Mount Pisgah, Part 3

Mount Pisgah · Part 3

p. 1MOƲNT PISGAH: OR, THE THIRD PART OF THIS Model of Conſolatory Arguments, OVER THE Death of our Godly Relations.

I Come to the tenth and laſt word of comfort, The Saints bleſſed cohabitation and fellowſhip with the Lord; ſo ſhall we beever with the Lord. This conſequent of Chriſt's coming is the perfection and crown of all the reſt, cohabitation, and fellowſhip with the Lord, together with the extent and duration of it, Ever.

Now cohabitation containeth four glorious Priviledges, viz.

1. Preſence.

2. Viſion.

3. Fruition.

4. Conformity.

p. 21. 1 Priviledge.The firſt Priviledge, which cohabition implieth, is preſence; The Saints after their triumphant reception by Chriſt into his glory, ſhall ever be where he is. The Scriptures abound with expreſſions of this nature: appearing in Gods preſence, Pſal. 42.2 Col. 3.4 Luke 21.… Pſalm 15.1 Rev. 3.21. and 1.5, 6 John 17.24 and 14.3.Ps 42:2Col 3:4Luke 21Ps 15:1Rev 3:21Rev 1:5Rev 1:6John 17:24John 14:3ſtanding before him, abiding in his tabernacle, dwelling in his holy hill; yea, dwelling in him, and he in us; ſitting upon his throne, and following of him whereever he goes: (if at leaſt that Scripture be to be underderſtood of Heaven) a glorious priviledge certainly; for it is the purchaſe of Chriſt's blood, the fruit of his prayer, and one of the great ends of his coming in perſon at the end of the world, that his Saints may be where he is; dwell in his family, be as near him, as …ationally they can deſire, 1 Kings 10.81 Kgs 10:8even ſtand before him, and enjoy …terrupted cohabitation and fellowſhip with him. If the Queen of Sheba accounted it the happineſs of Solomon's Servants, that they might ſtand continually before him, and hear his wiſdom; how much rather may we proclaim them happy, thrice happy, whoſe feet may ſtand within the gates of the new Jeruſalem, for behold, a greater than Solomon is here, even he, Pſalm 16.11Ps 16:11of whom the Pſalmiſt ſings, In thy preſence is fulneſs of joy, and at thy right hand are pleaſures for evermore.

A ſecond Priviledge is Viſion: 2 Priviledge, Viſion.The Saints ſhall not only be where Chriſt is … but they ſhall enjoy the beatifical viſton, they ſhall ſee and beh'ld that, which the ſeeing and beholding of will make them bleſſed for ever.

Now there are ſix beatifical Objects in Heaven.

1. The ſeat and manſions of bleſſed Souls.

2. The glorified Saints.

3. The elect Angels.

4. The glorified body of the Lord Jeſus.

5. God in the Divine eſſence.

6. All things in God.

p. 3The firſt viſion which the Saints ſhall ſee, 1 Viſion, the ſeat of the bleſſed. John 14.2 2 C…. … Luke ….4; 2 Cor. 12.4. & Rev. 2.7.John 14:22 Cor 12:4Rev 2:7is that which is called, Sedes beatorum, the ſeat or babitation of bleſſed ſouls, the manſions of glory, which our Lord hath purchaſed for his redeemed, and which he went before to prepare for them; the third Heavens; the Palace of the great King. A glorius place certainly, for therefore it is called Paradiſe, to ſet forth the beauty and pleaſantneſs of the ſcituation; that as the Paradiſe wherein God put man in his innocency, was the beauty and delight of the whole neather world, ſo Heaven the place which God hath prepared for man (reſtored to perfection) is the beauty and glory of all the upper Regions, the top and perfection of the whole Creation. Behold, the outſide of this ſtately Palace is very glorious, beautified and adorned with all thoſe bright and glittering Luminaries, the Sun, Moon and Stars; what think you is the inſide? Conſult that deſcription which the Spirit of God hath made of it in the Revelations, Chap. 21.18, 19, 20, 21.the wall of jaſper, the City of pure gold, the foundations of the wall of the City garniſhed with all manner of precious ſtones, the twelve gates of twelve pearls, every ſeveral gate of one entire pearl, the ſtreet of the City of pure gold, as it were tranſparent glaſs; and you will ſurely ſay, Heaven is a glorious place; and yet behold, this deſcription of it is levelled to the low and childiſh capacity of our weak and fleſhly ſenſes, as we judge of things in this imperfect ſtate of mortality: what think you then, will the glory of the new Jeruſalem appear, when glorified ſenſe ſhall be …levated and raiſed up to a perfection ſutable to its object? Surely, Heaven will as much exceed the deſcription of it in glory, as the bodies of the Saints in the Reſurrection, ſhall exceed in beauty theſe vile bodies of ours, when they are reſolved into duſt and rottenneſs: What ſhall I need ſay more? Heaven is a place as beautiful and glorious as the wiſdom and power of God could deviſe to make it, that it might be the Royal Palace of his own Reſidence: That auguſt and magnificent fabrick which the proud Babylonian Tyrant ſtood tracking and boaſting over, Dan 4.30.Dan 4:30Is not this p. 4great Babylon that I have built, for the houſe of the Kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my Majeſty, was but a priſon or hovel in compariſon of this building of God, 1 Cor. 5.1.1 Cor 5:1that houſe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens; and thoſe words are proper only for the mouth of God; Is not this the new Jeruſalem which I have built for the houſe of the Kingdom? and for the glory of my Majeſty? What David ſpake of the Temple, that little type of Heaven, in decimo ſexto: The houſe that is for the Lord muſt be exceeding magnifical of fame and of glory, &c. muſt be infinitely more auguſt and magnificent in the antitype; this the glorified Saints ſhall behold, and it will, beyond conception, be marvellous in their eyes.

Secondly, a Viſion, the glorified Saints.They ſhall ſee the glorified Saints, in their ſouls as well as in their bodies, all the elect of God that ever were in the world, **In their ſouls as well … in their bodies.from Adam until the ſecond coming of Jeſus Chriſt; and it will be a glorious ſight, to ſee the King, and all his Peers and Nobles in their Parliament Robes, with Crowns and Embelliſhments of honour, fitting in their ſtate and order, is a …ight which every one covets and crowds to ſee: What will it be to ſee the King of Saints, with all the Redeemed ones of God, in their Robes, waſhed white in the blood of the Lamb, and Crowns of gold upon their heads, and palms of victory and triumph in their hands? a Parliament all of Kings and Prieſts, every one of them ſhining forth as the Sun, Mat. 13.63Matt 13:63in the Kingdom of their heavenly Father? The Sun when it breaks forth out of a cloud, and diſplayes its refulgent beams in full luſtre and brightneſs, what a glorious Creature is it? and with what a beauty doth it guild and adorn the world? Oh my ſoul! what a ſight will that be when I ſhall ſee an Heaven full of Suns, ſcattering their rayes of glory through all thoſe celeſtial Regions? There is another Scripture which makes the glory of this Viſion yet more ſplendid and radiant, every one of the glorified bodies of the Saints ſhall p. 5be made conform to Chriſts own glorious body; Phil. 3.21Phil 3:21the glory of the Father ſhines forth in the Son, and the glory of the Son ſhall ſhine forth in the Saints, He in his Fathers glory (is even in his humane nature) and they in his. Surely the Luminaries of the firſt magnitude in the viſible heavens, the Sun and Moon will be turned into darkneſs before the glory of this Viſion; they ſhall ſhine as ſo many Chriſts in the Kingdom of their Father, that will be a glorious Viſion indeed! Not to ſpeak any thing of the ſeveral degrees and orbs of Saints; orbs of ſeveral degrees of Grace, and orbs of ſeveral degrees of offices and ſervices in the Church, Patriarchs, Prophets, Apoſtles, Martyrs, Confeſſors, &c. of which the Apoſtle gives us not an obſcure hint, 1 Cor. 15.41.1 Cor 15:41[As one ſtar differeth from another in glory, ſo alſo is the reſurrection of the dead; q. d. as the Luminaries of theſe viſible heavens, are of a different magnitude and brightneſs, each above the other in their orbs and ſphears, ſo alſo is the Kingdom of glory;] there be different forms of Saints, one excelling another in brightneſs and glory; I ſay, to paſs by this in ſilence, which yet certainly hath ſomewhat in it for the heightning of the beauty of this viſion, (as we ſee in the Luminaries of this inferiour world, their different orbs and magnitudes, contribute not a little to the beauty and ornament of theſe viſible heavens): We may add this before we go off, viz. That the communion and converſe with the Saints in heaven will be as ſweet to the taſt as the viſion of them will be glittering to the eye; there will be heaven in both: Behold! their fellowſhip and converſe here was ſo ſweet, that David could ſay, All my delight is in the Saints that are in the earth, Pſalm 16.3.Ps 16:3and in the excellent ones: David could take no pleaſure in the company of any in the world, but only in Gods holy Ones, who were beautified with his Image. Oh what will their communion and fellowſhip (think you) be in heaven, when they ſhall be totally diveſted of all their ſinful corruptions, their ignorance, their pride, their paſſion, their peeviſhniſs, their tenaciouſneſs, their impurity, their envy, their p. 6impatience, their c…nſoriouſneſs, their unſeriouſneſs, their infincerity, and their unſavourineſs, whereby they are apt to offend and hurt one another? Yea, when they ſhall have put off their natural infirmities as well as their ſinful, their impertinencies, their miſtakes, their weakneſſes, their indiſpoſitions, their hunger and thirſt, their drowſineſs, their vanity, their mutability, whereby they are not more unlike to other men than to themſelves (ſometimes) their diverſions and reſervedneſs, &c. whereby they are leſs able to do one another good? What will their converſe be, when they ſhall put off all their defects and all their imperfections? When there ſhall be no diſſent amongſt them, much leſs diſſention, but when they ſhall all ſpeak the ſame thing, and there ſhall be no diviſion, but they ſhall be perfectly joyned together in the ſame mind, and in the ſame judgment, which the Apoſtle commends ſo paſſionately, even to the Saints on this ſide Heaven, 1 Cor. 1.10. When there ſhall be ſuch a perfect harmony amongſt the Saints, as if there were but one ſoul to act that whole Aſſembly of the firſt-born? When there will be nothing in them to converſe with but pure grace, grace without mixture, grace and nothing elſe but grace? Yea, not pure grace only, but perfect grace; when every grace ſhall be in its perfect ſtate, and have its perfect works; when every grace ſhall act to the higheſt degree, yea, when there will be …o uſe of thoſe inferiour graces which are but for the way, as patience, repentance, ſimpathy, pity, fear, hope, yea, none of the higheſt of all the graces hath faith it ſelf; now abideth faith, hope,—now is in this imperfect ſtate, faith it ſelf belongeth unto the imperfect ſtate, but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is imperfect ſhall be done away, when ſight is come, then faith ſhall ceaſe, and the Saints ſhall converſe one with another only in their ſuperiour graces; their marriage-graces, their glorious graces, that are proper to their adult ſtate, love, joy, delight in God, mutual complacency, zeal, obedience, praiſing God, thankfulneſs, when they ſhall love God as much as they p. 7would love him, yea, as much as God would be beloved, and obey God as much as God would be obeyed, and praiſe God as much as God would be praiſed, &c. Oh, when the Saints are caſt into ſuch an heavenly mold, yea, and we our ſelves are capable of ſuch pure converſe, (for here in this imperfect ſtate, the Saints of God are not alwayes in the ſame frame one with another, or with themſelves, wh…n one Saint is up, the other is down, like an Inſtrument out of tune, jarring and diſharmonious, when one is alive, the other dead, when this is hot, the other is cold, when one is ready to give, the other is not fit to receive the communications of grace.) But oh, when now I ſay all the Inſtruments of Glory are alike ſtrung, and equally tuned (in their ſeveral capacities) what ſweet raviſhing harmony, what heavenly muſick will they make? Oh might we but ſee ſuch a Saint on earth as one of theſe are, how would every one be ready to kiſs his lips, yea, to kiſs his very feet, and hardly forbear even to worſhip him, Acts 10.25. Rev. 22.9Acts 10:25Rev 22:9as Cornelius would have worſhipped Peter? or as John, the Angel? Oh then, when the whole Aſſembly of Saints ſhall be all ſuch, how will they fill one another with unſpeakable joy? How might this viſion (as it were) be an heaven alone! If Paul expreſt ſo much ſatisfaction, to be filled with his precious Converts company at Rome, what ſatisfaction will it be when the Romans ſhall be filled with Paul's company, and all other the Saints of God, they and he, now, made perfect in glory?

Finally, It will be no ſmall ſecurity to the mutual love and complacency of the Saints, that in Heaven they ſhall be ſet beyond all poſſibility of being miſtaken in one anothers condition. Here below, how eaſily and how often are we deceived? Behold, a Judas amongſt the Diſciples, whom none of them could diſcover, but only their Lord that foreign, Have I not choſen you twelve, and one of you is a Devil? John 6.70. Oh dreadful, a Judas follower of Chriſt, and yet a devil! a Diſciple and yet a devil! a Preacher and yet a devil! faſt and pray and yet a devil! do miracles p. 8and yet a devil! caſt out devils and yet a Devil! yea, once more Judas who, (for ſome time) carried it ſo fair, that when their Lord propheſied of one of their company that ſhould be guilty of ſo horrid a treaſon as to betray his Lord, they every man began to ſuſpect rather than Judus, and cried, Lord, is it I? Is it I; Lord, &c, Oh dreadful miſtake! And ſuch miſtakes (when diſcovered) oh what a ſhame! what condolency! what grief! what perplexity of ſpirit do they occaſion amongſt Gods upright ones!

