The Last things, Sermon 6
Heavens happineſs.
LUKE 23.43.
To day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe.
HE that purged our ſinns is here diſpoſing of Paradiſe, at the ſame time when he hung on the Croſſe, even giving up the ghoſt, he is dealing Crowns and Kingdoms to a poor penitent ſoul: thus like a glorious Sun that breaks through the watrie clouds ere it appear unto us, our Saviour (the Sun of Righteouſneſs) ſhoots forth his rayes of Majeſty through all his ſufferings on a dejected ſinner. Two malefactours ſuffer with him, the one railes on him, ſaying, If thou be Chriſt, ſave thy ſelf and us: but the other prayes to him, Lord, remember me when thou comeſt to thy Kingdome: in the midſt of his thraldome he proclaims his Kingdome, and whom he ſees a Captive, he believes a Lord: Lord remember me; is it not ſtrange, that through ſo many, ſuch thick clouds of miſery, this dying thief ſhould behold his glory? but where grace aboundeth, what marvel is it?1. Cor. 2.15. The Naturall man knoweth not the things of God, but he that is ſpirituall diſcerneth all things. No ſooner was this penitent thief converted a Chriſtian, but on a ſudden, even on the very rack of torture he confeſſeth himſelf a ſinner, and Chriſt his Saviour; and therefore deſires to be remembred of him when he comes to heaven: Thus pouring out his ſoul in prayer, the Bridegroom that became an Harp, ſaith Bernard, (his Croſſe being the wood, himſelf ſtretcht on it the ſtrings, and his words the ſound) heark how he warbles the moſt heavenly muſick that was ever chanted to a departing ſoul, To day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe.
The words are a Goſpel, ſuch as the Angels brought to the Shepherds, Luke 2.10.Luke 2.10. Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy; here is tidings, good tidings; joy, and great joy, the greateſt happineſs that could ever befall a mortall, now waits on a malefactour, at that time when the execution was a doing, death approching, and the horrours of hell laying hold upon him; when a word of comfort would have been moſt ſeaſonable, like apples of gold in pictures of ſilver; Prov. 25.11.then comes our Saviour (as a meſſenger with a pardon) and he bids him be of good chear, there was happineſs towards him: when? to day] what? thou ſhalt be with me] where? in Paradiſe.] Not a word but ſpeaks comfort to the afflicted ſoul, be he howſoever afflicted for the preſent, yet there ſhall be a change, and the more to ſweeten it,
Here is the
Celerity, to day]
Certainty, thou ſhalt be]
Societie, with me]
Ʋbi, or place where all joy is enjoyed, in Paradiſe.]
Theſe are thoſe four heads that iſſue out of Eden, may God give a bleſſing to the watering, that you may bear good fruit till you are planted in that garden, whereof it is ſpoken, To day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe.] We begin with the certainty of this promiſe, Thou ſhalt be.] &c.
Thou ſhalt be]
TO this purpoſe was that aſſeveration, Verily, verily, I ſay unto thee.] Nor is it enough that he affirms it, but he aſſures it, foreign, thou ſhalt be.] Will and ſhall is for the King, and what is he leſſe that beſtows Kingdomes on his ſervants? here was a poor man deſires onelyonly to be remembred of him, and in ſtead of remembring him, he tells him he ſhall be with him: how? but as a coheir of his Kingdome. Bleſſed thief, that had ſuch a gift, and that made unto him with ſuch aſſurance as this was! It is the promiſe of our Saviour, who to put him out of all doubt, he tells him it ſhall be ſo, Thou ſhalt be] with me in Paradiſe. Whence obſerve,
That Salvation may be made ſure to a man. Obſerv.If you would needs know the means (howſoever it was true in this thief) it is not by any immediate ſuggeſtion, or revelation; Chriſt is now in heaven, and the holy Ghoſt works not by enthuſiaſmes or dreams;Fidelium foreign non nititur revelatione, ſed promiſsionibus Evangelii. The aſſurance of our ſalvation depends not upon revelation, but on the promiſes of the Goſpel: there then muſt we ſearch and ſee, and if our hearts be rightly qualified, thence may we draw that fulneſs of perſwaſion with Abraham who ſtaggered not at Gods promiſes, being fully perſwaded, that what he had promiſed he was able to perform, Rom. 4.21.Rom. 4.20, 21 This doctrine we have confirmed by David, Pſal, 35.3.Pſal. 35.3. Say unto my ſoul, I am thy ſalvation. By Peter, in the 2. Pet. 1.10.2. Pet. 1.10. Make your election ſure. By Paul, in the 1. Cor. 9.26.1. Cor. 9.26. I therefore ſo run, not as uncertainly. From all which we may argue, David would never pray for that which could not be; nor would Peter charge us with a dutie which ſtood not in poſſibility to be performed; nor would Paul ſerve God at randome, uncertain whether he ſhould obtain any good, or prevent any miſchief; no, but as one that was ſure, that by ſo doing he ſhould attain everlaſting life, and without ſo doing he could not avoid eternall death. We may then be ſure, if conditions rightly concur; and ſeeing this is a point we would be all glad to know, that we are ſure to be ſaved, I ſhall beg others help, Gods aſſiſtance, and your patience, till we have opened the windows, and given you a light of the lodging,Cant. 1.7. where ſecurely our ſouls may reſt at noon day.
Some lay the order thus, that to aſſure us of heaven, we muſt be aſſured of Chriſt; and to aſſure us of Chriſt we muſt be aſſured of faith; and to aſſure us of faith, we muſt be aſſured of repentance; and to aſſure us of repentance, we muſt be aſſured of amendment of life.
Others tell us of more evidences, and we ſhall reduce them to theſe heads; The teſtimonie of our ſpirits, and the teſtimonie of Gods Spirit: It is not our ſpirit alone, nor Gods Spirit alone makes this Certificate, but both concurring, and thus Paul tels us, Rom. 8.16.Rom. 8.16. The Spirit it ſelf beareth witneſſe with our ſpirit, that we are the children of God.
1. Our firſt aſſurance then is the teſtimonie of our ſpirit, and this witneſſeth with Gods ſpirit two wayes,
By
Inward tokens,
Outward fruits.
Inward tokens are certain ſpeciall graces of God imprinted in the ſpirit of a man, as godly ſorrow deſire of pardon, love of righteouſneſſe, John 5.10.faith in Chriſt, for he that believeth on the Sonne of God, hath the witneſſe in himſelf, ſaith the Apoſtle.
Outward fruits are all good deeds, holy duties, new obedience, and hereby we are ſure that we know him, if we keep his Commandments, 1. Joh, 2.3.1. John 2.3. To ſay then we are ſure of heaven, and to live a life fitter for devils, what a fond ſaying is this? no, if we have a true teſtimony we muſt be of good lives; it is our holineſſe, and juſtice, and mercy, and truth, that will be our beſt aſſurance,2. Pet 1 10. and ſo the Apoſtle aſſures us; If ye do theſe things ye ſhall never fall.
2. Our ſecond and beſt aſſurance is the teſtimonie of Gods Spirit, which ſometimes may ſuggeſt and teſtifie to the ſanctified conſcience thus, or in the like manner, Thou ſhalt be ſaved, thou ſhalt be] with me in Paradiſe.
But here I muſt ſatisfie two doubts: firſt, by what meanes the Spirit of God gives this particular aſſurance? ſecondly, how a man may diſcern betwixt the aſſurance of this Spirit, and the illuſion of Satan, who is the ſpirit of lies?
