprehend the sea: hee may be much delighted in seeing the sea, but hee sees neither the bottome nor the bankes, he cannot comprehend such a vaste body: p. 67he may see the heavens, but hee cannot comprehend them. So a man may know the things when they are revealed, but hee cannot comprehend them: apprehension is one thing, and comprehension is another; there may be apprehension in a poore degree, sutable to the capacitie of the soule here: but alas it is farre from the comprehension that we shall have in heaven.By way of negation. That is one way of knowing them by way of negation, and deniall of imperfections to them.

And then secondly,By way of eminence. they 2are knowne (as wee call it) by way of eminence; that is, by comparing them with other things, and preferring them before all other p. 68excellencies whatsoever; as wee may see the sunne in water by resemblance: for God borrowes from nature termes to set out grace, and glory, because God will speake in our language, for they are called a Kingdome and a feast, and a crowne by way of comparison. Shallow men thinke there is a great deale in a kingdome;What tho we should have of the world? and indeed so there is, if there were no other. There is great matters in a crowne, in the feasts of kings, and the like: but alas these be shaddowes, and there is no Rhetoricke or Amplification in this, to say they be shaddowes; a shaddow is as much in proportion to the body, as these are to eternall good things; p. 69the true reality of things, are in the things of another world, for eternity. If wee talke of a Kingdome, let us talke of that in heaven. If of a crowne, of that wherewith the Saints are crowned in heaven. If we talke of riches, they are those that make a man eternally rich, that hee shall carrie with him when he goes out of the world, what riches are those, that a man shall out live, and die a begger, and not have a drop to comfort him,What true r…ches are. as we see Dives in hell had not? here are riches indeed. So if we talke of beauty, it is the Image of God that sets a beauty on the soule, that makes a man lovely in the eye of God. True beauty is p. 70to be like God.What true beautie is. And to bee borne a new to that glorious condition, is the birth and inheritance. All these poore things, are but acting a part upon a stage for a while, as the proudest creature of all that is invested in them will judge ere long; none better judges then they. This is one way of knowing the things of the Gospell, by naming of them in our owne language. As if a man go into a forraine country, he must learn that language, or else hold his peace: so God is forced to speake in our owne language, to tell us of glory, and happinesse to come under the name of crownes, and kingdomes, and riches here. If God p. 71should set them out in their owne lustre, wee could not conceive of them.

But thirdly, the most comfortable way, whereby 3Gods people know the things of heaven, and of the life to come, is in regard of some tast, for there is nothing in heaven but Gods Children have a tast of it before they come there, in some measure: they have a taste of the communion that is in heaven in the communion they have on earth: they have a taste of that eternall Sabbath,Gods children have a taste of heaven before they come there. by some relish they have of holy exercises in these Christian Sabbaths. A Christian is as much in heaven, as he can be, when hee sanctifies the holy Sabbath, p. 72speaking to God in the Congregation by prayer, and hearing God speake to him in the preaching of the word.What peace in heaven is. That peace that wee shall have in heaven, which is a peace uninterrupted, without any disturbance, it is understood by that sweet peace of conscience here that passeth all understanding. We may know therefore what the sight of Christ face to face will be, by the sight wee have of Christ now in the word and promises: if it so transforme and affect us, that sight that we have by knowledge and faith here; what will those sights doe? So that by a grape wee may know what Canaan is: as the spies, they brought of the p. 73grapes of Canaan into the desart: we may know by this little taste, what those excellent things are.

The fourth way is by authoritie, and discoverie. St. Paul was wrapped up in the third heaven, he sayth, they were such things that he saw, that could not bee spoken of, strange things. And Christ tels us of a kingdome. Christ knew what they were, and the word tells us what they are: our faith lookes to the authoritie of the word. If wee had not the first fruits, nor any other discoverie. God that hath prepared them, hee sayth so in his word, and we must rest in his authoritie. And there are some that have been in heaven: Christ p. 74our blessed Saviour that hath taken into a perpetual union, the man-hood with the second person, which he hath knit unto it, he knowes what is there, and by this meanes wee come to have some kind of knowledge of the things to come.