But now are the Saints in Heaven delivered from all danger and fear of ſuch charitable errors. There ſhall be no Hypocrite in Heaven, upon whom the Saints can loſe their love: Hypocrites ſhall be all lock'd up in one infernal dungeon together, that they may never deceive any more, Matth. 24.21. What an acceſs of joy will this be to the Communion of Saints in glory.

Queſt. Whether or no in this bleſſed Viſion the Saints ſhall ſee one another with a diſtinguiſhing ſight, i. e. ſee them ſo as to know them under ſuch relations and reſpects as once they ſtood in one to another in this imperfect ſtate? Whether Abraham ſhall know Iſaak as (once) his ſon, and Iſaak know Abraham as (ſometime) his father? Whether the Husband ſhall know his Wife, and the Wife her Husband, as (once) ſuch that have drawn together in the ſame conjugal yoke? Whether Kinred ſhall know their gracious Kinred, and friend his friend? Whether the godly Miniſter ſhall know his gracious People that were of his particular flock, and the flock know him as once ſtanding in that miniſterial relation to them? Et ſic in caet.

This, I ſay, is a Queſtion which ſeems neither difficult nor fruitleſs to be reſolved. Probability (without doubt) falls upon the Affirmative, and that whether we conſult Reaſon or Scripture.

p. 9Reaſon ſaith, It is very likely we ſhall know them, Reaſon. whether by the ſecret impreſſions of former converſe one with another, or by revelation (as ſome conceive) is diſputed; ſome think that we ſhall remember what relation we have had one to another by circumſtances and emergent occaſions, by comparing notes as it were; but that diſcurſive, ſyllogiſtical way, of coming into the knowledge one of another, ſeems to be too mean and ſlow for the heavenly ſtate; and the reaſon is, becauſe the ſenſes of the body, and the faculties of the ſoul ſhall be elevated and refined to a kind of Angelical perfection, for we ſhall be like the Angels. Luke 20.36 foreign.Luke 20:36What although many Ages and Generations have paſſed over the Saints in their ſtate of ſeparation of the ſoul from the body, and one from another, wherein all the ſpecies and figures of ſenſible objects may ſeem to be totally obliterated or aboliſhed? Why may not thoſe veſtigia, thoſe impreſſions of ſenſible things, which are granted to remain in the underſtanding, be thought ſufficient to reduce the ſpecies of thoſe ſenſible objects themſelves, whereby the Saints did once converſe each with other, into the memory again, by the ſole help of that ſupernatural vigor and activity which the ſtate of Glory ſuperinduceth upon the faculties of the ſoul and corporeal ſenſes? Behold here in this dark region, what quick and admirable recoveries of things paſt, There ſhall no knowledg be wanting which now we have, but only that which implieth imperfection; And what imperfection can this imply? To know one another as well in the glorified eſtate, as we did in the ſtate of mortality, and better. The good of this bleſſed ſtate conſiſteth in the knowledg one of another, communion one with another, and mutual content in that knowledge and communion. Baxtor.do the ſenſes of the body and faculties of the ſoul make ſometimes? The eye can diſtinguiſh its wonted object after many years ſeparation; the memory can preſently recall the face, and voice, and geſtures of an intimate friend, after ſleep, which is deaths image, yea, after twenty years abſence, or more: At the Reſurrection, the ſoul (I make no queſtion) will know its own body at the firſt ſight; proportionably, in the ſtate of glory muſt the p. 10mutual knowledge and remembrance of old relations, be more quick, vive and (if I may ſo ſay) intuitive, according to the admirable and glorious capacity which they ſhall then be inveſted with; make but a juſt allowance for the vaſt diſproportion between the regenerate ſtate on earth, and the glorified ſtate in heaven, and you may rationally conclude the affirmative.

And if we conſult Scripture, Scripture.it votes no leſs for the Affirmative than Reaſon doth: Did Adam know Eve in innocency? Mat. 17.4.Matt 17:4Did Peter, and James, and John know Moſes and Elias at our Lords transfiguration, whom they had never ſeen? Tertul. contra Marcion.No, not ſo much as in a picture: (as Tetullian obſerves; the Jews being great enemies to the uſe of pictures:) And ſhall not the Saints know one another at the firſt view, whom they knew and mutually converſed with, while they were here on earth? Surely the knowledge of the beatifical viſion ſhall excel, not only the knowledge of Peter and John, 1 Cor. 13.121 Cor 13:12but even the knowledge of Adam in innocency, as far as the ſtate of glory excels the ſtate of grace? Did Peter and John know Elias on the Mount (whom they had not ſeen) and ſhall not Peter know John, and John Peter, whom they had mutually ſeen?

Again, the Scripture tells us, that Dives in hell knew Abraham and Lazarus in heaven; Luke 16.23Luke 16:23ſhall the reprobate have better eyes in hell than the elect of God have in Heaven? Shall Dives know Lazarus, and ſhall not Lazarus know Paul and Peter, &c?

And yet again, the Scripture tells us, the poor Saints on earth ſhall know their rich benefactors when they come to heaven, how elſe can they receive them (in what ſenſe ſoever) into everlaſting habitations! ſhall the Saints know one another upon the account of a temporal alms, and ſhall they not know one another upon the account of ſpiritual offices performed one for another. Lo here is probability if not demonſtration for the ſtating of the Queſtion! the fruit of it (certainly) is as ſweet, as the truth it ſelf is probable; p. 11a mighty ſpur it is to holy and heavenly converſe here on earth, to converſe with one another in grace, ſo that we may promote our mutual converſe in glory—Miniſters ſo to preach, ſo to live, Parents and Governours ſo to educate and govern their children and families, as that they may mutually rejoyce one in another, and for another in heaven— It cannot but add much to their bleſſedneſs and joy in heaven, and be matter of praiſe and glory to God to all eternity, eſpecially over ſuch, as to whom God hath made us inſtrumental, either to their converſion or to their edification; whiles in this vale of tears, here we mourned and wept bitterly, when we kiſſed their pale lips and cold cheeks, when we follow the corps to the grave and laid them down in their cold beds of duſt; but there will be joy and glory with infinite compenſation, when we ſhall ſee and ſay, The more unthankful are they, that having received ſo infinite a mercy from God, by their miniſtry would never in their live… open their mouths to acknowledge it to their miniſters for their encouragement.oh here is my ſpiritual father who begot me to Chriſt, under whoſe Miniſtry I drew my firſt ſpiritual breath; how ſweet are ſuch acknowledgments here? Certainly they are the richeſt rewards of Gods deſpiſed and perſecuted Servants and Ambaſſadours here on earth; oh what will it be in heaven! when grace ſhall be ſeen what it is, when grace ſhall have put on its royal apparel? Oh what a joy to Parents (by nature or by truſt) to ſee the dear Child, that got into heaven, as it were, before its time! and the Child to embrace the Parent, oh this is my Father, my Mother, my Grandfather, my Grandmother, that travelled with me the ſecond time, till they ſaw Chriſt form in my heart, oh bleſſed be God that ever I ſaw their faces on earth, and now ſhall ſee them for ever in heaven! and ſo for friends, oh this was my ſoul-friend, this was a brother, that a kinſman, who loved me with a ſpiritual love, an heavenly love, that loved me into Chriſt, to heaven, to this glory I now poſſeſs! Chriſtians, if theſe things be not ſo, Aug. Ep. 6.then Auguſtin miſtook his Cordial which he wrote to the Lady Italica after her Husbands death, telling her, That ſhe ſhould know him amongſt the glorified Saints, yea, know him, and love him batter than ever ſhe did in this life; yea, p. 12a greater than Auguſtin was miſtaken elſe, even the great Apoſtle, who himſelf had been caught up to the third Heavens, and ſaw what was done there, even he was miſtaken, when, 1 Theſ. 2.19, 201 Thess 2:191 Thess 2:20by an Apoſtolical Spirit, he dignifieth his Theſſalonians with thoſe glorious titles, his hope, his joy, the crown of rejoycing, his glory and joy, and that in the preſence of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt at his coming; Could they be all this to the Apoſtle in the reſurrection, and he not know them, and be able to diſtinguiſh them from all other Saints of God, that ſhall ſtand on Chriſts right hand at that day? It cannot be: What although all ſuch relations do ceaſe in Heaven, muſt the remembrance of ſuch relations ceaſe alſo? Or, what if the glorified ſtate make ſuch an alteration in the Saints bodies, that they are not the ſame for colour, geſture, and ſome other accidental circumſtances, (as when we knew them in the valley of tears) ſhall there be no line…ent or property of individuation remaining, whereby the quick, acute eye of glorified ſence may poſſibly diſcern who they were? There want not inſtances in our experience, of ſome, who from their childhood even unto full age, have been abſent from their friends, whom yet many years after, upon a deliberate interview, their relations have called to perfect memory again: and if ſuch a thing be poſſible in the imperfect ſtate here, why ſhould it ſeem a thing incredible, that the glorified eye and intellect ſhould revive a diſtinct remembrance of their gracious relations, even out of the imperfect bints and notions of their former knowledge? If the reſurrection do ſhew nothing of the old individual diſtinction of perſons, it may ſeem to be rather another Creation than a Reſurrection, and may ſhake a main Article of our Chriſtian Faith.

But as clearer evidence than all this, I demand further, How did Adam know Eve upon the firſt ſight? (even before God ſpake a word who ſhe was, or whence ſhe came;) And did he own her as bone of his bone, and fleſh of his fleſh? Will ye ſay it was by divine inſtinct and revelation? p. 13Grant then but ſo much in this caſe and it ſhall ſuffice; eſpecially the rather, becauſe this ſolution of the difficulty will take in the caſe of elect infants dying before their form and figure can well be diſcerned (poſſibly ſtilborn) ſurely a diſtinct knowledge who they are when glorified, will be no ſmall joy to the elect parents, to conſider that free grace made them the happy veſſels to help to people Heaven with ſuch Inhabitants: We may not preſume to ſpeak definitively in caſes not clearly ſtated by the holy Scriptures, but this we may with ſafety and modeſty conclude, that if ſuch a mutual knowledge of godly relations in heaven, may contribute any glory to God, and any addition to the joy of the Saints, the abſolute perfection of the glorified eſtate, will not permit any doubt about this matter; ſurely if our natural affections of love, and delight, and joy be not extinguiſhed in heaven, but perfected, it cannot but add to the elect Mothers joy, to ſee her elect Infant now adult in glory; and ſo for other neareſt relations, will it not be ſome accent to their hallelujahs to ſay, This was my precious y…ak-fellow, this my holy parent, this my gracious brother, kinſman, friend, with whom I had ſweet communion on earth in holy duties? We went to the Houſe of God as friends, &c. Eſpecially when it may be added, whom God made Inſtrumental to the pulling me out of the infernal lake, (where the Devil and his Angels are tormented for ever) and for the bringing of me into this place of reſt and glory? Thanks be to God for ever and ever,

Object. If it be objected, Doth not this diſtinct knowledge of our elect relation, infer a diſtinct knowledge alſo of the Saints reprobate relations in hell? And may not that be a Viſion of as much terrour as the other of rejoycing?

Anſw. I anſwer: No: And that upon a two-fold ground.

p. 14Firſt, It ſtands with the analogy of faith, to believe that all thoſe affections which imply defect or imperfection ſhall be totally aboliſhed in Heaven, as inconſiſtent with the glorified eſtate, Rev. 7.14 21.4Rev 7:14God ſhall wipe all tears from their eyes.

Secondly, We anſwer, that there ſhall be ſuch a perfect conformity of will, between God and the Saints, that there will be no diſſent (in the leaſt.) It ſhall not be then, as it is now, to the no little imbittering of their preſent eſtate, (firſt by ſin, and then by grief for ſin) but what pleaſeth God ſhall abundantly pleaſe them. This the Saints pray for here, but there ſhall they be fully poſſeſſed of it; here it is their duty, but there it ſhall be their reward; the Saints in glory would have nothing otherwiſe than God would have it; ſo that now, to the full and perpetual ſilencing of this Objection, I anſwer; That the glory of God ſhall ſo perfectly ſwallow up all private perſonal conſiderations, that (I am confident) it is no breach of charity to ſay, that the believing Husband ſhall rejoyce in the damnation of the unbelieving Wife, the holy Parent in the damnation of the ſtubborn and ungodly Child, Et ſic in caet. Gods Will is the Law, and his Glory the triumph of the Heavenly Inhabitants.

Oh let Parents, and Miniſters, and Governours, and Tutors, and Yoke-fellows, Brethren, Friends, &c. be but as good now as Dives was in hell, I mean, let them be but in as good carneſt here as he was there, that their Relations may never come into that place of torment; and if they do wilfully caſt themſelves headlong into that irrecoverable Gulf, it will be no grief of heart to them when they come to Heaven: But even as God himſelf (they being then ſwallowed up in God) they will even laugh at their calamity, and mock when they ſee their condemnation.

This ſhall ſuffice to have ſpoken of the ſecond Viſion in Glory.

p. 15A third Viſion, which the Saints ſhall have in Heaven, is, that of the elect Angels, Gregor. do Valent. in Thom. Aquin, gives many reaſons of that multitude of Angels aſſerted by Tho. Aquin. and ads, Certum eſt in hac multitudins Angelorum, nt mero differentium jus eſſe Hierarchlas, quarum quaelibet contineat tres ordines, & ita in univerſum eſſe novem ordines Angelorum; ne…pe Seraphin, Cherubin, Thronos in primo: Domination…s, Virtutes, Poteſtates in ſecunda. Principatus, Archangelos, & Angelos in tertio. Gregor. tom. 1. pa. 10…6, & 1027. Certum eſt (ſaith he) & de fide, in his ipſis ordinibus, alios Angelos eſſe afficio & dignitate ſuperiores, alios inferiores. The Platoniſts aſſert as many Angels as there are Species or ſenſible Creatures. Ariſtotle makes as many Angels as Orbs. R. Moſes affirms all the powers and operations of ſuperiour and inferiour things to he ſo many Angels. Tho. Aquinas confidently aſſerts the number of the Angels, incomparably to e…ceed the number of material Subſtances Maniminus Arrianus ſaith, there are ninety nine times more than the number of men in the world.they ſhall ſee thoſe glorious miniſtring Spirits, thoſe flames of fire, the Angels of God, by what names or titles ſoever they are dignified or diſtinguiſhed in their Hierarchical orders (if there be any which becauſe it is a diſpute of greater fancy than Scripture evidence, and hath filled the world with more empty ſpeculation than ſubſtantial knowledge, I ſhall wholly wave it. Heaven will be the place only, where we ſhall exactly know their nature, number, order, diſtictions (if any) and not ſo only, but have ſweet and heavenly converſe and communion with them.