To the firſt we ſay, the means is either by an immediate revelation, or by a particular application of the promiſes in the Goſpel,John 3.36. in form of an experimentall ſyllogiſme, as, Whoſoever believes on the Son ſhall be ſaved; but I believe on the Sonne, therefore I ſhall be ſaved. The major is Scripture, the minor is confirmed by our faith, which if I have, I may ſay I believe: True, fleſh and bloud cannot ſay this, it is the operation of the holy Ghoſt; but if the work be wrought, and I feel this faith within my ſoul, what need I doubt but this aſſumption is true, I believe on the Son? Yet I hear ſome complain, they have neither ſight nor ſenſe of faith: and thus it is often with Gods deareſt children: the Sunne that in a clear sky diſcovers and manifeſts it ſelf, may ſometimes with clouds be overcaſt and darkened; and faith, that in the calmneſſe of a Chriſtian courſe ſhines, & ſhews it ſelf clearly to the ſanctified heart, may ſometimes in the damp of ſpirituall deſertion, or darkneſſe of temptation, lie hid and obſcured: there is therefore in the Saints,Certitudo evidentiae, & adhaerentiae. the aſſurance of evidence, and the aſſurance of adherence: The aſſurance of evidence, is that which is without ſcruple, and brings an admirable joy with it, and this more eſpecially appears either in our more fervent prayers, or in our heavenly meditations, or in time of martyrdome, or in ſome quickening exerciſes of extraordinarie humiliation, or in beginning of our ſpirituall, or end of our naturall life, as moſt needfull times, then doth Gods ſpirit ſpeak comfortably to us, whiſpering to our ſouls the aſſurance of our happineſſe, that we ſhall be inheritours of his Kingdome. The aſſurance of adherence is that, which I doubt not the Saints have in their greateſt extremitie: for inſtance, many a faithfull ſoul, that makes conſcience of ſinne, lies and languiſhes upon the rack of fears and terrours, he ſhels nothing but a dead heart, and a ſpirituall deſertion, yet in the mean time his ſoul cleaves unto Chriſt, as to the ſureſt rock, he cries and longs after him, and for all his fears and ſorrows he will ſtill reſt upon him, Job-like, though he ſlay me, yet will I truſt in him, Job 13.15.Job 13.15. Now this adherence unto Chriſt may aſſure him of ſalvation, for (if we ſpeak punctually and properly) faith juſtifying is not to be aſſured of pardon, but to truſt wholly upon Chriſt for pardon; and thus if he do, then may he with freedome of ſpirit ſay, I believe on the Sonne, whence ariſeth this concluſion, which is the teſtimonie of Gods Spirit, therefore I ſhall be ſaved.
To our ſecond doubt, how we may diſcern betwixt the teſtimonie of Gods Spirit, and the illuſion of Satan? I anſwer.
Firſt, the teſtimony of Gods Spirit is ever agreeable to the Word, and thus to trie us, the Scripture tels us, that Whoſoever is born of God, doth not commit ſinne, 1 John 3.9. which is not to be underſtood ſimply of the act of ſinning, for who can ſay, my heart is clean? but in this ſenſe, he doth not commit ſinne, that is, he makes not a trade of ſinne, it doth not reign in him; if then thou alloweſt any luſt in thine heart, or goeſt on in the willing practice of any one known ſin & yet haſt a conceit that thou art ſure of ſalvation, alas, thou art deceived, thou haſt made a lie thy refuge, and hid thy ſelf under falſhood.
Secondly Gods Spirit breeds in the ſoul a Reverend love, and inſatiable longing after all good means appointed and ſanctified for our ſpiritual good: and therefore that heart which ſweetly is affected and inflamed with the word and prayer, and meditation and conference, and vows, and ſinging of Pſalms, and uſe of good books, we doubt not but it is breath'd on by the Spirit of God; whilſt others that uſe all theſe Ordinances out of cuſtome or formalitie, or ſome other ſiniſter end, alas, their conceit of being right, is built on the ſands, and therefore down it fals at deaths floud, and is overwhelmed in deſtruction.
Thirdly, Gods Spirit is ever attended with the ſpirit of Prayer, and therefore ſaith the Apoſtle, We know not how to pray, but the ſpirit it ſelf, maketh interceſſion for us with groanings which cannot be uttered, Rom. 8.26.Rom. 8.26. O the bleſſed operation of this Spirit! it even warms the ſpirit of a man with quickning life, to pour out it ſelf in the preſence of the Lord his God, ſometimes in more hearty prayers, and ſometimes in more faint and cold, yet alwayes edged with infinite deſires that they were farre more fervent then they are: But on the other ſide, every deluded Phariſee is a mere ſtranger to the power of Prayer, if he prayes often (as I make it a queſtion) yet never prayes he from a broken heart, and this argues that all his confidence is no better then a weed which grows of its own accord, & therefore like Jonahs gourd, when affliction comes, it withers on a ſudden.
Fourthly, the teſtimonie of Gods Spirit is often exerciſed and accompanied with fears, and jealouſies, and doubts, and diſtruſts; and varieties of temptations, which many times will drive the ſoul thus diſtreſt to cry mightily to God, to re-examine her grounds, to confirm her watch, to reſort for counſell where it may be had; whileſt on the contrary the Phariſees groundleſſe conceit lies in his boſome without fears, or jealouſies, or doubts, or diſtruſts, or any ſuch ado, why ſo? alas, Sathan is too ſubtle to trouble him in that caſe; he knows his foundation is falſhood, his hope of Heaven no better then a golden dream, and therefore in policie he holds his peace, that he may hold him the faſter.
Fifthly, the teſtimony of Gods Spirit is ever moſt refreſhing at thoſe times, when we retire our ſelves to converſe with God in a more ſolemn manner; when we feel that we have conquered, or well curbed ſome corruption of nature; when we are well exerciſed in the Ordinances of God, or in our ſufferings by man for a good cauſe, and conſcience ſake; then (or at ſuch times) ſhall we feel that ſweetneſſe of the ſpirit cheriſhing our hearts with a lightſome comfort that cannot be uttered; whileſt on the contrary the deluded man is alwaies alike peremptorie in his confidence, you ſhall not take him at any time without a bold perſwaſion, that he hopes to be ſaved as wel as the beſt, thus like a man who lying faſt aſleep on the edge of a Rock, he dreams merrily of Crowns and Kingdomes, and will not off it, but on a ſudden ſtarting for joy, he tumbles into the bottome of the Sea, and there lies drowned in the deep; that aſſurance which is ever ſecure is but a dream whereas the teſtimony of Gods Spirit is ſometimes mixed with doubts, and ſometimes (to our unſpeakable comfort) with a ſecret, ſtill, heart-raviſhing voice thus ſpeaks to our conſciences, thou ſhalt be] thou ſhalt be] with me in paradiſe.
You ſee the teſtimonie of Gods Spirit, how it works in us, and how it is diſcerned by us; it works in us by a particular application of the promiſes in the Goſpel, and is diſcerned by us by the word, by our love, our prayers, our fears, our joys at ſome times while we are a doing our duties.