Againe by a kind of reasoning likewise from the lesser to the greater, we may come to know not only the things, but the greatnesse of them. As, is there not cōfort now in a litle glimpse, when God shines upon a Christians soule, when he is as it were in heaven? is there such contenment in holy company…here? what shall there be in heaven? Is there such contentment in the delights of this world, that are p. 75the delights of our pilgrimage? they are no better, our houses are houses of our pilgrimage, our contentments are contentments of passengers, if the way, the gallery that leads to heaven, bee so spread with comforts, what bee those that are reserved in another world? A man may know by raysing his soule from the lesser to the greater. And if the things that God hath provided in common for his enemies as wel as his friends: (as all the comforts of this world; all the delicacies, and all the objects of the sences, they are comforts that are common to the enemies of God, as well as his friends) if these things be so excellent, that men p. 76venture their soules for them, and lose all to bee drowned in these things: oh! what peculiar things are they that God hath reserved for his owne Children, for those that love him? when those that are common with his enemies, are so glorious and excellent! These kind of wayes we may come to know them by the helpe of the spirit.

Those unmixed joyes, those pure joyes, that are full of themselves, and have no tincture in heaven, are understood by those joyes we feele on earth, the joy of the holy Ghost, which is after conflict with temptations, or after afflictions, or after hearing, and meditating on good things: the p. 77heavenly joyes that flow into the soule, they give us a taste of that full joy that we shall have at the right hand of God for evermore. That comfort that we shall have in heaven, in the presence of God, and of Christ, and his holy Angels, is understood in some little way by the comfortable presence of God to the soule of a Christian, when hee findes the Spirit of God raising him, and chearing him up,Heaven on earth. and witnessing his presence: as oft-times to the comfort of Gods people, the holy Ghost witnesseth a presence, that now the soule can say, God is present with me, he smiles on me, and strengtheneth mee, and leads mee along. This comfortable p. 78way Gods children have to understand the things of heaven, by the first fruits they have here: for God is so farre in love with his children here on earth, and so tender over them, that hee purposes not to reserve all for another world; but gives them some taste before hand, to make them better in love with the things there; and better to beare the troubles of this world. But alas, what is it to that that they shall know? as it is 1 Ioh. 3. Now wee are the sonnes of God, but it appeares not what we shall bee: 1 Ioh. 3.1 John 3That shall bee so great in comparison of that we are, that it is sayd not to appeare at all: it appeares in the first fruits in a p. 79little beginnings; but alas, what is that to that glory that shall bee? Our life is hid with Christ in God. It is hid, there is no man knowes it in regard of the full manifestation: because here it is covered with so many infirmities, & afflictions, and so many scornes of the world are cast upon the beautie of a Christian life: it is hid in our head Christ. It is not altogether hid: for there is a life that comes from the root, from the head Christ to the members, that quickens them; but in regard of the glory that shall be, it is a hidden life.

Let us consider the reasonsReasons. why God will have it thus (to make it cleare) before p. 80I goe further: We must be modest in reasons when we speake of Gods counsels and courses. I will onelyonly name them to open our understandings a little.

First,1 Reason. It is enough that God will have it so: a modest Christian will be satisfied with that, that God will have a difference betweene heaven and earth, Gods dispensation may satisfie them. 2. God wil have a difference betweene the warring Church, and the triumphing Church.

This life is a life of Faith, and not of sight. We walke and live by faith. Why? partly to try the truth of our faith, and partly for the glory of God, that he hath such servants inn the world p. 81here, that will depend upon him, upon termes of faith, upon his bare word, that can say, there are such things reserved in heaven for me, I have enough: what a glory is it to God, that he hath those that will trust him upon his bare word? It were no commendation for a Christian to live here in a beautifull glorious manner, if hee should see all, and live by sight. If he should see hell open, & the terrours there, for him then to abstraine from sinne, what glory were it? the sight would force abstinence. If he should see heaven open, and the joyes of it present, it were no thanks to be a good man: for sight would force it.

p. 82The second Reason is this,2 Reason. that God will have a known difference, between hypocrites, and the true Children of God. If heaven were upon earth, and nothing reserved in faith, and in promise, every one would be a Christian: but now the greatest things being laid up in promises, wee must excercise our faith to waite for them; now there are none that will honour God in his word, but the true Christian: that there are such excellent things reserved in another world, in comparison of which all these are base: there is none but a true Christian that will honour God upon his word, that will venter the losse of these things here p. 83for them in heaven, that wil not lose those things that they have in reversion and promise for the present delights of sinne for a season? Wheras the common sort, they heare say of a heaven, and happinesse, and a day of judgement, &c. But in the meane time they will not deny their base pleasures and their Rebellious dispositions, they wil crosse themselves in nothing: doe wee thinke that God hath prepared heaven for such wretches as these? oh, let us never thinke of it. God therefore hath reserved the best excellencies for the time to come, in promises, and in his word, if we have grace to depend upon his word: and in the meane p. 84time goe on, and crosse our corruptions, it is an excellent condition to be so, it shewes the difference that God will have between us, and other men.3 Reason.