About the way and manner of the Saints knowing and converſing with the Angels, is a query of ſome difference amongſt the Learned. Some are of opinion, that the Angels ſhall aſſume aerial bodies to entertain the eyes of the Saints withall, and to bring them into a nearer capacity of converſing with them. Some è contra, conceive that the bodily eyes of the glorified Saints, ſhall be ſpiritualized, and angelified, that they ſhall be able to ſee the very eſſence of the Angels, as not being ſo remote from materiality as the Divine Eſſence. Others tell us of a vehiculum, Caro Angelificata Text. d… Reſur.or a viſible glory, (as the rayes about the Sun) wherein the Angels do move, and whereby they are diſcerned and diſtinguiſhed from one another. But all theſe are but ſo many uncertain Comments of mens brains. As for that p. 16Opinion which makes them knowable only by their operations, The Sadduces.vigour and activity, it is too narrow, for ſo they are known unto us, even in this life. The immediate and continual converſe which the Saints ſhall have with them in Heaven, doth neceſſarily infer an higher way and manner of knowing them. The ſeeing of them by the glorified eye of the underſtanding, is the cleareſt and ſureſt way we can pitch upon, on this ſide the place of their conſtant Reſidency: So, they know one another, and ſo, they know the Saints, and ſo, for the Saints to ſee, and know them, is not inconſiſtent with the analogy of Scripture and Reaſon. In what way and manner this mutual converſe, and communion, betwixt the Saints and Angels in glory, ſhall be managed, is not determinable by us poor mortals, until this mortal ſhall put on immortality; how they communicate their minds and thoughts one to another is yet dark to us.

Concerning the Angels converſe amongſt themſelves, the Schools ſpeak very rationally, when they ſay, it is by the opening of their wills one to another; when ever they would communicate their minds, and notions, and meanings one to another, it is done; when they would be underſtood by one another, they are underſtood. And the ſame way they converſe with one another, it is moſt probable, they converſe with the Saints, and the Saints with them; the Saints may more rationally be conceived to communicate their thoughts to the Angels, by opening their minds than by opening their mouths; partly becauſe the Angels have no corporeal organs to receive what the Saints expreſs by their corporeal inſtruments of ſpeech, and partly becauſe the ſuperiour part of the Saints, their glorified ſouls being of ſo ſpiritual and cognate a nature to the Angels, that way of communication which is moſt agreeable to divine Spirits, we may well conceive to be common to thoſe heavenly Inhabitants. Whatever the way or manner be, this we may be ſure of, ſc. that the communion and converſe with the Angels in Heaven, will be no ſmall augmentation p. 17of their happineſs, and of their joy; if we conſider their Angelical perfections, eſpecially thoſe two of Knowledge and Zeal, therefore called in Scripture, flaming fire, flames for brighineſs of illumination; and fire for the ardency of their love and zeal.

Oh what rare notions and experiences will the Angels be able to communicate to the Saints in Heaven, having miniſtred about the Throne of God from the foundation of the world, and been ſent forth continually to manage the great affairs of the world, but eſpecially of the Churches! The Apoſtle tells us, they are beholden to the **Eph. 3.10.Eph 3:10Lectures read in the Aſſemblies of the Saints, for ſome inſight into the myſtery of Chriſt in the Goſpel. Oh how ready and able will they be to pay their debts (with an abundant intereſt) out of the immenſe volumes of knowledge, which they have treaſured up! The Communications of their love, their holineſs, their zeal, their heavenlineſs, &c. what united flames will they make when they be joyned in communion, and converſe with the graces and perfections of the Saints?

Object. If it be objected, Is there not enough in God to fill the Saints, to the vaſteſt capacity? What need then of Starlight when the Sun ſhines? Yea, may not the Saints converſing with Angels and one another, be thought to be a diverſion from the ſupreme object of light and love?

Sol. To this I anſwer, No; and the reaſon is, becauſe all the perfections and excellencies which are in the Creature, are as ſo many beams and emanations, leading the eye of the beholder to the Sun it ſelf, the body and fountain from which they do ſpring; Auguſt. ſaith, we ſhall ſee God in his Saints, and their glorious actings, as well, and as manifeſtly, as now we ſee mens bodies, in the vital actions of their bodies. De Civit. Dei, l. 22. c. 29.or as learned and holy mens Commentaries and Expoſitions are to the holy Scripture, which do neither detract from, nor add to that immenſe volume of truth, but ſerve only to illuſtrate it, and to render it more intelligible p. 18to the dark and imperfect underſtanding of the Creature: Surely ſuch an infinite full Text as God is, will ſtand in need of ſome marginal notes, as it were, To ſee God in his Saints, and the Saints in God, this will be no diminution of the bentifical Viſion. All the excellencie… in the Creature, are but drops from God the Fountain. foreign. The glorious Angels and Saints are alwayes ſunning themſelves in the preſence of …od, and will keep company together to all Eternity. A fourth Object. The glorified body of the Son of God.to help the Reader; as Chriſt is ſaid, in the dayes of his fleſh, to be the Exegeſis, or Interpreter, of the Father unto us, John 1.18. So may the Angels be to the Saints in Heaven; and ſuch is all the glory of Heaven: yea, ſo is the humane nature of Chriſt himſelf, now in glory, the great Expoſitor of the Divine Eſſence, a Mirrour or Glaſs, wherein we come to ſee God more clearly and fully. Which brings me to.

A fourth Object of the beatifical Viſion, and that is, Chriſt himſelf, or the glorified humane nature of the Lord Jeſus; Chriſt in his humane nature exalted to the right hand of his Father (the higheſt ſeat in glory) far above all principality and power, Eph. 1.21Eph 1:21and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that which is to come. This is the higheſt beatifical object in Heaven (next to the divine Eſſence) the ſight of Chriſt as man; it was the great deſign, which the Lord Jeſus had in redeeming them with his blood; …n 17.24Father, I will that they whom thou hoſt given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou haſt given me. And ſ…rely this will be a glorious ſight indeed; behold, of the glory of Chriſt in his transfiguration, it is ſaid, That his face did ſhine as the Sun, and his rayment was white as the light: If the glory of his transfiguration was ſo excellent, what will the glory be of his exaltation? If the glory of his foot-ſtoul was ſo excellent, how will the glory of his throne excel in glory? If he appeared ſo bright upon an carthly Mountain, how tranſplendent will he appear upon Mount Sion, the Mountain of God, that heavenly Mountain? If ſuch were his luſtre in his ſtate of humiliation, before p. 19paſſion, what beams of Majeſty will ſhine from his face, in his ſtate of glorification, when he is to receive the reward of his paſſion? Behold, there appeared then, with him, only Moſes and Elias; what will his glory be, when all the Patriarchs and Prophets, all the Apoſtles and Martyrs, the whole Society of the Saints, with the whole hoſt of the mighty Angels, that begirt his Throne, with their hallelujahs and joyful acclamations. Mark 9.6.Mark 9:6That viſion of Chriſt on earth did fill Peter and the Diſciples with wonder and aſtoniſhment, even to an extaſie; ſo that the Text tells us, He knew not what he ſaid. Oh with what joy and raviſhment ſhall the ſight of Chriſt in glory fill the glorified Saints, when their faculties ſhall be ſo raiſed, that they ſhall underſtand what they ſee, and profeſs what they unſtand! Surely Peter and all his fellow Saints will then ſay, (and know what they ſay) Lord, it is good for us to be here!

What a beautiful, beatifying Object this will be, Conſiderations evidencing the glory of Chriſts humane nature. 1 Conſiderat. The reward of his Paſſion.we may gueſs (for more we cannot) by theſe three Conſiderations.

The firſt Conſideration is this, The glory of the humane nature of Jeſus Chriſt in Heaven, is the reward of his Paſſion here on earth. In reſpect of the divine nature, and as Jeſus Chriſt was the ſecond Perſon in Trinity, the glory which the Lord Jeſus now poſſeſſeth at his Fathers right hand, was the glory which he had with the Father from before the foundation of the world: John 17.24John 17:24but as to the aſſumption of the humane nature, it was glory given him by the Father. Chriſt had a twofold right to the Kingnom of glory, ſc. natural and conſtitutive; natural, as he was the only begotten Son of God, and ſo of the ſame nature and eſſence with the Father from all eternity, and ſo whatever power and glory was eſſentially the Fathers, was eſſentially the Sons alſo. But then beſides that, Heb. 1.2. foreign. tuit.Heb 1:2Jeſus Chriſt had alſo a conſtitutive right, or, a right by donation, as he p. 20was appointed and made heir of all things; now this conſtitutive glory (as I ſay) was the fruit and, reward of his ſufferings, Phil. 2.7, 8, 9Phil 2:7Phil 2:8Phil 2:9Becauſe he humbled himſelf, and became obedient to death, even the death of the Croſs, Therefore hath God highly exalted him, and given him a name above all names, &c. Becauſe and Therefore; the exaltation of his humane nature was the merit and compenſation of his humiliation and abaſement. Now then, if we would make an eſtimate of the glory of Chriſt now at his Fathers right hand, we cannot find out a more proper medium, than to make a ſerious and (if it were poſſible) a thorow ſearch and enquiry into his abaſement and humiliation. And certainly if there had been nothing elſe in it, but his incarnation, or the aſſumption of our fleſh, it had been an infinite abaſement to the Son of God; ſo deep an abaſement, as it had been blaſphemy for men or Angels to have ſought for, or ſo much as to have thought of. Such a wiſh in the ſtanding Angels (Oh that God would give his own eſſential, eternaly begotten Son, to take the humane nature upon him, and therein to recover loſt man) would have been a preſumption (without doubt) which, no leſs than the firſt ambition of the Apoſtate Angels (probably conceived only in thought) might have juſtly merited their ejection alſo out of Heaven.

Oh for the ſecond Perſon in the glorious Trinity, to take upon him the nature of man (and that too, when it was at the worſt) when it was fallen and ſtript of all its original beauty and excellency, was more than for all the Angels of light to have been degraded (if I may ſo ſay) into ſo many Chimney-ſweepers, or Kennel-rakers, or to have been condemn'd, to have been made hewers of wood, and drawers of wtaer, for the ſervice of the reprobate world, had it been to have ſtood for ever! This, this is the great ſtupendious myſtery, which may fill the underſtanding of men and Angels with wonder and delight to all eternity, **Tim. 3.16.God manifeſted in the fleſh, the Son of God incarnate. Juſtly then may it ſwallow up our thoughts with horror p. 21and aſtoniſhment, to deſcend ſtep by ſtep to the bottom of the Lord Chriſt, his mediatory humiliation and abaſement, foreign; Ex omni Scipſum ad nihilum redegit, exhauſit. Tertul. lib. 5. adverſus Ma… cion v. 8 foreign, he debaſed, or vilified himſelf.to find him emptying of himſelf, as it were, to the laſt drop of his glory, meekly ſubmitting himſelf to all the affronts and inſolencies of a reprobate world, all the temptations and haraſſing of infernal Spirits, and at length to death it ſelf, even the death of the croſs, that ſhameful, cruel, curſed death of the croſs; that death which was proper only to accurſed ſlaves; and therein drinking up the bittereſt cup that ever was put into the hand of a ſinner, the cup of his Fathers wrath, the venom whereof filled his ſoul with unconceivable anguiſh, and made him cry out, to the aſtoniſhment of Heaven and Earth, My God, my God, why baſt thou forſaken me?

In a word, if you would come to the bottom of our Lords abaſement, you muſt dig to the very bottom of hell it ſelf, (if there be a bottom there) for though Chriſt did not ſuffer poenas inferni, he did ſuffer poenas infirnales, helliſh pains, though not the pains of hell. Why now, then if you would make any diſcovery of that glory, wherewith the humane nature of our bleſſed Lord is inveſted, at the right hand of God, you muſt skrew up your thoughts, to a glory every way adequate and commenſurate to his inanition and abaſement, for leſs than that (not only the love, but) the juſtice of his Father could not proportion to him. It were good ſometimes in our thoughts to compare the abaſement of Chriſt and his exaltation together, to ſet them, as it were, in columes one over againſt another. He was born in a Stable, but now he reigns in his Royal Palace; then he had a Manger for his Cradle, but now he ſets in a Chair of ſtate; then Oxen and Aſſes were his Companions, now thouſands of Saints, and ten thouſand thouſands of Angels miniſter round about his Throne; then (in contempt) they called him the Carpenters Son, now he obtains by inheritance a more excellent name than the Angels; for to which of the Angels ſaid he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? Then p. 22he was led away into the wilderneſs to be tempted of the devil, now it is proclaimed before him, let all the Angels of God worſhip him; then he had not a place to lay his head on, now he is exalted to be the heir of all things; in his ſtate of humiliation, he endured the contradiction of ſinners, in his ſtate of exaltation, he is adored and admired of Saints and Angels; then he had no form or comelineſs, when we ſaw him, there was no beauty that we ſhould deſire him, now the beauty of his countenance ſhall ſend forth ſuch glorious beams, that ſhall dazle the eyes of all the celeſtial Inhabitants round about him; once he was the ſhame of the world, now the glory of heaven, the delight of his Father, the joy of all the Saints and Angels; once he was the obiect of the Reprobates ſcorn, and the Devils malice, now they ſhall be the objects of his moſt righteous vengeance; he ſhall ſpeak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his ſore diſpleaſure; Crucifiges will then be turn'd into Hallelujahs, he that was called the Deceiver ſhall now be adored as the Amen of the Father, the faithful and true witneſs; a man of ſorrows then, but now the mirror of glory, Prince of peace; then accounted a ſervant of ſervants, now he ſhall be called the Lord of Lords, King of Kings,; then they put upon him a mock-robe, (a fools-coat) but now he ſhall be cloathed with a royal garment down to the foot, girt about the paps with a golden girdle; the feeble reed ſhall now be turned into a maſſie Scepter of gold; his Croſs of wood into a Throne of glory, and the Crown of Thorns into a Crown of Stars. In the day of his abaſement he was the foot-ball of his enemies, kickt up and down the world by every prophane fool, but now in the day of his exaltation, his enemies ſhall be made his footſtool; yea, Thrones and principalities being made ſubject unto him: Surely the very prints of his hands and feet, and the holes that were bored in his ſides, ſhall be ſo many ſignal marks and trophies of victory, and Thomas … ſet now above all doubting) may ſing in triumph, My Lord and my God, And laſtly, the Lord Jeſus himſelf, inſtead of his p. 23deſertion (the loweſt ſtep of all his abaſement) ſhall ſolace himſelf for ever in the viſion and fruition of his Father and of the bleſſed Spirit, and inſtead of my God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? ſhall be that triumph, I and my Father are one; thou Father in me, and I in thee.

