Death Improved and Immoderate Sorrow Reproved, Letter (3 of 5)

Death Improved and Immoderate Sorrow Reproved · Letter (3 of 5)

p. 2091. Conſid. Grace and a good Conſcience are abundantly uſeful and neceſſary even in the Affairs of this Life, as well as hereafter, to carry us through the World with comfort and content, which cannot otherwiſe be had, and miſerable are thoſe that want it, however they may dream they are happy. Many are the Troubles we meet with here, and 'tis Grace that keeps the Heart from ſinking under them: The moſt pinching Calamity, and the moſt ſmart … Rod are by Grace chearfully endured. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord will deliver them out of all; but 'Tis Faith muſt ſuck ſweetneſs from this and the like Promiſes: But what Comfort flows hence to thoſe that have not Faith? A Godly Man knows, Through many tribulations he muſt enter into heaven. What is this to wicked Men, when they ſhall be violently thrown through theſe Briars and Thorns into the Pit of Hell. David could ſay, It is well for me that I was afflicted, Pſal. 119.71. It was a Furnace to refine him, and purge away his Droſs, but where it meets with nothing but Droſs, it will conſume. Fiſh will live and grow beſt in cold and ſalt p. 110Waters; and 'tis ſaid of the Wallnut-tree, the more 'tis beaten, the better it bears; and of the Camomile, that it ſpreads beſt, when 'tis moſt trod upon; ſo do God's Vines, the more they are pruned and prickt, and made to bleed, quae nocent docent, a Leſſon ſet on with whipping, is beſt remembred. But obſerve, there muſt be Life in the Fiſh, before they can grow; and in the Trees, before they can bear; and in Chriſtians, before they can thrive by Affliction: Hewing may make a Tree fitter for the Fire, but not more fruitful, if it have no Life. Affliction makes a good Man better, but a bad Man worſe, who are under the Rod like wild Bulls in a net, Iſa. 51.20. Impatient, and Turbulent, Swearing, Ranting, and Blaſpheming, Rev. 16.9, 10.21. Clear Water, when 'tis ſhaken in a Glaſs, remains clear, but if there be Mud at the bottom, ſhaking diſcovers it; the rottenneſs of the Lungs diſcovers it ſelf by the breath, and if there be rottenneſs at the Heart, it will appear by the unſavoury belches at the Mouth. Holy Job was not of this Humour, he is the ſame in Proſperity and Adverſity; on the Throne, and on the Dunghill; for he bleſſed God for taking away, as well as for giving, Job 1.21. A Believer is ſatisfied Affliction cannot ſeparate him from God, and then he fears not any other ſeparation. Paul and Silas can ſing in a Priſon, when many a Man trembles in a Palace. Philpot and his fellows can be as merry in the Biſhop of London's Cole-houſe, as the Biſhop can be in his Bed of Down. God and a good Conſcience are good Companions in a P…iſon, and a guilty Conſcience is a bad Companion in a Palace, as Nero and many others p. 111have experienced. Grace made Daniel venture boldly on the Lion's Den, and the three Worthies upon the Fiery Furnace, and was David's Comfort at Ziklag, when Saul in his Troubles went to the Witch, or rather to the Devil for help. And as Grace and a good Conſcience bear up the Head above Water in Affliction, when others ſink, ſo alſo it bears up the Heart againſt Reproaches, and is a ſpecial Antidote againſt the Poiſon of Venemous Tongues, and indeed nothing but Sincerity can do it; this beats back the Reproaches into the Reproacher's Face, and helps to caſt this Burden on the Lord, as knowing in due time he will clear the Innocent, and will not let the Guilty go free. Now, Reproaches is a Burden, that thoſe of whom the World was not worthy, had a ſhare, Heb. 11.36. and the beſt of Men had a portion; and ſome drink very deep of this Cup, as David, Jeremy, Amos, Eliſha, Iſaiah, yea, and Chriſt himſelf, Luke 16.14. And none on this ſide Hell have ſuffered more of this kind than the Godly have done, and none on this ſide Heaven have born it better, and it is Grace that enables them ſo to do. Innocence is no Target againſt Calumny, Contra Sycophanti morſum non eſt remediam, no Shield againſt the back-bitings of a ſlanderous Tongue, but Grace it is that keeps the Poiſon from the heart. In the Primitive Times, and in later days, none have been more reproach'd than true Chriſtians, that Machiavilian Principle hath been exactly imitated, Calumniare audactis aliquid ſaltem adhaerebit, Reproach freely, ſomething will ſtick; if the Wound be cured, the Scar will remain: But Believers Innocency Triumphs in the Conſcience of p. 212their greateſt Accuſers, and they can ſay as Job, Till I dye, I will not leave my Integrity, Job 27.5, 6. If there be fair Weather within, no matter what Storms are without; if the Bird in the boſom ſing ſweetly, no matter what others ſay or ſwear. Chriſt himſelf, though free from Sin, yet was not free from Reproach; he was called a Drunkard, a Glutton, a Companion of Publicans and Sinners, an Enemy to Caeſar, a Blaſphemer, one that was a Samaritan, and had a Devil, and caſt out Devils by Beelzebub, the Prince of the Devils; they buffered him, ſpit in his Face, and mocked him. But a good Conſcience wipes off all theſe Reproaches, and caſts them back into the Reproacher's Face, and 'tis better than a Thouſand Witneſſes, either in accuſing, or excuſing; if Conſcience Accuſe, the World cannot Juſtifie; and if it be clear, no matter though all the World condemn us. In this caſe of falſe Accuſation, Chriſt bids us rejoyce, and be exceeding glad, for great will be our reward in heaven, Mat. 5.11, 12. When the Apoſtles were beaten before the Counſel, they went away rejoycing, that they were accounted worthy to ſuffer for Chriſt, Acts 5.41. They knew this would add weight to their Crown of Glory; and would not accept of Deliverance, like thoſe, Heb. 11.35, &c. But Ahithophel, for want of Grace, under far eaſier Tryals, hang'd himſelf: Grace makes Men truſt God when Deliverance is out of ſight, when others cannot; for while their chiefeſt Treaſure is ſafe, they are well enough; they know if they loſe all for Chriſt, they ſhall loſe nothing by him; but ſhall have in heaven a more enduring ſubſtance. They can live upon their Faith, and upon their Hope, p. 113when all things elſe fails them, like the Church, Heb. 3.17, 18. Though all outward things fail, yet the Heart eſtabliſhed with Grace will not down; they know there is Balm enough in Gilead, and Oyl enough in the Horn of their Salvation. And though the Pipes are cut, there is Water enough in the Fountain; though the Creature cannot help, the Creator can; His hand is not ſhortened, that he cannot ſave, nor his ear heavy, that …t cannot hear. If God (ſaid the Martyr) take away my Meat, he will take away my Hunger; one Meals-meat will ſuffice a Moſes, an Elijah forty days; for God hath promiſed, and he will perform it, that the Righteous ſhall want nothing that is good; The juſt ſhall live by Faith; and the Prayer of Faith is the Key of God's Treaſury; thoſe that have it, and know how to uſe it, may fetch out what they pleaſe. Job will truſt God, though he kill him, though by Affliction he cruſh …he very breath out of his Body, yet will he not …ooſe his hold, he ſhall not be ſo ſhort of him. Dum ſpiro ſpero (ſaith a Believer) nay, Dum ex…iro ſpero, The Righteous Man hath hope in his Death. The Woman of Canaan would not be beaten off with two or three repulſes; like Jacob, ſhe wraſtled with God, till ſhe got the Bleſſing. Grace …s to the Soul, as Ballaſt is to the Ship, it makes …t more ſteady, when otherwiſe it would be …luctuating, and wavering. A Gracious Man, like Caleb, follows God fully, and keeps himſelf unſpotted in the World; Grace keeps the Heart from deſponding under the darkeſt Diſpenſations of Providence, though Trouble hang long on; …et he that believeth, will not make haſt. This, …ke a Skilful Phyſician, will extract Soveraign p. 114Antidotes out of the rankeſt Poiſon. David got good by Affliction. If there be no help in the World, Faith will make a Journey to Heaven, and fetch help thence, and engage God himſelf in the Quarrel, or ſue him on his own Bond. Thou haſt ſaid (ſaith Jacob) thou wilt do me good; deny it if thou canſt, therefore I expect thou ſhouldſt make good thy Promiſe. Grace is the whole Armour of God, wherewith we grapple with Sin, the World, and the Devil, Epheſ. 6.13. The Shield that beats back the fiery darts of Satan: A Catholicon, an Univerſal Medicine againſt all Maladies, of Soul, or Body: And as it helps us to bear all Burdens, ſo 'tis a qualification, without which we are fit for no Relations, no Offices or Places, in Church, or Commonwealth; nor to perform any Duty to God, or Man: Though Grace cannot fit every Man for every Office, Ex quovis ligno non fit Mercurius, yet 'tis ſuch an Ingredient, without which a Man is fit for no Place, neither can he perform the Relative Duties of any; ſuch an O…ye, cannot Preach, nor Pray, Read, nor Meditate, as he ought, or perform any Miniſterial Function; he is neither fit to be Magiſtrate, Miniſter, Huſband, Wife, Parent, or Child, Maſter, or Servant; for without Grace he can never do the Duties of theſe Relations, for all theſe Relations require Grace. Now, Grace being ſo neceſſary in the whole courſe of our Lives, let us above all gettings, get Grace.