Againe thirdly, our vessells could not containe it: Wee are uncapable, our braine is not strong enough for these things: as weake braines cannot digest hote liquors: so we cannot digest a large revelation of these things. As wee see St. Peter was not himselfe in the transfiguration, hee forgot himselfe; and was spiritually drunke with joy, with that hee saw in the mount; hee wote not what hee said as the Scripture saith, when hee said, Master let us make three Tabernacles, &c. Nay p. 85Saint Paul himself, the great Apostle, when hee saw things in heaven, above expression, that could not, nor might not be uttered, could not digest them. They were so great, that if he had not had somewhat to weigh him downe, to ballance him, hee had been overturned with pride: therefore there was a pricke in the flesh sent to Paul himselfe to humble him. Are wee greater than Paul and Peter, the great Apostles of the Jewes and Gentiles? when these grand Apostles could not containe themselves, when they see these heavenly things, and but a glimpse of them, the one did not know what he said, and the other was humbled p. 86by way of prevention, with a pricke in the flesh; and shal we think to conceive of these things? No, we cannot: for that is to be in heaven before our time. These and the like reasons wee may have to satisfie us in this, why wee cannot conceive of the things to come as they are in their proper nature. God sayth to Moses, when Moses would have a fairer manifestation of God, No man can see me and live. If we would see God as he is, we must die. If we would see heaven,If wee would see God as he is, we must die. and the joyes of it as it is, wee must die first. No man can see the things that the Apostle here speakes of, in their proper light and excellencie, but he must die first.

p. 87They are not proportionable to our condition here: for God hath resolved that this life shall bee a life of imperfection, and that that shall be a perfect estate of perfect glory. Alas, our capacities now are not capable, our affections wil not containe those excellent things; therefore God traines us up by little, and little, to the full fruition, and enjoying of it. Thus we see how wee come to have some knowledge of them, and why we have not a full knowledge of them here.

Well, to leave this, and goe on;Use. I. If this be so, then let us oft thinke of these things.

The life of a Christian is wondrously ruled in this world, by the consideratiō, p. 88and meditation of the life of another world,The meditation of the life hereafter, steeres a Christians life here. nothing more steeres the life of a Christian here, then the consideration of the life hereafter: not only by way of comfort, that the consideration of immortal life, & glory, is the comfort of this mortall base life: but likewise by way of disposition, and framing a man to all courses that are good. There is no grace of the spirit (in a manner) but it is set on worke by the consideration of the estate that is to come, no not one.

What is the worke of faith? It is the evidence of things not seene. It sets the things of another world present before the eye of the soule, and in that respect p. 89it is victorious, it conquers the world; because it sets a better world in the eye. Where were the exercise of faith, if it were not for hope of such an estate which feeds faith? the excellencie of faith is, that it is about things not seene: it makes things that are not seene to be seene; it hath a kind of omnipotent power: it gives a being to things that have none, but in the promise of the speaker.

And for hope, the very nature of hope is to expect those things that faith believes. Were it not for the joyes of heaven, where were hope? It is the helmet of the soule, to keepe it from blowes, and temptations. It is the Anchor of p. 90the soule, that being cast within the vaile into heaven, stayes the soule in all the waves and troubles in this world: the consideration of the things to come, exerciseth this grace of hope; we looke within the vaile, and cast anchor there upward, and not downeward, and there wee stay our selves in all combustions, and confusions by the exercise of hope.

And where were patience? If it were not for a better estate in another world, a Christian of all men were most miserable. Who would endure any thing for Christ, if it were not for a better estate afterwards?

And so for sobrietie; p. 91what forceth a moderate use of all things here? the consideration of future judgement, that made even Felix to tremble. The consideration of the estate to come, causes that we surfet not with the cares of the world, and excesse, but doe all that may make way for such a glorious condition.

What enforceth the keeping of a good conscience in all things? St. Paul looked to the resurrection of the just and of the unjust; and this made him exercise himselfe to keepe a good conscience.