Theſe be ſome crevices, through which we may have a glimpſe of the glory of our Lords (once) crucified body; the full diſcovery of it you will never be able to make, until you come eye to eye, to ſee and enjoy it in the Kingdom of Heaven, witneſs a ſecond Conſideration.

A ſecond conſideration evidencing what a glorious beatifying object the glorified humanity of our Lord Jeſus will be in Heaven, is, 2. Conſider.The perſonal and hypoſtatical union which the humane nature hath with the divine nature of the Son of God, Col. 2.9Col 2:9the ſulneſs of the Godhead dwelleth in Chriſt bodily, i. e. in his body: the fulneſs of the divine eſſence dwells in the humane nature, and is (as it were) tranſparent through his fleſh; and this makes it to be the moſt beatifying viſion, next to the viſion of God himſelf; and indeed is (in a very high degree) the viſion of the eſſence, becauſe the glorious properties and excellencies of the Godhead are, as it were, radiant and refulgent in the fleſh of our Redeemer, therefore he is called, Heb 1.3. foreign.Heb 1:3The brightneſs of his Fathers glory, the brightneſs or refulgency of God the Fathers glory, not only in reference to his divine eſſence, the ſecond-Perſon in Trinity, but as he is Verbum incarnatum, the Word incarnate, as he is God-man, becauſe all the beams of divine Majeſty do ſhine forth with a moſt reſplendent brightneſs in his fleſh; foreign; augaſma is that which hath brightneſs and glory in it ſelf, ſuch is the divine nature and eſſence, it is the fountain and body of glory, from whence all brightneſs and ſplendour doth beam and iſſue; but apaugaſma is that p. 24which receiveth that brightneſs into it ſelf, as a glaſs or mirrour receives into it the beams of the Sun; ſuch a mirrour is the fleſh of Chriſt to the divine eſſence, wherein all the glorious beams of divine wiſdom, holineſs, mercy, goodneſs and truth, &c. do ſhine forth. This is the myſtery Saint Paul admireth, 1 Tim. 3.16 foreign. John 1.141 Tim 3:16John 1:14God was manifeſted in the fleſh, or, God made viſible in a body of fleſh; Jeſus Chriſt was nothing elſe (as it were) but viſible Deity; and ſo he was even while he was on earth; The Word was made fleſh, and dwelt amongſt us, and we beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father: The fleſh of Chriſt was but, as it were, a veil, through which men might look upon the Sun of Righteouſneſs, which open and naked would have been too vehement and ſtrong for mortal eyes; we ſaw his glory; there did beam forth (at times) ſuch rays of glory through the body of Jeſus Chriſt, that whoever had not wilfully ſhut his eyes, might have diſcovered him to be more than man, and been conſtrained with the Centurion, to cry out, Surely this was the Son of God; we ſaw it, ſaith the Apoſtle of himſelf and the reſt that were Chriſts witneſſes. Now if by vertue of the perſonal union of the two Natures in Chriſt, ſo much of God was conſpicuous in the fleſh of Chriſt while he was on earth, how much more abundantly do the emanations of divine glory dart themſelves forth through the humane nature, now it is exalted to the right hand of the Father in Heaven! And that upon a two-fold account,

1. Partly becauſe there the body of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt is a glorified body; the very body of Chriſt is made more ſpiritual and ſhining than the Angelical nature; I had almoſt ſaid, the very fleſh of Chriſt tranſubſtantiated into the divine nature, it is ſo diaphanous and tranſparent, that it is nothing elſe, as it were, but a vail, through which the Saints may look upon the face of God more ſteadily; ſurely that ſight of Chriſt will be God manifeſt in the fleſh indeed, the inviſible God made viſible p. 25in the humane nature; that will be a moſt beatifical Object!

2. And partly becauſe the organ or faculty in the Saints ſhall be glorified alſo, the eye of ſence in them ſhall be raiſed to a wonderful degree of quickneſs and activity, able to receive in this glorious object clearly and fully. Here the world ſaw no beauty in Chriſt, not becauſe Chriſt wanted beauty, but becauſe they wanted eyes, yea, the godly themſelves, their eyes were held, that they could not perfectly diſcern his glory; but oh now, when the object ſhall be perfected, and the organ perfected to receive it, what a bliſsful viſion will the very Man Chriſt Jeſus be in glory?

Go forth then oh ye Daughters of Sion, Ʋſe. Cant. 3.11Song 3:11behold your heavenly Solomon, with the Crown wherewith his Father crowned him in the day of his ſolemn Nuptials, (when he was married to his heavenly Bride) in the day of the gladneſs of his heart; prevent, oh my Soul, that beatifical viſion, by ſpiritual and fixed meditation, get into Heaven before thy time; and ſo much the rather, not only becauſe of the eminency of the Object, but becauſe of

Thirdly, The Saints intereſt in this Object, 3 Conſider.Chriſt in glory and Chriſt ours; as much of the eternal brightneſs of the infinite God (as is poſſibly viſible to an eye of glorified ſence) will be ſeen in the humane nature of Chriſt, (that will be glorious) and as much of that glory made ours, as the Creature can be capable of; this will be joyful, to ſee all this glory that is put upon the Perſon of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and to ſee it with propriety, to ſee it mine! And how mine? Why mine by purchaſe, he that is the object of this Viſion, was the purchaſer of it; he bought it for me; yea, he purchaſed both it and me by his blood; it for me, and me for it; the ſight of his glorified body was p. 26the fruit of his crucified body; as once he gave his crucified body to my faith, ſo now he gives his glorified body to my ſight, to be my portion and my bliſs for ever! Oh bleſſed viſion, wherein indeed purchaſer, and purchaſe, and purchaſed do all meet together, to ſuffer no more ſeparation for ever! This ſure will make the Saints ſing their Hallelujahs, Rev. 1.5, 6Rev 1:5Rev 1:6To him that loved us, and waſhed us from our ſins in his own blood, and hath made us Kings and Prieſts unto God and his Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever, Amen.

I come now to the fifth Object in the beatifical Viſion, which is the Divine Eſſence: 5th Object The Divine Eſſence.This is denied by ſome, and well it may, if the aſſertion were ſo to be underſtood, that the eſſence of God is to be diſcerned by the bodily eye, though in its glorified capacity; for where ever the excellency be which God will put upon the glorified bodies of the Saints in Heaven, yet ſtill they retain the nature of corporeal beings, and Gods eſſence is ſo infinitely pure and ſpiritual, that the Angelical nature compared with it would ſeem to be but quid materiale, of a material and corporeal conſtitution; ſo that now to affirm God to be viſible to an organical eye (though glorified) would ſeem to imply one of theſe two things, ſcil. that

1. Either the Divine eſſence hath matter and corporiety in it.

2. Or that the glorified ſence were made altogether immaterial and ſpiritual, either of which is repugnant to the analogy of faith. Vorſtius himſelf was aware of this, and therefore, though at firſt he ſeemed to affirm, that the glorified eye being made (as all the reſt of the body ſhall be) ſpiritual, might ſee God, though a Spirit, yet afterward he ſo explained himſelf, as only to aſſert, p. 27that from the divine eſſence there did flow a certain light, which light (and not the eſſence it ſelf immediately) is the object of the glorified eye its ſight. But, that God may be ſeen by the eye (i.e. underſtood) of the glorified underſtanding, cannot be denied by any that believe Scripture, or duly conſider wherein the happineſs of the glorified Saints muſt needs conſiſt. But how or in what manner he ſhall be ſeen, is that, which by this dim light, which now we ſee by, is wholly undeterminable. The Schoolmen are wont to ſay that the bleſſed ſhall ſee God, eſſentially, or by his eſſence, immediately, intuitively, comprehenſively; not indeed comprehenſively as God ſees and knows himſelf, but yet comprehenſively in contradiſtinction to apprehenſively. Yet ſome of them ſay, that the Viſion of God is not comprehenſive, but apprehenſive only, all make it intuitive, quidditative, immediate, and ſome of our own Divines follow them in this Tenent; I ſhall give my thoughts of it in a few Concluſions.

There be ſome Arguments againſt this immediate intuitive Viſion, that either cannot, 1 Concluſion.or (at leaſt) have not been anſwered to ſatisfaction. I will form but one only Argument, in which I will ſuppoſe nothing but what is granted by all, which is this, that the underſtanding of the bleſſed is not infinite, thus,

That which is infintte, cannot by a finite underſtanding be known ſo as it is in it ſelf.

But the Divine eſſence is infinite.

Therefore, it cannot be known as it is in it ſelf by a finite underſtanding.

The Major is grounded on a thing infinite, which is ſuch as it cannot be paſſed over, ſo as to come to the end p. 28of it. Anſwers to this Argument I have met with many, but ſuch as are either apparently impertinent, or elſe do plainly yield the cauſe; of this there will be little doubt, by any that ſhall read over the Diſcourſe of Giſhertus Voetius de viſione Dei per eſſentiam; for in that Diſcourſe, the Anſwers to this Argument are out of various Authors, recited and replied unto, and that to ſatisfaction.

A ſecond Concluſion I lay down is this, 2 ConcluſionThis immediate intuitive Viſion is not therefore to be denied, becauſe there are ſome Arguments againſt it which we know not how to anſwer, for there are Arguments for it, which carry in them great probability, and will difficultly be ſolved, and the ſtate of bliſs is ſuch, as eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, nor did ever yet enter into the heart of man.

Thirdly, 3 ConcluſionTherefore, Scripture is to be ſearched, and if the phraſes thereof do hold out ſuch a viſion, we may warrantably receive it; if not, it muſt be rejected, or at leaſt be left as a Probleme to be diſputed rather in the Schools, than to be handled in Pulpits.

A fourth Concluſion is this, 4 ConcluſionThe expreſſions of Scripture do not neceſſarily infer an intuitive immediate viſion of the divine eſſence; This can be proved only by examination of the particular places that are brought by the aſſertors of this Viſion. They are either of the old or of the new Teſtament.

In the old. The Lords anſwer to Moſes is much inſiſted on; Thou canſt not ſee my face; for there ſhall no man ſee my face and live. All that theſe words intimate, will be, muſt be granted, and it is no more than this, That ſuch a full ſight of Gods glory as Moſes deſired, is not to be expected till the duſt of mortality be blown out of our eyes; the eyes of our mind now can no more endure to ſee the p. 29face of God, than the eyes of an Owl can behold the Sun in its noon-day glory; this although it were a groſs miſtake of the Jews, to infer natural death preſently to befal any perſon, that ſhould have a ſight of God, under any viſible repreſentation, yet it might well give occaſion to Auguſtine to make that quick reply, Lord, if I may not ſee thy face and live, let me dye to ſee thy face. But how an Argument ſhould from thence be formed, to conclude an immediate, intuitive viſion of God in glory, I cannot eaſily conceive; more colour there is in the Apoſtles phraſe, Now we ſee through a glaſs darkly, but then face to face; 1 Cor. 13.121 Cor 13:12now I know in part, but then ſhall I know, even as alſo I am known. Theſe truly are wonderful expreſſions, and ſuch as afford unto us the greateſt ſecurity, that all privative imperfection ſhall be done away, and that we ſhall have as full a ſight of God, as our natures are capable of, we ſhall have as full a knowledge of the Divinity as we can rationally wiſh for, ſuch as ſhall leave no room for complaint, much leſs for envy. Greater things then this I find not are ſaid of the Theology, of the bleſſed Angels, their happineſs is but this, They are ever beholding the face of God: Mat. 8.10Matt 8:10But let a Syllogiſme be thence formed.

They who ſhall be admitted to ſee God face to face, ſhall ſee him immediately, intuitively, quidditatively.

But glorified Saints ſhall ſee God face to face.

Therefore, They ſhall ſee him immediately, &c.

I will deny the Major, and do deſpair of ever ſeeing it proved from this Text; the phraſe of ſeeing God face to face, doth not neceſſarily import ſuch a viſion, for then ſhould Jacob, Moſes, &c. on this ſide glory have ſeen God comprehenſively, immediately, intuitively, quidditatively; which I preſume none will affirm, nor is there any circumſtance in the tex or context, that ſhould determine it ſo to ſignifie in Saint Paul's ſpeech.

p. 30Object. It is ſaid, We ſhall know as we are known!