2. Conſider, if Grace be ſo neceſſary in the Affairs of this Life, then doubtleſs 'tis much more uſeful in the concerns of another, when nothing elſe can ſtand us in ſtead. If it will fit us to live, p. 115it will much more fit us to dye, and to leave the World; it will bear up the heart under the direful Apprehenſions of Death it ſelf, it will defend the heart againſt the venemous Darts thereof, and keep the heart from deſponding under the apprehenſions of it. When Gold and Silver, Gemms and Jewels will do little good, a Man armed and fortified with Grace, will dare to meet this Enemy in the Field, and treat him as the Apoſtle doth, 1 Cor. 15.55. O Death, where is thy ſting? O Grave, where is thy victory? &c. The braveſt Challenge (ſaith one) that ever rang in Death's Ear; for when the Heart is defended with this Shield of Grace, no venemous Dart can ever pierce it; the ſting is to ſuch taken out, and they may put the Serpent into their Boſom; 'tis a conquered Enemy, lying proſtrate at their Feet; or rather an Enemy to Nature, but a Friend to Grace; the ſame blow that kills the Body, ſets the Soul at Liberty. Now, he that hath his Soul garniſhed with Grace, and his Conſcience purged from dead works. He that hath aſſurance of the Pardon of his Sin, and an Intereſt in Chriſt, in Heaven, and Glory, he will not be daſh'd out of Countenance with the rugged looks of Death. He that hath on the Wedding-Garment, needs not fear when he is called to the Supper. He that hath Oyl in his Veſſel, as well as a Lamp in his Hand, needs not fear the coming of the Bridegroom, nor the Servant that is watching, when his Lord comes home. Death may kill a Godly Man, but cannot hurt him; the worſt it can do, is but to ſend him to his Father's Houſe the ſooner. Then Baca ſhall be turned to Baracha, Sighs into Songs, and p. 114duplicate page p. 115duplicate page p. 116Miſery into Majeſty; then ſhall the ſinging of Birds be come, then ſhall they take Poſſeſſion of their Purchaſed Inheritance, and thoſe Manſions of Glory prepared for them, John 14.2. Then they come to Age, and ſhall receive their Kingdom; the thoughts of this will comfort the heart of a dying Man, and make him ſay, with Old Simeon, Lord, now letteſt thou thy ſervant depart in peace, &c. Luke 2.29. And with Paul, Phil. 1.23. I deſire to be diſſolved, and to be with Chriſt. He that had been in the third Heaven, no wonder if nothing would content him on Earth. Some cluſters of Canaan's Grapes we meet with in the Wilderneſs, which makes us long to go over Jordan. 'Tis true, no Man loves Death for its own ſake, neither can he, it is an Enemy to Nature; but when a Believer knows the only way to Paradice is under Death's Flaming Sword, and the only way to be freed from all Sorrow, is to ſuffer a little Pain; that one blow will free him from Sin and Sorrow, the Devil's Temptations, and the World's Allurements, and ſet him out of the reach of all his Enemies, even in the Boſom of Chriſt himſelf. Who would be afraid of ſuch a blow? Or who would fear the time when his loving Father ſhould ſend a Meſſenger for him, out of a troubleſome World into Eternal Happineſs, to wipe all Tears from his Eyes, and drive all Sorrow from his Heart? Can thoſe that really believe there is a reward for the righteous, and that they are of that number, fear the time when they ſhall enjoy it? Can the Mariner after a dangerous Storm fear to enter into the deſired Port, or a Priſoner to enjoy his Liberty, or a Sick Man his Health, or a Weary p. 117Man his Reſt? Let thoſe that enjoy their Pleaſures, Treaſure, and Promotions only for term of Life, fear the Expiration of their Leaſe, whoſe Lives do only defer their Torments: Let thoſe, I ſay, fear Death, and well they may, and did they but know the ſequel, it would ſend them trembling to their Graves. But I fear many that yet have honeſt Hearts, yet live at ſuch uncertainty, that they would willingly ſpin out the thread of their lives to a great length, before they were willing to dye, though it were accompanied with many Troubles, many of them under pretence they are not yet prepared, the more ſhame for them; is not their main Work done? Why then do they not ſet about it? What have they done all this while? If God ſhould add Twenty Years more yet to their days, will not this be their Excuſe then alſo? And think you, God will be thus put off? And is it not a ſad thing, that the main Concern ſhould be neglected, and time found for every thing elſe? But for wicked Men, there is no cauſe why they ſhould deſire Death, nay, great reaſon why they ſhould dread it, as the worſt of Evils; they leap but out of the Frying-pan into the Fire, out of a Temporal Miſery, into Eternal Torments; and by haſtning their Death, out-run their Happineſs, and fall into endleſs Miſery, which comes faſt enough without haſtning. But many of thoſe mind no more their Eternal Concerns, than the Ox that periſheth: Theſe Men either think Repentance is not neceſſary, or elſe that they have time enough to repent in, but ere long they will be ſadly convinc'd of their miſtake. Many haſten Death by their Intemperance, which yet p. 118they fear more than God himſelf. But to let theſe paſs, I would have Believers be better acquainted with Death, than to fear it, for it cannot ſeparate them from the love of Chriſt; and thoſe that have the Riches of Aſſurance, cannot fear Death greatly, knowing when this earthly tabernacle ſhall be diſſolved, they have a building of God, a houſe not made with hands, but eternal in the heavens. And who will not part with Rags, for Robes, with a Cottage, for a Crown, and with a handful of Muck, for a handful of Angels? Now, this Aſſurance is the Top-Gallant of Faith, the Triumph of Truſt, and the Sweet-meat of the Feaſt of a good Conſcience, where there are many dainty Diſhes, but this is the Banquet; 'tis Heaven upon Earth, and ſuch a Jewel no wicked Man upon Earth can know the worth of it, any more than Aeſop's Cock did of the Precious Jewel. When the love of Chriſt warms the Heart, it raiſeth the deſires of ſtricter Union and Communion with him, and a fuller Enjoyment of him, which will never be ſatisfied till the full fruition in Glory. He that loves God better than Father and Mother, &c. will part with theſe for his ſake. If we hate Hell, we ſhall not ſo earneſtly deſire to live in the Suburbs of Hell. We complain of Sin, and well we may, it being the cauſe of all our Miſery; but did we hate it as we ought to do, we ſhould be willing to dye, that we might be rid of it; for when we enter through this ſtrait Paſſage, and narrow Way, we ſhall leave this and all other Burdens behind us. We pretend we would ſerve God without Diſtraction, and ſhall we fear the time and place, when and where it can only be p. 119done? But till Grace be in the Heart, Heaven it ſelf cannot be deſirable; the Employment, the Company, and Society cannot pleaſe a Wicked Man. But Grace enables a Man to ſee that Death it ſelf cannot break the Marriage-Contract between Chriſt and the Soul, but then the Marriage will be fully conſummate; and when the Soul is ſeparated from the Body, it ſhall by the Angels be carried into the Boſom of Chriſt, where ſin and ſorrow ſhall be no more. Thoſe that are ſufficiently ſatisfied of the vanity of the World, the emptineſs of the Creature, the fulneſs of Chriſt, and the worth of Heaven, we cannot rationally imagine but they will be willing to part with one, to enjoy the other; in Earth we ſhall never meet with Content, or Satisfaction; in Heaven we ſhall meet with no Diſappointment, Troubles, or Vexations; will a Wiſe Man chooſe a Priſon, or a Peſt-Houſe for his Habitation, if he might have a Palace? Or any but a Mad-man dwell among the Tombs? The World is all this, and much more: He that looks upon the World as an Enemy, and the Body but a Skreen between God and the Soul, will not be unwilling to have both removed: Will not a ſick Man deſire his Health, and an hungry Man his Meat, a Captive his Liberty, and a Souldier the Victory, the Husband-man the deſired Harveſt, and the Labourer his Wages? And why then ſhould not Chriſtians long for the time when they ſhall receive at God's hand the promiſed Reward, for all they have done, and ſuffered, for the ſake of God? Shall thoſe that have done and ſuffered ſo much for Heaven, now be unwilling to have it when offered? The Aſſurance p. 120of Eternal Life may make us willing to leave theſe our Temporal Enjoyments. Well then, you ſee though a ſmall meaſure of Grace cannot overcome all Difficulties, yet there is nothing elſe but Grace can fit us for Death, or enable us to grapple with it: And therefore above all gettings, get Grace.

3. Conſider, Grace is ſuch a Qualification, that without it we can neither pleaſe God, nor enjoy Him, who is our Chiefeſt Happineſs. Heb. 11.8. Without Faith 'tis impoſſible to pleaſe God. Theſe are the Ornaments of a Chriſtian, the Gems and Jewels that make him lovely in the ſight of God, the Gold tryed in the Fire, the white Raiment, the Spiritual Eye-ſalve, which God adviſeth Laodicea to buy of him, Rev. 3.17, 18. greater Riches than the Indies can produce: Chriſt and Grace go together, he that hath one will have the other alſo; without Grace all our Duties are worſe than nothing, abominable Sins; for how can pure Water come from a polluted Fountain? The Heart by Nature is an Augean Stable, full of Filthineſs, but without Holineſs we ſhall never ſee God, Heb. 12.14. We may faſt and pray, and give Alms with the Phariſee, Mat. 6.1, &c. and offer Sacrifices, &c. with thoſe Iſa. 1.11, &c. and God will not regard us; though it be commanded Duties, if they proceed from a rotten Heart, or be performed for a by end, the Sacrifices of the Wicked are an abomination to God: The Incenſe of the Wicked ſtinks of the Hand that holds it, their Good Words are uttered with a ſtinking Breath, though they may be materially good, they are formally evil; a good Motion cannot proceed from a ſoul Mouth, theſe men deny in their Lives what p. 121they profeſs with their Lips; they are like the Aethiopians, black all but the Mouth; ſome of them are fair Profeſſors, but foul Livers, dicta factis crubeſcunt, their Practice ſhames their Profeſſion: You may ſee how ſuch Men's Sacrifices are accepted, Iſa. 66.2, 3. The Fountain muſt be cleanſed, or the Streams cannot be ſweet; the Tree muſt be good, or the Fruit will be bad: Whatever proceeds from a Wicked Man, ſmells of the Cask. If the Heart be right, God accepts of Pence for Pounds, Mites for Millions; and eſteems a Man as good as he truly deſires to be, Dat bene dat multum, qui dat cum munere vultum, God loves a chearful giver, and eſteems the willingneſs of the Mind, before the worth of the Work; the more of the heart is in the Sin, the worſe; but the more of it is in the Duty, the better, God loves no heartleſs or grumbling Service; My ſon (ſaith he) give me thy heart, Prov. 23.26. David's intention to build God an Houſe, was accepted, as if he had done it. So in Abraham's Offering his Son, the Widow's two Mites, were accepted, as if it had been an Hundred Pounds. But if Grace be wanting, though a man give all his goods to the poor, and his body to be burned, it is not accepted, 1 Cor. 13.3. Hypocrites blow their Gifts as Butchers do their Meat; yea, they are Fly-blown till they ſtink again, but Grace is the Salt that makes it ſavoury; Grace is the beſt Evidence we have for Heaven, and a ſure ſign of God's Favour, for he will know them well he beſtows it upon. He that believes and is baptized, ſhall be ſaved; but he that believes not, ſhall be condemned, Mark 16.16. God gives Crowns and Kingdoms ſometimes to the worſt of Men, p. 122but the Childrens Bread they ſhall not have, the reſt is but Crumbs to feed the Dogs, or rather the Cattel for the Slaughter; No man knows Love or Hatred by theſe things. The Sun ſhines as hot upon the Bramble in the Deſart, as on the Cedar in Libanus; the Snow falls as well on the choiceſt Garden, as on the Wilderneſs; yea, the lofty Pine meets with more Storms than the Shrub; the Sun riſeth upon the Good and the Bad, and the Rain falls on the Juſt, and on the Unjuſt; Wealth and Honour are handed out to the one, and to the other, and the worſt have of the beſt ſhare, and no wonder 'tis their All: Sometimes the Bramble is preferred before the Vine, the Olive, and the Fig-tree; but Grace is the diſtinguiſhing Badge, Chriſt's Sheep-mark, which never any but his own Sheep did ever wear: This makes a Man better, when the World makes him worſe; this makes the heart chearful, when other things make it ſad, or ſordid; yet the World contemns it, as Aeſop's Cock did the Precious Stone. But at Death if this be wanting, the Door will be ſhut againſt us; and when we are lanching out into the infinite Ocean of Eternity, we ſhall be glad of ſuch a Pilot. This Garb I know is out of Faſhion with our Gallants, but 'tis more durable than their Silks and Sattins, and will better keep out a ſhower of Divine Vengeance than thoſe; it will prove the beſt Flower in the Garland, and the richeſt Jewel in the Crown. The Rich Glutton would have changed his Garb with Poor Lazarus, and been contented with his Bill of Fare. Were the Mountains Pearls, and the Rocks Rubies, and the whole Globe of the Earth were a ſhining Chryſolite, yet Grace excels it all; p. 123Crowns and Kingdoms, ſtately Buildings, Thouſands of Rams, and Ten Thouſand Rivers of Oyl, will not reach the worth of Grace; this it is that opens the Door to the Pearl of great Price, Matth. 13.45. To the unſearchable riches of Chriſt, Epheſ. 