And so puritie and holinesse, that we take heed of all defilements in the world, that we bee not led away p. 92with the errour of the wicked: but keepe our selves unspotted. What forceth this, but the consideration of a glorious condition in another world? He that hath this hope, purgeth himselfe. There is a purgative power in hope, a cleansing efficacie, that a man cannot hope for this excellent condition, but it will frame and fit the soule for that condition. Can a man hope to appeare before a great person, and not fit himselfe in his deportment and attire before hand, to please the person before whom hee appeares? So whosoever hopes to appeare before Christ, and God, of necessitie that hope will force him to purge himselfe.

p. 93Let us not stand to search curiously into particulars, what the glory of the soule or of the body shall bee, (the Apostle discovers it in generall, we shall bee conformed to Christ our head in soule and body) but rather study how to make good use of them: for therefore they are revealed before hand in generall.

And with all to humble our selves, 2 Vse.and to say with the Psalmist, Lord what is Man, that thon so farre considerest him? Sinfull man, that hath lost his first condition, and hath betrayed himselfe to thine, and his enemy, to advance him to that estate, that neither eye hath seene, nor eare heard, &c. This consideration will make p. 94us base in our owne eyes.

Shall not wee presently disdaine any proud conceits? shall wee talke of merit? what can come from a Creature that shall deserve things that eie hath not seen nor eare heard; that such proud conceits should enter into the heart of man? surely grace never entred into that mans heart that hath such a conceite to entertaine merit. Shall a man thinke by a penny to merit a thousand pound, by a little performance to merit things that are above the conceit of men and Angels? but a word is enough that way.

And with humiliation, 3 Vse.take that which alwayes goes with humiliation, thankefulnesse, p. 95even before hand. When the Apostle S. Peter thought of the inheritance immortall, and undefiled, &c. he begins, Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, &c. Hee could not think of these things without thankfulnesse to God. For wee should begin the life of heaven, upon earth, as much as may bee; and what is that, but a blessing and praising of God? Now we cannot more effectually and feelingly praise God, than by the cōsideration of what great things are reserved for us: for faith sets them before the soule as present, as invested into them. Now if we were in heaven already, we: should praise God, and do nothing p. 96else; therfore faith making them sure to the soule, as if we had them, sets the soule on worke to praise God, as in Ephes. 1. and in Pet. 1.Ephes. 1. 1 Pet. 1.Eph 11 Pet 1 Saint Peter and Paul, they could never have enough of this. Thus wee should doe, and cheare and joy our hearts in the consideration of these things in all conflicts, & desolations: wee little thinke of these things, and that is our fault: wee are like little children that are born to great matters, notwithstanding not knowing of them, they carry not themselves answerable to their hopes: but the more the children grow into yeares, the more they grow in spirit and conceits, and carriage sitting p. 97the estates they hope for.

So it is with Christians at the first, when they are weake, they are troubled with this temptation, and with that, with this losse, and with that crosse: but when a Christian growes to a full stature in Christ, every petty crosse doth not cast him downe: hee thinkes, what shall I be dejected with this losse, that have heaven reserved for mee? shall I bee cast downe with this crosse, that have things that eye hath not seene, nor eare heard, &c. Prepared for me? He will not; he makes use of his faith to fetch comfort from these things that are reserved for him,Every petty crosse will not cast downe a believer. that are unexpressible, and unconceiveable.