Anſw. It is true: But ſimilitudes do not alwayes quadrate, run upon all four, God knoweth us ſo far as we are knowable; Do we know God ſo to? It is impoſſible God ſhould not know us, but is it impoſſible we ſhould not know God? Could he not hide himſelf from us if he pleaſed? We do not know God in every reſpect as he knows us, therefore it doth not follow from this phraſe, that we ſhould know him quidditatively, immediately, intuitively, becauſe he knoweth us ſo, unleſs there be ſome other Scripture remaining, on which ſuch a kind of knowledge may be built, and other there is not, unleſs it be that of Saint John, John 3.2John 3:2We ſhall ſee him as he is. Theſe words I confeſs come nearer the terms of the Schools, than any other I could ever obſerve in Sacred Writ; yet neither can theſe (without violence) be extended to the ſeeing of the Divine eſſence eſſentially; my reaſon is, becauſe the object here promiſed, is not the Divine nature or being, but the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Mediator; and that according to the nature which he aſſumed in the fulneſs of time, and in which he ſhall at laſt appear to judge the world: when he ſo appeareth, we ſhall be like him, for we ſhall ſee him as he is, i. e. in the brightneſs and fulneſs of his ſtate of exaltation; here we ſaw him but in his ſtate of humiliation, then we ſhall ſee him in his ſtate of exaltation; As he is ſet on the right hand of the Throne of the Majeſty in the Heavens.

Object. But it will be objected, What profit is there then of the beatifical Viſion? Or, What advantage have they who ſee God in Heaven, above the Saints who ſee him in the Evangelical viſion?

Anſw. I anſwer, Much every way. Concerning which, not to ſay any thing that exceeds ſobriety, and yet to ſay ſomewhat that may help our underſtandings, I would p. 31aſcend to the higheſt pitch of what my weak, narrow apprehenſion can reach unto of this bleſſed Viſion, by theſe ſeveral ſteps and gradations.

Firſt, Firſt Step. We ſhall ſee more of God, than either we or any of the Worthies of God ever ſaw.We ſhall know more of God than ever we underſtood of him in this life, either by faith, or by the higheſt revelation that ever God made of himſelf to our Souls; more than ever the beſt of the Saints diſcovered by faith or divine manifeſtation; yea, we ſhall know more of God than ever the moſt holy of the Patriarchs, the moſt illuminate Prophet, the moſt ſeraphick Evangeliſt, the moſt inſpired Secretaries and Amanuenſes of the Holy Ghoſt (à ſecretioribus) on this ſide Heaven did ever know; yea, what Abraham, (the freind of God) Jacob, who at one time had God in his arms, Gen. 13.24 ver. …0Gen 13:24and at another time had his Peniel, the facial viſion of God, Moſes (the ſavourite of Heaven, Exod. 33.11Exod 33:11to whom God is ſaid to talk as a man ſpeaketh to his friend, and to know face to face) Elijah, Deut. 34.10 James 5.17Deut 34:10Jas 5:17(who wore as it were the keys of Heaven at his girdle, and could open and ſhut them as he pleaſed, and at length aſcended thither in a fiery Chariot) Daniel (who had the viſions of God) John the Evangeliſt (whoſe Patmos was turned into a Paradiſe, Dan. 10.6, 7, 8Dan 10:6Dan 10:7Dan 10:8where he had and writ the Revelations of Jeſus Chriſt) and finally holy Paul, (who was wrapt up into the third Heaven, foreign. 2 Cor. 12.4….2 Cor 12:4and heard things ineſſable) what theſe (I ſay) or any of theſe knew of the moſt high God, was but as the Primier learning of Children, to the vaſt readings of the greateſt Maſters of learning, in compariſon of that of God which ſhall be known to bleſſed Souls; the leaſt of Gods elect Infants, going from their Mothers womb to the grave, ſhall know more of God the firſt moment it entreth into glory, than the profoundeſt Divine in the Church of God, could by ſtudy, or revelation, ever attain to in this world; this is much.

Secondly, Second Step.The glorified Saints ſhall know more of God p. 32and the divine nature, than Adam did in Paradiſe; he was prevailed upon by the Tempter, to affect a greater and higher degree of knowledge than he had, above what the Creator ſaw fit to beſtow, more than belonged to his nature and ſtate; he would have known as God knows; that is, to full ſatisfaction and complacency.

Thirdly, Third Step.The glorified Saints know God affirmatively. The greateſt part of our knowledge of God in this life is either By

1. Dem cognoſcitur per mo dum Negation…. Eminentiae. Cauſationis.Denying, or

2. Comparing, or Aſcending

3. By way of Cauſation.

Firſt, By denying, we come to know God in this life, by removing all imperfections, and defects, and limitations, by taking away all things which are inconſiſtent with a Deity: conceive a ſpiritual being, and pare off whatſoever is imperfect or defective, and that which remains is God; we can go in our conceptions, or deſcriptions of God, very little farther. Or,

Secondly, We come to know (or rather to gheſs) what God is by comparing God with the Creature; take in all that is amiable, or formidable in the Creature; go over all imaginable perfections and excellencies in the Creatues, Men, Heavens, Sun, Moon, Stars, Angels, and aſcribe them all to God, and there you lay a foundation of knowing God, but infinitely ſhort and narrow of what he is; therefore we muſt aſcend.

For when we have gone through all the ranks and gradations of perfections in the ſubordinations of created beings, when we have ſearched out the utmoſt excellency of each claſſis, we may ſay, this is in God, and more; whether Man or Angels go higher and higher till we come to the p. 33top of Jacobs Ladder, ſtill all this is in God and infinitely more. The Creature muſt be winnowed from all imperfection, and the fineſt of them muſt be taken to give ſome weak reſemblance of a Deity.

Thirdly, Per modum Cauſationis; Whatever is in the effect is more perfectly in the cauſe. God is Cauſa fontana, a fountain. eſſence of all the perfections which ſparkle in the Creature.we know God by the Creature, as the cauſe by the effect; as the fountain of all power, goodneſs and perfection; whatever is lovely and illuſtrious, we muſt needs ſay, this is in God, and infinitely more; God is ſtronger than the mightieſt Man or Angel, wiſer than the wiſeſt, holier than the holieſt Saint or Angel, he being the fountain and cauſe of all perfection. This, I ſay, is all we can reach to, in ſpelling out God, for be it ſaid, we muſt add infinite to all theſe perfections, and that is God, this is alſo by denying; for what is infinite, but without bounds and limits? That is to ſay, God is ſtrong without weakneſs, wiſe without ignorance, holy without impurity, &c. If we would conceive theſe excellencies, (which ſeem to us to be affirmative) we are glad to be beholding to negation: As for example, if I would know what is Gods eternity, the negative muſt help me, it is his being without beginning and without end: What his holineſs? I cannot tell affirmatively, but muſt anſwer my ſelf, it is to be without the leaſt ſin, defilement, or ſhadow of impurity, &c. In all this there is little to ſatisfie the covetous inquiry implanted in the Soul, Quid ſit? What is holineſs? And what wiſdom?

But now in Heaven our knowledge of God ſhall be affirmative, we ſhall be able to apprehend God, though not to the utmoſt extent of his eſſe, yet without being beholding meerly to his non eſſe; we ſhall be able to ſay as well what God is, as what God is not; and when we have ſaid what he is, we ſhall not need to expound our meaning by what he is not.

Fourthly, Fourth Step. foreign: Mat. 22.30Matt 22:30We ſhall know God as much as the Angels in Heaven do. They behold the face of God, Matth. 18.10. p. 34Glorified Saints are with the Angels, Rev. 4.8. and are ſaid to be like Angels, and equal to the Angels, foreign, as Angels, Angels incarnate. And what inconſiſtency is there to the analogy of faith, to conceive that the Saints ſhall enjoy as full a proſpect of God in Heaven, as the Angels themſelves do? 5. Gradation.for though their bodies be united to their ſouls, yet ſhall not their bodies be any hindrance to their ſouls viſion of God, ſince the ſoul dependeth not now upon any corporeal organ of the body, inward or outward ſence, and, i. e. the body, ſhall be refined (by the power of Chriſt in the reſurrection) to ſuch a ſpiritual alloy, that it is it ſelf even of an Angelical nature.

Fifthly, The Saints ſhall know God up to the height of that Principle which God impreſt upon the Soul in the Creation; For God intending to make a Creature perfectly happy, implanted in its nature **Concupivit anima mea. Pſal. 48.2 This Candle of the Lord doth aſpire, (& that without ſin) to be a Sun; it being the juſt and modeſt deſire of the end which God himſelf created it; not that it would be the Sun, butunited to the Sun: and now that inno…ent ambition ſhall be ſatisfied. Sixth Step. 1 Cor. 13.Ps 48:21 Cor 13a diſpoſition covetous and capable of knowing God (wherein only the ſummum bonum of the ſoul conſiſts) now if God ſhould not ſatisfie this holy concupiſcence in the ſoul, and fill its capacity to the utmoſt, he ſhould fail, not the deſire of the Creature only, but his own project; the ſoul will not be contented with ſuch an imperfect knowledge of God as it hath here.

Sixthly, They ſhall know him properly. Junius tells us, it is the Judgment of all Proteſtants; and Willet upon Exodus expounds that notion by [apprehenſively] (though not comprehenſively) that is, we ſhall underſtand clearly, certainly and fully what God is: Clearly] in oppoſition to dark created mediums; we ſhall ſee God by his own light, Pſal. 36.9. Certainly] in oppoſition to gheſs, opinion and imperfect knowledge: And fully] not objective in reference to God, but ſubjective in reference to our ſelves; the faculty ſhall be full of God as it can hold, ††nor all alike but according to the capacity of every veſſels heat, degrees of happineſs do ſpring from that lumen gloriae, being variouſly ſhed among theſe bleſſed Souls.as a veſſel in the Sea, that is full of the Sea, though it contains not all the Sea in it.

p. 35Seventhly, The Saints ſhall know God fruitionally, Seventh Step.that is, they ſhall know him ſo as to poſſeſs God, and to be poſſeſſed of God. The ſoul doth, as it were, enter into God, and God into the ſoul; the joy of the Lord enters into the ſoul here, there the ſoul enters into the Lords joy.

Eightly, It ſhall be a transforming knowledge, Eighth Step.we ſhall be like him, for we ſhall ſee him as he is: But theſe two latter, my method propounded leads me to ſpeak too diſtinctly by themſelves: Of theſe therefore in their own place.

In a word, The Saints ſhall know God to perfection, though not to infinitude, they ſhall ſee him ſo as to repoſe themſelves in him with full complacency and delight, ſo that they ſhall ſay, they have enough. In this life ſome of the Saints, at ſometimes, have had ſuch manifeſtations of God, as have made them weep as bitterly (as ever any under deſertion) crying out, Lord withdraw thy glory, elſe the veſſel will ſplit, and I ſhall diſhonour God. And it may juſtly be our wonder, how it ſhould be otherwiſe to the Saints in the other world, a wonder that a created, finite faculty ſhould be able to bear the weight of glory, which filleth the infinite Object, and not be deſtroyed by the immenſity of it; eſpecially ſince we read of the very Angels themſelves, Omne vehemons ſenſibilo deſtruit ſenſum.who in a viſion of ſomewhat an inferiour nature to that facial viſion in glory, for the exceeding brightneſs of it, are ſaid to veil their faces and their feet; their faces, as having their eyes dazeld with the exceeding brightneſs of his glorious appearance; and their feet, as abaſhed in the apprehenſion of their own meanneſs and imperfection, in compariſon of Gods incomparable and incomprehenſible perfections.

But as to this difficulty.

Firſt, Our moſt learned Engliſh Annotator upon that place tells us, that thoſe expreſſions ſignifie rather the intenſeneſs p. 36of the Angels reverence and fear, in their approaches to the Supreme Majeſty, than their incapacity to take in what of his glory he is pleaſed to manifeſt; The Angels being ſaid alwayes to behold the face of God, Matth. 18.10. For, ſaith he, this is certain, that the nearer the Creature makes his approaches to God, and in the more glorious manner he is pleaſed to manifeſt himſelf, the more apprehenſive the Creature is, of its own meanneſs, baſeneſs, vileneſs and nothingneſs, in regard of Gods infinite greatneſs.

Secondly, We are taught from the Scriptures, that Divine manifeſtations in Heaven, though they beget greateſt veneration, yet they cauſe pleaſure, not pain, and do rather nouriſh and perfect the faculty, than any wayes hurt or oppreſs it; the veſſel ſhall be made capacious enough to hold any liquor which the thice bleſſed Trinity ſhall ſee meet to put into it.

To this end we may take notice from Scripture it ſelf, that the glorified underſtanding ſhall be adorned with a ſix-fold perfection, ſcil.

1. Spirituality.

2. Clarity.

3. Capacity.

4. Sanctity.

5. Strength.

6. Fixedneſs.

The firſt perfection of the underſtanding ſhall be ſpirituality; 3. Perfection Spirituality,it ſhall be ſpiritualized; ſpiritual it is now; as ſpiritual is oppoſed to corporeal, though not as ſpiritual is oppoſed to natural. The Soul is now forced to be a Caterer for a body of fleſh, to provide things that are neceſſary for the ſuſtentation of the animal life; it buſieth it ſelf to ſatisfie the appetites of hunger and thirſt, &c. if it can redeem a few hours for actions more proper and peculiar p. 37to it, it is ſo clogged, ſo preſſed down with the bodies infirmities, as that it ſoon drops down to the earth, and is drawn aſide, to attend the impertinencies of this preſent life. But when it ſhall be joyned to an animate a ſpiritual body, and it ſelf, in its glorified capacity, then it ſhall be wholly taken up with objects ſpiritual and heavenly, and made, as it were, connatural to them, elevated by the light of glory, to the viſion of God. This lumen gloriae is not ſo much for the diſcovery of the object, as for the help and advancing of a created faculty, which would elſe be much oppreſt with the weight of glory, it is not ſo much the raiſing and ſcrewing of nature higher, but it is the adding of a new diſpoſition, that may cloſe with the divine object, ſo that though there be ſtill an infinite diſproportion between God and the Creature in eſſe naturali, yet there is a juſt proportion in eſſe intelligibili.

