Dying Thoughts Upon Philippians 1:23, Appendix · Part 3

Dying Thoughts Upon Philippians 1:23 · Appendix · Part 3

p. 300What ſenſible manifeſtation of his Kingdom, Chriſt gave in his Transfiguration.

§ 1. Our Lord who brought Life and Immortalility to Light, well knew the difficulty of believing ſo great things unſeen: And therefore it pleaſed him to give men ſome ſenſible helps by demonſtration. In Mat. 16. & 17. 1, 2. &c. Mark 9. 1. Luk. 9. 28. he promiſed ſome of his Diſciples a ſight of his Kingdom as coming in power; or ſuch a glimpſe as Moſes had of the Backparts of God's Glory: This he performed firſt in his Transfiguration, as afterward in his Reſurrection, Aſcenſion, and ſending the holy Ghoſt to enable them with power, to preach and work Miracles, and convert the Nations.

§ 2. By the Kingdom of God, is meant God's Government of his Holy ones by a heavenly communication p. 301of Life, Light and Love initially on Earth, by Grace, and perfectly in Heaven by Glory. A ſpecial Theocracy.

§ 3. For the underſtanding of this we muſt know, that when God had made Man good, in his Image, he converſed with him in a heavenly manner, either immediately, or by an Angel ſpeaking to him, and telling him his will. But Man being made a free ſelf-determining Agent, he was left to chooſe whom he would follow: And hearkening unto Satan, and turning from God, he became a Slave of Satan, and gave him advantage to be his deceiving Ruler: Not that Man's rebellion nullified God's Power, or diſpoſing Government, or took Man from under Obligation to Obedience: but that forſaking God he was much, though not wholly forſaken by his ſpecial fatherly approving Government, and left to Satan and his own will: But the eternal Word interpoſing for Man's Reprival and Redemption, undertook to break the Serpents Head, and to conquer and caſt out him that had deceived and captivated Man: And chooſing out a ſpecial Seed he made them a peculiar People, and ſet up a heavenly Prophetical Government over them, himſelf by heavenly Revelation making their Laws, and chooſing their chief Governours under him, from time to time, and would not leave it to blind and ſinful Man to make Laws or chooſe Princes for themſelves, but would keep them in a ſpecial dependance upon Heaven. But the carnal Iſraelites having provoked God by odious Idolatry to deny them much of the benefit of Government (ſave when they repented and cryed to him for help) they thought to amend this by chooſing a King like other Nations, and ending their dependance on heavenly Revelation and choice for Government: And ſo p. 302Theocracy was turned into a more humane Regiment, and God more caſt off: Though yet he would not quite forſake them. And the reſt of the World was yet more left under the power of Satan and their own corrupted mind and will. So that Satan hath both an Internal Kingdom in wicked Souls, and a viſible Polititical Government of the wicked Kingdoms of the World, ruling them by men that are ruled by him. And as Chriſt came to caſt him out of mens Hearts by his ſanctifying conquering Spirit, ſo alſo to caſt him out of the Political Government of the Kingdoms of the World, and to bring them under the Laws, and Officers, and Spirit of Chriſt, and rule them by heavenly Power and Love as his own Kingdoms, that he may bring them to Perfection in one Celeſtial Kingdom at laſt. And in this ſenſe we pray, Thy Kingdom come.

§ 4. To make men believe that he is the heavenly King ſent from God to caſt down Satans Kingdom, was the great buſineſs of the preaching of the Goſpel: This he would demonſtrate, as by all his Miracles which ſhewed him to have the Victory of Devils, and to be the Lord of Life, ſo alſo by viſible Apparition in Glory. And as it is ſaid, 1 Joh. 5. 7, 8. that there are three Witneſſes in Heaven, and three on Earth, ſo here Chriſt would have three heavenly, and three earthly Witneſſes of his Transfiguration. From Heaven he had the Witneſs, 1. Of a Voice proclaiming, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed, hear him. 2. Of Moſes the chief Lawgiver. 3. And of Elias the chief Prophet; to tell us that the Law and the Prophets, are his prognoſticating Witneſſes: But [Hear him] notifieth to us, that Chriſt and his Goſpel are to be heard above the Law and the Prophets, and to teach p. 303us more than they could teach us: The Law was given by Moſes, (with its types and ſhadows,) but Grace and Truth (the ſubſtance ſo typified) are by Jeſus Chriſt.

§ 5. Light and Glory are often of the ſame ſignification. Chriſt was transfigured into a lucid glorious appearance of Body: He tells us by this, that he would have us have ſome ſort of Idea of his Kingdom, fetcht from ſenſe, many Apparitions of Angels have been in lights. Chriſt appeared to Saul in a viſible light, Act. 9. So did he to John, Rev. 1, &c. God and the Lamb are the Light of the New Jeruſalem. It is an inheritance of the Saints in Light.

Some ſeem to me to think too baſely of Senſe, and too far to ſeparate it from Intellectual Spirits both as to Power, Act, and Object: And all becauſe they find it in lower Creatures. They might accordingly deny ſubſtantiality to Spirits, becauſe Bruits are ſubſtances: The higher have all the Perfections of the lower, either formally or eminently. It is not a Spirits Perfection to be inſenſible, or to have nothing to do with ſenſible things, but to be eminently ſenſible, and to be Superiour Agents on lower ſenſibles. GOD IS LOVE: And LOVE is Complacency: And a high degree of Complacency is Delight or Joy. So that God is Eſſential Infinite Joy: But without that droſſie quality which is proper to Souls in Fleſh, and all that Imperfection which belongs to Creatures. Can we tell what it is to enter into our Maſters Joy, or Joyfully to love and praiſe him, without any ſenſe: I rather think that as vigorous Youth maketh men capable of more delight than decrippt, languid, …ainful Age and Sickneſs, ſo Heaven ſhall by perfecting our Natures, make them capable of unconceivably more joy than any on Earth is capable of. p. 302duplicate page p. 303duplicate page

p. 304And as we ſhall have Senſe in Exaltation as to power and act, ſo we ſhall have ſenſible Objects. God himſelf delighteth in all his works; and ſo ſhall we: we muſt not on pretence of taking the heavenly Jeruſalem to be meerly Spiritual, deprive our ſelves of all the ſenſible Idea's of it which God's deſcription offereth to u… Light is ſenſible: Chriſt glorified there is ſenſible: Moſes and Elias were ſenſible to Peter, James, and John. Lazarus and Abraham were ſenſible to the Man in Hell, Luke 16. Stephen ſaw Heaven open and Chriſt ſitting at the right Hand of God: And all Eyes ſhall ſee him at his glorious return. Heavenly Glory is not enjoyed only by meer THINKING and knowing, nor as in a Dream: but by the moſt eminent Intellectual ſenſation exalted and invigorated.

§ 6. Say not then, O my Soul that this Kingdom of Glory is ſo far above thee, that thou canſt have no Idea of it: Think not that it is therefore unmeet for thy deſiring and joyful hopes, becauſe thou canſt not know what it is: Haſt thou no conception of the difference between Light and Darkneſs? If thou hadſt been but one Year kept in abſolute darkneſs, wouldſt thou have no deſiring thoughts of light? The Blind think themſelves half dead, while they are alive. Indeed the Faculty and Object muſt be ſuitable: Light may be too great for our weak Eyes, as heat may be torment in an unſuitable degree: but when our Souls are perfected, they will be ſuitable Recipients of a more glorious Light than we can here endure: Moſes is not there covered in a cleft of the Rock, becauſe he could ſee but as the back parts of God's Glory. We muſt ſee here but as in a Glaſs: but there as Face to Face. Though theſe Organical Eyes as Spectacles ſhall be laid by, we ſhall have Media more perfect ſuitable to our perfect ſtate.

p. 305And as I can think of Heaven as a Region of glorious Light, ſo can I think of it as a place and ſtate of Life and Love: I know ſomwhat of the difference of Life and Death; and that a living Dog is better than a dead Lyon. And I have felt what it is to love my Friends, and thence to deſire their near communion as my delight. And can I then have no Idea of that World, where Life, Light and Joyful Love are the very Element of Souls, as Water is to the Fiſhes.

And as I can have ſome Idea of that ſtate in general, ſo may I of the ſtate of the perfected Spirits of the Juſt which are there. They are con-natural to their proper Element. They are Eſſential created Life, Light, and Love. And they want not ſubſtance to be the Baſis of thoſe formal Powers, nor Objects on which to exerciſe them. Think not then that Heaven is ſo far unconceivable as not by any Idea to be thought of: If we have no Conception of it, we can have no deſires of it, and no delightful hope. What can we conceive of more certainly, than of Life, and Light, and Love; of a Region, and of Perſons eſſentiated of theſe? Do we not know what Knowledge is? and ſee what Light is? and feel what Life and Love are?

But it's true that our Conceptions hereof are lamenmentably imperfect; and ſo they muſt be till Poſſeſſion, Fruition, and Exerciſe perfect them. Who knoweth what Light or Sight is, but by Seeing; or what Knowledge is but by knowing? Or what Love, and Joy are but by loving and rejoicing? And who knows what Perfect Sight, Knowledg, Love, and Joy are, but by perfect Seeing, Knowing, Loving, and Rejoicing? No Man by an intuitive or immediate perception: But ſome abſtractive Conceptions of it we may have by reaſoning deduction, from that poor Degree p. 306which we here in the Kingdom of Grace poſſeſs.

Can I perceive ſubſtantiality in the dark terrene appearances, which are but mutable lifeleſs matter agitated and uſed by inviſible Powers and ſhall I think of thoſe unſeen powerful ſubſtances as if they were leſs ſubſtantial for being Spiritual, or were not Objects for a knowing Thought. Are the Stars which I ſee leſs ſubſtantial than a Carkaſs in a darkſom Grave? The Lord that appeared in ſhining Glory, hath Members in their meaſure like himſelf; and hath promiſed that we ſhall ſhine as Stars in the Kingdom of his Father: If ſome degree of this be here performed in them who are called the Children of Light, and the Lights of the World, how much more will they ſhine in the World of Light. They that call Light a quality or an Act, muſt confeſs it hath a ſubſtance whoſe quality or act it is. Alas, what a deceived thing is a ſenſual Unbeliever; who ſpendeth his Life in the purſuit of fugitive ſhaddows, and walketh in a vain ſhew, and thinks of Spiritual glorious ſubſtances, as if they were the nothings or deluſions of a Dream?

§ 6. Chriſt, Moſes and Elias here viſibly appeared as three diſtinct individual Perſons: This tells us that it is a falſe conceit that Death ceaſeth Individuation, and turneth all Souls into one: (of which before:) Perfect indiviſible infinite Unity is proper to God: From this One is multiplicity. Reaſon forbids us when we ſee the numberleſs individuals in this World, and ſee alſo the numerous Stars above, to imagine that all the Worlds above us have ſo much of Divine Perfection, as to be but one undivided ſubſtance, and to have no multiplicity of Inhabitants. Yea, ſome of thoſe Sadduces hold that the Stars are Worlds inhabited as the Earth is. And p. 307why then ſhould they think whither ſoever Souls go, that they ceaſe their individuation) When they go among individuals? But Chriſt hath confuted them even to Senſe. Moſes is Moſes ſtill, and Elias is Elias ſtill: And all our Friends that are gone to Chriſt, are the ſame ſtill that they were, and may be called by the ſame Names. Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob are the ſame in Heaven; and Lazarus was Lazarus in Abraham's boſom. When we lay by Fleſh, and are uncloathed, we put not off our perſonality: Every one ſhall receive his own reward, according to what he hath done in the Body, when every one muſt give account of his own works and talents.