3.8. It ſupports the Heart better than the choiceſt Cordials, and thoſe that now moſt deſpiſe it, will ere long moſt earneſtly deſire it. When Death, like Belſhazzar's Hand-writing, enters their Lodgings, and Summons them to Judgment; when they ſhall wiſh the mountains to fall on them, and the hills to cover them, then Grace would be the beſt Security. This is the only Ticket will open Heaven-gate, the Evidence for our Title there: To a Gracious Man, though the way be rough, the Journey's end will be eaſie; though the Battle be ſore, the Conqueſt will be certain, and the Spoils great; if they have a bad Dinner, they will have a joyful Supper; if they loſe their Eſtate, they are going to better Riches; they cannot want that have God for their Father, Jeruſalem which is above for their Mother, Chriſt for their Head and Husband, the holy Angels and glorified Saints for their Brethren and Companions, and Heaven for their Inheritance. God hath ſet his Seal, his Sheep-mark upon them, Holineſs to the Lord, Zech. 14.20. Where God changeth the Relation, he changeth the Nature and Diſpoſition; a heart in Heaven is one of the ſureſt Evidences for Heaven; For where the treaſure is, there will the heart be alſo. The beſt Treaſure the World affords, what is it but the Guts and Garbage of the Earth, the greater load of it we carry, the greater clog it oft-times proves in our Journey to Heaven, we cannot paſs p. 124the ſtrait Gate till we unload it. Many make Gold their God, and their Wedge their Confidence, but it failed Achan, his Wedge of Gold did ſerve to cleave his Soul aſunder, and his Babyloniſh Garment proved his Winding-ſheet. Covetouſneſs is called Idolatry, becauſe Men Idolize their Wealth; and Adultery, becauſe they Proſtitute themſelves to it, and lodge it in the room of God. Oh, how good is that Counſel, that bids us provide bags that wax not old, a treaſure in the heavens, that fadeth not away, Luke 12.33. Other things we cannot keep, and if we could, they would not avail us: But the true Treaſure we cannot loſe, 'tis durable as the days of Heaven, and will run parallel with the longeſt line of Eternity. When others therefore graſp for Gold, let us graſp for Grace; for Godlineſs will be found great gain, 1 Tim. 6.6. But thoſe that make haſt to be rich, ſhall not be innocent, Prov. 28.20. 'Tis not Gold; but Grace; not Money, but Righteouſneſs, makes the Soul Rich. A Gracious Man, though… his Habitation be below, his Converſation is above; and when Heaven is his Object, Earth will be his Abject. But if many Men's Hearts were anatomized, we might find the World there fairly Engraven, and nothing of Heaven would there be found. The Devil holds his black Hand over moſt Men's Eyes, that they cannot ſee the way to Heaven; and when they are blind-folded, he leads them, as the Prophet Eliſha did the Syrians to Samaria, when they think they are going to Dothan; they come to Hell with hopes of Heaven in their mouths: They are like ſoft Wax, he can turn them into any ſhape. But Grace is the Soul's Ballaſt, that keeps p. 125it ſteady, and elevates it above the World, and gives it a Piſgah-ſight of Glory; it mounts it upon Mount Tabor, where 'tis transfigured with Chriſt, and its Garments made white and ſhining. It gives the Soul thoſe true Beauty-Spots, which makes her lovely in the Eyes of her Husband; But theſe differ from the Devil's Patches, whoſe ſpot is not the ſpot of God's people, Deut. 32.5. Grace is the Oyl that makes her Chariot-wheels move ſwiftly, and keeps her Lamp of Profeſſion burning. Many are the Promiſes God hath made to Grace in general, and to the ſeveral Graces in particular, both of things concerning this Life, and that to come; and many are the Priviledges gracious Souls have in poſſeſſion, and much more ſhall have in reverſion; and many are the Love-Tokens her Husband ſends her, and many a gracious Viſit he affords her. 'Tis true, ſometimes to try her Love, he hides himſelf behind the Wall, but then every ſigh, and groan, and ſorrowful complaint goes to his Heart; and when he hath tryed her Affection, diſcovers himſelf again; he promiſes, and will make it good, he will never leave her, nor forſake her; that ſhe ſhall want nothing that is good, and all things ſhall work together for her good. Sometimes indeed Phyſick is as neceſſary as Food, and Affliction is the beſt Tutor, David found it ſo; if they bear ſcars for his ſake, he will change them into Beauty-ſpots; if he frown upon them, 'tis but for a moment, but with everlaſting kindneſs will he remember them; weeping may continue for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Grace makes both the Perſon and Performances pleaſing to God, 'tis the Incenſe he loves. 'Tis only the Gracious Soul that hath p. 126Adoption, Juſtification, Sanctification, Pardon of Sin, Communion with God, and that ſhall enjoy him for ever: This is ſuch a Chain of Pearl, that the World, were it ſold at the worth, cannot Purchaſe: Afflictions cauſe us to ſeek Promiſes, they ſend us to ſeek Faith, it ſends us to Prayer, Prayer goes to God for help; Grace it is that differences between God's Children and the Devil's Brats, and will difference between the Sheep and the Goats, and makes a man more excellent than his neighbour; and therefore we cannot buy this Gold too dear.

4. Conſider, Grace will not only bring us to Death, but will do us good after Death, and here nothing elſe can do it; among other things it will qualifie us to leave a Good Name behind us, which will yield a ſweet-ſmelling ſavour in the ſucceeding Generation. When the Name of the Wicked ſhall ſtink, the memory of the Juſt ſhall be bleſſed, Prov. 10.7. If we be good, and do good, we need not fear but our Name will ſurvive us. Now, A good Name is better than precious Oyntment, Eccleſ. 7.1. The Righteous ſhall be had in everlaſting remembrance, when the Name of the Wicked ſhall rot, his Lamp ſhall be put out in obſcurity, and ſhall leave a ſtinking Snuff behind. The Names of Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob, David, Daniel, and Job, and ſuch like, how ſweet do they ſmell in the Church of God? When Cain and Judas, Nero, Caligula, Domitian, and other ſuch Perſecuting Tyrants, are mentioned with deteſtation, as the Burden of the Earth, and the Plague-ſore of the World; but with what Reverence do we mention the Martyrs that ſuffered under them? The Scribes and Phariſees, which were bad p. 127enough themſelves, yet adorned the Sepulchers of the Prophets, and Righteous Men; and however the Godly are ſlighted at preſent, in the Generation to come they will be honoured, when the Name of all their bloody Perſecutors ſhall ſtink. But this is not all that Grace will do for us after Death, for it will accompany us to Judgment alſo, which the World will not, cannot do, for it ſhall be burnt up, and if it could, would do us little good, 'tis Grace alone that can make the Judge our Friend. When Death hath left us, and we are ruſhing into the infinite Ocean of Eternity, Grace is our Pilot to ſteer our Courſe, and land us in the Haven of Bliſs; and when we appear before the Judgment-ſeat of Chriſt, this is his Sheep-mark, whoever bears it ſhall ſtand upon his right hand, when all other wears the Devil's Brand, his Image and Portraiture, unmortified Sin, and there ſhall be thruſt and cro…ded together with the Devil and his Angels upon the left. Grace is the Image of God renewed in the Soul, which he will own whereever he ſees it; and he that confeſſeth Chriſt before Men, him will he confeſs before his Father, and he that ſuffers with him, ſhall alſo raign with him. There is a difference in this Life between the Righteous and the Wicked, the one are called the Seed of the Woman, the other the Seed of the Serpent; the Juſt and the Unjuſt, Believers and Unbelievers, Righteous and Wicked, the Children of God, and the Children of the Devil, the Wheat and the Tares, the good Fiſh and the bad, the fooliſh Virgins and the wiſe, &c. Now, 'tis Grace that maketh this difference, for by Nature we are all the children of wrath, digged p. 128out of the ſame hole of the Pit, and hewen out of the ſame Rock. God differenceth Men by theſe gracious Qualifications, and would have Miniſters difference them alſo in their Doctrine, and not give Holy things to dogs. And as they are diſtinguiſhed by God's Electing Love, and by the Operation of his Spirit, ſo have they a different Portion, both in this World, and that to come: The one feeds upon Heavenly Allowance, upon the ſincere milk of the Word, and the bread which came down from Heaven, the other finds no reliſh in it; and in the World to come the one will have a Portion in Heaven, the other in Hell; but there are many will not believe there is a Heaven or a Hell, but ere long Experience will convince them. Now, the difference that there is, is God's own work, for there was nothing in us, or that could be done by us, that could deſerve any thing at the hands of God, his Electing Love is the Spring and Foundation of it; He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he h…rdeneth. He ſent his Son to Redeem them out of the World, to pay their Debts, to qualifie their Souls with Grace, and after to bring them to Glory, when others remain ſtill under the Devil's Bondage. When Faith hath knit that Gordion-knot between Chriſt and the Soul, and ſhe can ſay, My beloved is mine, and I am his; when the Marriage is conſummate between them, all that the Husband hath is hers, and what ſhe hath is his, then may ſhe lay claim to his Merits, his Righteouſneſs, his Graces, and his Glory; and he partakes with her in her Sins, and in her Sorrows, all her Debts are made over to him, and he helps to bear her Sorrows; and p. 129upon this the Soul, though not Legally, yet is Angelically Righteous; God changeth both the Relation and alſo the Diſpoſition. By Grace Perſecuting Saul becomes a Preaching Paul, and of Lions Men are made Lambs. Now, God Adopts ſuch for his Sons, and for his Daughters, and gives them the Priviledge of Children, calls them by his own Name, ſets them about his own Work, liſts them under his own Banner, maintains them at his own Charges, and at laſt will lodge them in his own Boſom; when all the reſt of the World fight under the Devil's Banner, and do his Drudgery. God hath a Reward for the Righteous, though haply they have little in hand, they have the more in Reverſion; they ſhall have Eternal Life, when the other ſhall have Everlaſting Torments. Hypocrites haply may counterfeit Chriſt's Sheep-mark, as ſome have done the Broad Seal, but though they may deceive others, haply themſelves, yet can they not deceive God; the Lord knoweth who are his. The Inſcription of his Seal is, Holineſs to the Lord; and they cannot put off their Briſtow Stone for a true Diamond. But as I told you, Grace will not leave a Man till it bring him to Judgment, and ſpeak for him to the Judge, who ſhall ſet him at his own right hand, when all other ſhall ſtand at his left. Oh, what a Glorious Day will that be, when ſo many Myriads of Angels and glorified Saints, each ſhining brighter than the Sun in its ſplendour, ſhall attend upon the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who ſhall ſurpaſs them all in Glory? But what a dreadful Day will this be to Wicked Men, when they ſhall ſee him whom they hated, to be their Judge; and they whom they perſecuted p. 130and wickedly murthered, to be their Accuſers, yea, ſitting upon Thrones to Judge them alſo? Well may they call to the Mountains and Rocks to cover them, Rev. 6.15, 16. but in vain, for the Mountains melt at his Preſence, and the Rocks are removed out of their places; Hell it ſelf, that Dungeon of Darkneſs, cannot hide from him; For Death and Hell muſt deliver up their dead: But if they cannot ſtand before their ſelf-condemning Conſciences, much leſs before their Judge, before whoſe face their ſecret ſins are plain and manifeſt, and then will they all ſay, they muſt hear that flaming Sentence of Go, ye curſed, into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels, &c. A Sentence breathing out nothing but Fire and Brimſtone, Thundring and Lightning, Woe and Alas, Torment without end, and paſt imagination, Everlaſting Fire, Eternity of Extremity, which the Heart of Man cannot conceive, nor his Tongue utter. To depart from God, is to depart from all that good is; into Everlaſting Fire, here is the pain of Senſe; both theſe make up the Damned's Miſery, but the duration makes it compleat. Here is the never-dying Worm, that continually gnaws upon the Heart, and the Fire that never goes out, but continually burneth both the Soul and Body. Now Sirs, what ſay you to this? Is Grace worth having, that prevents all this, and ſets the Soul out of the reach of danger? Thoſe, and thoſe alone that are adorned with Grace, ſhall be crowned with Glory; for Grace is Glory begun, and Glory is Grace perfected. Is it now worth labouring for? Doubtleſs thoſe that now deride it as Fooliſhneſs, will then be derided for their Folly. p. 131Set your ſelves in the poſture you will certainly be in at Death, and at Judgment, and then think whether you will make as light of it then as now you do, and whether Cups and Queans will then give you better content. No, no, the rudeſt Ruffian then would be the holieſt Saint, and wiſh, with Balaam, to dye the death of the Righteous. But a few feigned Deſires, faint Wiſhes, and ſhort-winded Prayers, will not ſerve turn; God hath link'd Holineſs and Happineſs together, and no Man can break the Chain; many would do ſomething for Heaven, if they might pick and chooſe their Duties; and leave ſome Sins, if they might retain others; they would dance with the Devil all Day, ſo they might ſup with Chriſt at Night; they would do the Devil's Work, but have God's Wages, and leap out of Delilah's Lap into Abraham's Boſom; they would be Dives all Day, and Lazarus at Night. But thoſe that deride Holineſs now, are not like to have the Reward of it hereafter, but then they ſhall ſee thoſe very Men that now are at the Bar, ſhall then be at the Bench, 1 Cor. 6.2. and ſhall judge their Judges, and thoſe that have been unjuſtly judged, ſhall have their Cauſe call'd over again, and ſhall recover Coſts and Damages; and woe to thoſe that have offended any of thoſe Little Ones, that truſt in God, for their Avenger is ſtrong. Wicked Men have no more fore-caſt for their Souls, than Fools have for their Bodies; but they will pay dear for their Folly, for when the Saints ſhall ſhine in Glory, they ſhall be caſt into a Dungeon of Darkneſs; when God lays up his Jewels, he will throw out his Muck-heaps; when he fans his Wheat, he will burn the Chaff; the one muſt go p. 132into Everlaſting Torment, the other into Life Eternal, Matth. 25. laſt. Now, Reader, if thou wouldſt know what Road thou art Travelling, or what Place thou art like to Land in, conſider whether Grace be thy Pilot, and God thy Polar Star, if not, thy Condition is dangerous, and thy Courſe unſafe.