Ʋſe. O bleſſed man that feels in his ſoul this bleſſed teſtimonie! what is here comparable to it? riches are deceitfull, pleaſure is a toy, the world is but a bubble, onelyonly our aſſurance of Heaven is the onelyonly reall comfort that we have on earth; who then would not ſtudie to make this certain? if we purchaſe an inheritance on earth we make it as ſure, and our tenure as ſtrong, as the brawn of the Law, or the brain of Lawyers can deviſe, we have conveyance, and bonds, and fines, no ſtrength too much; and ſhall we not be more curious in the ſetling our eternall inherit…nce in Paradiſe? a man can never be too ſure of going to Heaven; and therefore in Gods fear let us examine the teſtimonie of our ſpirits by the inward tokens, and by the outward fruits: let us examine the teſtimonie of Gods Spirit by the means and the difference; and if we find both theſe teſtimonies to accord within us, how bleſſed are we in this vale of tears! it is an heaven upon earth, a Paradiſe in a wilderneſſe, in a word, a comfort in all miſeries, be they never ſo embittered. See a Thief hanging on the Croſſe, an Engine of moſt grievous torture; but who can tell the joy that entred into him before he entred into Heaven? you may gueſſe it by his deſire to be remembred of Chriſt when he came into his Kingdome; he begs not for life, nor pleaſure, nor riches, nor honour, no, there is one thing neceſſary; give him Heaven and he cares for nothing; to this purpoſe doth he addreſſe himſelf to our bleſſed Saviour,Luke 23.37, 39. and he asks— what? if thou be Chriſt, ſave thy ſelf, ſaid the Jews in deriſion, and if thou be Chriſt, ſave thy ſelf and us, ſaid the other Thief to him; but this was onelyonly for the bodies ſafetie: and here is a man quite of another mind, let the Jews rack him tear him, break all his bones, and pull him into atomes, if our Saviour will but do ſo much as remember him in his kingdome, he deſires nothing more: O bleſſed Chriſt ſpeak comfortably to his ſoul that begs it thus vehemently at thy hands! but why do I prevent? the bowels of our Saviour yearn to hear him; remember him? yes, he will remember him, and he ſhall be with him; comfortable news! how leaps his heart at theſe ſo bleſſed words? his deſire is granted, and Heaven is aſſured, and the Spirit of God, yea, the God of Spirits thus teſtifies it to him, to day [ſhalt thou be] with me in Paradiſe.]
Thus farre of the certainty of his ſalvation, thou ſhalt be:] but as the grant is ſweet that is certain, ſo is it yet more acceptable if done with expedition: and here is both the certainty, and expedition, thou ſhalt be, when? to day] with me in paradiſe.
To day.]
OUr Saviour deferres not that he promiſes but as he quickly hears, and quickly grants, ſo he quickly gives him Paradiſe, and a kingdome. This ſudden unexſpected joy makes all more gratefull; to tell us of Crowns and Kingdomes that we muſt inherit, and then to put us off with delayes, abates the ſweetneſſe of the promiſe: men that go to ſuits for lands and livings, though Lawyers feed them with hopes, yet one order after another, ſpinning out time to a multitude of Terms, makes them weary of the buſineſſe: it is the happineſſe of this ſuitour that he comes to an hearing but the higheſt degree of his happineſs was the expedition of his ſuit: no ſooner he motions, Lord, remember me when thou comeſt into thy Kingdome; but the Lord gives him that he asks upon his firſt motion, to day, ere the Sun be down, the Kingdome ſhall be thine, thou ſhalt be with me in Paradiſe.
But you may object, Was there no Limbus Patrum, no Purgatory to run through? but the very ſame day he died, he muſt then go to Paradiſe? no, unleſſe Limbus or Purgatorie be Paradiſe it ſelf, there is no ſuch thing at all. Some there are, that rather then ſay nothing, ſpeak thus; Chriſt giving up the ghoſt, Mox ut Deus exſpiravit ipſe ſecundum animam ad infernos deſcendit, Guliel. Pariſ. cap. 21. ſecundum verbum.his ſoul deſcended into hel, and the very ſame day was this Malefactour partaker of Chriſts beatificall viſion, with the other Patriarchs in Limbus. But of how great difference is Paradiſe and Limbus, we ſhall hear another time: ſure it is, Chriſt promiſed not a Dungeon in ſtead of a Kingdome, nor is Paradiſe a place of pleaſure, of any ſuch imaginary melancholy nature: we conclude then, To day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe,] it is all one, as to ſay, To day, (thy day of death) thou ſhalt be with me in Heaven, and there enjoy me in my Kingdome.
But again you may object, That Chriſt rather that day, deſcended into hel, then aſcended into heaven: The Creed teacheth, that after he was crucified, dead, and buried, he deſcended into hell.
To anſwer the objection; ſome go about thus; by hel (ſay they) is meant Paradiſe, where the ſoul of Chriſt was all the time that his body lay in the grave: If this be not a miſconſtruction, I am ſure it is no literall Expoſition, and me thinks a very ſtrange kind of figure it is, to expreſſe Chriſts aſcent into Paradiſe by his deſcent into hell. Others more probably underſtand Chriſts abode in the grave for the ſpace of three dayes.Aug. Epiſt. 57. Auſtin after ſome turns and wrenches concludeth thus: Eſt autem ſenſus multò expeditior, &c. It is a farre eaſier ſenſe and freer from all ambiguity, if we take Chriſt to ſpeak theſc words, This day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe] not of his Manhood, but of his Godhead; for the man Chriſt was that day in the grave according to the fleſh, and in hell as touching his ſoul, but the ſame Chriſt as God is alwayes every where. Thus he: But this will not ſatisfie all,Perkins on the Creed. and therefore they argue thus againſt it; Theſe words (ſay they) muſt be underſtood of his Manhood, not his God-head: and why ſo? For they are an anſwer unto a demand, and unto it they muſt be ſutable: Now the Thief (ſeeing that Chriſt was firſt of all crucified, and therefore in all likelihood ſhould firſt of all die) makes his requeſt to this effect; Lord, thou ſhalt ſhortly enter into thy Kingdome, remember me then: to which, Chriſts anſwer (as the very words import) is thus much; I ſhall enter into Paradiſe this day, and there ſhalt thou be with me: but the God-head, which is at all times in all places, cannot be ſaid properly to enter into a place, and therefore not into Paradiſe. Again, When Chriſt ſaith, Thou ſhalt be with me in Paradiſe] he doth intimate a reſemblance between the firſt and ſecond Adam: the firſt Adam ſinned againſt God, and was preſently caſt out of Paradiſe: the ſecond having made a ſatisfaction for ſinne, muſt preſently enter into Paradiſe. Now there is no entrance but in regard of the ſoul, or man-hood, and therefore to apply it to the God-head, were to aboliſh this analogy betwixt the firſt and ſecond Adam.
Theſe reaſons are weighty, but ſhould we ſay with Auſtin, That Chriſt in his ſoul went down into hell, one of our Worthies can tell us,R. Clerk D. in D. Serm. that Chriſts ſoul, united to his God-head, might do all that, and yet be that day in Paradiſe: God works not lazily like man: Satan could ſhew Chriſt all the Kingdoms of the world in the twinkling of an eye, and Gods expedition exceeds his. To this agrees another, that we have no warrant in Gods Word, ſo to faſten Chriſts ſoul unto hell for all the time of his death, B. Bilſon, l. of the power of Hel deſtroyed, fol. 219. Rom. 10.7.but that it might be in Paradiſe before it deſcended into hel. That he was in Paradiſe muſt be received, becauſe himſelf doth affirm it, and that he deſcended into the deep muſt be received alſo, for the Apoſtle doth avouch it; but how he deſcended, or what time he deſcended, as alſo what manner of triumph he brought thence, cannot be limited by any mortall man. To conclude, I will not denie, but that according to the Creed, he deſcended into Hell, yet howſoever we expound it, Metaphorically or literally, it hinders not this truth, but that immediately after death his ſoul went into Paradiſe.