Why then may I not with diſtinct conceptions and joyful deſires look after the Souls of my departed Friends, that are now in the Celeſtial Kingdom? Though malignity hath ſcorned me for naming ſome few in my Saints Reſt, being ſuch as the Despiſers hated; yet I forbear not on ſuch accounts to Solace my ſelf by naming more, but becauſe they are more than it's fit to number. In all places where I have lived, how many excellent Souls (though here they were not perfect) are gone to Chriſt? How ſweet is the remembrance of the communion which I had with many of them in Shrewsbury and other parts of Shropſhire? Of many at Dudley and the adjoining parts: Of Multitudes at Kiderminſter, Bewdley, and other parts of Worceſterſhire: Of abundance at Coventry, and other parts of Warwickſhire: And of many where I have ſojourned in other parts of the Land: And above all in London, and the adjoining parts? As Mr. How hath elegantly expreſt it in his excellent Character of my excellent and dear Friend Mr. Richard Fairclough: What a Multitude of Bleſſed Saints will ariſe at the laſt Day out of London? p. 306duplicate page p. 307duplicate page p. 308and this Earth is as it were hallowed with the Duſt and Relicts of ſo many bleſſed Souls. But it's Heaven that is ſpangled with theſe Spiritual Stars: The place honoured with them, and they with it, and all by Chriſt. We are like Infants, or Lambs, or other young ones, that cry for their Dams if they be but out of ſight; though they are never ſo near, if they ſee them not, they cry as if they were not, or had forſaken them. As Chriſt told his Diſciples, that it was needful for them that he departed from them, and yet their Hearts for this were ſorrowful, till the Holy Ghoſt came upon them, as better than Chriſt's fleſhly preſence, to prepare them joyfully to follow him; ſo we think of our Friends as almoſt loſt to us by ſeparation, till the heavenly Spirit tell us where they are, and prepare us to deſire to be with them.

§ 6. Elias hath a Body now in Heaven; and ſo hath Henoch: But can we think that only two or three that are there with Chriſt do ſo much differ from all the reſt, as to have Bodies when the reſt have none? Is there ſuch a diſſimilitude of Saints in Heaven? What are two or three in ſuch a Society? Doubtleſs their Bodies are not corruptible Fleſh and Blood, but ſuch Spiritual Bodies as all Saints ſhall have at the Reſurrection. But are they in Heaven ſuch viſible and ſhaped Bodies as they appeared on the Mount? The ſame difficulty poſeth us about the riſen Body of Chriſt: He would not have Mary touch him becauſe he had not yet aſcended to his Father? He could appear and vaniſh from their ſight at his pleaſure: And yet Thomas handled him, and felt that he had Fleſh and Bones: That Body of Fleſh aſcended viſibly up toward Heaven: And yet it is not Fleſh and Blood in Heaven, but a Spiritual Body: For it is not worſe than he will make p. 309his Members. What ſhall we ſay to theſe things? We muſt ſay, That we are not capable of knowing them, but have Reaſon to be thankful that we may know ſo much, more neceſſary for us: But yet it ſeemeth probable that the Bodies of Chriſt, and Henoch, and Elias were changeable according to the Region in which they were to be: Chriſt could take up a Body of Fleſh and Blood, and immediately change that ſtate of it into a pure incorruptible Spiritual Body, as it entered into the incorruptible Spiritual Region: And ſo God did by Henoch and Elias: As Paul ſaith, that we ſhall not all die (thoſe that live till Chriſt's appearing) but we ſhall all be changed. And yet if Elias have buſineſs on the Mount, he can put on the cloathing of a groſſer Body to be ſo ſeen of men, and can lay it by or return to his more inviſible Spiritual ſtate when he returneth to the place from whence he came. And no wonder, when Angels (and the Ancients ſay, Chriſt before his Incarnation) aſſumed Bodies ſuitable to their ſeveral buſineſſes on Earth; yea, ſuch as could eat and drink with men; when yet they dwelt not in Heaven ſo courſly cloathed.

§ 7. But how came Moſes to have a Body on the Mount, who is ſaid to have been buried, and therefore took none with him into Heaven? We muſt ſtill remember that we enquire of things above our certain knowledge: But in humble conjecture we may ſay, That it's no more impoſſible for Moſes to aſſume ſuch a Body as he appeared in on the Mount, for that occaſion, than for Angels to appear in humane ſhapes; and departed Souls too, as many Apparitions have told men. And if bad Souls can do it, why not good ones when God will have it? The Tradition ſeemeth but a Jewiſh Dream, that God kept the Body of Moſes uncorrupted in the Grave; and that this was it that the Devil is ſaid to ſtrive for againſt Michael, p. 310that the Body might be corrupted. (And ſay others, that at this Transfiguration it roſe again.) There need no ſuch conceits to our ſatisfaction. The Soul of Moſes could aſſume a Body.

§ 8. But ſtill the diſſimilitude of Henoch and Elias from all the Saints in Heaven, is an unreſolved difficulty. If we knew that God would have it ſo, it might ſatisfie us. But there is a ſymmetry in the Body of Chriſt. And it's like that the ſame Region hath Inhabitants of the ſame Nature. What ſhall we think then? That Henoch and Elias at their entrance into thoſe Regions laid by their Bodies, and became ſuch as Abraham, and other holy Souls? Why are they taken up to be ſo laid by? (The corruptibility no doubt they did lay by.) God knoweth: but its much unknown to us. Or ſhall we think as all thoſe Fathers cited by Fauſtus Regienſis, and as Dr. More, and ſome of late, that all Spirits are Souls. and animate ſome Bodies; and ſo that all in Heaven have ſome Bodies: If ſo, what Bodies are they? And how differ they from the Reſurrection ſtate? As the Soul here operateth in and by the Igneous Spirits in our Bodies, it may be ſo lodged in theſe as to take ſome of them with it at Death, as the life of a dying Plant, yet dieth not in the Seed. And a Man may be ſaid to go unclothed to Bed, though he put not off his ſhift or neareſt Garment, and to be clothed again when he puts on the reſt: And at the Reſurrection, as there will be a New Heaven and Earth, ſo Spirits now in Heaven may have much more delightful buſineſs on the New and Righteous Earth, than now they have, and therefore may have uſe for an additional Body, as much differing from what they have now in Heaven, as the New Earth, and their employment there require; and as the Seed doth differ from the Plant. And Spirits being communicative p. 311will be more happy by more communication. As God delighteth to do good to all his works, ſo the Souls now confined to Heaven, will delight to be employed in doing good to the New Earth, and to animate the Bodies ſuited to ſuch work. Though now they have uſe for no other than ſuch Spiritual lucid Receptacles as are fit for the Regions where they dwell. And it will be no debaſement or dejection for a Spirit now in Heaven to animate a Body at the Reſurrection fit for the New Earth; no more than it was to Angels to ſpeak to Adam, and to Moſes, to Abraham, Jacob, Manoah, and others; or then it is to the Sun to enlighten and enliven things on Earth.

It is a fooliſh thing to think as ſome do, that departed Souls will be as dormant, and unactive, as in Apopletick or Sleeping Perſons, for want of Organized Bodies to act in. Spirits are Eſſentially Active, Intellective, and Volitive: And will God continue ſuch Eſſential Powers in vain? Moſes and Elias wanted not Bodies: And thoſe in Heaven can praiſe Jehovah and the Lamb with holy concordant Love and Joy; whether in any ſort of ethereal Bodies or without, we ſhall ſhortly know.

§ 8. It is ſaid that Moſes and Elias talked with Chriſt: This ſheweth that Chriſt hath familiar communion with the Bleſſed. He that would come into Fleſh on Earth; and live with Man in an humbled ſtate, and refuſed not familiar converſe with poor men and women, and would eat and drink with Publicans and Sinners, will not refuſe everlaſting near familiarity with the glorified: If the Church be his dearly beloved Spouſe, and as it were one with him, as his Body, ſurely he will be no ſtranger to the leaſt and loweſt Member of it.

§ 9. But what was it that they talkt about? Luk. 9. 31. ſaith, They appeared in Glory, and ſpake of his p. 312deceaſe which he ſhould accompliſh at Jeruſalem. This was not to make it known to Chriſt, who came into the World to die for ſin: What then was it for? Did Chriſt tell them of it, as not knowing it before? That is not likely neither. Did he need their comfort, as Angels in his trials miniſtred to him and ſtrengthned him? The particular uſes of this ſpeech we know not? But in general we know it was ſomwhat preparatory to his great Sufferings and Death.

And muſt Chriſt's Sufferings and Death have ſuch preparation, and muſt not mine have much premeditation, and do I not need the conſolatory meſſages of God? Carnal men would rather have choſen pleaſanter diſcourſe, than the talk of Sufferings and Death. But that which muſt be undergone, and requireth greateſt ſtrength, muſt be forethought of, and requireth the moſt preparing Thoughts. It's worſe than madneſs to be ſurprized with Sufferings and Death, before it's ſeriouſly forethought of? So ſharp a trial and ſo great a change, require the greateſt preparation. He that can refuſe to ſuffer and die, may refuſe to talk or think of it. If Chriſt muſt have men from Heaven to talk with him of his Croſs, what cauſe have we to ſtudy the Croſs? Even all our lives to foreſee it, and by obedient conſent to ſubmit unto it, and take it up to follow Chriſt, and even to determine with Paul to know nothing in the World but Chriſt and him Crucified, that is, to take this for the only needful and excellent Learning: But, alas, how ſenſleſly is Death and Suffering talkt of till it comes! We are to learn how to ſuffer when ſuffering is upon us; and to learn how to die till Nature or the Phyſician paſs the ſentence of Death on us at hand. And it is God's Mercy to ſome of us to make our ſufferings long, that we may have p. 313a competent time of learning. As we learn to write by writing, and to diſcourſe by diſcourſing, and every Art and Trade by practice; even ſo by ſuffering we learn to ſuffer. And the Leſſon is very hard: Malefactors ſuffer without Learning, whether they will or not, but to ſuffer Obediently with Child-like affections is the Leſſon to be learnt. O little, too little do many honeſt Chriſtians think how much of their moſt excellent Obedience conſiſteth in Child-like holy Suffering. Therefore they little expect it, and provide for it: And then they are overwhelmed with the unexpected ſurprizal when it comes. Even in the ſufferings which men bring on the Faithful for Righteouſneſs ſake, how many ſhrink and ſhift off their duty, or venture on forbidden things for ſafety, becauſe they were not prepared for it: The loſs of goods or impriſonment and want, ſeem to many almoſt unſufferable trials: But I can tell ſuch by ſome experience, that bodily pain and torment is a far greater trial, which none of them is ſecured from; and requireth greater ſtrength of Faith, obediently to accept it at the Hand of God. And others can tell them, that the violence of temptations, and the terrours of God on a wounded Conſcience, and troubled Soul, are yet far harder than all theſe. And theſe are the ſaddeſt becauſe they make the mind unfit at preſent to improve them, and to refer them to Holy Ends and Uſes. Chriſt in all his Agony, and even when he cryed out on the Croſs, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me, had his Intellectuals free and perfect, to know the Nature, the Reaſon, the uſes and end of all his Sufferings: But ſo have not many poor diſtreſſed, troubled, diſtracted Souls. O how great a part of Chriſtianity is it, to underſtand and rightly bear the Croſs? Moſt of our care is how to p. 314eſcape it, or to be delivered from it, rather than how obediently to bear it.

§ 10. Experience of a ſuffering painful ſtate, is a great help to our underſtanding of the Goſpel: It taketh off from me the ſcandal of Chriſt's Croſs, and helpeth me to perceive the great uſe and reaſons of it, when I am under ſufferings. O what need have I of ſuch an example as Chriſts. All the parts of his ſuffering are as uſeful to teach me how to ſuffer as the Ten Commandments to teach me what to do. That he was put to fly from proud domineering Phariſees, falſe Teachers and worldly Rulers, and to converſe moſt with the Poor in Wilderneſſes or obſcure various places? That he was hated and perſecuted for doing good, and accounted a Sinner for neglecting mens Ceremonies, and Traditions: That he was hardly believed even by them that ſaw his Miracles: And his own Diſciples were ſo ſlow in learning; and that in his ſuffering they all forſook him and fled, and one denied him with Oaths and Curſes. All theſe are inſtructing Inſtances; That Chriſt's natural (though ſinleſs) averſation to Death and Suffering, and his fear, ſhould be ſo powerful, and the ſenſe of God's puniſhing Juſtice ſo terrible, as to make his Soul ſorrowful even to the Death, and caſt him into an Agony, where he ſwate Water and Blood, and to pray thrice that the bitter Cup if poſſible might paſs from him, which he came into the World to drink; all theſe alſo are teaching parts of the Sufferings of Chriſt; That Rulers, and Prieſts, and Souldiers, and the Rabble ſhould agree to Scorn him; Cloth him in deriſion, Spit on him, Buffet him, Scourge him, make him their Jeaſt that came to ſave them; that they ſhould make a Sinner of him that never ſinned, but came to deſtroy it and ſave p. 315men from it; yea, to make him no leſs than a Deceiver, a Blaſphemer, and an uſurping Rebel againſt Caeſar, and write this laſt as his Accuſation on his Croſs, thinking to leave his Innocency no Vindication or Defence; for the Lord and Saviour of the World to undergo all this, is very inſtructing to a ſuffering Believer: That he ſhould as ſuch a Malefactor be reviled on a Croſs, and numbred with Tranſgreſſours, and his ſide be pierced, and he there cry out to his Father as forſaken by him: That thus dying he was buried, and his Soul went to the place of ſeparated Souls, and yet into Paradiſe; they are excellent Leſſons which may be learnt from all this.