5. Conſider, Grace will not leave us thus, for its work is not done when the Judgment is over, and the Sentence paſt, for 'tis the only Treaſure we take with us to Heaven, and will not leave us, till the Crown of Glory is ſet upon our heads, nor then neither, their work is not done. Indeed ſome Graces which imply imperfection in us, as Faith and Hope, or in others, as Pity and Mercy, may ſeem uſeleſs there; for how can we believe and hope for what we actually enjoy, except it be for the continuance of it? Theſe will be ſwallowed up in the fruition of what we now believe, and hope for: And for Pity and Mercy, they want their Objects, there being no Miſery in Heaven, and thoſe in Hell deſerve no Pity; here we have many wanting Brethren, whoſe Miſeries call loud for Mercy, but there they are ſupplyed; but Love, and Joy, and Delight, Deſire, and Admiration, and ſuch like, are not only continued, but much heightened in Heaven; as alſo our Knowledge there will be perfected, and the Faculties of the Soul enlarged. For as an enraged Conſcience is one conſiderable part of Hell, ſo a good Conſcience augments Heaven's Glory; when all Earthly Enjoyments, which made our Lives comfortable, forſake us, there will be a new Addition of Pleaſures and Delights given in, the duration of them will be for ever; p. 133when others leave all that is comfortable behind, theſe will leave all that implies Miſery, or Imperfection; Grace will be a conſtant Companion to Eternity, the Divine Love of God, of Holineſs of the Saints and Servants of God, will never abate, but be much more enlarged when our Underſtandings are enlightened to know God better, for nothing but Ignorance can ſtave off our Affections from loving him, who is the chiefeſt Good: That Marriage-knot between Chriſt and the Soul is the Foundation of our Happineſs, for from Union ſprings Communion, and the perfect Enjoyment of him in Glory, which is the Beatifical Viſion. Grace here makes the Soul follow Chriſt through Good Report, and Evil Report, through thick and thin, and makes her reſolve to have him for her Husband, though ſhe have never a merry day with him; and is willing to run through Fire and Water to come to him. Oh, that I might enjoy thoſe Wild Beaſts that are prepared for my Torments, ſaith Ignatius Phileas. The Italian Martyr was deaf at the Perſwaſions of his Friends to forſake Chriſt, and blind at their Tears. True Love is like unto Fire, the more you blow it, the faſter it burns; or like Lime, the more Water you pour on, the more 'tis enkindled; For many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it. Now, nothing but Grace can bear up the Head and Heart under thoſe Torments and Tortures, but a Gracious Man can ſing ſweetly when it rains ſadly, and truſt God when Deliverance is out of ſight, Hic labor hoc opus eſt. To fetch Comfort from God, when the World affords us none, is a Work of Grace, Hab. 3.17, 18. A ſpark of Divine Love p. 134once kindled in the Breaſt, never goes out. Now, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 13.13. there remains Faith, Hope, and Charity, but the greateſt of theſe is Charity. And why? Becauſe 'tis longeſt lived. The Wiſdom of the Saints, as alſo the Folly of the World, is ſeen in this; the one reſpects Eternity, the other only this Tranſitory Life; things ſubject to Vanity and Vexation, that vaniſh as a curious Picture drawn upon the Ice in a Sun-ſhine day, that ſoon diſſolves into Water. The World is like a Lottery, Men come to it with their Heads full of Hope, and return with their Hands full of Blanks, and their Hearts full of Sorrow, for there are twenty Blanks for one Prize: There are many fair Promiſes made by the Devil and the World, but few performed; and our own hearts help to cheat us. But he that Trades in Heavenly Riches, never meets with diſappointments, they will find it far beyond their higheſt conceptions. Theſe things 'tis true, are hardly gotten, but will prove well in the wearing, and pay well for our pains. Heaven is not got ſo eaſily as the World imagines; when they moil and toil for the Earth, they think Heaven may be had with a wet finger, or into the bargain: They are like Timotheus, that dreamed that Towns and Caſtles fell into his Toyles while he ſlept; they think, a Lord have Mercy upon us, will ſerve turn for Heaven, to waſt them over, but they will find their miſtake; the Way is narrow they muſt walk in, and the Gate ſtrait they muſt enter, which they cannot do with a load upon their backs. We muſt work for Heaven, as well as wiſh for it; yea, wraſtle and ſtrive to enter in at the ſtrait gate, 'tis the violent that take it by force; and if it p. 135be ſet to Sale, all muſt go to buy this Pearl. I have read of a Chriſtian, that beihg offered great Riches and Preferments to change his Religion, he enquired whether it were durable Riches they offered him; he would deal for no Treaſures that were not Eternal, nor ſell his Immortal Soul for tranſitory Pelf; that Treaſure that is ſubject to Ruſt and Rapine, will not do our work, but that which is as durable as the days of Heaven, and Eternity it ſelf, which we may draw out a Thouſand Years hence, without Ruſt or Canker: Theſe outward things may draw Tears from our Eyes, but never will drive Sorrow from our Hearts; if we embrace them, we hug a Cloud inſtead of Juno, 'tis but to hunt Butter-flies, to foul our own Fingers. A Crown, which is eſteemed the top of Humane Felicity, is ſcarce worth (as one ſaith, that had tryed it) ſtooping for if it lay in the ſtreet; for if we conſider the Cares, Fears, Jealouſies, Dangers, and Troubles that accompany it, we ſhould not envy them the Honour that bear the Burden. 'Tis Wiſdom therefore above all things to get Grace, and then we ſhall have Chriſt and Glory. Men make a great duſt and ſtir in the World, and all for the Body, when there is not one day's Preparation for the Immortal Soul; many are aſhamed to be ſeen in this Faſhion, but were the Body tranſparent, and could we ſee their filthy, ſpotted, and leprous Souls through their Velvet Robes, they had cauſe indeed to be aſhamed to be ſeen in the ſtreets. Now, they matter not the Society of the Godly, but ere long they will never be troubled with it again. Now they want time to Examine themſelves, as to their future Eſtate, p. 136but then they will have time enough to reflect upon their fore-paſt Follies, the means they then had, the poſſibility, nay, the probability of their Converſion, and how they loſt Heaven for a Luſt, how they have been warned of this a thouſand times, and that now it is too late, and the Door is ſhut, the Day of Mercy is over, and will never dawn again. God hath long expected Fruit, and finding none, will lay down his Basket, and take up his Ax, and cut down theſe fruitleſs Trees, and throw them into the Fire, and open the Flood-gates of Divine Vengeance, and pour in upon them: All Hopes will then be taken away, and nothing but Deſpair left in the room. Now, where is the World, and what can it do for thee? But Grace will ſhelter from all this, thoſe that have this Oyl, ſhall go in, the other ſhall be ſhut out, Matth. 25.11, 12. What will theſe Men have to ſay for themſelves then? Will they plead what Service they have done for God? Alas, this will not ſerve their turn, Mat. 7.22. Will they deſire the Mountains to fall upon them, and the Hills co cover them? Alas, this cannot benefit them, Rev. 6.16, 17. What will the Worldling by this time think of his Portion? Will it prove currant Coin in the other World? Is not Grace now the better Portion, that will lodge a Man in the Boſom of Chriſt, and make him drink of the Rivers of pleaſures at his right hand for evermore, amongſt thoſe Heavenly Quiriſters, the Angels and glorified Saints, ſinging Hallelujahs together, when all tears ſhall be wiped away, and ſin and ſorrow ſhall be no more: Where they ſhall be freed from all Miſeries, ſet out of the reach of all Enemies, free from all Dangers, p. 137Temptations, Oppreſſions, and Troubles, in the perfect Enjoyment of all Happineſs, and lye in the Everlaſting Embraces of their dear Redeemer. Now, Reader, what doſt think of Grace? Is it worth having? If yet to prevent the Furnace, thou fall down to the Idol, thy Blood will be upon thy own Head.