The objections thus ſolved, now come we to the Thief thus comforted by Chriſt, to day] ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe.
What? to day? without all doubts or delayes? here's a bleſſed diſpatch, if we either conſider the miſery endured, or the joy to be received.
Firſt, in regard of his miſeries, he was a Thief condemned and crucified: we read of foure kinds of deaths in uſe amongſt the Jews, ſtrangling, ſtoning, fire and the ſword: the Croſſe was a death whether for the pain, the ſhame, the curſe, farre above all other: we may ſee it in that gradation of the Apoſtle, He became obedient to death, even to the death of the Croſſe, Phil. 2.8.Phil. 2.8, What engine of torture was that? it ſpins out pain, it ſlowes his death, yet a little and a little till it be more then any man can think: ſee his hands bored, his feet nayled, his legs broken, every part full of pain from top to toe, and thus hangs this Thief, the poyz of his body every moment increaſing his pain, and his own weight becoming his own affliction; in this caſe were not a quick riddance his beſt remedie? were not the news of death better then a lingring life? Lo then to his eternall comfort, Chriſt our Saviour (in the ſame condemnation) grants him his deſire: What would he have? a diſpatch of pain? he ſhall have it this day] as Samuels appearance ſaid to Saul, To morrow (yea, to day) thou ſhalt be with me.1 Sam. 28.19.
But ſecondly, here's a greater comfort, his miſeries have an end, and his joys are at hand; while he is even gaſping in deaths pangs, he is carried on a ſudden from earth to heaven, from his Croſſe to Paradiſe, from a world of wo to a kingdome of happineſs and eternall bliſſe. O how bleſſed is the change, when in the very moment of miſery joy enters! Suppoſe you a poor man in the night time out of his way, wandring alone upon the mountains, far from companie, deſtitute of money, beaten with rain, terrified with thunder, ſtiff with cold, wearied with labour, famiſhed with hunger, and near brought to deſpair with the multitude of miſeries; if this man upon a ſudden, in the twinkling of an eye, ſhould be placed in a goodly, large, and rich palace furniſhed with all kind of clear lights, warm fire, ſweet ſmels, dainty meats, ſoft beds, pleaſant muſick, fine apparell, honourable company, and all theſe prepared for him, to ſerve him, honour him, and to anoint and crown him a King for ever; what would this poor man do? what could he ſay? ſurely nothing, but rather in ſilence weep for joy: Such, nay, far happier was the caſe of this poor malefactour: he was like the man wandring on the mountains, full of as much pain as the croſſe could make him; but on a ſudden he and our Saviour crucified with him, both meet in his Kingdome: and now, Lord, what a joy enters into him, when he entred into heaven! on Calvary he had nothing about him, but the Iews at his feet, and the nails in his hands, and the Croſſe at his back; in ſtead whereof, no ſooner comes he to Paradiſe, but the Angels, Archangels, Cherubims, Seraphims, all hug him, and embrace him; imagine with your ſelves, how was he aſtoniſhed, and as it were beſides himſelf at this ſudden mutation, and exceſſive honour done unto him! Imagine with your ſelves what joy was that, when he met our Saviour in his glorie, whom that very day, he had ſeen buffeted, ſcourged, crowned, crucified; bleſſed day that could ever bring forth ſuch a change! Beloved, I know not how to expreſs it, but let your ſouls in ſome meditation flie up from Calvarie to Heaven; in the morning you might have ſeen Chriſt and this Thief hanging on two Croſſes, their bodies ſtretched, their veins opened, their hands and feet bleeding in abundance, the one deſiring to be remembred of the other, and the other complaining that he was forgotten of his Father: Matth. 27.46.in this dolefull caſe both leaving the world, ere night they meet again, and now what hugs, what kiſſes are betwixt them? When Joſeph met with Iacob, Gen. 46.26.he fell on his neck (ſaith Moſes) and wept on his neck a good while; but never was any meeting on earth like this in Heaven: here we have a Ioſeph lift out of the dungeon to the Throne, where no ſooner ſet, but our Saviour performs his promiſe of meeting him in Paradiſe, at which meeting the Angels ſing, the Saints rejoyce, all Harps warble, all Hands clap for joy, and the poor ſoul of this penitent Thief, raviſhed with delight, what does it, or what can it do, but even weep for joy (if any weeping were in heaven) to ſee on a ſudden ſo great a change as this?
Ʋſe. And if this be his caſe, who will not ſay with Balaam, Let me die the death of the righteous and let my laſt end be like his? Num. 23 10.O let us (I beſeech you) preſent unto our ſouls the bleſſed condition to come, and this will be effectuall to ſtir us up to every good duty, and to comfort us in all conditions whatſoever: what will a man care for croſſes, and loſſes, and diſgraces in the world, that thinks of an heavenly Kingdome? What will a man care for ill uſage in his Pilgrim…ge, when he knows he is a King at home? we are all (in this time of our ab…ence from God) but even ſtrangers upon …rth; here then muſt we ſuffer in dignities, yet here is the comfort, we have a better eſtate to come, and all this in the mean time is nothing but a fitting of us to that heavenly Kingdome. …s Davids time between his anointing and inveſting was a very preparing of him that he might know himſelf, and that he might learn fitneſſe for to govern aright, ſo we are anointed Kings, as ſoon as we believe, we have the ſame bleſſed anointing that is poured on our head, and runnes down about us, but we muſt be humbled and fitted, before we are inveſted: … time (and but a …) we have yet here to ſpend; and let this be our comfort (howſoever we … here) it is not long ere we inherit. Alas, the … of this life are not worthy of the glory that ſhall be ſhewed us Rom. 8.18.Rom. 8.18. and therefore Ig… i… a burn…g … ſay … gallows, Hieron. in catalogo.beaſts, breaking of my bones, quartering of …y … …ſ…ng of my body all the torments of devils, let them come upon me, ſo I may enjoy the treaſure of Heaven; and well …g… he ſay it, that knew what a ch…nge would be one day … never was cold ſhadow ſo pleaſant … hot Summer, never was … ſo delightfull after …our, as ſhall be this …e…t of heaven to an afflicted …our coming thither out of this valley of tears, O then what ſervice ſhould we do? what pain ſhould we ſuffer to attain this …eſt? were it to runne through fire and water, were it (as Auguſtine ſaid) to ſuffer every day torments you, Aug. ſerm. 31. de ſanct.the very torments of Hell yet ſhould we be con…en… to a…e it; and how much more when we may buy it without money, or money-worth; we need not to part with any thing for it but ſin: This Thief (now a bleſſed Saint in glory)*I ſpeak of ſuffering and repenting as means, not as the cauſe. for a dayes ſuffering, an half dayes repenting, was thus welcomed to Heaven; imitate we him in his repentance, not in his delay, he indeed had mercy at the laſt caſt, but this priviledge of one inferres not a common law for all: one finde merciemercy at the laſt, that none ſhould deſpair, and but one that none ſhould preſume. Be then your ſins as red as Scarlet, you need not deſpair if you will but repent; and leſt your repentance be too late, let this be the day of your converſion, now abhorre ſinnes paſt, ſue out a pardon, call upon Chriſt with this Thief on the Croſſe, Lord, remember me, remember me now thou art in thy Kingdome; thus would we do, how bleſſedly ſhould we die, our conſciences comforting us in deaths pangs, and Chriſt Jeſus ſaying to us at our laſt day here, our day of death, our day of diſſolution, To day ſhalt thou be with me in paradiſe.