I am not to ſuffer for others, nor to make God's Juſtice a ſatisfying Sacrifice for ſin, as Chriſt did: But I muſt ſuffer God's Fatherly Corrections, and the caſtigation of paternal healing Juſtice: I muſt be ſaved as by Fire, and paſs through this Purgatory that I may be refined: I muſt ſuffer from Chriſt and for Chriſt; for my ſin, and alſo for Righteouſneſs ſake: And I muſt with a filial Juſtification of God's Holineſs and chaſtening Juſtice, bear his indignation becauſe I have ſinned againſt him: I am predeſtinated to be conformed to Chriſt's Image, in ſuffering and in ſanctity, Rom. 8. 30. &c. Yea, I muſt count all things loſs for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord, for whom I muſt not refuſe to ſuffer the loſs of all things, and count them Dung that I may win him, and be found in him—and not only know the power of his Reſurrection, but alſo the fellowſhip of his Sufferings, and be made conformable to his Death, Phil. 3. 8, 9, 10. Paul rejoiced in ſuch infirmities, and in his Sufferings for the Church, filling up that which was behind of the afflictions of Chriſt in his Fleſh, Col. 1. p. 31624. Peter bids us Rejoice in as much as we are partakers of Chriſt's Sufferings, that when his Glory ſhall be revealed, we may be glad alſo with exceeding Joy, 1 Pet. 4. 13. If we ſuffer with him, that we may alſo be glorified with him: Rom. 8. 17. It is a great gift to ſuffer for his ſake, Phil. 1. 29. It is for the Kingdom of God that ſuch ſuffer, 2 Theſſ. 1. 5. It is happineſs and joy to ſuffer for Righteouſneſs ſake, for well doing, 1 Pet. 2. 10. & 3. 14, 17. & 4. 15, 16, 19. Mat. 5. 10, 11. It is the ſufferings of Chriſt that abound in ſuch that their conſolations may abound, 2 Cor. 1. 5.

But, alas, I ſuffer much more for my own ſin, than for Chriſt and Righteouſneſs. But even this alſo by the Croſs of Chriſt is ſanctified, and made a great remedy againſt my Sin. As Chriſt ſuffered for our ſins, and yet merited by his Suffering; ſo if we accept the caſtigatory puniſhment, and Exerciſe Repentance, and Mortification in our ſuffering, and an obedient ſubmiſſion to the Rod, God will take this as acceptable Service, and bleſs it to our further good.

§ 11. But how is it that Chriſt is ſaid, to learn obedience by the things that he ſuffered, and ſo to be made perfect? Heb. 5. 8, 9. was he unlearned and imperfect before? He had no culpable imperfection. But his ſatisfactory mediation was imperfect till it was all performed: It was not perfectly done; and when it was done he thereby was conſtitutively made a perfect Mediator: as he ſaid upon the Croſs, It is finiſhed: And as his humane Nature received additional acts of knowledge, as he grew up and converſed with more Objects, and ſo is ſaid to increaſe in Wiſdom (as Adam knew the Creatures when he ſaw them;) ſo he had a new acquaintance with Obedient ſuffering, when he was under the experience of it; and is ſaid to learn it, in that he now exerciſed it.

p. 317And ſhould not my ſuffering be God's School; ſhould I not learn obedience by it? Surely, as it ſmartly tells me of the evil of former diſobedience, ſo it calls me to remember in whoſe hands I am, and with whom I have to do, and what is my duty in ſuch a ſtate? God can do no wrong to his own: He will do nothing finally hurtful to his Children. In all our afflictions he is ſaid to be afflicted, to ſignifie that he afflicts not willingingly, or without our provocation. Juſtice is good, and holineſs is good; and it's good for us to repent and be weaned from the Fleſh and World: And all good muſt be loved, and the means as ſuch: Sharp Heart-breaking Sermons are unpleaſing to Nature; and yet to be loved for their uſe. And afflictions are God's powerful Sermons: The proud and hardened are forced to hear them, who ſcorn and proſecute Preachers for ſpeaking the ſame things: And ſhall Believers under ſufferings be untaught. Words are but Words, but ſtripes go by forcible ſenſe unto the Heart: Obedient ſubmiſſion to the greateſt pains, is a ſerious acknowledgement of God's Dominion, and of his Wiſdom and Love, and the certain hopes of a better life. Impatience hath in it ſomwhat of Atheiſm, or Blaſphemy; God is not duely acknowledged and honoured. Job's Wife would have had him thus purpoſly provoke God, to end his miſery by Death: As if ſhe had ſaid, Speak no more well of him, by whom thou ſuffereſt ſo much, nor honour a God that will not help thee: But Patience ſaith, Mic. 7. 7. I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my Salvation: my God will hear me.

Impatience ſheweth a miſunderſtanding of God's dealing with the afflicted; but patience yieldeth, becauſe it underſtandeth whence all comes, and what p. 318will be the fruit and end. A Man that is let Blood for his life, is not impatient with the Chyrurgion; but a Beaſt will ſtrive, and a Swine or Child will cry.

Our burdens are heavy enough of themſelves: Impatience maketh them heavier, and is more painful than the thing which we ſuffer: Some have gone mad with croſſes which oft to another would have been light. Patience is our cordial and nepenthes: yea, the Health of the Soul by which it is able to bear its infirmities. In our patience we poſſeſs our Souls, Luk. 21. 19. whatever elſe we loſe, we loſe not our ſelves. He that keepeth his Faith, and Hope, and Love by patience keepeth his Soul. But the impatient loſe themſelves; as if their other loſſes were not enough. A poor Man ſingeth that gets his living only by his Day-labour: When a Lord or Knight would be tormented with ſorrow, if he were reduced to his degree. Striving under our yoak and burden maketh it Gall the more: And we cannot ſo hopefully or comfortably pray for deliverance from the pain which we make our ſelves, as from that which God layeth on us: Though alſo there, we muſt pray for the Grace that muſt ſave us from our own impatience.

Patience preventeth many ſins; which impatience cauſeth: Hard thoughts of God, if not hard and unſeemly Words; Job ſinned not nor charged God fooliſhly: Impatience tempteth men to think that Piety and Prayer are in vain, and to condemn the Generatition of the Juſt, and to leave off Duty, and ſay, Why ſhould I wait on God any longer; yea, and to venture on falſe and ſinful means, in hopes of deliverance and eaſe.

Were it to men, we have much to allay our impatience: But againſt God impatience hath no juſt excuſe. p. 319Infinite Power, Wiſdom, and Goodneſs can do nothing that deſerveth blame: We have God's Promiſe that All things ſhall work together for our good: And is he not to be truſted? Or is the means of our good to be accuſed?

Impatience, is unſeemly for them that believe that heavenly Reſt and Glory are at hand; where all their pains and ſorrows will end. Were a Man on the Rack, and were ſure to have all that he deſired after it, he would the more eaſily endure it. Why elſe did the Martyrs ſo patiently ſuffer? It's incongruous to complain of any thing that brings a Man to Heaven.

Chriſt was himſelf Innocent, and yet accuſed not God for his ſufferings. But we ſuffer juſtly for our faults; and it's ſo much leſs than they deſerve, that the ſins which we ſuffer moſt for are ſaid to be forgiven us, in that the everlaſting puniſhment is forgiven: Should we ſo often ſinfully pleaſe the Fleſh, and yet muſt it not ſmart? Shall we ſo often grieve the Spirit of God, and not be grieved? Shall we loſe our time, neglect our duty forget our home, fall in love with the World, and yield to temptations, and defile our Souls with filth and vanity, and muſt not correction tell us of our ſinful folly? If we ſuffer for our faults and bear it patiently, it is not thanks worthy, 1 Pet. 2. 20.

Our merciful Father doth uſe to ſhame us for our impatience, by the bleſſed end of our Afflictions. The End that God made with Job ſhewed the reaſonableneſs of his Patience: When our afflictions are over, do not all Believers ſee cauſe of thankfulneſs for them, and ſay, It is good for me that I was afflicted? The pain is paſt, and the benefit remaineth. And if all that's paſt was Mercy to us, why ſhould we much fear that p. 320which is to come. Heaven will end all, and ſhame impatience for ever.

Our patience is much of our perſeverance: What a deal of labour do thoſe impatient men loſe, that learn and pray, and are ſomwhat Religious, and have not patience at the laſt aſſault to bear the trial, but fail when they ſeemed to be near the Crown?

Hold out then poor deſponding Soul: Lift up the Hands which hang down, and the feeble Knees, and run with patience the Race which is ſet before thee, looking to Jeſus who for the joy that was ſet before him, endured the Croſs. God will not deceive thy hopes! Sin hath brought pain and death on Man; but Chriſt hath ſanctified it, and is the Lord of Life. Yet a little while, and the heavenly Poſſeſſion ſhall turn thy ſorrows into everlaſting Joy, and thy moans and groans into thanks and praiſe, and there ſhall be no more ſickneſs, pains or death. O fooliſh unbelieving Hearts that cry out of ſuffering, and fear deliverance; that would fain be free from all affliction, and yet fly from the only ſtate of freedom: That are impatient under their calamity, and yet afraid of paſſing to the only reſt.

§ 12. But it is neither Pain alone, nor Death alone that will ſufficiently try our ſtrength and exerciſe our Faith and Patience. It muſt be Great Pain (and often Long) in order to a certain or expected Death. Theſe two conjunct were the Caſe of Chriſt. The torment of his Agony, Scourging, Crucifying, Piercing and Deſertion, and the certainty of Death that followed. Great pain with hopes of recovery and eaſe, may be born even by a worldly Man: Becauſe there is ſtill the worldly hope of better; and ſo there is no denial of All, while Life it ſelf is not denied: We muſt receive p. 321the Sentence of Death in our ſelves, if we will find that we truſt in God alone, and truſt him as one that raiſeth the Dead, that is, for another and better life.

As long as a Man hath any hope of life and eaſe, a Man's Faith is not tried to the uttermoſt, by actual forſaking all. And yet an eaſy Death alone, doth not fully try a Man: For they that know that all muſt die, may ſubmit to this, who cannot bear long pains before it. But great and long pains, and the Sentence of Death together are the trial.

And if God will ſo try me, why ſhould I repine? Fleſh will groan, but the Mind may obediently ſubmit. It is but Fleſh: that Fleſh that hath tempted and impriſoned my Soul. I have too much loved it, and am too loth to leave it? And is it not Mercy from God to make me weary of it? God is engaged againſt Idols; that is, all that is loved and pleaſed before him: and if any thing, that's likeſt to be this Fleſh. It's corruptibility tells us that both its pleaſure and its pain will be but ſhort. Long pain is uſually tolerable: And intolerable pain will conquer Nature and not be long. The Grace of Chriſt is ſufficient for us, and his ſtrength is manifeſted in our weakneſs, when he will not take the Thorn out of our Fleſh, though as Chriſt and Paul did, we pray thrice or oftner.