Leſſon 4. The Fourth Leſſon this Providence teacheth us, is this, That ſeeing God hath taken away one in the Prime and Flower of her Age, and thereby manifeſteth our Mortality, then it teacheth us, that the Godly have not long to ſuffer, for when Death comes, their Miſeries are at an end, for Death will ſet them out of the reach of Danger; this is the laſt Enemy they have to grapple with, and this cannot hurt us, for Death doth but lance the Ulcer (which otherwiſe could never have been cured) and let out the Corruption; though it be an Enemy to Nature, 'tis a Friend to Grace; that blow that kills the Body, ſets the Soul at liberty. Of all Men in the World, none are greater Sufferers than the Godly, read Heb. 11.35, &c. But though their Afflictions are ſharp, they are but ſhort; Heavineſs may continue for a night, but joy comes in the morning, Pſal. 30.5. Then their Sighing will be turned into Singing, and their Muſing into Melody; this World is their Purgatory, and can they expect Pleaſure? Nay, their Hell, all the Hell they ſhall ever have, and can they expec… Eaſe? But here is their Comfort, they can through it, and beyond it, In the world they … meet with tribulation, 'tis in Chriſt they ſhall … Peace, John 16.33. The World to Believ… p. 138like the Streights of Megallan to the Paſſenger, which way ſoever they bend their Courſe, the Wind is always againſt them: Though Wicked Men, like Dogs, worry one another, yet like Herod and Pilate, joyn both againſt Chriſt, and his Church; which ever is uppermoſt, they are ſure to be under, for while there is a Devil in Hell, or a Wicked Man upon Earth, they can expect no Peace; Bleſſed are the dead therefore that dye in the Lord, for they reſt from their labours, and their works follow them, Rev. 14.3. Here they are, with the Apoſtle, in Priſons often, but a Goal-delivery will come, when they ſhall be freed, and their Enemies be ſent to a worſe Priſon; then ſhall all tears be wip'd away from their eyes, and ſin and ſorrow ſhall be no more. 'Tis here they have a Principle of Grace in them to direct their Courſe aright, but Corruption, like a Byas to the Bowl, draws them aſide; they are like the Stars, whoſe Natural Courſe is from the Weſt to the Eaſt, but by force of the Primum Mobile they are hurried from Eaſt to Weſt. Regenerate Mens Courſe is Heaven-ward, but they are many times like the Stars, Stationary and too often Retrograde: They are like the Bird of Paradice, with a Clog upon her heels, her Nature is to mount up, but the Clog plucks her down again; when they mount up in their Contemplations to get a view of Chriſt, they are like a Man that looks at a Star through an Optick-Glaſs, held with a Palſie Hand, ſometimes, but 'tis ſeldom, they get a ſight of him, but they ſhall have a clearer Viſion ere long. They cannot deal with their Corruptions, as Abraham did with his Servants, leave them behind, when they go to Sacrifice; p. 139no, they ſay, as Ruth did to Naomi, Whither thou goeſt, we will go; and where thou lodgeſt, we will lodge; and where thou art buried, we will be buried, and nothing but Death ſhall part us, Ruth 1.16. But 'tis but a while, and a Believer ſhall be everlaſtingly ſeparated from his ſin, and will triumph over all his Enemies. Oh Death, where is thy ſting? Oh Grave, where is thy victory? &c. 'Tis true, here the beſt have no pure Beauty, they have their form freckles, yet their ſpot is the ſpot of God's people, which will waſh out, and not like the Leopard, not only in the Skin, but in the Fleſh alſo; but then they ſhall appear without ſpot or wrinkle: Here all their Comforts are mixt, and there is no fire, but there is ſome ſmoak; 'tis not ſo there: Here they lye among the Pots, but there they ſhall ſhine as the ſtars for ever and ever. Then ſhall they exchange Earth for Heaven, Miſery for Majeſty, and a Crown of Thorns for a Crown of Glory, but what this Glory is, we know not, but ſhall then have occaſion to ſay of it, as the Queen of Sheba did of Solomon's Wiſdom, Much I have heard of it, but the one half was not told me. Paul, that had a Glimpſe of it, ſaw more than he was able to utter, for no word in Humane Language could expreſs it: We can no more ſet out Heaven's Happineſs, than we can take the Dimenſions of it with our Span, or empty the Sea with a Spoon. All we can do to get out of this Labyrinth is by a clue of Scripture-thread, and here 'tis but ſhadowed out to us according to our Capacity, ſo much as may ſet us a longing after the enjoyment of that, which eye never ſaw, ear never heard, neither can the heart of man conceive what it is: Now, p. 140the Eye hath ſeen much, the Ear heard of more, but the Heart can conceive of more than that; as that the Earth is a Globe of beaten Gold, the Sea of liquid Pearl, every Graſs to be a Diamond, and every Sand a Ruby; the Air to be Cryſtal, and every Star to be ten thouſand times bigger and brighter than the Sun, &c. for what can bound our Fancy? Now, if all theſe were realities, alas, it falls ſhort of Heaven's Glory, theſe things fall under our Senſes, but Heaven's Glory cannot; here is Joy without Sorrow, Light without Darkneſs, and Grace is here without Corruption: Here is a mixture of the one with the other, and many times an Ounce of Joy hath a Pound of Sorrow; we get ſometimes a Piſgah-ſight of Canaan, and ſuddenly are hurried back into the Wilderneſs, if not into Aegypt; now Health, then Sickneſs; now Eaſe, then Pain; now Poverty, then Plenty: But in Heaven it will not be ſo, our Wine there ſhall not be mixt with Water, the Storm there will be over, and the Weather always calm and ſerene. But to come nearer to our buſineſs, our Happineſs there will be partly privative, partly poſitive. I ſhall ſpeak to thoſe apart, and ſhew you firſt what we leave behind us, and then, what our Enjoyment ſhall be, and all but as in a Glaſs darkly.

1. At Death, and not before, we ſhall be freed from all our Sin and Corruption, which is the greateſt trouble a Believer hath in this World, and indeed the cauſe of all other troubles, but at Death it ſhall never trouble them more; they may ſay of it, as Moſes of the Egyptians in the Red Sea, Thoſe you ſee to day, you ſhall ſee no more for ever. And is not this cauſe of Rejoycing? p. 141Sorrow follows Sin, as the Shadow follows the Subſtance, but the Cauſe being removed, the Effect will ceaſe. This it is that ſpoils all our Duties, and makes them unſavoury unto our God; for the Fountain being defiled, the Streams cannot be pure; this is the Make-bate between God and the Soul, and this hides his face from us. We can never have Peace with God, or any aſſured Peace with our ſelves, or the Creatures, till we break our Peace with Sin; for when God is offended, our own Conſciences, and all the Creatures wait but for a Commiſſion to moleſt us, or deſtroy us. The Waters of the Flood drown'd the whole World, the Red-Sea Pharaoh and his Hoſt, the Fire burnt up Sodom and Gomorrha and the Cities adjacent; the Earth ſwallowed up Korah and his Complices, the Walls of Aphek ſlew twenty ſeven thouſand of God's Enemies, 1 Kings 20.30. The Stars fought in their Courſes againſt Siſera, the very inanimate Creatures take God's Part, ſo do the poor Inſects; the Flies, the Lice, the Caterpillars, what Plagues were they to Egypt? As alſo the Frogs, the Hail, &c. And would have deſtroyed him, and all his Army, had not Moſes interceded. And Hiſtories tell us, that ſometimes a Fly, an Hair, a kernel of a Grape, a prick with a Pin, have brought Great Men to their end. Hence it was that Auguſtine ſaith, he would not be in an unregenerate Man's condition for one hour for all the World, leſt God in that time ſhould take him hence by ſome Judgment, and ſend him to Hell. Now, though Sin have a Mortal Wound in the Regenerate, which cannot be cured, yet it will have a Being in them while they are in the Fleſh, p. 142and theſe Sons of Zeruiah are ſometimes too ſtrong for them, but at Death theſe Anakims ſhall be overcome, Death will give them their Deaths-wound; the ſame ſtroak that ſeparates the Soul from the Body, ſhall divide between Sin and the Soul: Now it ſticks as cloſe to us as the Skin to the Fleſh, or as the Fleſh to the Bones, or rather as one Bone to another, and much cloſer; for theſe may be ſeparated, but the other not: 'tis like as the ſpots of the Leopard, not only in the Skin, but in the Fleſh alſo, nay, 'tis in the very Heart, and not only in the Body, but in the Soul alſo, yea, in the very Power and Faculty of it, yet at Death a ſeparation will be made; and this muſt needs be good News to a Believer, when his deadly Wound is cured, which is the cauſe of all his Maladies. Oh, happy day will it be to him, when he ſhall ſhake hands with his Corruptions, and give them a Bill of Divorce, and bid them an Everlaſting Adieu; when he ſhall never have a proud, vain, ſenſual, or ungodly thought more to trouble him, or any that ſhall be unbeſeeming God, or Godlineſs. Now he cannot ſerve God without diſtraction, but then it will be otherwiſe; no ſin ſhall ſtand then as a Cloud to Eclipſe the Sun of Righteouſneſs, or cloud him from us. Now Sin makes a Godly Man a weary of his Life, and cauſeth many a ſad and ſorrowful Sigh, and many a Prayer it doth coſt him, and many a ſtruggling for the Victory; but then it will be had, and the War will be ended, and the Triumph obtained, when all Tears ſhall be wip'd away, and Sin and Sorrow ſhall be no more; and for a Crown of Thorns, they ſhall have a Crown of Glory. p. 143There is nothing now but ſin that hides God's Face from us, when theſe Clouds are removed, we ſhall ſee him as he is, and ſhall never ſee one frown in his face, nor one wrinkle in his brow, for Sin and Corruption, which are the only Make-bates, ſhall be left behind, for no unclean thing ſhall ever enter into Heaven; for though the Serpent did wind himſelf into Paradice, none of the Serpentine Race ſhall ever enter into Heaven, their place ſhall no more be found there, Rev. 12.8. And if he be caſt out, his Works ſhall follow him; then the Saints will be Saints indeed, without ſpot or wrinkle, or any ſuch thing, Epheſ. 5.27. Their robes will be waſh'd in the blood of the Lamb, and they ſhall no more delight to wallow in the Mire. Heaven that ſpewed out the fallen Angels, will not admit of any unclean thing; ſin to the Godly is their greateſt Trouble here, but what would it be ſhould they be troubled with it to Eternity? I have read of the Indians, that enquired, where the Spaniards would go after their Death? And Anſwer being made, To Heaven; proteſted they would not come there among ſo Blood-thirſty and Cruel a People. This was their Ignorance; but this I ſay, ſhould a Godly Man know his ſin ſhould accompany him to Heaven, it would be great cauſe of ſorrow. Anſelm affirms, he had rather go to Hell Innocent, than to Heaven with a Guilty Conſcience. 'Tis a greater Mercy to be freed from Sin, than to be born Heir to a Kingdom, but at Death they ſhall have the Priviledge of both; now 'tis their daily Complaint, O this hard, this proud, this hypocritical Heart! how ſhall I get it ſoftned, humbled, and reformed? p. 144But then it will be done, it will then be better than now we can deſire, or expect; here the Underſtanding is clouded with Ignorance, there the ſcales will fall from our Eyes. Many a Man would ride a Thouſand Miles, and give many Hundred of Pounds to have a clear inſight into ſome of the Myſteries held forth in the Scripture, as of the Trinity, the Incarnation, Predeſtination, Redemption, Free-will, &c. And of ſome obſcure Paſſages, Propheſies, and Promiſes, recorded in the Scripture: But there all ſhall lye open, and God's whole Contrivance in the work of our Redemption made apparent, to his Glory, and our Eternal Admiration. In a word, there ſhall no ſin, or any thing that implies a defect, enter Heaven, for no ſuch Weeds grow in God's Garden; there will be no imperfection of our love to God, our deſire after him, or our delight in him; neither any diſtempered Paſſion, or Affection, for the Affections that there ſhall remain, ſhall be ſet upon right Objects, and agreeable to the Will of God. Oh, happy time! when ſhall it be, when we ſhall be rid of all our ſins, that now keep us ſo low, and God at ſuch a diſtance from us?