p. 98And let us comfort our selves in all the slightings of the World. 4 Vse.A man that hath great hopes in his own coū try, if he be slighted abroad, he thinkes with himselfe, I have other matters reserved elsewhere, and I shall have another manner of respect when I come home. The world it knowes not God, nor Christ, nor us: shall not we be content to go up and downe as unknowne men here, when God the father, and Christ our Saviour are unknowne?Hee comforts himselfe with his hopes of heaven, against the slightings of the world. There are better things reserved at home for us: therfore let us digest all the slightings and abusage of carnal men. And let us not envy them their condition that is but for terme p. 99of life, use it as well as they will; that hath a date that will bee out wee know not how soone? Alas all their happinesse it is but a measured happinesse, it is within their understandings, their eyes can see it, and their eares can heare it: and when they can neither see nor conceive more in this world, then there is an end of all their sensible happinesse. Shall we envie when they shall shortly be turned naked out of this world to the place of torment?Envie not wicked men, but pitty them We should present them to us as objects of pitie, even the greatest men in the world, if wee see by their carriage they be void of grace; but not envy any condition in this world. But what affection p. 100is due and suiting to the estate of a Christian? If we would have the true affection, it is admiration, and wonderment. What is wonderment? It is the state, and disposition of the soule toward things that are new, and rare, and strange, that we can give no reason of, that are beyond our reach. For wise men wonder not, because they see a reason, they can compass things: But a Christian cannot but wōder: because the things prepared, are above his reach: yea when he is in heaven, he shall not be able to conceive the glory of it: he shall enter into it, it shall bee above him, he shall have more joy, and peace then he can comprehend, the joy that hee hath p. 101there, it is beyond his ability, and capacity, beyond his power; he shall not be able to compasse all. It shall be a matter of wonder, even in heaven it selfe; much more should it bee here below. Therefore the holy Apostles when they speake in the Scriptures of these things, it is with termes of admiration and wonderment,joy unspe… joy unspeakeable & glorious, & peace that passeth understanding, & when they speake of our deliverance, out of the state of darknesse into the state of grace, they call it a being brought out of darknesse into his mervailous light. And so God loved the world, 1 Ioh. 3.1 John 3he cannot expresse how, I Ioh. 3. Behold what love hath the Father shewed us, that we should p. 100bee called the sonnes of God? To be called,To be called a son of God, is to be so. and to be, is all one with God, both beyond expression.

Againe, if this be so,Vse. that God hath provided such things as neither eye hath seen, nor eare hath heard, &c. Begge of God first, the Spirit of grace to conceive of them as the Scripture reveals them: and then begge of God a further degree of revelation, that hee would more and more reveale to us by his Spirit those excellent things. For the soule is never in a better frame, than when it is lift up above earthly things. When shall a man use the world, as though hee used it not? when he goes about his businesse in a commanding p. 101manner, as seeing all things under him,Why men are drowned in the world. when he is raysed up to conceive the things that are reserved for him above the world: that keepes a man from being drowned in the world: what makes men drowned in the world? to be earth-wormes: they think of no other heaven but this, they have no other thing in their eye. Now by the Spirit discovering these things to the… that have weaned soules, it makes them goe about the things of the world in another manner, they will doe them, and doe them exactly, with conscience, and care, considering that they must give an account of all: but they wil doe them with reserved affections to better p. 104thing. Therefore let us oft thinke of this, and labour to have a spirit of faith to believe them, that they are so, that there are such great things; and then upon believing, the meditation of such excellent things will keepe the soule in such a frame, as it will bee fit for any thing without defiling of it selfe. A man that hath first faith, that these things are so: and then that hath faith exercised to thinke, and meditate what these things are,How to get the conquest of any temptation. he may bee turned loose to any temptation whatsoever: For first of all, if there be any solicitation to any base sin, what will he thinke? shall I for the pleasures of sin for a season, if not lose the p. 105joyes of heaven and happinesse, that eye hath not seene, &c. yet surely I shall lose the comfort and assurance of them. A man cannot enjoy the comfort of heaven upon earth, without self-deniall, and mortification: shall I lose peace of conscience, and joy in the holy Ghost for these things? When Sathan comes with any bait, let us thinke hee comes to rob us of better than he can give: his bait is some present pleasure, or preferment, or contentment here; but what doth he take from us? that which eye hath not seene, nor eare heard, &c. Hee gives Adam an Apple, and takes away Paradise: therefore in all temptations consider not p. 104what he offers, but what we shall lose; at least the comfort of what we shall lose; we shall lose the comfort of heaven, and bring our selves to terrours of conscience.

Religion is not so empty a thing, as that wee need to be beholding to the Divell for any preferment, or riches, or contentment, or pleasure. Hath God set up a profession of Religion, and doe wee thinke that we must bee beholding to his, and our enemy for any base contentments? No; it is a disparagment to our religion, to our profession and calling, and to our Lord and Master we serve, to thinke that hee will not provide richly for his: you see here p. 105he hath prepared things that eye hath not seene, &c.

And by this likwise wee may judge of the difference of excellencies, the difference of degrees of excellencies may bee fetched from hence. The things that the eye can see, they may be excellent good things; but if the eye can see them, there is no great matters in them. The thing that the eare heares by reports, are more than the eye sees; wee may heare much that we never saw: yet if we can heare them, and conceive of them upon the hearing, they are no great matters: for the soule is larger than they. We conceive more than wee can heare; the conceit is beyond sight, p. 108and hearing, if we can conceive the compasse, and latitude of any thing it is no great matter: for it is within the reach, and module, and apprehension of mans braine, it is no wondrous matter. I but then the things that are most excellent of all, they are above sight, and beholding, and hearing: and conceite, that the soule cannot wholly compasse, and reach them, those are the excellent things of a…l. The rule of excellencie is to know what wee can conceive, and what is beyond our comprehension: The wit of man can conceive all things under the heavens. All the knowledge we have comes within the braine of man, the government of p. 109states, and the like. Oh! but the things that God hath provided for his, never came wholly within the braine of man; and therefore they are the most excellent.