And to be impatient with Death is to repine that we are born Mortal men; and to fly from Heaven and all true Hopes, and all the Felicity purchaſed by Chriſt? And is this renouncing the World, and truſting Chriſt for Life everlaſting? And why fear we that which endeth all our pains and fears? A true Believer never ſuffereth ſo much, but his Mercies are far more and greater than his ſufferings. His Soul is united to Chriſt: His hopes of Heaven have a ſure Foundation: He is ſealed up to p. 322Glory: Reſt and Joy are near at hand. And former Mercies ſhould not be forgotten: And ſhould not ſuch men patiently endure? O what a ſhameful contradiction is it, to chooſe Heaven as our only Portion, to believe in Chriſt for it, and to ſeek it as the buſineſs of all our lives, and yet to be loth to die, that we may obtain it, and to fly with fear from that which we ſo ſeek and hope for? What a contradiction is it to call God our God and Father, the God of Love, and to call Chriſt our Gracious glorified Redeemer, and yet to Fly from his preſence with diſtruſtful fear? Almighty love may correct us, may kill us, but it cannot finally hurt true Believers.

So much of Moſes and Elias diſcourſe of the Sufferings and Death of Chriſt.

§ 13. Sure it is not true that the Souls of the Fathers before Chriſt's coming did not enter into Heaven, but lay in ſome inferiour Limbus? For Moſes and Elias came from Heaven; their ſhining glory ſhewed that, and their diſcourſe with Chriſt, and the Voice and glory that went with them. And it is not to be thought that they were ſeparated from the reſt of the Souls of the Faithful, and with Henoch were in Heaven by themſelves alone, and the reſt elſewhere. Though it's ſaid that God's Houſe hath many Manſions, and there are various degrees of Glory, yet the bleſſed are all Fellow-Citizens, of one Society, and Children in one Family of God. And they that came from Eaſt and Weſt, ſhall ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdom of God; and Lazarus is in Abraham's boſom, and the believing Thief with Chriſt in Paradiſe.

§ 14. It ſeems that Moſes and Elias appeared thus, to fore ſhew the Reſurrection of Chriſt, and of the Faithful, and to make it eaſier to the three Diſciples to believe it. Why ſhould they doubt whether Chriſt p. 323ſhould riſe, when they ſaw Moſes that was riſen before him: And why ſhould they doubt of the Reſurrection of the Faithful and the Glory following, when they ſaw theſe glorified Saints? Some think that this Apparition was for the ſtrengthening of Chriſt himſelf, whoſe humane Nature had uſe for ſuch Miniſtry alſo of Angels: But it's more certain that it was for the ſtrengthening of the Diſciples Faith, and of ours by their Teſtimony. As it's ſaid, Joh. 12. 30. This Voice came not becauſe of me, but for your ſakes.

§ 15. It is much worth our noting, in what a Communion this Specimen of the Kingdom of Heaven was repreſented in the holy Mount. Here was a Voice of God and a glimpſe of his Glory: Here was our Redeemer in a glimpſe of his Glory: Here was a Moſes, and Elias in a glimpſe of their Glory: And here were three beloved Diſciples, yet in the Fleſh, and in weakneſs of Faith which needed ſuch confirmation, God our Father, and our Saviour, the Saints of Heaven, and thoſe on Earth, are all of one Society or Kingdom, there is a near relation, and a near communion among them all. When the Eternal Word diſdained not ſo wonderful condeſcenſion, as to come to us in the form of a Servant, even of a poor deſpiſed Crucified Man, it's leſs wonder that Moſes and Elias ſhould come down as his Witneſſes and Servants Heb. 12. 23, &c. The heavenly Jeruſalem, and City of the Living God, of which we are Enrolled Burgeſſes or Heirs, hath many parts: There is the Aſſembly of the firſt Born, and innumerable Angels, and the Spirits of the Juſt made perfect, and Jeſus the Mediator of the New Cov…nant, and God the Judge of all. O what holy, glorious, joyful Company ſhall we have above? Chriſt and his Angels will not deſpiſe the leaſt of Saints.

§ 16. But what was the Introduction to this Apparition p. 324and Transfiguration? It was Chriſt's praying; Luk. 9. 28, 29. He went up into a Mountain to pray: and as he prayed he was transfigured: Surely, this is written to invite and encourage us to pray. We are in greater need than Chriſt. It's folly in Unbelievers to think Prayer vain, becauſe God is unchangeable. We are not unchangeable: And the exerciſe of Faith, dependance on God and true deſires, being the Conditions required in a due Receiver, maketh thoſe Bleſſings become our…s, which elſe we had been uncapable of God who commandeth fervent Prayer, hath promiſed to anſwer it. Though we muſt not think to be the Rulers of the World, nor have whatever our Fleſh or ſolly doth deſire, becauſe we ask it earneſtly; yet true Prayer is the appointed way for obtaining what we need, and is beſt for us, and we are fitted to receive. And as Chriſt had this wonderful return to his Prayers, his Servants have experience that their choiceſt Mercies for Soul and Body, have come this way.

§ 17. Though the three Diſciples were admitted to this glorious Society, how different was their caſe from that of Chriſt, and Moſes, and Elias? In the beginning of the heavenly concourſe, they were aſleep with heavineſs: Even while this glorious Company ſtood near them: Alas, ſuch is our infirmity in Fleſh, and ſuch a Clog are theſe earthly Bodies to us, that when God is preſent, and Heaven is before us, and we have the greateſt cauſe to watch and pray, a heavy, weary, ſluggiſh Body, even fettereth an active Spirit, and we ſleep or turn away in wandering Thoughts, when we ſhould ſeriouſly converſe with Chriſt and Heaven: Alas, what unworthy Servants hath our Lord! Are ſuch as theſe meet for his work, his Love, his Acceptance, or his Kingdom? But, O how merciful a Saviour have we, p. 325who taketh not his poor Servants at the worſt, but when they after ſerved him thus in his Agony, he gently rebuketh them; Could you not watch with me one Hour: and that with an excuſe, The Spirit is willing, but the Fleſh is weak.

§ 18. It is a matter of great Moment to underſtand in what caſes this excuſe will hold, and our weakneſs will not make the willingneſs of the Spirit unacceptable to God. If a Drunkard, Fornicator, or other Senſualiſt ſhould ſay, My Spirit is willing to leave my ſin, but my Fleſh is weak, and in temptation doth prevail, Video meliora probo que , &c. This excuſe would not prove God's forgiveneſs. If a Man live in known ſin, which he could forbear were he truly willing, and ſay, To will is preſent with me, but to do I am unable; it is not I but ſin that dwelleth in me; this would be but a frivolous excuſe: And yet to the ſleepy Diſciples it was a good excuſe; and I think to Paul, Rom 7. where then is the d…fference? There are ſome acts of Man, which the will hath not power to rule, and ſome that it can rule: The will hath not power always to keep a ſleepy Man awake: This ſleep might be of the Fleſh without any will at all: And this excuſeth from all guilt: There are ſome acts of Man which the will cannot rule, but by a great degree of power and endeavour: As perhaps with much ado by preventing and reſiſting diligence the Diſciples might have kept awake: In this caſe their ſleep is a fault, but a pardoned fault of weakneſs. Some Perſons are liable to inordinate Fear and Grief, which ſo ſurprizeth them by the Conſtitution of their Bodies, that the greateſt unwillingneſs would not hinder them. And ſome could do more to reſiſt theſe paſſions than they do, but very hardly with the greateſt diligence. Theſe are accordingly excuſable in degree. p. 326Paul would have perfectly obeyed God's Law, and never have ſinned: But there is no Perfection in this Life: Meer Imperfection of true Grace which is predominant in the will, doth not damn men. But there are acts which are ſo ſubject to the will that a ſincere will, though imperfect, can command them: He that doth theſe (or doth the contrary) it is not becauſe he ſincerely would and cannot, but becauſe he hath but uneffectual wiſhes, and is not ſincerely willing, if he know them to be what they are. Eſpecially if they be materially great ſins which he yieldeth to, which true Grace more ſtrongly reſiſteth than it doth an idle word, or thought, or action. In ſhort, all omiſſions or commiſſions in which the will is poſitively or privatively guilty, are ſinful in ſome degree: but only theſe do damn the Sinner, which are inconſiſtent with the predominant Love of God, and Heaven, and Holineſs, in the Soul.

§ 19. When the Diſciples awaked they ſaw theſe glorious ones in converſe! Did they hear what they ſaid, or did Chriſt after tell them? The later is moſt probable: Doubtleſs as Moſes tells us how God made the World, which none could tell him but by God's telling them firſt; ſo the Apoſtles have written many things of Chriſt, which they neither ſaw nor heard, but from Chriſt that told it them by Word or Inſpiration. How elſe knew they what Satan ſaid and did to him in his Temptations in the Wilderneſs, and on the Pinacle of the Temple? How knew they what his Prayer was in his Agony? And ſo in this inſtance alſo. But Chriſt's own teſtimony was enough to put them out of Doubt, to them that daily ſaw his confirming Miracles.

§ 20. How great a difference was there between Mount Sinai and this Mount? When, God delivered p. 327the Law to Moſes, that Mount was terrible in Flame, and Smoak, and Thunder, ſo that the People trembled and fled: But now here is nothing but Life, and Light, and Love from Heaven. A merciful Redeemer whoſe Face ſhined as the Sun, with heavenly Company, appearing nearly to the Diſciples, pittying and bearing with their heavineſs and infirmity, ſtrengthning their Faith and Hope, and proving to them a Reſurrection and a heavenly Kingdom, by a viſible Apparition of ſome of its Poſſeſſors. This was not a frightful, but a confirming delectable ſight: The Law in terrour was by Moſes, but Grace and Truth, Peace and Pleaſure are by Chriſt.

This was an inviting and delighting▪ and not an affrighting Apparition: Was it not a ſhameful infirmity and a ſin, that Peter ſhould deny Chriſt after ſuch a ſight as this; and the reſt of the Diſciples forſake him and fly? What! after they had ſeen the Kingdom of God come in Power, and Chriſt's Face ſhine as the Sun in its brightneſs? Could they forget all this? Or could they doubt whether he or his Perſecutors were the ſtronger, and liker to prevail at laſt? O how frail, how uncertain, how bad a thing is depraved Man?

But though Chriſt found them aſleep, and though he foreknew that they would forſake him, he forſook not them, nor uſed them as they deſerved, but comforted them with a glimpſe of Heaven. For he died for his Enemies.

§ 21. But this was but once in all the time of his abode among them. It was an extraordinary Feaſt, and not their daily Bread: They had Chriſt ſtill with them, but not tranſfigured in Glory, nor Moſes and Elias in their ſight: We are too apt to think that if God give us a joyful extraordinary glimpſe of Heaven, we muſt have it always; or that he forſaketh us, and caſtus p. 328off when he denieth it us! O that we were as deſirous of Holineſs and Duty, as we are of the Joy which is the reward! But our Father, and not we, muſt be the chooſer both of our Food and Feaſt. Moſes did not dwell on Mount Nebo, that he might ſtill ſee the Land of Promiſe: It was enough to have one ſight of it before his death. As Fleſh and Blood cannot enter into Heaven, ſo it's little of Heaven that entereth into it.

§ 22. When the Diſciples awake they ſee his Glory, and the two men that ſtood with him: It muſt not be a ſleeeping but an awakened Chriſtian, that will have a ſight of heavenly Glory! As we muſt love God with all the Heart, and Soul, and Might, all muſt be awakened in ſeeking him, and in attending him, before we can have a joyful foretaſt of his Love. Carnal ſecurity, ſupine neglect, and dull contempt, are diſpoſitions which render us uncapable of ſuch delights. Heavenly joys ſuppoſe a heavenly diſpoſition and deſires. Angels ſleep not, nor are clogged with Bodies of Clay: Earth hath no Wings; It muſt be holy vivacity that muſt carry up a Soul to God, notwithſtanding the fetters of Fleſh. It is with each others Souls in the Body that we converſe together on Earth. And it is not ſluggiſh, but lively Faith, and fervent deſire that muſt converſe in Heaven, with Moſes and Elias, and our living Head.