2. As at Death we ſhall be freed from all ſin, ſo likewiſe from all the Cauſes, Occaſions, and Provocations to ſin, from the Temptations of Satan and Allurements of the World; for as there will be no Natural Inclination to it within, ſo there will be no Provocation to it from without; for Temptation without, now proves the Bellows to blow our Corruption up into a Flame, it being as Tinder to the Fire, ready to catch upon all occaſions. The Devil is a Powerful, Politick, p. 145Subtil, and Malicious Enemy, lying upon his lurches to betray us, 1 Pet. 3.8. He is always fiſhing for Souls, and ſuits his Baits according to our Inclinations; he hath ſuch an Enmity againſt God, that he hates his Image where ever he ſees it; and though he cannot race it out, yet he will always oppoſe it, and ſeek to deface it; he is like the Scorpion, his ſting is always out, and what Oppoſition either he or his Inſtruments can make againſt it, they will be ſure to do it; but at Death we ſhall be out of his reach, and in a place of ſafety, where he cannot throw one Dart at us, nor ſhake his Chain to affright us. Now he gives us many Alarms, and if he finds us out of our Trenches, or neglecting our Watch, he is ſure to ſurprize us, and to make a Prey of us; and were we not kept by the mighty power of God to Salvation, we could not eſcape being devoured by him. Now we have no quiet Day nor Night, nay, in our very Addreſſes to God, but he moleſts us with his Temptations, ſometimes ſtops our Mouths, and oft-times ſteals away the Heart in the time of Duty, and lays Snares for us where ever we go, or whatever we do; but the more Spiritual the Duty is, ſo much the greater is his Oppoſition: He ſpoils our Duties purpoſely to make God hate them, he takes great Advantage indeed by our own Corruption, and we ſhall never be rid of the one, till we are free from the other: Our Senſes are the Cinque-Ports that lets in the Occaſions and Provocations to ſin into the Soul, and he ſails in with the Tide of our Corruptions; he throws in many times Peſtilent Temptations, and horrid Injections, which being reſiſted, become not our ſins, yet p. 146are they matter of ſorrow to think that our hearts are the Soil where ſuch wicked Seed is ſown; and 'tis matter of fear alſo, leſt ſometime or other the Temptation ſhould be owned, and the Soul become Mother to the Devils Brats. Chriſt indeed, though free from Sin, was yet not free from Temptation; the Devil's Wild-fire fell upon wet Tinder, he had no Corruption as we have to give it Entertainment. He ſeeks ſometimes by his Temptations to make us have hard thoughts of God, yea, ſometimes to queſtion whether there be a God, or whether the Scriptures be the Word of God, or whether the Soul be Immortal, or dye not with the Body, or whether there be hereafter a Life of retribution, &c. And many times injects thoughts of Pride, Senſuality, Hypocriſie, Revenge, &c. Now theſe, though not conſented to, muſt needs be troubleſome to think ſuch Tares ſhould be ſown in our Fields, though if we cry out with the Raviſh'd Virgin, it will become his ſin, though our ſorrow. He fits his Temptations, as the Fiſher doth his Baits, to our Inclinations; if a Man be inclined to Drunkenneſs, he doth not thruſt him by Head and Shoulders into the Ale-houſe, this would affright him, but ſtands behind the Buſh, and ſets a Companion to call him; for the Adulterer he hath a Delilah, ſome Beautiful Strumpet; if ſhe be not Beautiful, he teaches her the Art to Paint, Spot, and uſe other Alluring Tricks: He hath a Wedge for Achan, and a Reward for Judas, and an All this will I give thee, for Chriſt himſelf. Now, while we are on this ſide Heaven, we are in continual danger, and great cauſe we have to dread theſe Snares, ſeeing ſo many are p. 147taken in them; if we reſiſt them, we are like to be undone alſo; they that will not howl with the Wolves, are like to be devoured by the Wolves: If we eſcape with our Eſtates, 'tis well; if with our Lives, 'tis better; if the Devil cannot prevail by fair means, he will uſe foul. A Godly Man in this World is like an honeſt Matron that is confined in a Houſe with ſome luſtful Letcher, who is always ſolliciting her to Lewdneſs, and though ſhe deny him with diſdain, will yet give her no reſt: So, though the Devil have a thouſand Repulſes, he will not deſiſt; and if one Temptation ſail, he will try another; though we cry out, with the Raviſh'd Virgin, Deut. 22.25. yet ſometimes he makes a Rape upon us, and injects his filthy Seed againſt our wills; but 'tis our Natural propenſity makes us fear a Surpriſal, our Hearts being ſo deceitful, Jer. 17.9. and ſo many tall Cedars ſo fouly ſhaken in our days. But when Death comes, the Devil's Work is done, and nothing remains but that he receive his Wages; and though he and his Inſtruments trample upon us now, we ſhall then trample them under foot, Rom. 16.22. His Horn will be broken, and become a Trumpet for our Triumph. But ſuppoſe as much liberty were granted him in Heaven, as he hath upon Earth, to uſe as many Temptations, and ſpread as many Snares as now he doth, what would it avail? There will be no Corruption to work upon, neither any Bait that would be taking; ſuppoſe he ſhould ſay to the Saints, All this will I give you, as he did to Chriſt, and a ſtronger Bait I know not of, any he hath. Suppoſe he ſhould offer and really give them Crowns and Kingdoms to p. 148leave Heaven's Glory, and follow him, who would leave an Eternal Kingdom of Glory, for a Tranſitory, Earthly Dominion? Now indeed we live out of ſight of this Heavenly Inheritance, and the things he offers are ſenſibly perceived, and hence it is he prevails with poor blind Creatures, that can ſee but under their Feet, but there the ſcales will be dropt from our Eyes, and we ſhall ſee the worth of the one, and the vanity of the other, one Glimpſe whereof made Paul account all things here below as dirt and dung. It muſt be a lovely Object that will draw a Believer out of the Arms of Chriſt, and make him forſake the Glory of Heaven, ſomething that muſt be better, and more lovely, but that is not in the Devil s keeping; no, no, his Work is done, and he will deceive the Nations no more. He works here upon Men's Ignorance, but there it will be expell'd; here we live in danger, but there we are out of harms-way; we need not there fear his frowns, nor regard his ſmiles; for as he cannot tempt us, ſo he cannot hurt us; neither the World, which is his great Aſſiſtance, which here aſſiſts him in laying his Snares, and is the Bait wherewith he baits his Hook, but then it will be no Load-ſtone to a glorified Saint: Worldly Profit, Pleaſure, and Honour, are here things that take with Fleſh and Blood, but not in Heaven, they are not indeed here nec vero nec noſtra; but then they will be meer non entities, and no ſuch thing in being, as we call ſo here, for all Earthly things will be burnt up: Here we are in continual danger, leſt ſome Senſe or other ſuck in the Poiſon; we can hardly open our Eyes but we let ſin into the Soul, ſomething or other to provoke p. 149Pride, Paſſion, Covetouſneſs, Uncleanneſs, or one hateful Luſt or other; the like we may ſay of our Ears, and other Senſes: No wonder then that Job made a covenant with his eyes, Job 31.1. And our Saviour bids us, Take heed how we hear. Almoſt all we converſe with are infectious Perſons, and have ſome Plague-ſore running upon them. And may we not ſay of moſt Families, as of the Egyptians, there is not a Houſe where ſome dead Perſon is not, nay, many whole Families, yea, many Pariſhes, where there is ſcarce one alive; 'tis a very Golgotha, a place of dead Men. Nay, our very Bodies prove Inſtrumental to betray the Soul; nay, every Creature we are converſant with proves no better, but prove Temptations to draw or drive away the Soul from Chriſt; and every Enjoyment proves a Snare, every Eſtate and Condition, whether we are Rich or Poor, in Honour or Diſgrace, in Health or Sickneſs, in Pleaſure or Pain, at Liberty or in Priſon, Bond or Free, every Eſtate hath its peculiar Temptations; every Calling, from the moſt Honourable, to the Baſe; every Relation, Magiſtrate or Subject, Miniſter or People, Huſband or Wife, Parents or Children, Maſters or Servants, have their Temptations; Male or Female, Fair or Foul, Married or Unmarried, Young or Old, Poverty hath its Temptations, and Riches more; Agur's wiſh, Neither Poverty nor Riches, but Food convenient, ſeems the beſt Choice. Our Cloathing oftentimes proves a Snare, if gay, to Pride or Arrogance; if poor, to Repining and Diſcontent. Our Table alſo becomes a Snare, if well furniſh'd, to Gluttony, Drunkenneſs, and Exceſs; if not, to envy others that have better: p. 150So that there is not an hour free from one Danger or other, for Soul or Body, or both; our very ſleep is not free, but peſtered with vain or ſinful Dreams, or fearful Viſions of the Night, our Corruption diſturbing our Fancy; nay, in our Lawful Enjoyments, Latet anguis in herbas, for no Enjoyment we have, but the Devil will weave it into a Net for our Feet, in licitis perimus omnes, we cannot look into the World, but one thing or other is making ſuit for our Affections; ſo that many times I have thought an Hermitage, or ſome ſecret Cell were to be choſen, free from the noiſe of the World, but ſuch places are not without their Temptations, as Experience proveth; when we open our Eyes, we ſee Vanity; and when we open our Ears, we hear Folly; ſomething that tends to provoke to ſome baſe Luſt, Pride, Vain-glory, Laſciviouſneſs, Envy, Malice, Revenge, or ſuch-like; or otherwiſe we ſee or hear ſome Command of God broken, which ſhould provoke our ſorrow. So bitter and malicious an Enemy the Devil is, if he cannot keep us out of Heaven, he will make the way thither troubleſom; and the World is ſuch a ſworn Enemy to us alſo, not only in our Civil Enjoyments, but in our Spiritual Duties, in our Addreſſes unto God it proves a hindrance, and our own Hearts prove treacherous; theſe Fly-blow our Duties, yea, make us pride in our Graces; …ea, to be proud of our Humility, if we look not about us. Now, who would deſire to live among all theſe Snares and Temptations? but here is our comfort, Death will free us from theſe and all others whatſoever, and ſet us out of the reach of danger; for the actual Enjoyment of God, and p. 151Chriſt, and Heaven, and Glory, will wholly take us up, that we ſhall have no time for, no mind to theſe things.