And so by way of contraries for ills, what are the greatest ills? those that the eye can see, that wee can feele, and heare of, and conceive? Oh! no, the greatest ills are those torments that never eye saw, that eare never heard of, it is to be in hell to know these things; they are beyond our conceit, the worme that dies not, fire unquenchable, the things above our apprehension are the most terrible things. It is not the gout, or the stone; men feel these things, p. 108and yet suffer them with some patience: these are not the greatest ills, but those of another world that are reserved for Gods enemies, as the best things are those that are reserved for his friends.

Therefore let us make use of our understandings in laying things together, and make use of Gods discovery of the state of Christianitie, the excellencies of religion. Why doth God reveale these things in the word? that wee should oft meditate of them, and study them, that we may bee heavenly minded: for there are none that come to heaven, but they must have a taste of these before hand; there are none ever enjoy p. 109them in perfection; when the day of revelation shall come (the Gospell now is the time of revelation, but) the day of revelation is the time of judgement, then we shall wee be revealed what we are. But in the meane time there is a revelation by the spirit in some beginnings of these things, or else we shall never come to have the perfection of them in heaven. If wee know not what peace, and joy, and comfort, and the communion of the Saints, and the change of nature is here in sanctification, wee shall never know in heaven the fulfilling of it.

And those that have the first fruits here, if they bee in a state of growth, that p. 112they desire to grow better continually, they shall no question come to the perfection: for God will not lose his beginnings: where hee gives earnest, he will make up the bargaine.

Therefore let us all that know a little what these things are by the revelation of the Spirit, let us be glad of our portion: for God that hath begun, hee will surely make an end.

The affection, and bent, and frame of soule due to these things is admiration, and not only simple hearing. If these things in their beginnings here, be set out by words of admiration, peace that passeth understanding, and joy unspeakable, and glorious: what affection, p. 113and frame of Spirit is sutable to the hearing of those things that are kept for us in another world? If the light that wee are brought into here bee admirable, great, wee are brought out of darknesse, into admirable wonderfull light: If the light of grace bee so wonderfull to a man that comes out of the state of Nature, as it is indeed; a man comes out of a dampe into a wonderfull cleare light; what then is the light of glory? Therefore let us often think of it. Those that are borne in a prison, they heare great talke of the light, and of the Sunne, of such a glorious Creature; but being borne in prison they know not what it is in p. 112it selfe: so those that are in the prison of Nature, they know not what the light of grace is: they heare talke of glorious things, and have conceits of them. And those that here know not the glory that shall bee after, when they are revealed, that affection that is due to them is admiration and wonderment. So God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Sonne; and behold what love the Father hath shewed to us, that wee should bee called the sonnes of God! what love! he could not tell what, it is so admirable, and to know the love of God that is above all knowledge! Who can comprehend the love of God, that gave his sonne? p. 113who can comprehend the excellency of Christs gift? the joyes of heaven by Christ, and the misery of hell, from which wee are delivered, and redeemed by Christ? These things come from the Gospell, and the spring from whence they come, is the large, and infinite, and incomprehensible love of God. And if it bee so, what affection is answerable but admiration? Behold what love! If God have so loved flesh, and blood, poore dust & ashes; so as to be heires of heaven, and of such glory as eye seesnot, nor cannot in this world, nor eare heares not, nor hath entred into the heart of man, till we come fully to possesse them; let p. 116us labour to admire the love of God herein.

And labour to know more and more our inheritance, as we grow in yeares, as children doe, they search into the great matters their parents leave them, and the nearer they come to enjoy them, the more skill they have to talke of them: so should wee, the more wee grow in Christianity, and in knowledge, the more we should bee inquisitive after those great things that our father hath provided in another world: but to goe on.

How shall we know whether these things be prepared for us or no? whether wee bee capable of these things or no? God hath p. 117prepared them, and he hath prepared them for those that love him; but how shall wee know that God hath prepared them for us?