We have diſpatcht with expedition this diſpatch, this expedition, to day] the next day you ſhall hear the happineſſe of this grant, which is the ſocietie of our Saviour, thou ſhalt be: with whom? with me] in paradiſe.
With me]
ANd is he of the Societie of Jeſus? yes, though no Jeſuite neither, for they were not then hatcht) but what noble order is this, where the Saints ſing, Angels miniſter, Archangels rule, Principalities triumph, Powers rejoyce, Dominations govern, Virtues ſhine, Thrones glitter, Cherubims give light, Seraphins burn in love, and all that heavenly company aſcribe and ever give all laud and praiſes unto God their Maker? here is a Societie indeed, (I mean not of Babylon, but Jeruſalem) whither Jeſus our Saviour admits all his ſervants, and whereto this Thief on the Croſſe was invited, and welcomed, thou ſhalt be with me] in paradiſe.
For if with me] then with all that is with me, and thus comes in that bleſſed company of Heaven; we will onelyonly take a view of them, and in ſome ſcantling or other you may gueſſe at Heavens happineſſe.
With me] and therefore with my Saints; bleſſed man that from a crew of thieves (by one houres repentance) became a companion of Saints: and now he is a Saint amongſt them, what joy is that he enjoys with them? O my ſoul, couldſt thou ſo ſteal Heaven by remorſe for ſinne, then mightſt thou ſee— what? all thoſe millions of Saints that ever lived on earth, and are in Heaven;Heb. 12.22. there are thoſe holy Patriarchs, Adam, Noah, Abraham, and the reſt, not now in their pilgrimage toſſed to and fro on earth, but abiding for ever on Mount Sion, the City of the living God: there are thoſe goodly Prophets, Eſay, Jeremy, Ezekiel, and the reſt, not now ſubject to the torments of their cruell adverſaries, but wearing Palms, and Crowns and all other glorious Enſigne… of their victorious triumphs: there live thoſe glorious Apoſtles, Peter, Andrew, James, John, and the reſt, not now in danger of perſecution or death, but arrayed in long robes waſhed and made white in the bloud of the Lamb: Revel. 7.14.there live thoſe women-Saints, Mary, Martha, and that Virgin-mother, not now weeping at our Saviours death, but ſinging unto him thoſe heavenly ſongs of praiſe & glory world without end: there are thoſe tender infants (an hundred forty four thouſand, Revel. 14.1.Revel. 14.1, 3, 4.) not now under Herods knife bleeding unto death, but harping on their harps, and following the Lamb whitherſoever he goeth: there lives that noble armie of Martyrs, (they that were ſlain upon the earth, Revel. 18.24.Revel. 18.24.) not now under the mercileſſe hands of cruell tyrants, but ſinging and ſaying their Hallelujahs, ſalvation, and glory, and honour, Revel. 19.1.and power be unto the Lord our God: t…ere dwell all the Saints and ſervants of God (both ſmall and great, Revel. 19.5.Revel. 19.5.) not now ſighing in this vale of tears but ſinging ſweet ſongs that eccho through the Heavens, as the voice of many waters, as the voice of mighty thunderings, ſo is their voice ſaying, Hellelujah, Revel. 19.6.for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. And is not here a goodly troop, a ſweet company, a bleſſed ſocietie and fellowſhip of Saints? O my ſoul; how happie wer't thou to be with them! yea, how happie will that day be to thee, when thou ſhalt meet all the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apoſtles, Diſciples, Innocents, Martyrs, the Saints, and ſervants of the King of Heaven? why thus happie and bleſſed, is this penitent Thief: no ſooner entred he into the gates of Heaven, but there meets him with muſick and dancing, Luke 15.25.all the quire of Heaven, and (Lord) what a joy entred into his ſoul, when his ſoul entred into his maſters joy? Tell me (could I ſpeak with thee that dwelleſt in the Heavens) what a day was that, when ſtepping from the Croſſe, and conducted to Paradiſe, thou waſt there received with all honourable companies and troops above? there did the Patriarchs meet thee, and the Prophets hug thee, and the Martyrs ſtruck up their Harps to bid thee welcome to the Tabernacle of Heaven. Such honour have all his Saints that attain the fellowſhip of the Saints in glory.
But more then ſo, thou ſhalt be with me] and therefore with my Angels: Lo here a bleſſed companie indeed, theſe are the heavenly Choriſters eternally ſinging Jehovahs praiſe: The duplicate page duplicate page Seraphims cry aloud,Eſay 6.3. Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hoſts, an Army anſwer to the antheme, Glory to God on high. The whole Quire of heaven add the burthen,Revel. 4.11. Thou art wortby, O Lord to receive honour, and glory, and power for thou haſt created all things, and for thy ſake they are and were cre…d O heavenly harmony conſiſting of ten thouſand times ten thouſand various ſorts of Muſick!Revel. 5.11. I heard (ſaith John the Divine) that … of many Angels round about the throne, and the number of them was ten thouſand times ten thouſand, thouſand of thouſands theſe are the ſhining and ſinging Starres of which God told his ſervant Job, Job 38.7.The morning ſtarres ſing together, and the ſer… of God ſhout for joy. Theſe are the winged Ch…riſters of …, whom John the Divine heard ſinging their ſong of Hallelujah and Hoſanna, Revel. 19.6.I heard (ſaith he) the voice of a great multitude, as the voice of many waters the voice of …any Angels, ſinging, and ſaying Hallelujah and again Hallelujah theſe are the nimble Poſts of heaven, Gen. 28.12.whom Jacob ſay… thing … and down the Ladder: theſe are the Protectours of the godly whoſe aid God promiſed the Iſraelites; Exod. 23.20.Behold, I ſend an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee to the place which I have prepared. Theſe are the Guardians of ſucking Infants, of whom our Saviour told his Diſciples that in,Matth. 18.10. Heaven their Angels alwayes behold the face of his Father; theſe are the armies of God, who meeting Jacob in his journey,Gen. 32.2. he ſaid this is Gods Hoſts theſe are the Spirits and Miniſters of God whom David deſcribing by the purity of their ſubſtance, and readineſſe of their obedience, he calls the Angels ſpirits and his Miniſters a flame of fire. Pſal. 104.4.They are ſhining and ſinging ſtars winged choriſters, nimble Poſts of heaven, Protectours of the godly guardians of children, the armies of the Almighty, the Spirits and Miniſters of the great Jehovah.
What bleſſed companie is this we ſhall enjoy in heaven▪ there is nothing in them but is amiable, nothing in them but is admirable: O that this clay of ours ſhould come to dwell with th…ſe incorporeall ſpirits! and yet ſee here a man a thief … the … of men;) by his confeſſion, and contrition, and faith in Chriſt is now become a companion with Angels.