3. As at Death they are freed from Sin, and the Occaſions of Sin, from the Devil and his Temptations, ſo are they alſo from his Inſtruments, which Chriſt calls his Children, John 8.44. Ye are of your Father the Devil, and the works of your Father ye will do. They have the ſame Nature and Diſpoſition he hath, viz. a hatred to God and Godlineſs, for where ever they ſee the Image of God, they pour Contempt upon it, and hence it is they Perſecute the Righteous for Righteouſneſs-ſake, whatever they pretend to the contrary. But in Heaven the Saints ſhall hear no more of this grinning Language, but ſhall be free from not only the violence of Hands, but the ſtrife of Tongues; There the wicked ſhall ceaſe from troubling, and the weary are at reſt; there the Priſoners reſt together, and hear not the voice of the oppreſſor; the ſmall and the great are there, and the ſervant is free from his maſter, &c. Job 3.17, &c. This Life is the day of Temptation, and the hour of Darkneſs, but at Death it will be over; the Enemy may, and oft-times doth perſecute the Godly to Death, but cannot reach them after, except they Triumph over their dead Bodies, as they did over the Witneſſes that were ſlain, but when they aroſe again, their Sport was ſpoiled; this was but over their Bodies, but their Souls they cannot reach, no Torment can touch them; and though they burn their Bodies, or rend them into a thouſand pieces, yet the leaſt Atome of them ſhall not be wanting at the Reſurrection: There are none in the World that carry themſelves more p. 152inoffenſively than they do, yet never any meet with harder meaſures from the World than they do, and the reaſon is becauſe the World hates them for Chriſt's ſake, and no wonder, it hated him before it hated them. Jeremy wonders why every one curſed him, that had neither given nor taken upon Uſury, Jer. 15.10. The Apoſtles that wronged none, but only laboured the Converſion and Good of all, met with hard dealing in the World, as we may ſee, 1 Cor. 4.9, &c. and 2 Cor. 11.23, &c. And from them we may know the World's Wages, and what to expect from them: Their Perſecutors were ſharp and ſevere, Verberibus pluunt colaphis grandinant, 'tis the practiſe of bloody Perſecutors to endeavour to effect that by Arms, they cannot do by Arguments; as when the Apoſtle had confounded the Jews by the Scriptures at Damaſcus, they ſought to kill him, Acts 9.22. But 'tis Ignorance that breeds the Quarrel, they are Ignorant, and will be ſo, for like Bats they ſhun the Light, and are like Barbarians, that curſe the Sun when it ſhines hot upon them, Believers dare not run into the ſame exceſs of Riot, & hinc ille lachrymae, they hated Chriſt becauſe he bore Witneſs their deeds were evil; and all a Believer's Sufferings are but a Chip of Chriſt's Croſs; the ſeed of the Serpent will hate the ſeed of the Woman, for though like Dogs they worry each other, yet all joyn together againſt the Godly, as Herod and Pilate againſt Chriſt; Ephraim is againſt Manaſſeh, and Manaſſeh againſt Ephraim, yet both againſt Judah. Whatever the pretence be, to root out Holineſs is the intent; they are inſtigated by the Devil, and they muſt needs go when he drives them, but 'tis a comfort p. 153he cannot go beyond his Chain, he cannot make a Louſe, Exod. 8.18. nor drown a Pig, Mat. 8.32. nor throw down a Houſe, Job 1.19. without leave, and his Chain will never ſuffer him to reach them in Heaven. Here they ſuffer by Hand and Tongue, but thoſe Hands and Tongues will ſuffer hereafter, as we ſee in the Rich Glutton; here their Tongues are ſet on the fire of Hell, but then they ſhall be ſet on fire in Hell, when the Godly for their Crown of Thorns ſhall have a Crown of Glory. Here the Wicked whip their own faults upon the Saints backs, as Nero ſet Rome on fire, and laid it upon the Chriſtians, and others ſince have taken the ſame courſe; but there will be a Reſurrection of Names, as well as of Bodies; 'tis the Evening crowns the Day, and the laſt Scene the Play; when the Game is up, we ſhall know who loſeth. Chriſt tells us, we ſhall be hated of all men for his ſake. In Nero's time whoever profeſſed himſelf a Chriſtian, muſt dye without further Tryal, as an Enemy to Mankind; and in after-ages thoſe that own Religion in ſincerity ſuffer by thoſe that profeſs what they practice. The Apoſtle bids us not to think it ſtrange concerning the fiery tryal, 1 Pet. 4.12. And Experience tells us, 'tis no ſtrange thing; it is good to prepare for it, it will not come the ſooner, but will be better born; yea, we ſhould rejoyce to be accounted worthy to ſuffer for Chriſt, 1 Pet. 4.13. I have read of Vincentius the Martyr, that laughed at his Tormentors, and walked upon hot burning Coals as upon Roſes, and called Death and Tortures Jocularia & ludicra, matters of Sport to Chriſtians; but whatever Tortures they ſuffer now, there will be none in Heaven; but the cry p. 154of the Souls under the Altar will be heard, for Vengeance againſt thoſe that ſhed their Blood, Rev. 6.9. and thoſe that ſhed it will have their bellies full of Blood; their Tyranny will be over, and their Place ſhall no more be found in Heaven, Rev. 18.8. It was a miſtake of the poor Indians, that refuſed to go to Heaven, leſt the Spaniards ſhould torment them there. Wicked Men may here take away their Lives, but not their Graces; their Heads, but not their Crowns. Chriſtianity is pretended by many, practiſed by few, when ſerious Holineſs is loaded with many reproachful Titles; when their Innocency triumphs in their Enemies Conſciences, thoſe that caſt them out ſay, Let the Lord be glorified, Iſa. 66.5. They deal by them, as Naboth was dealt with at Jezabels Faſt, God's Glory pretended, Naboth's Death intended for his Vineyard; but God that ſearcheth the Heart, knows the bottom of the buſineſs: But thoſe that really ſuffer for Chriſt, are truly bleſſed, and have cauſe to rejoyce, Mat. 5.11. for they ſerve the beſt Maſter, who will not ſuffer them that either do or ſuffer for him, to go without a Reward; what is wanting in Poſſeſſion, ſhall be made up in Reverſion an hundred fold: They have ſomething in hand, ſome of Canaan's Grapes to bear up their Heads and Hearts, but the beſt is behind. The Primitive Chriſtians were reproached, that in their Meetings they uſed promiſcuous Copulation, a Slander not yet forgotten, which did the Reporters really believe, it would be the ſtrongeſt Argument to make them turn Phanaticks, as they ſtile them, but their Innocency triumphs in their Enemies Conſciences; they are not able to prove againſt one ſingle p. 155Perſon, what they charge upon the whole Society; many are the Reproachful Names they are loaded with, like the Primitive Chriſtians, that were put into Beaſt skins, and then thrown to wild Beaſts to be baited, and devoured; but God knows his own, though in a Diſguiſe; the beſt of Saints have been accounted the worſt of Sinners, but wronged Saints ſhall to Heaven, when railing Rabſhakehs come not there; the vileſt Sinners are ſometimes dreſt up in the Garb of Saints, but theſe Garments fit them not, but God will undreſs them ere long, and ſtrip them of their borrowed Robes, then their Paint and Plaiſter will not abide the fire, and the dirt they threw into other mens faces will appear in their own. In this Life the Godly may have unlawful Edicts made to force them to ſin, and to drive them from their Duties, as Daniel and his fellows had, and then they cry out, If thou let this man live, thou art not Caeſar's friend; then thoſe that dare not run with them into the ſame exceſs of riot, are, with Peter, caſt into Priſon, or, with Jeremy, into the Dungeon, or, with John, baniſhed into ſome remote Country or corner of the World, or by Torments end their Lives, whoſe Blood, like the Blood of Abel, will cry aloud to Heaven for Vengeance, for precious in his ſight is the death of his Saints, Pſal. 116.15. What the Wit of Man, or the Policy of Hell could invent, hath been poured out upon the beſt of Men, as in the Primitive Times, and in ſucceeding Ages, to this very day, none out of Hell have ſuffered more than they; but in Heaven they have a reſting place, when their Enemies ſhall be in endleſs, eaſeleſs, and remedileſs Torments; then p. 156ſhall the Saints be ſet out of the reach of danger, and all their Sufferings will be made up into a Crown of Glory for them; for though they may (nay, 'tis odds they will) loſe ſomething for Chriſt, they ſhall never loſe any thing by him; hence the Apoſtle adviſeth us to rejoyce when we fall into divers temptations, James 1.2, &c. As their Sufferings abound, ſo will their Comforts alſo, for God hath Cordials againſt fainting Fits. Now the Enemies Triumph when the Witneſſes are ſlain, but when they ſhall riſe again their Mirth will be over; they are now but carrying Faggots for their own burning, or like Haman, making Gallowſes for their own Execution: Now their Hands are full of Blood, and their Hearts of Cruelty, but then they ſhall have Blood enough, even their own blood to drink, for they are worthy. Now God's People cannot Pray in their Families, or ſing forth God's Praiſes, but one or other is offended; but then they ſhall Trumpet out his Praiſe without controul, when their Enemies ſhall wring their hands in the dolour of their hearts. The thoughts of this Glorious Liberty made the Martyrs ſuffer joyfully the ſpoiling of their Goods, yea, to kiſs the Stake, and embrace the Flames, and welcome Death as a Meſſenger of good News; then all the Floods of Perſecution will be dryed up, and the Church call'd out of the Wilderneſs, and the New Jeruſalem ſhall come down from Heaven; then there ſhall be no more Tortures or Torments for them to ſuffer, no Schiſmatick wounded, and a Saint found bleeding; there will then be no more Diviſions, but perpetual Peace, Love, Unity, and Concord, Eternal Enjoyment of God in Glory. p. 157Oh, what a happy Change will this be! who would not rejoyce in the fore-ſight of this, and welcome Death it ſelf, that muſt put us in the Poſſeſſion of it?