In a word, whom God hath prepared great matters for, hee prepares them for great matters: we may know by Gods preparing of us, whether he hath prepared for us. God prepared Paradise before Adam was created: so God prepares paradise, he prepares heaven before wee come there; and wee may know that wee shall come to possesse that, if we be prepared for it. What preparation? If we be prepared by a spirit of sanctification; and have holy desires, and longing p. 116after those excellent things: for certainly there is preparation on both sides. It is prepared for us, and us for it; it is kept for us, and wee are kept for it: whom God keepes heaven for, he keeps them for heaven in a course of pietie and obedience. We may know it by Gods preparing of us, by loosing us from the world, and sanctifying us to himselfe. Thus a man may know whether those great things bee prepared for him, or no.

But the especiall thing to know whether they be provided for us, or no, is love. God hath prepared them for them that love him: not for his enemies: hee hath prepared another place, p. 117and other things for them, those torments that eye hath not seene, nor eare heard, nor hath entred into the heart of man, for those that are his enemies, that would not come under his government: but these things are prepared for those that love him.

For those that love him: especially that love is all in all, in the disposition of a holy man: all graces are one in the spring, which is love: they are severall in the branches, but they are one in the root.

Thus you have heard the use we are to make of this, that there is a reservation of a glorious condition for the people of GOD, so great, that neither eye hath p. 120seene, &c.

But who bee the parties, that God hath prepared these things for?

For them that love him.

This is the fourth part,The fourth particular. the disposition of the parties for whom, for them that love him.

Why not for those that God hath elected? Why doth he not goe to the root of all?Some questions answered for explication. the great things that God hath prepared for those that he hath chosen to salvation? No, that is out of our reach; hee would not have us goe to heaven, but rather goe to our owne hearts; wee must search f…r our election not above our selves, but within our selves.

Why doth he not say,2 Quest. to them p. 121that believe in h…m?

Because Faith is the radical grace from whence the rest spring.Answ.

But faith is a hidden grace many times,F…ith a hidden grace. and the Apostles scope is to poynt to such a disposition, that every one may know, that is more familiar. Somtimes faith is hidden in the root, and it is shewed in the effect more th…n in it selfe, in Love. A poore Christian that is in the state of grace, that sayth, Oh! I cannot b… lieve, aske him if hee love God; Oh, yes, he loves the preaching of the word, hee loves good people, and good bookes, and the like: when hee cannot discover his faith, hee can his love; therefore the holy Ghost p. 122sets it out by the more familiar disposition, by love, rather than faith.

Why doth hee not say,Quest. For those that God loves? Gods love is the cause of our love.

Because Gods love is manifested more familiarly by our love to him:Answ. for that is alwaies supposed; wheresoever there is love to God, and good things, there is Gods love first. For our love to God is but a reflexion of that love hee beares to us: First, hee shines on us, and then the beames of our love reflect upon him; therefore hee need not say, whom God loves (though that be the cause of all) but who love God, and know thereby that hee loves them.

p. 123But why for them that love him,4 Quest. more than for any other thing?

Because all can love,Answ. therefore hee sets downe this affection: there is no man living, not the poorest Lazar in the world, that hath a heart, and affections, but he can love. He doth not say, that are prepared for this great Christian, and that learned Rabbi; no,For whom these are prepared. but for all that love him, bee they poore or rich, great or small, all those that love him. Therefore hee sets down that to cut off all excuses: yea, and all that love him, bee they never so many, are sure to have these great things prepared for them. God hath prepared these things for those that p. 124love him.

To come therefore to some observations. The first generall thing is this, that

God d…th qualifie all those in this world,Observ. that he hath prepared heaven and happinesse for in another world.

The cause of it is his free love: but if you aske mee what qualification the persons must have? They are such as love him. This is not the proper cause why, but t…e qualification of the persons …on …hom these things are. There must bee an inward disposition and qualification, before wee come to heaven: all those that hope for heaven without presumption, must have this qualification, they must bee such as love him.

p. 125Why?

The Scripture is plaine,R…asons. 1. No uncleane thing shall enter into heaven: No whoremonger, or drunkard, or filthy person: bee not deceived sayth the Apostle, you thi…ke God is merciful, and Christ died, &c. but neither such, nor such as you are, (and your consciences tell you so) shall ever enter into heaven. We must not think to come è coeno in coelum, out of the mire and dirt of sin, into heaven: there is no such sudden getting into heaven;No gett…ng to heaven, without change of our natures. but there must be an alteration of our dispositions, wrought by the Spirit of God, fitting us for heaven.