Nor is that all, thou ſhalt be with me] not onelyonly with my Saints and Angels, but with me] (with my ſoul) in Paradiſe. His ſoul indeed was there, though his body at that time was in the grave; and if the ſoul be it that makes us men, what a paſſing great joy is that, when men ſtanding amongſt the Angels ſhall ſee their Lord, the Lord of heaven, not to be an Angel, but a man? Here is the ſolace of Saints, when they ſhal ſee & ſay, who is yond that rules on the Throne of heaven? who is yond that ſits on the right hand of God the Father? and they ſhal anſwer themſelves again, it is he that for us became man; for the ſalvation, it is he that of our ſouls hath took upon him a body & ſoul. And think now with thy ſelf whoſoever thou art that readſt (if thou wilt but ſpend thy few evil dayes in his fear, & ſo die in his favour) what a comfort will it be unto thee to ſee that Lamb ſitting on his ſeat of ſtate? If the wiſe men of the Eaſt came ſo far, and ſo rejoyced to ſee him in the Manger, what will it be to thee to ſee him ſitting and glittering in his glory? If John Baptiſt did leap at his preſence in his mothers belly, what ſhall his preſence do in his royall and eternall Kingdome? It paſſeth all other glories (ſaith Auſtin) to be admitted to the ineſtimable ſight of Chriſt his face, Auguſt.and to receive the beams of glory from the brightneſſe of his Majeſtie: nay, ſhould we ſuffer torments every day, or for a time the very pains of hell it ſelf, thereby to gain the ſight of Chriſt, and of his Saints, it were nothing in compariſon. No wonder then,Phil. 1.23. if Paul deſire to be diſſolved and to be with Chriſt. Alas, who would not be ſo? O moſt ſweet Saviour (ſaith one devoutly) when ſhall this joyfull day come? when ſhall I appear before thy face? when ſhall I be filled with thy excellent beautie? when ſhall I ſee that countenance of thine, which the very Angels themſelves are ſo deſirous to behold? an happie time ſure will it be to each faithfull ſoul: And thus happie was this man, he parted ſorrowfully with our Saviour on the Croſſe, but he met him joyfully in his Kingdome: thoſe ſweet ſouls that both left the world at one time, no ſooner had heaven gates opened unto them, but with mutuall kiſſes they embraced each other in unſpeakable manner.
Nor was this all, thou ſhalt be with me,] not onelyonly with my ſoul, but with my God-head: this indeed was the height of bliſſe, the very ſoul of heavens joy it ſelf; ſet aſide this, and crown a man with the Empire of all the earth, the ſplendour of heaven, the royall endowments of a glorified ſoul, the ſweeteſt company of Saints and Angels, yet ſtill would his ſoul be full of emptineſſe, and utterly to ſeek for the ſureſt Sanctuary whereon to reſt: onelyonly once admit him to the face of God, and then preſently, and never before, his infinite deſire exſpires in the boſome of his Maker: I denie not but the other joyes in heaven are tranſcendent and raviſhing, but they are all no better then acceſſories to this principall, drops to this Ocean, glimpſes to this Sunne. If you ask how can our ſouls enjoy this God-head? I anſwer, two wayes; firſt, by the underſtanding; ſecondly, by the will. The underſtanding is filled by a clear glorious ſight of God,1 Cor. 12.12. called Beatificall viſion; we ſhall ſee him face to face, ſaith Paul, 1 Cor. 13.12. We ſhall ſee him as he is, ſaith John, 1 John 3.2.1 John 3.2. For as the Sunne by his beams and brightneſſe illightens the eye, and the air, that we may ſee not onelyonly all other things, but alſo his own glorious face: ſo God, bleſſed for ever (in whoſe preſence ten thouſand of our ſuns would vaniſh away as a darkſome mote) doth by the light of his Majeſtie, ſo irradiate the minds of all the bleſſed, that they behold in him, not onelyonly the beautie of all his Creatures, but of himſelf; and thus ſhall we ſee and know that glorious myſtery of the Trinitie, the goodneſſe of the Father, the wiſdome of the Sonne, the love and comfortable fellowſhip of the holy Spirit; nothing that can be known, but in him we ſhall know it, in moſt ample manner.
Secondly, the will is for ever ſatisfied with a perfect inward, and eternall communion with God himſelf; Chriſt that is God and man, by his Man-hood aſſumed uniteth us unto God, and by his God-head aſſuming uniteth God unto us, ſo that by this ſecret and ſacred communion, we are made partakers (and as it were poſſeſſours) of God himſelf: O bottomleſſe depth, and deareſt confluence of joyes and pleaſures everlaſting! here is the perfection of all good things, the Crown of glory, the very life of Life everlaſting. And well may it be ſo, for what can the ſoul deſire, God will not be unto her? It is he that is eminently in himſelf beauty to our eyes, muſick to our ears, honey to our mouthes, perfume to our noſtrils, light to our underſtanding, delight to our will, continuation of eternitie to our memorie; in him ſhall we enjoy all the varieties of times, all the beautie of creatures, all the pleaſures of Paradiſe. Bleſſed Thief, what a glory was this to be admitted to the ſocietie of Chriſt in his Deitie! thou ſhalt be with me?] how then ſhould he be but happie? Where could he be ill with him? Ʋbi malè poterat eſſe cum illo? ubi bene poterat eſſe ſine illo? Aug. Pſal. 16.11.where could he be well without him? In thy preſence there is fulneſſe of joy, and at thy right hand there are pleaſures evermore; joy, and fulneſſe of joy: pleaſures, and everlaſting pleaſures: Bleſſed are all they that live in thy houſe, O Lord, for they ſhall praiſe thee eternally world without end, Pſal. 84.4.Pſal. 84.4.
You ſee now Heavens ſocietie, they are Saints and Angels, and Chriſt, and God bleſſed for ever and ever.
Ʋſe. 1 Who then would not forſake Father and Mother, the deareſt fellowſhip of this world to be with Chriſt in his Kingdome? You that love one another in the deepeſt bonds, who cannot part out of this life but with the ſurvivours grief, and hearts break: tell me what a merry day will that be, when (you ſhall not onelyonly meet again, never more to part aſunder, but when) Chriſt our Saviour ſhall gladly welcome you (every one of you) into his ſocietie, thou ſhalt be with me,] and let me ſpeak to the joy of us all, I mean all broken-hearted Chriſtians, (as for you that are profane ones, you have your portion here, therefore ſtand you by, and let the Children come to their ſhare) a day will come, I truſt in the Lord, when I ſhall meet you, and you me in the Kingdome of heaven: a day will come, I truſt in the Lord, when you and I ſhall be all admitted into the ſocietie of God, and of Chriſt, and of his Saints, and of the Aagels: a day will come, I truſt in the Lord, when with theſe eyes we ſhall behold our Redeemer, together with that Thief that was crucified with him: a day will come, I truſt in the Lord, when we ſhall meet again with all the Saints that are gone afore us: and is not this a comfort? what ſhall we ſay when we ſee our Saviour in his Throne, waited on with Mary his Mother, and Magdalen and Martha, and Lazarus, and Paul, and Peter, and all the Apoſtles and Diſciples of our Lord and Saviour? yea, when this Thief ſhall be preſented to our view, the wounds in his hands and his feet ſhining like Starres, and Pearls, and Rubies, all his body glittering in glory, and his ſoul magnifying the Lord for his converſion and ſalvation world without end.