Secondly, 2. Perfection Clarity.By vertue of this ſupernatural influx of the divine object, the faculty ſhall be brightned and cleared. There is now upon this mirror of the underſtanding, many labes and ſtains, whereby the veſſel is defiled, the breath of the world and the ſteam of corruptions from within, do ſo fully this chriſtal glaſs, that it cannot receive into it the beams of light, which ſhine upon it; the more impurity the dimmer the viſion; Bleſſed are the pure in heart, Mat. 5.8Matt 5:8for they ſhall ſee God. Why now in glory all theſe maculae and ſpots ſhall be perfectly wiped off, and the veſſel ſhall be made a clear burning glaſs, to receive and contain the glorious rayes of divine excellency, which do immit themſelves into it. Hence this viſion of God is called by Divines, a clear, diſtinct, and perfect ſight of God; not as if the bleſſed did ſee all whatever is in the divine eſſence, but as oppoſed to our preſent dim, glaſſy viſion; 1 Cor. 1….1 Cor 1ſo that it perfectly takes in what the divine will is pleaſed to reveal, without any the leaſt obſtruction or diminution.

p. 38Thirdly, 3. Perfection Capacity.The faculty in glory ſhall be widened and extended to a vaſt capacity; now the underſtanding is large, there is no bounding or limitting of it, it is higher than the Heavens, and deeper than the Sea, and wider than the World; it is ſaid of Solomon, in reſpect of his underſtanding, 1 Kings 4.25.1 Kgs 4:25that he had wiſdom and underſtanding exceeding much, and largeneſs of heart, even as the ſand that is upon the Sea-ſhore; but all that was ſpecially in order to the myſteries of nature, as it follows there in his character from verſe 30, to 34. But in glory the underſtanding ſhall be widened to a vaſter capacity, ſcil. to take in not the little things of the Creature only, Magnalia Dei.but the infinite God; I do not ſay infinitely but apprehenſively, though not comprehenſively, for then the veſſel muſt be as large as the object, yea, larger, ſince the thing containing muſt be ſomewhat bigger than the thing contained, but the underſtanding ſhall apprehend God clearly, certainly and fully; the object it ſelf ſhall extend the faculty, and make it capacious for it ſelf. It is worth our notice to compare thoſe two expreſſions of the beatifical viſion, the one Matth. 18.10. where it is ſaid, The Angels do alway behold the face of God; the other, where the Angels and Saints (the number of whom is ſaid to be, Rev 5.11Rev 5:11ten thouſand times ten thouſands, and thouſands of thouſands) are deſcribed ſurrounding Gods Throne, they are round about the Throne; compare them together; They alwayes behold the face of God, and yet are round about; and it hints us this bleſſed notion, God hath no back parts in Heaven, God to the bleſſed Inhabitants there is all face, and they are alwayes beholding it; how ſhould not ſo tranſplendent an object confound the ſpiritual organ, with the immenſe ſplendor and glory thereof, but that the object it ſelf doth ſuſtain and nouriſh the faculty.

A fourth Perfection is Sanctity, 4. Perfection Sanctity. Heb. 12.23Heb 12:23the underſtanding ſhall be made perfect in holineſs: In the ſtate of ſeparation, The ſpirits of juſt men are made perfect, and ſurely the ſoul p. 39looſeth nothing of its ſanctity, by being united to the body in glory. Now of all divine qualities, none doth more capacitate the Soul for the viſion of God, than holineſs, witneſs that holineſs is called the divine nature. 1 Pet. 1.41 Pet 1:4Holineſs aſſimilateth unto God, and the perfection and delight of viſion is founded in conformity; it is ſo in the Evangelical viſion, Bleſſed are the pure in heart, for they ſhall ſee God, according to the purity of the heart is the viſion of God. What a glorious viſion of God will that be, which the perfection of holineſs ſhall advance the ſoul unto, when the glorious object ſhall both-enlarge and purifie the faculty.

The fifth Perfection is Strength. 5. Perfection Strength.The viſion of God doth fortifie the underſtanding. In nature, the more vehement and intenſe the object, the more it hurts and cr…ſheth the ſence; the viſion of God, though but under a veil, C…e vehement ſenſibile deſtruit ſenſum. Dan. 10.7, 8 Rev. 1.17. foreign Lumen gloriae ſuperaddita perfectio, qua intellectus confortatur ad videndum Deum. Tho. Aquin.Dan 10:7Dan 10:8Rev 1:17did undo the Prophet Iſaiah. Holy Daniel's viſion (though but a viſion) did diſpirit him, and left him without ſtrength. Saint John his viſion, though but the darker ſide of the beatifical ſight of God, ſtayeth him outright for a time, I fell at his feet as dead. The ſouls of the bleſſed in Heaven, are ſet beyond all fear of ſuch a ſurpriſe of glory, while God fills their faculty, he doth alſo ſuſtain and perfect it, by means whereof the faculty ſhall never be weary of its object, but ſtill behold it with freſh vigour and delight: So it follows.

A ſixth and laſt Perfection is Fixedneſe. 6. Perfection. Fixedneſs.In the ſtate of grace the mind is exceeding ſlippery, like that of little Children, whom you cannot ſix, we lye upon ſpiritual objects, as upon a bank of ice, where we ſlide, and ſlide, and never leave ſliding, till we be in the dirt, and this comes to paſs by reaſon of thoſe mixtures of impurity which are in theſe natural minds of ours; the objects are pure and ſimple, James 1.21 foreign.Jas 1:21but the faculty is wofully clogged with ſuperfluity of naughtineſs, hence the lubricity and floating p. 40that is in the underſtanding, like the Sea it ſelf, but now in glory all that mixture is aboliſhed, ſo that there is nothing remaining to divert or diſtract the faculty, yea, the object it ſelf (ſtill) ſhall unite the faculty to it ſelf, though not ſo as to make it its ſelf, yet ſo as to make it like its ſelf, to make it capable of its ſelf in all the (communicable) dimenſions of the divine nature, In a word, the faculty ſhall be made perfectly ſutable to the object, not only in the properties, but in the very nature of it, whereby it ſhall be enabled to know it, and underſtand it to perfection; Oh bleſſed and bleſſed-making viſion!

Glorious things are ſpoken of thee, oh thou viſion of God! Truly beatifical for ever! Eye truly hath not ſeen, &c.

Before we leave this Viſion, let us make ſome uſe of it.

And the Uſe may be two-fold:

1. Study holineſs.

2. Labour to ſee God before you come to Heaven.

Firſt, Study holineſs, there be two Viſions of God mentioned in Scripture,

Firſt, The Viſion of God in Grace.

Secondly, The Viſion of God in Glory.

The Evangelical Viſion.

The Angelical Viſion.

The Viſion of God in Ordinances.

The Viſion of God

Without

Above

Ordinances.

In the Viſion of Grace, the Evangelical viſion, the Saints ſee Gods back parts, but in the Viſion of Glory, the Angelical p. 41viſion, they ſee God face to face; in the Evangelical viſion they ſee God darkly, and know him in part, but in the Angelical viſion they know him, even as they are known by him; the Saints ſhall have a full proſpect of God in Heaven.

But of both theſe Viſions, holineſs is the indiſpenſable qualification, without holineſs there is no admiſſion into Heaven. Rev. 21.27Rev 21:27There ſhall in no wiſe enter into it any thing that defileth. And when entred, without holineſs there is no viſion, for without holineſs no man can ſee the Lord: Heb. 12.14Heb 12:14And holineſs doth diſpoſe the Soul for this bleſſed Viſion three wayes;

Firſt, By removing the diſtance between God and the Creature.

Secondly, By aſſimilating the Soul to God.

Thirdly, By cauſing mutual delight and complacency between them.

Firſt, Holineſs diſpoſeth the Soul for the ſeeing of God, by taking away that diſtance which is between God and the Soul. Sin is that foreign, that great Gulf, In this reſpect ſin is Hell.which ſeparates between God and the Creature; and ſurely ſin ſets a vaſter diſtance between the holy God and a ſinner, than there is between Heaven and Hell, yea, than there is between God and the Devil; that is, between God as a Creator, and the Devil as he is a creature.

Until this diſtance be removed, there is no poſſible acceſs for the Soul to God; this partition wall is broken down when holineſs is ſet up; and according to the degree of purity, is the degree of viſion, as the Soul paſſeth from one degree of holineſs to another, ſo it paſſeth from one ſtate and degree of viſion to another; 2 Cor, 3.We all beholding as in a glaſs, &c. The purer the glaſs, the brighter the viſion.

Secondly, Holineſs diſpoſeth for the viſion of God p. 42by approximation and aſſimilating the Soul to God. Holineſs is the very Image of God, the divine nature, not in a fanatick ſenſe, not the divine being. Indeed holineſs in God is the divine eſſence, but holineſs in the Creature is but a gracious quality, whereby the Creature reſembleth God, 1 Pet. 1.151 Pet 1:15and is made pure as he is pure, holy as he is holy. This advanceth the Soul to a nearer vicinity to God, whereby it is put into a paſſive capacity of ſeeing God; paſſive, I ſay, for the formal viſive power of ſeeing God, is from the object more than the ſubject of it, ſcil. ſo far as God is pleaſed to beam in his glory into the faculty, and enableth it to bear it; Lumen confortans, Schol.holineſs only gives the Soul a ſutableneſs to receive in thoſe divine irradiations.

Thirdly, Holineſs cauſeth mutual delight and complacency between God and the Soul; all liking is founded in likeneſs; conformity is the fountain of complacency; ſo that until holineſs be formed in the Soul, neither can God delight in the Soul, nor the Soul in God verily without this mutual complacency, the viſion of God would be penal to the Creature, rather than beatifical, not much better than that viſion which the damned themſelves may be conceived to have of God in hell, whoſe viſion of God makes full one half of hell at leaſt; Oh quam miſerum eſt Deum videre & perire?they ſee God and deſpair; this is the Worm that never dyeth: they only ſee what they have loſt.

Chriſtians, as ye love Gods face, look to your bolineſs; God loveth holineſs more than he loveth the Creature, ſaith Arminius; and I ſay ſo too, if we underſtand it of the holineſs that dwelleth in God, for that is his eſſential holineſs, Exod. 15 11Exod 15:11God himſelf, ſo loving holineſs, he loveth himſelf; Gods holineſs is his glory, glorious in holineſs; he accounts it the moſt radiant Jewel in his Crown Royal, the very varniſh and beauty of all his glorious Attributes; for the love he beareth to which, he loveth to ſee the very image and likeneſs of it in the Creature; but he loved the Creature ſo well (in his foreign) that he did elect the perſon p. 43unto the qualification, though not for the qualification; God choſe the elect, Eph. 1.4Eph 1:4not becauſe he foreſaw they would be holy, but that they might be holy; holineſs was not the cauſe, but the end of their election. Oh love that (dear Souls) which God loves ſo much, and loveth to ſee in his Saints, who are therefore called Saints from their holineſs. There is nothing can make you ſo beautiful in Gods eye as holineſs, becauſe in your holineſs he ſeeth the reflection of his own beauty; Ezek. 16.14 Taliter pigmentatae Dei habebitis Amorem: Tert.Ezek 16:14Thou waſt comely through the comelineſs which I put upon thee; God cannot chuſe but love his own likeneſs where ever he ſeeth it; oh love the Lord all ye his Saints, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holineſs, Pſal. 30.4. Let your hearts leap within you as oft as you think what an holy God you have; who if he can but ſee true holineſs in your faces, will admit you to ſee that holineſs which is in his face for ever. Love holineſs, I ſay, but be ſure it be ſuch an holineſs as God loves; there is an holineſs in the world, which is but a thing like holineſs, but is not ſo; moral righteouſneſs, an harmleſs innocence, a ſober retiredneſs from ſenſual exceſſes, a pretty ingenuity, a readineſs to do offices of love, a negative Religion, concerning which you may better tell, what it is not, than what it is; yea, there is a thing called holineſs in the world, that hath not ſo much as the appearance or ſhaddow of holineſs, freedom from groſſeſt impieties, and that but partial too; not to ſwear at the higheſt rate, to be ſoberly drunk, and privately unclean, Apud vos optimi cenſentur quos comparatio peſſimorum ſic facit. Arnob.not to be overmuch wicked, &c. in a word (as Arnobius ſpeaks of the Gentiles) not to be ſo bad as the worſt, is a kind of being good; even this (Sirs) will paſs in the world for holineſs: And laſtly, there is a ſuperſtitious holineſs, which to the Evangelical holineſs is no better than what the Ivy is to the Oak, and hath eaten out the very heart of it; a Brat which (as **Gurnats Chriſtians Compleat Armour, p. 2.one ſaith) the Devil hath put to nurſe to the Romiſh Church, which hath taken a great deal of pains to bring it up for him; and it hath brought in no ſmall revenue, as to her ſelf, of worldly riches and treaſure, ſo to p. 44Him of Souls; for ſuch holineſs is the very road to Hell the followers of Antichriſt fill up the greateſt part of it But hear our Lord plainly telling you, Except your righteouſneſs exceed the beſt of theſe, ye cannot enter, &c. Oh Chriſtians, get you a copy of grace out of the Scripture-Records (thoſe Court-Rolls of Heaven) which may be ſeen and allowed by God, and Angels, and Saints, if ever you deſire to ſee Gods face:

Holineſs of a peculiar ſtrain, Titus 2.14. Perfecting holineſs in the fear of God, 2 Cor. 7.1. Holineſs to the Lord, not an holineſs that may approve it ſelf to men only (that is eaſily done) (but unto God. Ʋnblameable holineſs in Gods fight, Coloſ. 1.22. His holineſs, Heb. 12.10. That is,

An holineſs which hath God for its pattern, & 1 Pet. 1.15, 16.