§ 23. But how did Peter know Moſes and Elias, whom he had never ſeen before? Perhaps glorified Saints do bear each one his notifying Signature, and need not names and ſound of words to make them known: Perhaps Chriſt told the Diſciples who they were that talked with him: Perhaps he made them know it by Inſpiration, as Prophets have their knowledge. Any of theſe ways God could notifie them: It … not needful that we know which of them it was. But p. 329that they were known is certain. We ſhall be no Strangers to any Saints in Heaven; and therefore not to our old acquaintance. Whether we ſhall have any greater love to them, or delight in them, for old acquaintance ſake, or becauſe they were inſtruments of our good on Earth, I know not: But I know that our love to them with whom we had Holy comfort on Earth, may well render Heaven more familiar to us now, and more ſuitable to our deſires: O how great a number of my godly Friends are there? They are ſo many that I cannot make a Catalogue of their Names; but the Memory of abundance of them doth delight me. And when we meet there we ſhall be far better known to each other, then we were to the moſt intimate on Earth.

O let Chriſtians now ſo converſe together, as remembring that they muſt meet in Heaven, where all that was ſecret will be brought to light. If we now put on any Vizor, and ſeem better than we are, if we hide any ſin or baſe corruption; if we by fraud or falſhood deceive our Friends, all this will be opened when we meet in Heaven. It is a daily grief and ſhame to my Soul, to think of the ſins that I have committed againſt ſome that are now in Heaven, which I either excuſed, extenuated or hid: And to think how much evil they will know of me there, which on Earth they knew not by me. But God who pardoneth them, will cauſe his Servants there to forgive each other; but the detected ſin for all that will be an odious ſhameful thing. Lying and Hypocriſie are there no cloak, but an aggravation of the ſhame. If we cannot confeſs and take ſhame to our ſelves by repentance upon Earth, how ſhall we appear in the open light, and ſee the Faces of thoſe whom we wronged: What diminution it will make of our joy, I know not; but it muſt needs p. 330be a diſhonour to have been falſe to God or Man. And eſpecially when we meet where ſin is perfectly hated, to think how we either ſinned together, or that we tempted and enſnared one another in any ſin; how it will affect us then I do not fully know, but it is now to me a far greater grief to think of any in Heaven whom I tempted or wronged, than it was while they lived with me on Earth. And I think there is ſomwhat of this Nature common to good and bad: Even the Conſciences of wicked men do haunt them for notable injuries to others, eſpecially concealed ones, and eſpecially for perſecuting the Servants of God, when they are dead, more than while they lived. In ſo much that (though I doubt not of real Apparitions) I am ready to think, that ſome that ſay they are haunted by the ſight and the voice of ſuch as ſeem to them to be deceaſed Perſons, are rather haunted by their own Conſciences, which ſtrongly repreſent thoſe Perſons to their imaginations.

But on the other ſide, it is a great delight to me, to think of the good which I received from many that are now in Heaven: Of the profitable Sermons which I heard from ſome, and the profitable converſation which I had with others: How oft we ſweetly conſulted together of the things which concern everlaſting life? How many days in publick and private we ſpent in preparation and in ſome proſpect of the Bleſſedneſs which now they enjoy? And it is not a ſmall Mercy to me, that I can think of Multitudes now in Heaven of whoſe Converſion and Salvation God hath made my weak endeavours a proſperous means. O what a Mercy is it to think on, that while I am yet compaſſed with temptations, and languiſhing in weakneſs, and groaning in pain, and worſt of all burdened with a dark and p. 331ſinful Soul, ſo many are paſt all this with Chriſt, by means of any help which he ſent them by my labours? It hath oft humbled me greatly to read in the lives of ſuch men as John Janeway, and Joſeph Allen, how much of their proficiency they aſcribed to my Writings, and how far they over-went me, and left me quite behind them in Holy delights and praiſes of God! But how much more am I below a Multitude now in Heaven, who called me Father here on Earth.

And if here I muſt rejoice with them that rejoice, as well as mourn with them that mourn, why ſhould I not much more rejoice with all the bleſſed Society above? And more familiarly with my old Acquaintance, Pupils, and dear Friends? My Love ſhould be moſt to the beſt; and therefore more to them than to any other of my Friends: And therefore my Union with them being cloſer, and their Felicity far greater, I ſhould think with more Joy of them, than of any left behind. They are ſafe in the Harbour, paſt all our dangerous ſtorms and waves. And though they know or will know more of my ſins than they did on Earth, and hate them more, yet they that feel the comfort of the Pardon of their own, will imitate God in pardoning me, and rejoice in God's forgiveneſs of me. Though their vile Bodies lie like common duſt, how much better do they now know the love of God, the Myſteries of Grace, the heavenly Glory, the ſtate of Spirits in the City of God, than I do who was wont to preach it to them. God that ſent down Moſes and Elias, to ſhew that Saints in Heaven, and on Earth have communnion, will bring me and my Friends now in Heaven together again into a far ſweeter Communion than ever we had here.

§ 24. It is no great wonder that Peter ſhould be tranſported with this glorious ſight; and greatly delighted p. 332with this heavenly Communion, and ſay, Maſter, it is good for us to be here. Would not a ſight, a glimpſe of Heaven, have tranſported any Holy Soul? Yea, even thoſe that now lie in tears and fears, and are overwhelmed with doubts and troubles? When they are groping after God, and groaning on their Knees becauſe they feel more of his frowns than of his love, if then they had ſuch a ſight as this, what a change would it make upon them? Perhaps you'll ſay, that the doubt of their own ſincerity might ſtill deprive them of the Joy. No: This ſight would baniſh doubts and troubles: It is a communication of Love, and ſuch as will fully convince the Communicants.

Without ſuch a miraculous glimpſe of Glory, God ſometime giveth ſome of his Servants ſuch a Mental illuſtration, and inward glimpſe and taſte of Heaven, as greatly overcometh all the fears of Pain and Death; ſuch many old and later Martyrs have had: It was a ſtrange word of the godly Biſhop of St. Davids, Mr. Farrar, to his Neighbours, [If I ſtir in the Fire, believe not my Doctrin:] and accordingly he ſtirred not. If he had not had ſome Prophetical Inſpiration, this could not have been juſtified, from being a preſumptuous tempting God: And Mr. Baynam's caſe was a meer wonder, who in the Flames called to the Papiſts to ſee a Miracle, profeſſing to them that in the Fire he felt no more pain, than if he had been laid in a Bed of Down or Roſes.

I am juſt now reading in Melch. Adam's Lives of the German Philoſophers, the Life of Olympia Fulvia Morata, which ended with ſome ſuch experience. In many Ages there hath been ſome one rare Woman who hath excelled men in the Languages, Philoſophy and other humane Learning: Such a one was this Olympia p. 333Fulvia Morata of Ferrarrie: She married Andr. Gundler a Phyſician: She removed with him into Germany; being by the way convinced of the Guard of Angels by her young Brothers falling out of a high Window on cragged Stones without any more hurt than if it had been on the ſoft ground: In Germany ſhe thus wrote to Anna Eſtenſis a Guiſian Princeſs [As ſoon as by the ſingular goodneſs of God, I was departed from the Italian Idolatry, and came with my Husband into Germany, it is incredible how God changed my Soul (or mind) which being formerly moſt averſe (or abhorring) to the Divine Scriptures, am now delighted in them alone, and place in them all my Study, Labour, Care, and Mind: And as much as poſſible contemn all the Riches, Honours, and Pleaſures, which formerly I was wont to admire.] But the Croſs preſently following (in God's uſual Method,) her Husband and She were by Souldiers ſtript naked ſave the ſhift next the Body, and narrowly ſcaping with life, were put ſo to wander from place to place, none daring to entertain them, even when ſhe was ſick of a Feaver: till at laſt they found liberal entertainment; in which ſhe ſhortly fell into a mortal Diſeaſe, of which ſhe died: And in her laſt Sickneſs, and after much torment of Body, near Death ſhe pleaſantly ſmiled: Her Husband asked her the Cauſe; who ſaid, I ſaw a certain place which was full of a moſt clear and beauteous Light: Intimating that ſhe ſhould be quickly there, and ſaying, I am wholly full of Joy: And ſpake no more till her Eye-ſight failing; ſhe ſaid, I ſcarce know any of you any more: But all things elſe about ſeem to be full of moſt beauteous Flowers; which were her laſt words, (having a long time profeſſed that nothing ſeemed more deſirable to her than to be diſſolved and to be with Chriſt, in all her ſickneſs magnifying his Mercies to her.

p. 334Many have thus joyfully laid down the Fleſh to go to Chriſt: What wonder then if Peter was loth to loſe the pleaſure of what he ſaw.

Two things are neceſſary to great and ſolid joy: Firſt, That the Object be truly and greatly amiable and delectable; and Secondly, That the apprehenſions of it be clear and ſtrong: As to the firſt, we have ſo great and glorious things to delight us, as would feaſt our Souls with conſtant Joy, were not the Second, alas, much wanting. What Man could chooſe but be even in Peter's rapture continually, if he had but aſcertained heavenly Glory, apprehended by him in as ſatisfactory a manner as theſe ſenſible things are? If I lay in Priſon, yea, or in torment of Colick, Stone, or any ſuch Diſeaſe, and had but withal ſuch apprehenſions or ſight of aſſured Glory, ſurely the pain would not be able to ſuppreſs my joy. What a mixture, what a diſcord would there be in my expreſſions? Torment would conſtrain my Fleſh to groan; and the ſight of Heaven would make me triumph. I cannot but think how this great diſcord would ſhew the difference between the Spirit and the Fleſh: What a ſtrange thing it would be to hear the ſame Man at the ſame time crying out in pain with groans, and magnifying the love of God with tranſporting joy! But we are not yet fit for ſuch joyful apprehenſions; our weak Eyes muſt not ſee the Sun, but through the allaying Medium of a humid Air, at a vaſt diſtance, and by the Chryſtalline humour and organical parts of the Eye. Fain we would get nearer, and have ſight or clearer apprehenſions of the Spiritual Society and glorious World; We ſtudy, we pray, we look up, we groan under our diſtance, darkneſs, and unſatisfying conceptions: But yet it p. 335muſt not be: We muſt be ripened before the Shell will break, or the dark Womb will deliver us up to the Glorious Light. But Chriſt vouchſafed that to his three Apoſtles, which we are unworthy of, and yet unfit for. O happy ſight! O happy men! It is incongruous to ſay, What would I not give for ſuch a ſight? Leſt it ſhould ſavour of Simon Magus folly: And I have nothing to give. But it is not incongruous to ſay, What would I not do? And what would I not ſuffer for ſuch a fight? Yea, Chriſt puts ſuch kind of Queſtions to us; O that I had better anſwered them! in the Hour of Duty, and in the Hour of Temptation! When he asked, Can ye drink of the Cup that I drink of, and be Baptized with the Baptiſm, that I am Baptized with? I have been ready with James and John to ſay, I can; but when the trial comes (as they after in his ſuffering forſook him and fled,) how inſufficient is my own ſtrength to perform my promiſe? When he impoſeth on me, the denying of my ſelf, forſaking all, and taking up the Croſs and following him, I yielded and covenanted by Vow to do it: but it was, By the help of the Holy Spirit which he promiſed to give me. I ſtand, Lord, to my Covenant: Help me to perform it; and give me, though not his preſent ſight, yet ſome of Peter's Mental apprehenſions, and a glimpſe, a taſte of that which tranſported him with delight. Let who will (or who Thou wilt) take the Riches, and Grandeur of the World: O give me ſome delightful taſte of that which I am made for, redeemed for, and which thy Spirit hath long taught me, to ſeek and hope for, as my All.