Ʋſe. 2 But ſtay, leaſt we be lead too forward, there is no ſuch thing for us, if now we are not in the Covenant of grace: heaven is both happie and holy, and if we would enjoy heaven, then we muſt fit our ſelves to that eſtate to which God hath preſerved us: to this purpoſe ſaith the Apoſtle, Our converſation is in heaven, from whence we look for the Saviour, Phil. 3.20.Phil. 3.20. He was aſſured of heaven, and therefore he converſed as a Citizen of heaven before he came there, every way he …rried himſelf (as much as earth would ſuffer him) like them that live in heaven: and thus muſt we (if ever we go to heaven) become like to thoſe that are in that place. Deceive not your ſelves, neither Whoremongers, no Adulterers, nor Extortioners, nor the like ſhall enter into the Kingdome of God, 1 Cor. 6.9.1 Cor. 6.9. Do men who live in theſe ſinnes without all remorſe or repentance ever think to go to heaven? is it poſſible that ever any fleſh ſhould go out of the puddle into Paradiſe?Matt. 25.41. no, no, Away ye workers of iniquitie, I know you not, ſaith our Saviour: let no man cheriſh preſumptions of an heavenly Kingdome, except he abſtain from all ſinnes againſt Conſcience. What then? but ſo live we here as becomes his ſervants, and thus when we part, it is but for better companie: we loſe a few friends, but we ſhall find him that welcomes all his with this heavenly harmonie, thou ſhalt be—with whom? with me,] in Paradiſe.
Hitherto of the Society. The laſt thing conſiderable is the place or Ʋbi where his ſoul arrived; but of that hereafter, as the Lord ſhall inable me. God give us all grace …o to live here that howſoever we go hence one after another, yet at laſt we may all meet together with our Lord and Saviour in his heavenly Paradiſe.
In Paradiſe.]
ANd where was that? our Adverſaries ſay in Limbus, and yet (to give them their due) Bellarmine ſo means not as that Limbus was Paradiſe, Illa enim verè Paradiſus deliciarum eſt, non corporalis, aut localis, ſed ſpiritualis & coeleſtis. Bellar. de 7. verbis Domini l. 1. cap. 4.but that in Limbus this thief had his Paradiſe, to wit, the viſion of God: The viſion of God (ſaith Bellarmine) is a true Paradiſe indeed, not locall, but ſpirituall. But with Bellarmines leave we have no ſuch ſenſe of Paradiſe, in any part of holy Writ. In the old Teſtament we read of an earthly Paradiſe, wherein Adam lived; in the new Teſtament we read of an Heavenly Paradiſe, whither Paul was caught, yet both theſe were locall, for the one (ſaith Moſes) was a garden Eaſtward in Eden, Gen 2.8.Gen. 2.8. and the other (ſaith Paul) was in heaven, which he calls the third heaven, 2. Cor. 12.2.1. Cor. 12.2, 4 and that Paradiſe in my Text muſt be underſtood of Heaven, this reſemblance confirms; the firſt Adam ſinned againſt God, and was preſently caſt out of that Paradiſe on earth; the ſecond Adam made ſatisfaction for ſinne, and ſo muſt preſently enter into this Paradiſe of heaven: becauſe of the ſinn of the firſt Adam, both he and all his poſterity were thruſt out of Eden; becauſe of the ſufferings of the ſecond Adam, both he, and we, this Thief, and all believers, are to go into heaven. So then this Paradiſe whither Chriſt is gone, and this Thief went with him, what is it? but as Paul calls it, the third heaven? or as the Thief himſelf ſtyled it in his prayer to our Saviour, Remember me; where? in thy Kingdome.
And if this be it we call Paradiſe, what can we ſay of it? It is not for us (ſaith Bernard) in theſe earthly bodies to mount into the Clouds, Bern. ſuper Cant. ſerm. 38.to pierce this fulneſſe of light to break into this bottomleſſe depth of glory; this is reſerved to the laſt day, when Chriſt Ieſus ſhall preſent us glorious and pure to his Father, without ſpot or wrinkle. And yet becauſe God in his Word doth here give us a taſte of heaven, by comparing it with the moſt precious things that are on earth, let us follow him ſo far as he hath revealed it, and no further.
In the midſt of Paradiſe is a Tree of Life, Rev. 2.7.Revel. 2.7. and this Tree bears twelve manner of fruits, yielding her fruit every MonethMonth, Rev. 22.2.Rev. 22.2. What more pleaſant then life? and what life better then where is variety of pleaſure? here is a tree of life, and the life of the tree; a Tree of life that renews life to the eaters, and the life of the tree bearing fruit every monethmonth, and as many moneths ſo many fruits; ſuch are the varieties of heavens joyes, where youth flouriſheth that never waxeth old, change of delights and choiſe too entreth that never knoweth end. But look we a little further: Iohn that calls this place Paradiſe, Revel. 2. calls this Paradiſe a City, Rev. 21.Rev. 21. from the 10 verſe to 24. and hereof he gives us the quantitie and quality, the bigneſſe and beauty: firſt for the greatneſſe of it; An Angel with a golden Reed mea…ures it, and and he finds the length and the breadth, and the height of it are equall. Secondly, for the beautie of it, The Walls (ſaith he) are of Iaſper, and the foundation of the Walls garniſhed with all manner of precious ſtones, the twelve gates are of pearls, and the ſtreets paved with pure gold: there is no need of Sun or Moon: for the glory of God lightens it, and the Lamb (Chriſt Ieſus) is the light thereof. See here the excellency of this City: on which words to give you a ſhort Comment,
Wee'l begin firſt with the Greatneſs of it: The Angel ſets it down twelve hundred Furlongs, verſ. 16. Yet that we may know this certain number; it is but figuratively taken; you may gheſſe at the meaſurable magnitude of this Citie, by thoſe many Manſions, ſpoken of by Chriſt, John 14.2.John 14.2. In my Fathers houſe are many Manſions: How many? ſo many (ſaith one) as would ſuffice infinitis mundis, Rolloc. in Joh cap. 14.a thouſand worlds of men, and though all the men in this one world attain not to it, it is not for want of room, but of will, They believe not in him who hath prepared theſe ſeats for them. And gheſſe it you may by that incredible diſtance betwixt Heaven and Earth. Some Aſtronomers compute, that betwixt us onelyonly and the ſtarrie Frmament, there is no leſſe then ſeventy four Millions,Caſman. foreign. ſeven hundred three thouſand, one hundred, eighty miles; and if the Empyreall Heaven (as many ſay) be two or three Orbs above the Starrie firmament, how many more miles is it then beyond? and the further it is diſtant (we all know well enough) the heavens being Orb-wiſe, and one comprehending another, that which is furtheſt or higheſt muſt needs be the greateſt; hence is it that Scriptures compare the height of Heaven (and conſequently the magnitude) to the perfection of God paſt finding out; Canſt thou by ſearching find out God?—it is as high as heaven, what canſt thou do? Job 11.8.Job 11.8.
Secondly, If ſuch be the immenſity, what think you is the beauty? It is a moſt glorious Citie, whoſe walls are of Iaſper, whoſe building is of gold, whoſe gates are of pearls, whoſe foundation of precious ſtones: and if ſuch be the gates and ſtreets, what then are the inner rooms? what are the dining Chambers? what are the lodging rooms? O how unſpeakable is the glory of this Citie! Kings ſhall throw down their Crowns before it, and count all their pomp and glory but as duſt in compariſon; and well they may: for what is an earthly Kingdome to this heavenly Paradiſe? where is mirth without ſadneſs, health without ſorrow, life without labour, light without darkneſſe, where every Saint is a King, adorned with light as with a garment, and clad in the richeſt robes that God beſtows upon a creature.
But that which more eſpecially commends the beauty of this Citie, is the luſtre of it, There is (ſaith Iohn) no need of Sun or Moon, it is verus foreign, wholly light it ſelf,Zanch. de Coelo beatorum, cap. 4. not like the ſtarrie firmament, beſpangled here and there with glittering ſpots. It is all as it were one great, one glorious Sun, from every point it pours out abundantly whole rivers of pureſt light, and then what a light is this?