An holineſs which hath God for its motive, 1 Pet. 1.15, 16.

Be ye holy as God is holy; be ye holy becauſe God is holy.

In a word, ſtudy an holineſs that knows no limits, but what it ſhall have in Heaven; an holineſs without any ſtint, ſtill preſſing after further degrees of conformity unto Jeſus Chriſt; unleſs your holineſs be of this impreſſion, you can never hope to ſee Gods face, and if your hope be a true Scripture hope, your holineſs will be a right Scripture-holineſs; 1 John 3.3 S… diaeeru fot eſt, periiſti.1 John 3:3He that hath this hope in him purifieth himſelf as he is pure: Where ever you ſtick you periſh: Labour for ſuch an holineſs as will give you admittance not into the Church only, but into Heaven, without which no man ſhall ſee God; no men of what claſſis or form ſoever they be, whether ſuch as have no holineſs and care for none, all profane perſons; Shall eyes full of adultery ever ſee God? the holy God? Shall eyes full of anger and revenge ſee God! the meek, merciful God? Et ſic in caet. All ſuch as deride holineſs, or deſpiſe holineſs, or perſecute holineſs, ſuch as have neither name nor thing, yea, that perfectly hate both, ſhall they enjoy God? The Apoſtle p. 45ſends them this word expreſly, There is no room for them in Heaven. And indeed, what ſhould ſuch do there? There is nothing in Heaven but what is holy, holy Angels, and holy Saints, and above all a thrice holy Trinity, Father, Rev. 4.8.Rev 4:8Son and Holy Ghoſt; Holy, Holy, Holy, the Lord God Almighty, the beauty of whoſe face is holineſs, alas! there is nothing for them to ſee or hear, but what is an abomination to their ſouls! Holy words, yea, the very word (Holineſs) they now ſtop their ears at it, it is vinegar to their teeth, they make faces at it; holy Ordinances, they cannot bear them; the impurer the Ordinance is, the better they like it; An Holy God, they ſay of him, Iſai. 30.11Isa 30:11Cauſe the holy One of Iſrael to depart from before us; preach as much as you will of the merciful One of Iſrael, and of the bountiful One of Iſrael, &c. but tell us not ſo much of the holy One of Iſrael. Moleſt us no more with meſſages of holineſs, and the ſeverities thereof; yea, See learned Gataker in loc.they ſay not only ſo of God, but they ſay as much to God to his very face, They ſay to the Almighty, depart from us, we deſire not the knowledge of thy wayes; they ſay ſo by interpretation, if not in words at length; he that can expound actions as well as language, tells us, they ſay ſo; yea, they are not aſhamed of the very language, it is a piece of their gallantry to profeſs to them that reprove them, or but (meekly) admoniſh them, I ſay, to anſwer with ſcorn enough, We are none of your Saints; Proud ſcorner, what art thou then? An unclean ſwine, yea, an unclean ſpirit, incarnate Devil, a profane Hellitean, as one faith, for thy ſpeech betrayeth thee? What need farther proof? Ex ore ſuo, &c. Put ſuch an herd of Swine into Heaven, and verily they would need no other damnation: But God made Heaven for better purpoſes, than to be an Hell for the haters of holineſs: Tophet is prepared of old for them, Iſai. 30.33.Isa 30:33and thither they muſt be packt away, with the reprobate Angels; down they came, when they had laid aſide their holineſs, and ſhall ſuch maligners of holineſs, and holy ones, ever come there? Let them not fear, the company of Saints ſhall never moleſt p. 46them; they would have none of their ſociety on earth, and they ſhall have none of their ſociety in heaven. Poſſibly, with their elder brother Dives, they may have a proſpect of Heaven, where they may ſee **Luk… 16.23Luke 16:23Lazarus in Abraham's boſom; and (with others of the reprobate family) they may ſee Abraham, Luke 13.28Luke 13:28Iſaac, and Jacob, and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God, Oh quam miſerum eſt Deum videre & perire? Et ante praeteritur conſpectum perire?but that viſion will be ſo far from beatifical, as that it will be the aggravation of their damnation; for as it follows verſe 28.

They themſelves ſhall be thruſt out, foreign, caſt out, with as much contempt and violence, as ever they themſelves caſt the Saints out of their Societies. Certainly, that viſion, will be weeping, and wailing, and gnaſhing of teeth. Theſe haters of holineſs would have none of God, Pſal. 81.11. They ſaid to the holy One of Iſrael, Depart from us. When it was too late.And now God will have none of them, I know you not whence ye are; they bad the firſt word, but will have the laſt, They ſaid, depart from us.Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity; not a man of them ſhall ſtand in Gods preſence, but be caſt out for ever into utter darkneſs. Then ſhall the back ſlider in heart be (indeed) filled with his own wayes. Mal. 25.41They baniſhed God and his Saints out of their company; and now they themſelves ſhall be puniſhed from the preſence of the Lord, (and his Saints) and from the glory of his power, 2 Theſ. 1.9.

Second Uſe, Ʋſe 2 Labour to ſee God on this ſide glory, to begin your viſion on Earth, which ſhall never ceaſe in Heaven. Indeed the viſion in Grace and the viſion in Glory are one and the ſame viſion; the object is the ſame, God; and the faculty is the ſame, the eye of the Soul: they differ only in two circumſtances.

Firſt, In the Medium. Here we ſee in glaſſes, the Works of God, Pſal. 19.1, 2.Ps 19:1Ps 19:2the Creatures are a glaſs, the Heavens declare the glory of God, Praeſentemque refert quaelibet herba Deum.and the providences of God are a glaſs, Day unto day uttereth ſpeech, and night unto night ſheweth p. 47knowledge: Every dayes experience, and every nights experience, is a glaſs wherein much of God is to be ſeen; and the Goſpel is a glaſs, wherein we all, as in a mirrour, 2 Cor. 3.182 Cor 3:18behold the glory of the Lord: And laſtly, the glaſs of Ordinances, Preaching, and Prayer, and Sacraments, all theſe be glaſſes; and meditation is a glaſs; faith is another way of viſion; by faith Moſes ſaw him who is inviſible; all theſe, I ſay, Heb. 11.27Heb 11:27are glaſſes wherein we may ſee God. But alas! The glaſs takes away from the object and darkens our viſion, as painted glaſs in the Church windows, they let in ſome light, but keep out more; but in Heaven we ſhall ſee without glaſſes, face to face, the Lamb ſhall be the light in that Temple.

Secondly, Theſe viſions differ in their degree of light and clearneſs, here we ſee in part, this is but a partial viſion, that in glory is extenſive, a full-eyed viſion, as one calls it, a moſt ample, perfect viſion; we ſhall know as we are known, the underſtanding here is dark, dim and narrow, there clear and vaſtly capacious.

Now that which this word of Exhortation calls you to is, to exerciſe your ſelves much in the viſion of God here, and to that end I would have you

1. Make much of your glaſſes: But

2. Take heed of reſting in, and being ſatisfied with your glaſſes.

Firſt, Make much of your glaſſes; Be thankful for them: How many Churches of Jeſus Chriſt have their glaſſes taken away or broken? Robb'd and ſpoiled of all their precious things, and have not ſo much as a glaſs left, wherein they might have ſome glimpſes of divine light conveyed into their underſtanding? Oh Chriſtians, before it be ſo with you, make uſe of your mediums; While you have the light, walk in the light, &c. Bleſs God that p. 48the Sun is not totally gone down upon your Prophets, Mich. 3, 6Mic 3:6nor the day dark over them; God hath done that for you (in as much wonder, and more mercy) that once he did for Joſhua, cauſed your Sun to ſtand ſtill in your Gibeon, &c. Oh bleſs God for it! Make his praiſe glorious.

And ſecondly, Make good uſe of your mediums, attend Reading, and Hearing, and Prayer, and Sacraments while you have them; take heed of that dangerous notion, of being above Ordinances, it is a Precipice upon which many have ſtumbled into darkneſs: Oh that it may not prove utter darkneſs, the blackneſs of darkneſs for ever!

There is a living above Ordinances which hath a good ſence in it: that is,

Firſt, When God hath taken away Ordinances, or permitted men to take them away, then to live above them, i. e. to be able to live immediately upon God, as knowing, that though God hath tied us to means, he hath not tied himſelf to means; he that converts and ſaveth by Ordinances, can do his work without them; the means can do nothing without God, but God can do what he will without the means; ſo to live by faith is exceeding precious.

Secondly, In the uſe of Ordinances, to look above Ordinances, to look up to God, whoſe Ordinances they are, as only able to make his own Inſtitutions effectual to the accompliſhing of his own ends; thus to uſe Ordinances, and to truſt God, is excellent; but for a people while they have Ordinances to ſlight them, and neglect them, and talk of living above Ordinances, this is intollerable pride and folly, yea, it is a mocking of God, to be wiſer than God, and inſtead of living above Ordinances, to live without God. Oh learn to make much of the Ordinances, p. 41leſt that angry queſtion come and ſweep away all, Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wiſdom, Prov. 17.16Prov 17:16ſeeing he hath no heart to it?

A ſecond thing I would call you to is, while you uſe Ordinances, to take heed of reſting in, and of reſting contented with Ordinances; an Ordinance of God, without the God of the Ordinance, what an empty glaſs is it? There is a viſion of Ordinances, and there is a viſion in Ordinances; oh take not up with that without this; pray for ſuch a ſpirit as he had, whoſe voice it is, Pſal. 63.1. My ſoul thirſteth for thee, my fleſh longeth for thee: David was now in the wilderneſs, baniſhed from the Tabernacle and Ark, Altars, (thoſe legal Ordinances of the Sanctuary) I but it is not the bare Ordinances that will ſerve his turn, but God in the Ordinances, thee, thee, my ſoul thirſteth for thee, my fleſh longeth for thee.

Oh Chriſtians, let the ſame mind be in you which was in holy David, make God the object of your viſion, in your Evangelical attendances; God commands it, Seek ye my face, Pſal. 27.8. Seek the Lord, and ſeek his ſtrength, and ſeek his face evermore, Pſal. 105.4. Oh let your hearts eccho with David's, Thy face, Lord, will I ſeek, or (as it may be read) Let my face, Lord, ſeek thy face: What he meaneth by the face of God, and ſo by (thee, thee) in the 63. Pſalm, he expounds himſelf, ver. 2. That I may ſee thy power and thy glory in the Sanctuary, namely, the powerful and glorious manifeſtations of God in his Ordinances, the manifeſtation of all his divine attributes and excellencies, that which God offered unto Moſes, Exod. 33.23. and which our Lord promiſeth to all his loving and obedient Diſciples; John 14.21John 14:21He that loveth me ſhall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifeſt my ſelf unto him; yea, Father and Son, ver. 23. we will come, and make our abode with him: This is the foreign, the height and altitude of our Goſpel viſion, as God told Moſes, thou ſhalt ſee my back-parts; the face of God, the viſion of God, p. 42his eſſence, (whatever it is) that is reſerved for an higher form, the viſion in glory; yea, I muſt tell you the clear manifeſtation of any divine truth in the brightneſs of it upon the underſtanding, and in the ſweetneſs of it upon the heart, is this Evangelical viſion, as well as thoſe higher manifeſtations of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit in divine raviſhments: I ſay, when it pleaſeth God, by the Spirit, to beam in Goſpel-truth from the very face of Chriſt, not into the head only, but into the heart, with ſuch a glorious light, 2 Cor. 4.6 1 Peter 2.92 Cor 4:61 Pet 2:9that it ſeems to be the ſame in the Soul as it is in Jeſus, the very glory of God, ſo that the Soul ſtands wondering at the light, when in his light we ſee light, divine truth, by a divine irradiation, not by borrowed mediums and natural repreſentations only by its own native brightneſs and luſtre.

This, this, Chriſtians, is Goſpel viſion, which as it doth neceſſarily tend to, ſo it will infallibly expire into the beatifical, facial viſion in glory. How rare are thoſe Chriſtians, that do experience this viſion of God in the Ordinance, yea, how rare are they that do thus breath, and pant, and cry out for the living God with this holy Pſalmiſt? Hence darkneſs, hence deadneſs, hence formality, a powerleſs profeſſion hath wofully ſpread it ſelf upon the face of Chriſtianity, yea, upon the very reformed parts of it. Let Chriſtians ſtir up themſelves, and let their ſouls preſs hard after God, when they come to Ordinances, or elſe this very thing will be worſe to them than all the evil that befell them from their youth until now, it may provoke God to withdraw even the Evangelical viſion from them here, and, without great repentance, to deny them admiſſion to the beatifical viſion hereafter: They that will not ſeek Gods face in Grace, ſhall not ſee Gods face in Glory.