2. Another is that that I touched before, that heaven p. 126and earth differ but in degrees: therefore what is there in perfection, must be begun here.

Then againe thirdly, It is impossible for a man if he be not truly altered, to desire or wish heaven as it is holy. He may wish for it under the notion of a Kingdome, of pleasure, and the like: but as heaven containes a state of perfect holinesse, and freedome from sinne, hee cares not for it. A man that is out of relish with heavenly things, and can taste onelyonly his base sinnes, whereon his affections are set and exercised, cannot rellish heaven it selfe. A common base sinner, his desires are not there. There must bee some proportion p. 127between the thing desired, and the desire; but here is none, hee is not fit for that place, being an unholy wretch.

Therefore his own heart tells him, I had rather have this pleasure and honour that my heart stands to, than to have heaven, while hee is in that frame of desire: therefore there is no man that can desire heaven, that is not disposed aright to heaven before. Beetles love dunghils better than oyntments, and swine love mud better than a garden; they are in their element in these things: so take a swinish base creature,A carnall man-wants eyes to see heaven. he loves to wallow in this world: tell him of heaven, hee hath no eyes to see p. 128it, no eares to heare it, except hee may have that in heaven, that his heart stands too (which hee shall never have) he hath no desire of heaven. Therfore in these, and the like respects, of necessitie there must be a disposition wrought before wee come there. These things are prepared for those that love God.

If this be so, Vse.let us not feed our selves with vaine hopes: there are none of us, but we desire, at least wee pretend that we desire heaven; but most men conceive it onelyonly as a place free from trouble and annoyance, and there are goodly things they heare of, kingdomes, crownes, and the like; but except thou have a holy, p. 129gracious heart, and desir…st heaven that thou mayest be free from si…ne, and to have communion with Christ, and his Saints, to have the image of God,Take heed of vaine hope. the divine nature perfect in thee, thou art an hypocrite, thou carriest a presumptuous conceit of these things, thy hope will delude thee, it is a false hope. Every one that hath this hope, purgeth hims…lfe: Every one, hee excludes none. Doest thou defile thy selfe, and live in sinful courses, and hast thou this hope? Thou hast a hope, but it is not this hope: for every one that hath this hope, purgeth himselfe. No, no, how ever in time of peace, and pleasure, and contentment that God followes p. 130thee with in this world, thou hast a vaine hope; yet in a little trouble, or sicknesse, &c. thy owne conscience will tell thee another place is provided for thee, a place of torment, that neither eye hath seene, nor eare heard, nor hath entred into the heart of man to conceive the misery of it. There is not the greatest man living, when hee is troubled, if he be a sinfull man, whose greatnesse can content him: all his honour, and friends, cannot pacifie that poore conscience of his; but Death,G…eatnesse nor hono…s can pacifie conscience the King of Feares, wil affright him: he thinks, I have some trouble in this world, but there is worse that rem…ines, things that he is not able to conceive p. 131of. Let us not therfore delude our selves, there is nothing will stand out but the new creature, that we finde a change wrought by the Spirit of God; then wee may without presumption, hope for the good things which neither eye hath seene, &c.

Againe, we see in the second place,2 Vse. Look within thee for the evidences. Gods merciemercy to us, the qualification is within us, that we need not goe farre to know what our evidence is. Sathan abuseth many poore Christians; oh, I am not elected, I am not the Childe of God. Whither goest thou man? doest thou breake into heaven? when thou carriest a soule in thy breast, and in that soule the affection of love, how is that p. 132set? whither is thy love carried, and thy delight, and joy, those affections that spring from love? Thy evidence is in thine own heart, our title is by faith in Christ; his righteousnesse gives us title to heaven: but how knowest thou that thou pretendest a just title? Thou hast the evidence in thy heart. What is the bent of thy soule? whither is the poynt of it set? which way goes that?Looke to thy affections. doest thou love God, and divine things, and delight in them? then thou mayst assure thy selfe that those things belong to thee, as verily as the Scriptures are the word of God, and God a God of truth. When thou findest the love of God in thy heart, that thy p. 133heart is taught by his Spirit to love him, then surely thou mayst say, Oh, blessed be God that hath kindled this holy fire in my heart. Now I know that neither eye hath seene, nor eare heard, nor hath ent…ed into the heart of man, those excellent things that are layd up for me.

The end of the second Sermon.