Nor is this all; for the glorie of God lightens it, and the Lamb is the light thereof; beſides the native luſtre, there is the glorie of God, the glory of all glories; this is it for which Moſes prayed, O Lord, I beſeech thee ſhew me thy glory; to whom God anſwered, thou canſt not ſee my face and live, —but I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, Exod. 33.18, 20, 21, 22, 23.and will cover thee with my hand while my glory paſſeth by; then will I take away my hand, and thou ſhalt ſee my back parts: but my face ſhall not be ſeen. And if Moſes face ſhone ſo bright with ſeeing Gods back-parts, that the Iſraelites were afraid to come nigh him, and that he was fain to cover his face with a veil while he ſpake unto them, Exod. 34.30, 33.how bright then is Paradiſe, not onelyonly lightened with the back-parts of God, but with his own divine glory? From the majeſtie of God (ſaith a modern) there goes out a created light, Zanch. de Coelo beat. l. 1. c. 4.that makes the whole Citie glitter, and this being communicated to the Saints, God thereby cauſeth that they ſee him fully face to face.
Again, The glory of God, and the Lambe of God both give their lights; that Lambe that was ſlain from the beginning of the world, that body of his once crucified, now brighter then ten thouſand Suns, O how infinitely glorious doth it make this Paradiſe, this Citie of God? His countenance is as the Sun that ſhineth in his ſtrength, ſaith Iohn, Revel. 1.16.Revel. 1.16. But what ſtarres are thoſe in his hands and his feet? Where the nayls pierced, now it ſparkleth; where the ſpear entred now it glittereth gloriouſly: if we look all over him,Ibid. v. 14, 15. his head and his hairs are as white as ſnow, his eyes are as a flame of fire, his feet like unto fine braſſe, as if they burned in a furnace: no wonder then if ſuch beams come from this Sun (the Sun of righteouſneſſe) that all heaven ſhines with it from the one end to the other.
And yet again the Lambe, and the Saints all give their lights; for we know that when he ſhall appear, we ſhall be like him, 1. Joh. 3.2.1. John 3.2. how like? why, he ſhall change our vile bodies, that it may be faſhioned like unto his glorious body, Phil. 3.21.Phil. 3.21. In what like? even in this very quality; for they that be wiſe ſhall ſhine, Dan. 12.3.Dan. 12.3. How ſhine? as the brightneſſe of the Firmament: nay more, as the ſtarres, ſaith Daniel: nay more, as the Sun, ſaith our Saviour; nay, yet more ſaith Chryſoſtome: howſoever the righteous in heaven Heaven are compared to the Sun, Matth. 13.43.Matth. 13.43. Chryſoſt. in Matth. Hom. 6It is not, becauſe they ſhall not ſurpaſſe the brightneſſe of it; but the Sun being the moſt glittering thing in this world, he takes a reſemblance thence onelyonly towards the expreſſing of their glory. Now then what a maſſe of light will ariſe in Paradiſe, where ſo many millions of Sunns appear all at once? If one Sunne make the morning sky ſo glorious, what a bright ſhining and glorious day is there, where's not a body but 'tis a Sunn? Sure it is,Revel. 21.23. There ſhall be no night there no need of candle▪ no need of Sunne, or Moon, or Star. O that this clay of ours ſhould be partakers of ſuch glory! what am I O Lord, that being a worm on earth, thou wilt make me a Saint in heaven? this body of earth and duſt ſhall ſhine in heaven like thoſe glorious ſpangles in the firmament; this body that ſhall rot in duſt and fall more vile then a Carrion, ſhall ariſe in glory, and ſhine like the glorious body of our Saviour in the mount of Tabor. To come neer my Text: See here a Saint-Thief ſhining gloriouſly he that was crucified with our Saviour at whoſe death the Sun hid her face with a veil, now he reigns in glory without need of Sunn: for he is a Sunn himſelf, ſhining more clearly then the Sun at noon; he that one day was faſtened to a Croſſe, now walks at liberty through the ſtreets of Paradiſe, and all the joyes, all the riches, all the glory that can be is poured upon him. What elſe? He is in Paradiſe, and what is Paradiſe but a place of pleaſure? where ſorrow is never felt, complaint is never heard, matter of ſadneſs is never ſeen, evil ſucceſs is never feared, but in ſtead thereof there is all good without any evil, life that never endeth, beauty that never fadeth, love that never cooleth, health that never impaireth, joy that never ceaſeth; what more could this penitent wiſh, then to hear him ſpeak that promiſed Paradiſe, and per…ed his promiſe, To day thou ſhalt … with me in Paradiſe.]
And thus in a Map have I … Paradiſe] for quantitie great, for quality glor…, … better, when you ſhall walk through the … obſerve the towers, fully contemplate the glory … that you may, not w… of application before I ….
Ʋſe 1 Meditate then with what ſweet delight every… ſervant of God may bath himſelf before hand even in this valley of tears! Did we but think on this glori… place, … …hoſe heavenly manſions prepared for us, did we ſpend many thoughts upon it, and ever and anon ſigh and ſeek after it until we came to the fingering and poſſeſſion of it; O how would theſe heavenly meditations raviſh our ſouls, as if Heaven … before we entred into Heaven! Conſider of this in what …ſe ſoever we are, whether we are vexed, or injured, or oppreſſed, or perſecuted for the name of Chriſt; there is nothing ſo imbittered, that a thought of heaven will not ſweeten: Yet I ſay not that w… are onelyonly to think of it, withall let us ſtrive and ſtrain to get into this golden Citie, where ſtre… … …te… …nd all is gold and pearl; nay, where pearl … no…hing worth in compariſon of thoſe things which ſhall be revealed unto … faithfull ſoul.
Ʋſe 2 On the other ſide, Conſider with your ſelves what fools are they who deprive themſelves willingly of this endleſſe glory, who bereave themſelves of a room in this City of Pearl, for a few carnall pleaſures, what Bedlams and humane beaſts are they, who ſhut themſelves out of Paradiſe, for … rie pelf? What ſots and ſenſeleſſe wretches are they, who wittingly and wilfully bar themſelves out of this Palace, for the ſhort fruition of wordly traſh and …. As for you of whom I hope better things, let me adviſe you for the love of God, for the love of Chriſt, for the love that you b… to your own ſoule, that you will ſettle your affections or things above, and not on things beneath; and then you ſhall find o… l…y the comfort of it when leaving this world, the Spirit of G…ſt ſhall whiſper to your ſouls this happy tidings, To day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe.]
Here is an end: Shall I now caſt up the accounts of what I have delivered you? The Total is this:
Every ſinner that repents and believes, ſhall be ſaved: you need no other inſtance then this Thief on the Croſſe, at one hearty tear, one penitent prayer, Lord, remember me in thy Kingdome, the Lord gives him his deſire; ſee here the fiat, thou ſhalt be] the expedition, to day] his admiſſion, with me] the place whither he is inducted, it is into Paradiſe.] and there now he officiates, doing ſervice to God without ceaſing, world without end. O Lord, give me grace ſo to repent and believe, that whenſoever I go hence, that day I may be with thee in Paradiſe. AMEN▪
SO… DEO …L…
Printed for Nath. Webb, and William Grantham, at the Grey-hound in Pauls Church-yard. MDCL.
End of the text · Isaac Ambrose, The Last things (1650)