The ſixth and laſt object of the beatifical viſion is, Sixth Object of the bleſſed viſion, All things in God.All things in God. God is the univerſal Library of all truth, whether divine or natural; yea, all truth (quà truth) p. 43is divine, and doth emanate from the God of truth, in whom it is, there to be read as in its original, and lieth open for all the whole Ʋniverſity of thoſe heavenly Academicks to peruſe. Yet we muſt remember, that the divine eſſence is an arbitrary and voluntary glaſs, manifeſting all myſteries not by neceſſity, but according to the freedom of his own will; there the Saints may read to the full the Myſtery of the bleſſed Trinity, how three in one, and one in three, Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt, God bleſſed for ever! That thrice glorious and (till we come to Heaven) not to be fathomed Myſtery, the wonder and adoration of the believing world, that immenſe ocean, over which ſo many daring Spirits having eſſayed to fly, have fallen in and been drowned: that burning light, unto which ſo many preſuming to approach too near, have ſcorcht their wings, and loſt both their eyes and themſelves together: that ſacred Ark, into which too many preſumptuous Bethſhemites, foreign.having dared, over boldly, to look, have been ſmitten: What is eſſence? And what is perſon? And how they differ? How the Father begets, and the Son is begotten, and how the Holy Ghoſt proceeds from both: how they are diſtinguiſhed, by their order, their perſonal properties, and manner of working upon the Creature: how the Father worketh from himſelf, the Son worketh from the Father, and the Holy Ghoſt worketh both from the Father and the Son: How there ſhould be alius & alius, and not aliud & aliud, &c. Theſe will be Lectures which ſhall be read in the Trinity it ſelf in glory, and that in a moſt clear and intelligible notion.

then ſhall the Saints be able to underſtand the myſtery of the incarnation of the ſecond Perſon, the Son of God, that Myſtery of Godlineſs (of Godlineſs, 1 Tim. 3.161 Tim 3:16becauſe it tranſforms ſinners into Saints; and myſtery, becauſe it containeth ſo many deep and myſterious wonders in it. The bleſſed, bleſſed-making Myſtery of the Incarnation, of the Son of God, our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, ſcil. Why the ſecond Perſon in Trinity, rather than the firſt or third ſhould be p. 44incarnate? Why he ſhould take the nature of man rather than the nature of Angels, and that when it was at the worſt? how he could take the nature of ſinful man, and yet not take the ſinfulneſs of his nature? the Hypoſtatical union between the divine and humane natures in the Lord Jeſus, in one perſon; how there ſhould be there aliud & aliud, and yet not alius & alius? That myſterious union, between the Lord Chriſt the Head, and all Believers the true Members of his body, what it is, and how they are made one with Chriſt, as the Father and the Son are one; this precious Myſtery (I ſay) ſhall then be made manifeſt, Jehn 14.20. at that day you ſhall know, both what it is, and how it is, that I am in the Father, and you in me, and I in you, &c. then, and not till then. How he that is every where, filling Heaven and Earth with his preſence, ſhould yet be included in the narrow limits of a Virgins womb? How he that made the Law, ſhould be made under the Law? How the Ancient of dayes ſhould become an Infant of moments? How he that was begot before all time, ſhould be born in the fulneſs of time? Epheſ. 3.10Eph 3:10How a Virgin, and yet a Mother! Theſe and a thouſand difficulties more, wherein doth meet that foreign, multiform, multivarious wiſdom of God, foreign. 1 Pet. 1.12 Epheſ. 3.101 Pet 1:12Eph 3:10as lines in a center, where into the very Angels deſire to peep, and for ſome imperfect diſcoveries, whereof they are glad to be beholding to the Lectures read in the Churches, by their **Hoc v…rd noſtra altior no titis praedicatur quam Anclorum, tan … intelligit Petrus ea nobu promitti, quorum complementum videre cupiunt. Cal. in loc. foreign, alludit ad propuiatorii formam. &c. Jam tum indicante figurâ, fore ut in Chriſto cujus typur erat arca, omnes ſapientiae, & intelligentiae inſiderent theſauri, per Evangelii praedication…m pateſaciendi; avid… ipſis Angel… beat… totum hoc myſterium cognoſcare, cujus etiam exhibitionem, jam inde ab ip…is Chriſti noſcentu incunabilu eccleſiae enarr…rant. Beza in loc.earthly Angels, the Miniſters of the Goſpel; theſe, I ſay, ſhall be clearly read and underſtood in that original wiſdom wherein they were firſt conceived.

That profound and dark Myſtery of Election and Reprobation, p. 45why God ſhould chuſe one and leave another? Why God ſhould love Jacob and hate Eſau? Why the one ſhould become foreign, and the other foreign? Why firſt the Jews ſhould be a Church, and the Gentiles (Aliens) ſhould afterward be adopted into the Covenant, and the Jews broken off and caſt out? That God ſhould break open the heart of a rebellious ſinner by efficacious Grace, and deny ſufficient aid to one that hath improved his preſent ſtrength far better? With all other the dark, profound Myſteries of Gods Decrees, ſhall then be made glaſſes. And laſtly, That myſtery of wickedneſs and abominations, and why God hath ſuffered him ſo long to reign, and to uſurp ſo great a part of Chriſts purchaſed and promiſed poſſeſſions, with all his witchcrafts and ſorceries, whereby he hath deceived the Nations, they ſhall all be diſcovered and brought to light, to his eternal ſhame and confuſion? That God ſhould ſhine out only upon ſome few ſpots of ground with the light of the Goſpel, and ſhut up the reſt in palpable darkneſs,

The Creation of the World, ſhall then be more clearly underſtood in the cauſe, than now it is in the effect, how all things were made out of the firſt matter, and that out of nothing. Rev. 13 10 14.12Rev 13:10Thoſe hard myſteries of providence which do now try and exerciſe the faith and patience of the Saints, ſcil. Why they that are beſt ſhould ſpeed worſt? That there be juſt men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; and again, That there be wicked men, Eccl 8.14Eccl 8:14unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous; In ſo much, that now we call the proud happy, Mal. 3.15.Mal 3:15and they that work wickedneſs are ſet up, yea, they that tempt God are even delivered? Why the worſe cauſe ſhould many times have the better ſucceſs? Why God ſhould ſuffer his deareſt Children to be abuſed and inſulted over, when wickedneſs in the mean while triūmphs ſecurely? Why wickedneſs ſhould be ſet up in high places, and innocence ſhould be trod under foot? Somewhat of theſe Riddles the Word doth now interpret unto the Saints (bleſſed be God) p. 46to command their ſilence and ſubmiſſion to God, but then ſhall they return and diſcern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that ſerveth God, and him that ſerveth him not: all this will be then ſeen in God to infinite ſatisfaction.

The grand Article of the Faith, The Reſurrection of the dead (being, then, already paſt) ſhall be fully underſtood, how the body after thouſands of years (in ſome) through unutterable varieties of mutations and vaſt diſperſions into all the quarters and corners of the world, ſhould be revolved back again, bone to bone, and skin to skin, and every duſt to its own duſt, it ſhall clearly be expounded in the mirror of the divine underſtanding, Acts 26.8 The Saints themſelves are both Inſtances and Expoſitions of that Text.Acts 26:8and exemplified in (the counter-part thereof) the bodies of the Saints; then it ſhall no longer be thought a thing incredible, that God ſhould raiſe the dead. All the hard places of Scripture, that vex the profoundeſt Divines, and make the Believer ſigh out his How can I underſtand, except ſome man ſhould guide me? ſhall then be expounded in the Original text of eternal verity, Acts 8.31Acts 8:31without looking into any other Commentary, and oh what joy will that be, to underſtand the whole Bible without ſtudy? 2 Peter 3.17 There ſhall be in the glorified underſtanding at the Schools ſay, Cognitio clara & lucid clara & fixa contemplatio omnium naturaliter ſcibilium, even above its primitive capacity. The Soul ſhall be indeed at its full foreign.2 Pet 3:17Then the meaneſt underſtanding ſhall be able to confute all the depths and fallacies of Jeſuitical ſeducers, whereby they have darkened the Truth, and led away the willingly ignorant into their pernicious errors, and doctrines of Devils.

In a word, All the Arcana of Nature and all the Myſteries of Philoſophy (properly ſo called) with all occult things under the Sun, and the higheſt ſpeculations of this neather Orb, in the painful and knotty diſquiſition whereof the greateſt Maſters of ſecular learning have tired themſelves almoſt to diſtraction, and upon the gaining of ſome little ſuppoſed ſatisfaction, wherein they have ſo much gloried, and inſulted over other men, ſhall now be made eaſie and familiar to the Saints, the very A B C of Heaven, and only worth a caſt of their eyes, either as ſuch knowledge came from God, or as it leads them unto God again.

p. 47For the uſe of this laſt branch of the heavenly viſion: Ʋſe. It may ſerve to moderate and reſtrain that inordinate curioſity in our natures, to be looking into dark and hidden myſteries. There is a concupiſcence in the underſtanding, luſting after forbidden knowledge, as there is in the will after forbidden fruit; we inherit both from our firſt Father and Mother; they affected a knowledge above the capacity of their natures; they would know as God knoweth, univerſally, intuitively, and at once; but by ſuch an ambition of knowing more than they ought, they forfeited what they had, which was ſufficient to have made them happy; and while they aſpired to be as God which made them, they became like the beaſts that periſh. It was the preſumption of the Bethſhemites, they would be prying into the Ark, though they died for it; and there is a pride and wantonneſs in our nature, 1 Sam. 6.191 Sam 6:19which ſets us a prying into Arcana Coeli, the hidden and ſecret councels of God. Adam's Children are yet ſick of his diſeaſe, they would fain be as wiſe as God, and know all things: But, the ſecret things belong unto the Lord our God; but thoſe things which are revealed belong unto us, and to our children for ever, that we may do them. And in theſe revealed things there is matter enough to exerciſe our ſtudies, had we Methuſalem's leaſe of life ſealed to us. In the revealed things of God, there is ſo much yet unrevealed, and therefore left unrevealed, that we might ſearch and dig into them, Prov. 2, 3, 4. with the addition of a promiſe to encourage induſtry, Then ſhall we know, Hoſea 6.3 Ars longa, vita brevis. M…aeima pars corum quae ſcimus, eſt minima pars eorum qua neſcimus.Hos 6:3if we follow on to know the Lord; ſo much I ſay, that when we have travell'd many years in the diſquiſition and ſearch thereof, we may fit down and complain, our lives are too ſhort for our work, and truly confeſs, that the greateſt part of what we know, is nothing to what we are ignorant of. Oh that upon thoſe ſtudies Chriſtians would lay out their time and ſpirits! proving what is that goood, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. And therefore ſtudy to know it, that they may do it, for to ſuch is the promiſe, John 7.17John 7:17If any man will do p. 48his will, he ſhall know of the doctrine whether it be of God: Oh this is excellent, when Chriſtians ſtudy to know that they may do, and not that they may know only; and ſo doing they ſhall know, and ſo knowing they ſhall do; this will keep open the paſſage between the head and the heart, That the man of God may be perfect, 2 Tim. 3.172 Tim 3:17thoroughly furniſhed unto all good works. But in the time according to the Apoſtle his Caution, Rom. 12.3. It is our duty to be wiſe to ſobriety, and it is our ſobriety not to be wiſe where God would have us to be ignorant; foreign.Of that hour knoweth no man, no not the Angels of heaven; behold the very Angels of God, who for their knowledge are called Angels of light, Mark 12.32Mark 12:32are yet in this point (of the laſt day) contented to be in the dark, and the Evangeliſt hath an addition of a higher conſideration, neither the Son, but the Father, whether the ſence be that the humane nature of Chriſt is abſolutely ignorant of that day, or knoweth it only by revelation from the divine nature, the document is the ſame, viz. on this ſide glory to be contented to know no more than God hath revealed; where Scripture is ſilent, there to be willing to be ignorant. And for our encouragement and ſatisfaction keep this conſideration alive, upon your hearts, we ſhall not alwayes be ignorant; ſecret things ſhall not alwayes be ſecret, the time is coming when Myſteries ſhall be Revelations, when we ſhall be able to read that in the original, which we cannot now ſo much as ſpell out in the tranſlation; nor in any meaſure underſtand with the help of all our Commentaries. It was that which much comforted that precious Saint and Martyr, Mr. C…lamy, &c.Mr. Chriſtopher Love, while he was priſoner in the Tower; The day before he died, divers of his learned, godly Brethren, came to take their laſt farewell of him, (as being never to ſee him more, untill they ſaw him aſcending to and with their common Lord and Redeemer) they fell into a diſcourſe of the joyes of Heaven (a diſcourſe ſutable to that ſolemn parting) and in that diſcourſe meeting with ſome difficulty, which the Scripture had not determined, and ſo p. 49being ſilenced, that holy man, with a ſmiling countenance, and looking upward to Heaven, brake forth into theſe words (or others like them) Well (ſaid he) to morrow by this time I ſhall fully underſtand this myſtery, and it will be no difficulty unto me.

It is indeed a moſt ſatisfying contemplation, that the time is coming when we ſhall be ignorant of nothing, but know all things to be known, the knowing whereof may any way make us happy; in Heaven we ſhall know as much of all the myſteries of Grace and Nature as we would know; Etiam curioſitas ſatiabitur, Anſelm. John 14.20John 14:20Curioſity it ſelf ſhall be ſatisfied, we ſhall know whatſoever it is we deſire to know; with this our Lord ſatisfieth his Diſciples, concerning thoſe two great myſterious unions, the eſſential union, union between the Father and the Son, that I am in my Father, and the myſtical union that is between him and all believers, you in me, and I in you, q. d. although now ye are ignorant of theſe high, tranſcendent myſteries, yet let this ſtay and comfort your hearts, when I ſhall come again in glory, to take you unto my ſelf (that where I am there you may be alſo) then theſe ſhall be no myſteries unto you, but ſo many evidential Revelations; At that day ye ſhall know, then, and not till then.

And ſo it may abundantly ſatisfie the inſatiable deſires of inquiſitous ſpirits, into the deep myſteries both of Creation and Redemption, That when Chriſt ſhall appear, we ſhall alſo appear with him in glory; and then ſhall the veil be taken away, and they ſhall ſee God, and all things in Gods face which their ſouls deſire to ſee, the ſoul ſhall be filled and inebriated with variety of all deſirable knowledge, that may any way tend to its perfection. This may ſatisfie; ſave that it may ſet their ſouls a longing for that day, and cauſe them to cry out with the Bride, Even ſo come Lord Jeſus, come quickly.