§ 25. Peter was not weary with the ſight of this heavenly Apparition: Why ſhould I be weary of the believing contemplation of greater things? Though p. 336ſight affect us more ſenſibly than meer believing and thinking, yet theſe have their happy Office, which may be effectual: And Chriſt who thus appeared in Glory to Peter, hath ſaid, Bleſſed are they that have not ſeen, and yet have believed: And Peter himſelf ſaith of them that ſee not Chriſt, that They rejoice with joy unſpeakable and full of Glory, in believing. Oh how unexcuſable am I for every weary Prayer or Meditation of ſuch a Glory? and for yielding to Satan and a backward Heart, which have oft made me ſhorten theſe ſweet employments, when I had time, and leave, and need to lengthen them: What! aweary of communion with Chriſt! Aweary of ſpeaking to my heavenly Father, for endleſs Bleſſedneſs, upon ſuch joyful terms of Hope as he hath given me? Aweary of the Thoughts of the City of God, the heavenly Society and Work? Aweary of exciting Divine Love, and exerciſing it in Divine Praiſe, which are the works of Angels, and all the heavenly Hoſt? O how juſtly might God be as it were aweary of me, and of my weary Services; yea, of the beſt that I can offer him, which hath in it ſo much to give him cauſe?

§ 26. Peter did not fly from this glorious Proſpect; but would fain have had more of it, and have dwelt upon the Holy Mount. And when God will call me to a more glorious Viſion, and Fruition in Heaven, ſhall I draw back and be unwilling to go? Was that Mount a better place than Heaven? Is not Chriſt now to be there ſeen in greater Glory? Is the Jeruſalem above, the Glorious Company of Saints and Angels, no better and more deſirable a ſight, than Moſes and Elias were on the Mount? Alas, when we have read, and heard, and thought, and talkt ſo much of Heaven, and done, and ſuffered ſo much for it, that yet we p. 337ſhould draw back with fear and unwillingneſs to go to it? O what lamentable weakneſs of Faith, and power of Fleſh, doth this diſcover: when I read Peter's words [It's good to be here:] I am grieved that I who dwell in a World ſo near like Hell, among the implacable haters of Holineſs and Holy Peace, and in a painful tired Body, and who have thought, ſaid, and written ſo much of Heaven, do yet ſay with no ſtronger deſire and joy: It is good to be there: When I ſee all natural Appetites deſire earneſtly their proper food, and even the Bruits deſire their beloved company, ſhall my holy Appetite be ſo dull and indifferent: Lord quicken it by the fuller communications of thy Spirit, and ſave me from this hated dangerous diſeaſe.

§ 27. But Peter ſpake he knew not what, when he talkt of building Tabernacles on Earth, for the fruition of that which is proper to Heaven. Alas, this is our common malady and folly: We would have Chriſt in the Splendour of his Glory: but we would have him here: We would ſee Moſes and Elias, if they will come down to us: We would have that in the Fleſh, which Fleſh and Blood cannot poſſeſs. O if we knew in what Land, what City, what Countrey, what private Houſe, we might live in the leaſt glimpſe of the heavenly Glory, how joyfully ſhould we run to ſuch an Habitation? Merchants make towards the moſt gainful place for trade: Poor men enquire after the moſt fertile and delectable Countries for Plantation! Gentlemen delight themſelves with a ſweet and pleaſantly ſeated Manſion: But if Saints on Earth could find a place where they could ſee what Stephen, or Paul, or theſe Apoſtles ſaw, and have a little of Heaven without dying and putting off this Body, what a deſirable dwelling would that ſeem to them. And yet, alas, p. 338how cold are our deſires to the time and place where we ſhall have much more? We have Chriſt on Earth, in the manner and meaſure that we are capable. We have here ſome communion with Heaven, as verily (though not ſo ſenſibly) as our Eye hath with the Sun: God will not deny Believers their Title, their Earneſt, and ſome firſt Fruits: But when we would have our All or our Beſt on Earth, or that on Earth which is proper to Heaven, we know not what we deſire or ſay.

Are we vile dirty Sinners in Fleſh now fit for heavenly ſights or joys? Or is this World a place for building Tabernacles, where we may ſee the Lord, and take up our reſt? What! in a world of Temptations of wickedneſs, of ſufferings, where we are daily wreſtling for our lives, and fighting not meerly) againſt Fleſh and Blood, but againſt Principalities and Powers, and the Rulers of the Darkneſs of this World, even Spiritual Wickedneſs (or wicked Spirits) in high Places (above the greateſt men that are their Servants,) Eph. 6. 12. But that which is of the Earth is earthly: Our earthly part would have an earthly Felicity: But when we know that it is corruptible and a dying thing, and that we have here no continuing City, both Faith and Reaſon bid us ſeek for one to come. The unfaithful Steward had ſo much Wit as to make ſure of another Habitation, when he knew that he muſt be no longer Steward.

God hath ſo conſtantly confuted and befooled me, by his marvellous Providence, when ever I have ſaid, Soul take thy eaſe, and have thought of building Tabernacles on Earth, as hath convinced me, that ſuch folly is not the leaſt part of the danger of a Soul, from which his Mercy did ſo watchfully ſave me: If a little Health and Eaſe, or a pleaſant Habitation, or beloved Company and Friends, have but flattered me into p. 339earthly delight and hopes, and made me ſay, It's good to be here; I never was long without ſome pains, and dangerous ſickneſs, or ſome loſs or croſs in Friends, or ſome removal by perſonal or publick changes, to tell me, that I knew not what I ſaid; and that reſt and happineſs are not here: As the laborious Ants and Bees are long gathering a heap of Treaſure, and furniſhing a Hive with Winter Proviſion, and a contemptuous foot ſoon ſpurneth about the one, and the chief owner of the Hive deſtroyeth the other; ſo (while I neglected Wealth and Honour) when I have but treaſured up the choiceſt Books, and taken pleaſure in my Work and Friends, God ſaw that ſuch pleaſure needed an allay, and hath taken away Books and Friends together, or driven me oft from them and my Habitation, to tell me ſenſibly that I have higher to look, and further to go; and that Moſes and Elias appeared not to turn Earth into Heaven, and make me think that now I am well, but to invite my Soul to their Celeſtial Habitation. When Chriſt hath comforted me by hearing Prayers, by great deliverances, by wonderful ſucceſs of my defective labours, by comfortable Friends, by publick Mercies, it was not by making my condition pleaſant, to keep down my deſires from Heaven, but to draw them thither by ſuch foretaſts. Contentment with our Condition, as without more of the World, is a great duty: But to be content with the World, or any thing on Earth, without more holineſs and communion with God, and without a part in the heavenly Perfection, is a heynous and pernicious ſin.

But, alas, it is a far worſe miſtake than Peter's which deceiveth the greateſt part of men. They ſay indeed as he, It's good to be here, (till melancholy or miſery make them intollerable to themſelves.) But it is p. 340not becauſe they have ſeen a glimpſe of Heaven on Earth, or taſted the ſweetneſs of Holy ſociety and work, but becauſe their Bodies are in Health, their Purſes full, their Appetites pleaſed, and their inferiours do their wills and honour them. This is all the Heaven that they love, and to leave all this is the Death which they abhor and fear. And they will not hear God, and the experience of all Mankind befooling them, till near the Night that their Souls ſhall be required, and then, Whoſe will all their Treaſure be?

§ 28. But yet it was a greater part of Peter's dotage, to think of Tabernacles for Chriſt, Moſes, and Elias, and of detaining of heavenly Inhabitants upon Earth: If you ſhould offer the loweſt Saint in Heaven an earthly Kingdom in exchange for his Condition, with what diſdain would he deſpiſe the offer? Chriſt's Kingdom was not of this World, nor would Moſes and Elias change their lot with Alexander or Caeſar. Poor trifles allure us, and ſeem ſomwhat to us (as toys to Children) while we are dreaming in the Fleſh; but if once we be delivered and ſee what the Celeſtial Glory is, what a change will it make upon our judgments. We fear now in the dark to go unto that World of Light, and are loth to put off the rags of Fleſh, and to depart from a known though a dirty falling habitation: But if we get to Heaven we ſhall be loth to return to Earth again, and to be ſo courſly cloathed: When once we are there, a World would not hire us to come back into this corruptible Body, till God will make it Spiritual and Incorruptible. Our Friends whoſe Death we paſſionately lamented, would be loth now to change their company for ſuch as we are, or their abode for ſuch a wicked World as this, or their work for the beſt of ours on Earth: No wonder that departed bleſſed Souls appear not to their friends on Earth: Moſt Apparitions are of Devils, or p. 341miſerable Souls, to whom it is no loſs, or condeſcenſion Were I once in Heaven, could I poſſibly be willing to be turned again into a Bedlam World, and laid under the Feet of blinded pride and raging madneſs, and live among Sodomites (called Chriſtians) whoſe God is their Belly, and who glory in their filthineſs and ſhame, and mind nothing with love but earthly things, and are bitter Enemies not only to the Croſs, but to the Government of Chriſt! Would I be again among Dogs and Swine? Yea, Devils in Fleſh, who hate and perſecute the Regenerate Seed, and all that will not receive their mark, and be as mad & bad as they? would I again be groaning here in pain, or tired with a weary Body, and more with a feeble ſinful Soul, weak in Fai…h, Cold in Love, of doubtful Hope, and imperfect Duty. Would I be here again in the proſpect of a Grave, with fear of dying; as ſtrange as now to the heavenly Felicity? Lazarus will not come from Abraham's boſom, for the rich Man's Wealth and Belly-pleaſure, no not to warn his ſenſual Brethren. Had Peter ſeen Heaven as he ſaw the Glory on the Mount, he would never have made ſo blind a motion, for Chriſt, Moſes, and Elias to continue there, who have ſo much better a habitation.

§ 29. But this glorious Apparition was but ſhort: As the Glory of God's back parts to Moſes, which did but paſs by. Preſently a cloud cometh, and ſeparateth the company, and ends the pleaſant ſight. When Chriſtians receive ſome extraordinary ſenſe of the Love of God, ſome ſweet foretaſts of promiſed happineſs, they muſt not look that this ſhould be ordinary, or always ſo! When ſome fervent Prayer is extraordinarily anſwered, and a Sacrament ſweetned with unuſual drops of heavenly ſweetneſs, or a holy Diſcourſe or Meditation hath raiſed us higher than ever before, we muſt not expect that this ſhould be our conſtant diet, p. 342and God ſhould thus feaſt us all the Year. The times of faſting alſo have their turn. Moſes did not dwell on Mount Horeb, nor Mount Nebo or Piſgah, from whence he ſaw the Land of Promiſe: God's Children do not always laugh and ſing: while they have their ſinning times, they will have their ſuffering and crying times. How ſuddenly doth the Lark come down to the Earth, who before was ſoaring out of ſight, and ſinging pleaſantly in the higher Air, as if it had been aſpiring towards the Sun. A luſcious diet is not beſt for ſuch as we, that have ſo many corruptions to be cured by cleanſing means: Cordials muſt not be all our Phyſick; unwarrantable expectations of greater or more continued Joys then we are meet for, is injurious both to God and to our ſelves. Deſires of more we may and muſt have: But thoſe deſires muſt look up to Heaven where indeed they may be ſatisfied.

30. The joy of theſe Spectators was turned into Fear (ſaith the Text) when they entered into the Cloud. No wonder: The change was ſudden and great; from a ſight of the Kingdom of God in Power, unto a dark Cloud! Juſt now they ſeemed almoſt in Heaven, and preſently they knew not where they were: From glorious Light, to a kind of Priſon of obſcurity.

Such changes here we are liable to. The ſame Soul that lately taſted of tranſporting joy, may lie in terrour, hardly reſiſting temptations to deſpair: The ſame Perſon that was confident of the Love of God, may be quickly not only doubting of it, but ſinfully denying it: The ſame that had aſſuring evidence of ſincerity, may ſhortly conclude that all was but Hypocriſie. The ſame that was triumphing in the ſenſe of Love, may cry out, O miſerable Man that I am: And the ſame that magnified the Grace of Chriſt, may ſay, The day of Grace is paſt… Eſpecially if either the Tempter get the p. 343advantage of a Melancholy Body, or of caſting the Soul in to renewed guilt of ſome wounding ſin, or into impatient diſcontents with the things that befal it in the World.