4. At Death a Believer is not only freed from the Devil, the World, and Sin, and all his other Enemies, but alſo from all the direful Fruits and Effects of Sin, which he cannot be till Death ſets him free, and this will be to no ſmall Advantage; for though Sin in a Believer hath its Deaths-wound, yet ſo long as it hath a Being, (and that will be while he hath a Being in the Fleſh) it will have its Fruits and Effects, ſuch as theſe, Loſſes, Croſſes, Sickneſs, Sorrows, and Death it ſelf; for theſe, or ſome of theſe we ſhall be ſure to have a ſhare in while we live; but at Death, when Sin ſhall ceaſe, the Effects will ceaſe alſo; Sin and Sorrow always attend one the other, as the Shadow doth the Subſtance, but neither Sin nor Sorrow ſhall have any Being in Heaven; all Bodily Griefs, and Spiritual Maladies ſhall be removed, and Death muſt be the Phyſician. Our Bodies here are ſubject to many Diſtempers, and each one will have a ſnatch at us, as ſo many Angry Curs at a Paſſenger, but ſome bite harder than others do; and by reaſon of theſe Maladies we ſpend our days inter ſuſpiria & lachrymas, between ſighs and ſobs, no day nor hour paſſeth, but ſomething or other either doth, or well may diſturb our Peace, or ſpoil our Sport. No perfect Conſolation is here to be expected, in this Bochim, or place of Lamentation; for there ſhould be ſome proportion between our Sin and our Sorrow, ſome ſtorms of Sighs, if not a ſhower of Tears, for all Conſtitutions are not prone to p. 158weep; one hour's ſin may diſturb many a night's ſleep, as doubtleſs it did in David, when he watered his couch with his tears, yea, made his bed to ſwim, Pſal. 6.6. His Bed that was Witneſs of his Sin, was Witneſs of his Sorrow alſo: But did our Luſtful Gallants pay as dear for their ſtoln Waters as he did, they would take more heed God hath various ways to embitter the World to his People, when they let out their Affections upon it, he whips them home when they are playing in the Dirt. Some lye long languiſhing under Bodily Diſtempers, yea, in much Tormenting Pain, as the Cholick, Stone, Strangury, Gout, and ſuch like; the beſt of Men, the choiceſt Miniſters are not always free, this makes them weary of their Lives, and, with Paul, deſire to be diſſolved, and to be with Chriſt, and to cry out, Come, Lord Jeſus, come quickly. How many may we hear crying out, Oh, my Head, Oh, my Heart, my Back, my Bones, my Bowels, &c. Theſe Bodies of ours are ſubject to a Thouſand Infirmities, Diſeaſes, Diſtempers, and Caſualties, and by which Door Death will enter we know not: And ſome poor Creatures have few waking hours free from pain, for Grace it ſelf cannot prevent Bodily Diſtempers, though it enables Men better to bear them: Yet all this is but a needful Potion, preſcribed by a loving Father and a tender-hearted Phyſician. Oh Sin! how dreadful a Diſtemper art thou, that needeſt ſuch bitter Pills, and unſavoury Potions? And how bewitching a Hag is the World, that needs ſo much Gall and Wormwood to wean us from it, and needs ſo much whipping before we are willing to leave it? Theſe duſty, crazy Bodies p. 159of ours are tender Pieces, ſoon out of Order, and like curious Inſtruments, ſoon out of Tune, or like a Clock or Watch, if one Wheel be out of Order, nothing is in; or like brittle Glaſſes, they are ſoon broken, then the Water of Life runs out at any little hole. There are multitudes of tender Veins, and tender Membranes, Fibres, Muſcles, Arteries, Bones, and Sinews in the Body of Man, and all obnoxious to Obſtructions, Diſlocations, Extentions, Contractions, Hurts, or Dangers, all which will cauſe Pains, Aches, Griefs, and Troubles to the whole Body; and were it not that theſe were preſerved every one in its proper place, and enabled to do their appointed work, by an Omnipotent God, 'tis wonder that one day paſſeth and not many of them out of order; but however many are the weariſome Nights and Days many poor Creatures endure, and are like to do, till Death put a period to their Miſeries. Theſe Pains are but Death's Darts, and how ſoon he will hit us at the Heart we know not, and then Death it ſelf ſhall be ſwallowed up in victory. And yet how loath are moſt Men to take Death's Receipts, though it be an Univerſal Cure of all Maladies? Now, if we have ſome lucid intervals, 'tis but like as in an Ague-Fit, to enable us to bear the next Fit. In theſe Earthly Tabernacles there are ſo many Doors, that ſome of them will be left open to let in Diſtempers, and Death it ſelf, but in Heaven they can never enter: Here is a mixture of Joy and Sorrow, like Chequer-work of black and white, but the moſt part black; but there will be unmixed Joy, and pure Comforts. Heaven is an Healthful place, and no Sickneſs; a Joyful place, and no Sorrow; p. 160a Happy place, where will be no Croſs; a Holy place, where will be no Sin; Holineſs to the Lord will be writ upon the meaneſt Subject. Death at his coming will cure the Blind and the Lame; Mephiboſheth ſhall not be lame, nor Leah blear-eyed: But Death cures not only Bodily, but Spiritual Diſtempers alſo, which are much more dangerous than the former; as Hardneſs of Heart, Blindneſs of Mind, Stubbornneſs of Will, Diſorder in the Affections, &c. Theſe coſt good Men many a Prayer, and many a Tear, and many an aking Heart, theſe Sons of Zerviah are too hard for them, and theſe Anakims dwell in their Land; theſe riſe up and lye down with them, and they cannot be quiet for them, they cannot go into God's Preſence, but they enter with them, and ſpoil their Duties: But in Heaven the whole Soul and Body ſhall be made conformable unto God's Will, and no Diſtemper ſhall be found in any of our Faculties. In this World alſo the ſins of others, as well as our own, are our Trouble, and help to add to our Grief; we can neither open our Eyes, or our Ears, but we ſee or hear ſomething that offends God, and therefore ſhould trouble us: We may daily ſee and hear God's Commands broken, the Goſpel ſlighted, his Meſſengers abuſed, his People perſecuted, and all manner of Wickedneſs committed. Here may we hear the Sacred Name of God blaſphemed, his Worſhip ſcorned, all manner of Ribald, Bawdy, Laſcivious, and Wanton Diſcourſe promoted, Wickedneſs defended, pleaded for, tolerated, and practiſed; and is this no Trouble to a Gracious Soul? The Stews it ſelf is fuller of obſcene Diſcourſe than many Companies are, with whom p. 161yet we have neceſſary Converſe and Commerce. This made David's Eyes ſhed rivers of tears, Pſal. 119.136. it clouded his Countenance, furrowed his Cheeks, and grieved his Heart; and vexed Lot's righteous ſoul, 2 Pet. 2.7. every Wicked Man was an Hazael to his Eyes, an Hadadrimmon to his Heart, cauſe of weeping and lamentation, for Guilt and Grief are all we are like to get by ſuch Company, but the Lord will take notice of thoſe that are mourners in Sion, Ezra 9.4. But in Heaven there is no cauſe of Sorrow, becauſe there is no Sin, the Laws of God there are never broken. Here Relations ſometimes prove Thorns in our Eyes, and Goads in our Sides; ſome Yoak-fellows, that ſhould prove Helps, prove Hindrances, not only in Heaven's way, but as to the World alſo. Oh, what a Grief 'tis to ſee a Wife or Husband prove a Drunkard, or a Debauch'd Perſon! Yet many a Godly Perſon hath been thus yoaked. The like I may ſay of Children, or other Relations: Or were it but Bodily Pains and Tortures, which our dear Relations groaned under, it muſt needs be a Corroſive to our Hearts, to ſee them under Tormenting Diſtempers. Some alſo prove like Job's Wife, Tempters. So Holy David may have a ſcoffing Michal, and a Wiſe Abigail a churliſh Nabal. Children often-times prove Croſſes; good David may have an inceſtuous Amnon, or a rebellious Abſalom: Many good Children have bad Parents, and this is a trouble to ſee them going out of the World, before they knew why they came into it. Good Servants many times have bad Maſters, and likewiſe good Maſters bad Servants; and all this adminiſters cauſe of Sorrow: But in Heaven p. 162theſe Tears will be dryed up, for all the Inhabitants there will be perfectly Holy, and Righteous, and no Wicked Man among them. Many in this World are pinch'd with Poverty, and know not how to maintain their Families with Bread; their continued labour, and daily pains, moiling, toiling, carking, caring, riſing early, and lying down late, is all too little to provide for a numerous Family, and to ſatisfie an oppreſſing, cruel Landlord, ready to drink up not only their Tears, and Sweat, but their very Blood; and much ado to get with hard Labour Cloaths to their backs, or Meat to their bellies, or to redeem a little Time for their Souls good, this muſt needs be an uneaſie Life; and many times all their pains cannot keep them out of Priſons, or their Children from Beggery: Theſe Poor Men many times have when they go to Bed, a bundle of Cares to lay under their Heads, not much eaſier than a buſh of Thorns, and this is the Portion of many Godly Men. But Death will take this Burden, from them, for in Heaven there will be no racking of Rents, no grinding of the faces of the Poor; there will be Reſt without Labour, and Pleaſure without Pain; there is no domineering Tyrant, no oppreſſing Neighbour, theſe are gone another Road (if Repentance prevent not) to pay back thoſe Tears with Intereſt they have drunk here ſo greedily. Here is no Bond-ſlave or Servant to live in ſubjection, no naked back, nor hungry bellies to feed or cloath, here is Nectar and Ambroſia, God himſelf to feed upon. Here in this World Fears and Cares keep Men working by Day, and waking by Night; but 'tis not ſo in Heaven, there neither p. 163Pains nor Cares are neceſſary; they praiſe God for their Enjoyments, not beg for a ſupply to their Wants. Here the care of all the Churches are upon us, as upon Paul; and we ſympathize with others that are in Miſery, as Nehemiah did; and hence we can ſcarce open our Eyes or Ears, but we let ſome Grief into our Hearts, ſome Perſecution or other we hear of in one part of the World or other, ſome ſuffering Saints, ſome Maſſacre, ſome Oppreſſion or Perſecution, which adds ſtill to our Trouble; ſome Friend or other in Priſon, their Goods ſeized, or they ruined, or thoſe that have yet eſcap'd are in continual fears and expectations that it will be their condition. Wars, and Rumours of Wars fill us with Diſtractions: But there are no ſuch Diſturbances in Heaven. Here ſometimes we fear God is removing our Candleſtick, and taking away his Goſpel from us, and leaving us up to Egyptian Darkneſs; but this fear never troubles the glorified Saints, they matter not the Pipe, that can go to the Fountain. The conſideration alſo of the Diviſions, Rents, and Schiſms, that are among Chriſtians, yea, the holieſt Men, cauſe many ſad thoughts of Heart, when Ephraim is againſt Manaſſeh, and Manaſſeh againſt Ephraim, and both againſt Judah; when one Godly Man Speaks, Diſputes, and Writes ſo bitterly againſt another, and are ready to diſ-robe each other of their Graces. But in Heaven Luther and Calvin, the like we may ſay of other Diſſenting Parties, will agree; one Heaven will hold that that now one Church cannot: There will be perfect Love and Unity, and no diſagreeing Perſon or Party. Here likewiſe loſs in our Eſtates, and diſappointment in our p. 164Expectations, or in our Affairs, whether by the immediate Hand of God, want of Fore-ſight, the careleſneſs of Servants, or the malice of Enemies, may diſturb our Peace; Hardſhip and Trouble alſo in our ſeveral Callings and Employments: This makes us think that Part we Act upon the Theatre of the World is the hardeſt, and moſt uneaſie. The faithful Magiſtrate, that ſets himſelf againſt the ſins of the Times, finds ſad diſappointments, and the deſired Reformation not attained, he is ready to deſpond under his Burden. The faithful Miniſter, after all his hard Labour and Study to bring Souls to Chriſt, finds not the wiſhed Effect, is ready, with the Prophet, Iſa. 49.4. to deſpond. The like we may ſay of Parents, Maſters of Families, and other Governours, that do what they can to bring thoſe under their Charge to Chriſt, and cannot do it, are ready to faint under their Burden. But in Heaven all theſe Troubles will be over, there will be no Contention in the State, nor Trouble in the Church; no diſorder in the Family, and nothing amiſs in the Soul. Theſe things, and many more cauſe our Trouble here, and will do while we live, but Death will prove the Funeral of our Troubles, and the Reſurrection of our Joys. It was the rejoycing of a good Woman, that was a Martyr, that her Stake was put into the ſame hole that holy Mr. Philpot's was before her; and it may be ſome comfort to us that we are going the ſame way to Heaven that our betters have gone in before us, and we hope ſhortly to overtake them. But that which makes our Lives uneaſie is, when God hides his Face from the Soul, as ſometimes he doth; but in Heaven we ſhall p. 165never fear loſing him, we ſhall never look into the Casket and miſs the Jewel, we ſhall never ſee a frown in his forehead, nor a wrinkle in his brow. Now we find it a hard matter to wind up our Affections to God, then it will be impoſſible to draw them off him, then we ſhall leave all theſe Clogs behind us, as Elijah did his Mantle, when he aſcended into Heaven. And this is the Leſſon this Providence teacheth us, That our Troubles here may be ſharp, they will be but ſhort, the Righteous Man hath not long to ſuffer.