There is a ſtability in the Eſſentials of Holineſs: It's Life eternal that is here begun: But, alas, the degrees of Grace, the exerciſe of it, the evenneſs and integrity of our obedience, and accordingly our Comforts, are lamentably liable to change. Even as all worldly things are mutable to the ungodly, though their harden'd Hearts are too little changeable. Expecting nothing but joy from God, or expecting more than we are meet for, maketh our dejections the greater and more grievous. None are caſt lower with terrour, trouble, and almoſt deſpair, than ſome that have been moſt tranſported with joy: When ſome other Chriſtians of an even converſation, have an evenneſs and conſtancy of Holy Peace, though no ſuch joys.

§ 31. The Cloud ſeparated the Company, Moſes, and Elias are ſeen no more; no nor the Glory of Chriſt: But yet Chriſt is not ſeparated from them: His ordinary preſence ſtill abideth with them. Chriſt doth not leave the Soul, when extraordinary joys do leave it: It loſeth not his ſaving Grace, nor the preſence of his Spirit, as oft as it loſeth heavenly delight. Deſire ſheweth Love to him, and to his Holineſs: And he never forſaketh thoſe that love him: As long as the Soul breatheth after Chriſt, and after more communion with God, and conſcious of its imperfection would fain be perfect, and reſolveth to continue waiting for increaſe of Faith and Holineſs in the uſe of the means which Chriſt hath appointed, it is not forſaken. Chriſt by his Spirit dwelleth, and worketh in that Soul. It may enter into a Cloud, and Chriſt may be unſeen, and ſeem quite loſt, but the Cloud will vaniſh, and he will appear; and he will firſt find us, that we may ſeek p. 344and find him. If he appear to us, but as in his humiliation, and as crucified, and thereby humble us, and crucifie to us the World and the Fleſh, with the Affections and Luſts thereof, and cauſe us but to ſeek firſt his Kingdom and Righteouſneſs, he will raiſe us higher, and ſhew us his Glory, when Grace, and Conqueſt, and Perſeverance have prepared us: We are in a cloudy World and Body; and our ſins are yet a thicker Cloud, between God's glorious Face and us: But as God is God, and Heaven is Heaven, ſo Chriſt is Chriſt, and Grace is Grace, when we ſee it not, but fear that we are undone, and entring into outer darkneſs: And at Sun riſing all our darkneſs, & all our doubts & fears will vaniſh.

§ 32. Luke 9. 15. There came a Voice out of the Cloud, This is my beloved Son; hear him: Had I heard ſuch a Teſtimony from Heaven, would it not have ſet my Faith above all doubts and unbelief? For the Voice that thus owned Chriſt and his Word, might embolden me fully to truſt all his Promiſes, as it bindeth me to obey his Precepts.

God's Love is effective and communicative; and as his Life and Light cauſe Life and Light, ſo his Love cauſeth Love; and Chriſt that is called his Beloved Son, is likeſt him in Love: None loveth us ſo much as God our Father, and his Beloved Son, who is alſo as God Eſſential Love. And ſhall I think with cold or little Love, of ſuch a God, and ſuch a Saviour? It is as unreaſonable to fly from God or Chriſt, as fearing that he wanteth Love, to a capable Soul, as to fly from the Sun, as wanting heat or light. O what an unruly froward thing is the corrupted Soul of Man? When we think of God's judgment, and how we are in his hands as to all our hopes, for Soul & Body, we fear and are uncomfortable, leſt he have not ſo much Love and Mercy, as ſhould cauſe us confidently to truſt him: We could truſt p. 345ſome Friends with Life and Soul were we in their power: but infinite love itſelf, and a loving Saviour we can hardly truſt; ſo far as to quiet us in Pain or Death: And yet when Chriſt to cure this diſtruſt, hath manifeſted his Love by the greateſt Miracles that ever God ſhewed to mortal men, even by Chriſt's Incarnation, his Life, his Works, his Death, Reſurrection, Interceſſion, and the advancement of humane Nature in him above Angels, the greatneſs of this Incomprehenſible Love, occaſioneth the difficulty of our believing it; as if it were too great and wonderful to be credible: Thus dark and guilty Sinners hardly believe our Fathers Love, whether it be expreſt by ordinary, or by the moſt wonderful effects.

§ 33. As Chriſt is called the Son of God, ſo alſo are all his Members: We have ſo far the ſame title, that we might partake of the ſame comforts: He is God's only Son by Eternal Generation, and the hypoſtatical union upon his miraculous conception: But through him we are Sons by Regeneration and Adoption. And ſhall not the love of ſuch a Father be truſted, and the preſence and pleaſing of ſuch a Father be deſired? If Manoah's Wife could ſay, If he would have killed us Re would not have accepted a Sacrifice of us; I may ſay, If he would have damned me, or forſaken my departing Soul, he would not have Adopted me, nor made and called me his Son Chriſt was made his Incarnate Son, that we might be made his Adopted Sons: And we are made his Adopted Sons, for the ſake and by the Grace of Chriſt his Natural Son.

§ 34. The Command [Hear him] is Relative as to Moſes and Elias: 1. Hear him whom the Law and the Prophets typified and foretold, and were his Servants and Preparatory Inſtructors▪ to lead us to him. 2. Hear him before Moſes and the Prophets, where his Coming and Covenant abrogateth the Law of Moſes, and as a greater Light he obſcureth the leſs: He hath p. 346revealed more than they revealed; and the ſame more clearly: Life and Immortality is more fully brought to light by him: His Goſpel is as the Heart of the Holy Bible: We uſe the Old Teſtament Books eſpecially as the Witneſſes of Chriſt.

§ 35. And whom ſhould we hear ſo willingly, ſo obediently as Chriſt? Abraham ſent not Dives's Brethren to the King or to the High-prieſt to know what Religion he ſhould chooſe, or what he ſhould do to eſcape Hell torments: But it was Moſes, and the Prophets that they muſt hear. But God from Heaven hath ſent us yet a better Teacher, and commanded us to hear Him: Moſes was faithful in God's Houſe as a Servant, but Chriſt as a Son: His Authority is above Kings and High-prieſts; and they have no Power now but from him; and therefore none againſt him, or his Laws: All commands are null to Conſcience which contradict him: The examples in Da. 3. & 6. and of the Apoſtles tell us whether God or Man ſhould be firſt obeyed. Therefore it is that the Bible is more nec…ſſary to be ſearcht and learned than the Statute Book or Canons: Were Man to be heard before Chriſt, or againſt him, or as neceſſarily as he, why have we not Law Preachers every Lord's day to expound the Statutes, and Canons to all the People? And why are they not Catechized out of the Book of Canons, or Law, as well as out of the Bible.

And ſure if we muſt hear Chriſt and his Goſpel before Prieſts or Princes, or before our deareſt friends, much more before our fleſhly Luſts and Appetites, and before a profane and fooliſh Scorner, and before the temptations of the Devil. O had we heard Chriſt warning us, when we hearkned to the Tempter, and to the Fleſh, how ſafely had we lived, and how comfortably might we have died!

§ 36. But this word [Hear him] is as comfortable as obligatory. Hear him Sinner, when he calls thee to p. 347repent and turn to God, Hear him when he calleth thee to himſelf, to take him for thy Lord and Saviour, to believe and truſt him for Pardon and Salvation. Hear him he when calleth, Come to me all ye that are weaty and heavy laden: Ho, every, every one that thirſteth come! whoever will, let him drink of the Water of Life freely. Hear him when he commandeth, and hear him when he promiſeth; and hear him before the worldly wiſe when he teacheth us the way to God. Hear him, for he knows what he ſaith: Hear him, for he is true, and faithful, and infallible: Hear him, for he is the Son of God, the greateſt Meſſenger that ever God ſent! Hear him, for he purpoſly came down into Fleſh, that he might familiarly teach us: Hear him, for none elſe in the Word hath made known the things of God like him, and none can do it. Hear him, for he meaneth us no hurt: He is our deareſt Friend, and Love itſelf, and ſaith nothing but for our Salvation, and promiſeth nothing but what he will perform. Yea, Hear him, for every Soul that will not hear him ſhall be cut off.

Hear him therefore, if he contradict thy fleſhly Appetite; Hear him, if great or ſmall, if any or all ſhall be againſt it. Hear him if he ſet thee on the hardeſt work, or call thee to the greateſt ſuffering: Hear him, if he bid thee take up the Croſs and forſake all and follow him in hope of a reward in Heaven: Hear him if he call thee to lay down thy Life; for none can be a loſer by him.

Hear him now in the Day of Grace, and he will hear thee in the day of thy Extremity, in the day of Danger, Sickneſs, Death, and Judgment, when the World forſaketh thee, and no ones hearing elſe can help thee.

§ 37. But, I was not one that ſaw this Viſion: Had I ſeen it my ſelf it would have ſatisfied me and confuted p. 348all my doubts. Anſw. But it is the will of God that the Miniſtry and Teſtimony of Man, ſhall be a means of our believing: It's Faith and not Sight that muſt be the ordinary way of our Salvation. Elſe Chriſt muſt have ſhewed himſelf and his Miracles, Reſurrection, and Aſcenſion to every one in the World that muſt believe in him: And then he muſt have been viſible at once in every Kingdom, Pariſh, and Place on Earth, and continued ſo to the end of the World; and muſt have died, riſen and aſcended many Millions of times, and in every place. They that will put ſuch Laws on their Lawgiver before they will believe in him, muſt be ſaved without him, and againſt him if they can. This is more unreaſonable than to tell God that you will not believe that there is a Heaven or Hell, unleſs you ſee them. But God will have us live and be ſaved by believing, and not by ſight. And he will uſe Man for the Inſtruction and Salvation of Man, and not ſend Angels with every Meſſage.

§ 38. But, Why did Chriſt ſhew this Viſion but it Three of his Diſciples? Anſw. He is not bound to tell us why: But we may know that a ſight of heavenly Glory is not to be ordinarily expected on Earth? Why did God ſhew the back parts of his Glory to none but Moſes, no not to his Brother Aaron? Why did he ſpeak to him only in the Buſh and in the Mount? Why did he tranſlate none to Heaven without dying but Henoch and Elias? Why did he ſave but Noah and Seven with him in the Ark? Theſe are not things ordinary, nor to be common to many.

§ 39. But by this it appeareth that even among his Twelve Apoſtles, Chriſt made a difference, and preferred ſome before the reſt: Though he ſet no one over the reſt in any Governing Authority, yet ſome p. 349of them were qualified above the reſt, and eſteemed, and uſed by him accordingly. Peter is called the firſt, and it ſeems was qualified above the reſt, by his more frequent ſpeaking and familiarity with Chriſt, and his Speeches and Miracles after the Reſurrection. Though yet the Faction that ſaid, I am of Cephas, or I am of Paul was rebuked as Carnal; ſo far was Chriſt from directing the Churches to end all difference by obeying Peter as their Supream Ruler. James and John are called the Sons of Thunder: They had ſome more eminent qualification than the reſt: So that James was the firſt Martyred Apoſtle, and John the Diſciple whom Jeſus ſpecially loved. Miniſters of the ſame Office, and Order may much differ in Gifts and Grace, in labour and ſucceſs, and in God's acceptance and reward, and in the Churches juſt eſteem and love. All Paſtors were not ſuch as Cyprian, Baſil, Gregory Nazianzene, Chryſoſtome, or Auguſtine. And the reſt muſt not envy at the preference of Peter, James, and John. Andrew ſeems to be Peters Elder Brother, and knew Chriſt before him, as Aaron was Elder Brother to Moſes; and yet muſt give God leave to chooſe to give pre-eminence to whom he will.

§ 40. But, Why did not theſe Three Apoſtles tell any of this Viſion till after Chriſt's Reſurrection? Anſ. Chriſt did forbid it them. And it was according to the Method of his Revelation. He would make himſelf known to the World by degrees; and more by his Works than by bare Words: And theſe works were to be finiſhed, and all ſet together to be his convincing Witneſs to the World. And the chief of theſe were his Reſurrection, Aſcenſion, and ſending down the Holy Ghoſt: The Apoſtles could not ſay till then, [Jeſus is riſen, aſcended and hath given us the Seal of the Spirit: therefore he is the Son of God. p. 350Chriſt firſt preached Repentance like John Baptiſt: And next he told them that the Kingdom of God (by the Meſſiah) was come and was among them. And then he taught them to believe his Word to be ſent from God, and to be true: And he taught them the Doctrines of Holineſs, Love and Righteouſneſs towards men: And he wrought thoſe Miracles which might convince them that what he ſaid or ſhould ſay, deſerved their belief: But yet before his Reſurrection his Apoſtles themſelves underſtood not many of the Articles of our Creed; they knew not that Chriſt was to die for ſin, and ſo to redeem the World by his Sacrifice; nor that he was to Riſe, Aſcend, and Reign, and Intercede in Glory. And yet they were then in a ſtate of Grace and Life, ſuch as Believers were in before Chriſt's Incarnation. (And ſure no more is required of the Nations that cannot hear the Goſpel.)

But the Reſurrection was the beginning of the proper Goſpel State and Kingdom, to which all before was but preparatory: & then by the Spirit Chriſtianity was formed to its ſetled Conſiſtence, and is a known unalterable thing.

And it is a great confirmation to our Faith, that Chriſt's Kingdom was not ſettled by any advantage of his perſonal Preſence, Preaching and Perſuaſion, ſo much as by the Holy Ghoſt in his Apoſtles and Diſciples, when he was gone from them into Heaven.

§ 41. But how are we ſure that theſe three men tell us nothing but the Truth? Anſ. This is oft anſwered elſewhere. The Spirit which they ſpake and work'… by, was Chriſt's Witneſs and theirs. They healed the Sick, raiſed the Dead, ſpake various Languages which they never learnt; and Preached, and Recorded that Holy Doctrin committed to them by Chriſt, which itſelf p. 351contained the evidence of its Divinity and of their Truth: And Chriſt then and to this Day hath owned it by the ſanctifying Efficacy of the ſame Spirit, upon Millions of Souls.

How Holy a Doctrin doth Peter himſelf deliver as confirmed by this Apparition? 2 Pet. 1. 16, 17, 18. We have not followed cunningly deviſed Fables, when we made known to you the Power and Coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, but were Eye Witneſſes of his Majeſty: For he received from God the Father, Honour and Glory, when there came ſuch a Voice to him from the excellent Glory, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleaſed: And this Voice which came from Heaven we heard when we were with him in the Holy Mount. The words [In whom I am well pleaſed] are only here and in Matthew: Mark and Luke omitting them, tell us that the Evangeliſts undertook not to recite all that was ſaid and done, but each one ſo much as ſeemed neceſſary for him to ſay.

§ 42. And now what remaineth, O my Soul, but that thou take in the due Impreſſion of this Apparition, of the Glory of Jeſus and his Saints; and that thou joyfully obey this heavenly Voice, and Hear the Beloved Son of God in whom the Father is well pleaſed.

I. As we that are Born in another Age and Land, muſt know what Chriſt ſaid by the tranſmiſſion and certain teſtimony of them that heard him, infallible Tradition by Act, Word, and Record, being our way of notice, as immediate ſenſation was theirs, ſo even the glorious Apparition itſelf may be the mediation of their infallible Record, be partly tranſmitted to our Imagination. An Incorporate Soul is ſo uſed to a mixed way of knowing by imagined Idea's received by ſenſe, p. 352that it would fain have ſuch a ſort of knowledge of ſeparated Souls and other Spirits, and of their glorious ſtate and place and work, and is hardly fully ſatisfied without it: Seeing Chriſt hath partly condeſcended to this our culpable weakneſs, loſe not the help of his condeſcenſion. Let this clear deſcription of the heavenly ſight, make it to thee partly as if thou had been one of the three Spectators: till thou canſt ſay, Methinks I almoſt ſee the Face of Chriſt ſhine as the Sun, and his raiment whiter than the Snow; and Moſes and Elias (no doubt in ſome degree of glory) ſtanding with him: Methinks I almoſt hear them diſcourſing of Chriſt's Death, and Man's Redemption: And by this ſight I partly conceive of the unſeen heavenly Company and State: Methinks I ſee the Cloud receive them, when Peter had been tranſported with the ſight: and I almoſt feel his pleaſant raptures, and am ready to ſay as if I had been with him, It is good for us to be hear: Methinks I almoſt hear the heavenly Voice, This is my beloved Son, Hear him. And ſhall I yet doubt of the Celeſtial Society and Glory? Had I once ſeen that, what a ſenſe would it have left upon my Heart, of the difference between Earth, and Heaven, Man and God, Fleſh and Spirit, Sin and Duty? how thankfully ſhould I have thought of the work of Redemption and Sanctification?

And why may I not accordingly put my ſelf as into the caſe of them, who ſaw all Chriſt's Miracles and ſaw him riſen and aſcend towards Heaven? Or at leaſt of all thoſe ordinary Chriſtians who ſaw all the wonders done by the Reporters of theſe things? I can eaſily receive a pleaſing Idea of ſome forreign happy Countrey, which a Traveller deſcribeth to me, though I never ſaw it; and my Reaſon can partly gather what great things are, if I ſee but leſſer of the ſame p. 353kind, or ſomewhat like them. A Candle ſheweth ſomewhat by which we may conceive of the greateſt flame. Even Grace and Gracious actions do ſomewhat notifie to us the ſtate of Glory: But the ſight on the Mount did more ſenſibly notifie it.

Think not then that heavenly contemplation is an impoſſible thing, or a meer dream, as if it had no conceivable ſubject matter to work upon; the viſible things of Earth are the Shaddows, the Cobwebs, the Bubbles, the Shews, Mummerries, and Maſques: and it is loving them and rejoicing and truſting in them, that is the dream and dotage. Our heavenly Thoughts, and Hopes; and Buſineſs are more in compariſon of theſe, than the Sun is to a glow-Worm, or the World to a Mole-hill, or Governing an Empire to the motions of a Fly. And can I make ſomwhat, yea, too much of theſe almoſt nothings; and yet ſhall I make almoſt nothing of the active, glorious unſeen World; and doubt, and grope in my Meditations of it, as if I had no ſubſtance to apprehend? If inviſibility to Mortals were a cauſe of doubting, or of unaffecting, unſatisfying Thoughts, God himſelf who is All to Men and Angels, would be as no God to us, and Heaven as no Heaven; and Chriſt as no Chriſt, and our Souls which are our ſelves would ſeem as nothing to themſelves; and all men would be as no men to us, and we ſhould converſe only with Carkaſſes and Cloaths.

Lord ſhine into this Soul with ſuch an heavenly potent quickening Light, as may give me more lively and powerful conceptions of that which is all my hope and life. Leave me not to the exerciſe of Art alone, in barren notions; but make it as Natural to me to love Thee and breath after Thee: Thou teacheſt the young ones both of men and bruits, to ſeek to the Dam for food and ſhelter: And though Grace be not a p. 352duplicate page p. 353duplicate page p. 354brutiſh Principle, but work by Reaſon, it hath its Nature and Inclining force; and tendeth towards its Original as its End. Let not my Soul be deſtitute of that holy Senſe and Appetite, which the Divine and Heavenly Nature doth contain. Let me not lay more ſtreſs and truſt upon my own Sight and Senſe, than on the Sight and Fidelity of my God and my Redeemer. I am not ſo fooliſh as to live as if this Earth were no bigger than the little of it which I ſee: Let me not be ſo much more fooliſh as to think of the vaſt and glorious Regions, and the Bleſſed Inhabitants thereof, and the Receptacles of juſtified Souls, as if they wanted either ſubſtantiality or certainty, to exerciſe a heavenly converſation here, and to feaſt believing Souls with joy, and draw forth well grounded and earneſt deſire, to depart and be with Chriſt.

§ 43. II. Hear then, and Hear with Truſt and Joy, the tydings and promiſes of him, whom the Voice from Heaven commanded Man to hear. He is the glorified Lord of Heaven and Earth! All is in his power. He hath told us nothing but what he knew, and promiſed nothing but what he is able and willing to give. Two ſorts of things he hath required us to Truſt him for: Things notified by expreſs particular Promiſes and things only generally promiſed and known to us.

1. We may know particularly that he will receive our departing Souls, and juſtifie them in judgment, and raiſe the Dead, and all the reſt particularly promiſed. And we know in general that we have a heavenly City and Inheritance, and ſhall ſee God and be with Chriſt in everlaſting Happineſs, Loving and Praiſing God with Joy in the perfected glorious Church of Chriſt. All this therefore we muſt explicitely believe. But it's little that we know diſtinctly of the conſiſtence and operations p. 355of Spirits and ſeparated Souls as to a formal or modal conception; a great deal about the place, ſtate and mode, their acting and fruition is dark to us; but none of it is dark to Chriſt: Here therefore an implicite Truſt ſhould not only bound and ſtop our ſelfiſh and over bold enquiries, but alſo quiet and comfort the Soul, as well as if our ſelves knew all.

O my Soul, abhor and mortifie thy ſelfiſh Truſt, and unbelieving thirſt to have that knowledge of Good and Evil thy ſelf, which is the Prerogative of thy Lord and Saviour. This was the ſin that firſt defiled humane Nature, and brought calamity on the World. God hath ſet thee enough to learn: know that and thou knoweſt enough. If more were poſſible, it would be a perplexity and a ſnare, and he that encreaſeth ſuch knowledge, would encreaſe ſorrow: But when it is both unprofitable and impoſſible, what a ſin and folly is it, to waſt our time, and tire and deceive our Minds, in long and troubleſom ſearches after it; and then diſquietly to murmur at God, and the Holy Scripture, and die with ſad diſtruſtful fears, becauſe we attain it not: When all this while we ſhould have underſtood, that this part of knowledg belongs to Chriſt and the heavenly Society, and not to ſinful Mortals here; and that we have without it as much as may cauſe us to live and die in Holineſs, Safety, Peace and Joy, if we can but Truſt him who knoweth for us. Chriſt perfectly knoweth what Spirits are, and how they act, and whether they have any corporeal Organ, or Vehicle, or none: and what's the difference between Henoch and Elias, and thoſe that left their Bodies here; and what a Reſurrection will add to Souls, and how it will be wrought, and when; and what is meant by the Thouſand year previous Reign; and who they be that ſhall dwell in the New p. 356Earth, and how it will be renewed! All the dark paſſages of Scripture and Providence he can perfectly reſolve: He knoweth why God leaveth the far greateſt part of the World in Satan's ſlavery, darkneſs and wickedneſs, and chooſeth ſo few to real Holineſs: And why he maketh not men ſuch as he commandeth them to be; and why he leaveth ſerious Chriſtians to ſo much weakneſs, error, ſcandal and diviſion. Theſe and all other difficulties are fully known to Chriſt. And it is not the Child, but the Father, that muſt know what food and cloathing he ſhould have, and the Phyſician that muſt know what are the ingredients of his Medicines, and why.

Lord open my Eyes then, to ſee what thou haſt revealed; and help me willingly to ſhut them to the reſt; and to believe and truſt in Thee for both: Not to ſtagger at thy ſealed Promiſes, nor ſelfiſhly to deſire particular knowledge, which belongs not to me, as if I could truſt my ſelf, and my own knowledge, and not Thine. Lord teach me to follow Thee, even in the dark as quietly, and confidently, as in the Light, (having the general Light of thy Promiſe of Felicity.) I knew not the Myſtery of thy Conception, Incarnation, or the way of the workings of thy Spirit on Souls. No wonder if much of the Reſurrection and unſeen World be above my reach; much more that thy Infinite Majeſty is Incomprehenſible to me: How little do the Bruits that ſee me know of my thoughts or me. I have no adequate knowledge of any one thing in the World, but ſomewhat of it is unknown. O bleſſed be that Love and Grace that hath given me a glorified Head in Heaven to know all for me which I know not: Hear and Truſt Him living and departing. O my Soul! who hath told thee that we ſhall be with him where he is, and p. 357ſhall behold his Glory, and that a Crown of Salvation is laid up for us, and we ſhall Reign with him, when we have conquered and ſuffered with him, and hath bid us live in joyful Hope of our exceeding eternal heavenly Reward, and at our Death to commend our Spirits into his hand: Receive us Lord according to thy Promiſes, Amen.