The Christians Defense Against the Fears of Death, Chapter 22
CHAP. 22.
The Tenth Conſolation, is the Glory and Happineſs of our Souls, at their Egreſs out of the Body.
IF there were neither Puniſhment nor Torment after this life to be feared; the Wicked and Unbelievers that proſper in the World, might juſtly eſteem themſelves the happieſt of all men. And if there were neither Glory nor Rewards to be expected after death, the Righteous and the Faithful, who drink, here below, Cups full of bitterneſs and ſorrow, would be the moſt miſerable of all Creatures. The condition of the Beaſts would appear more happy than theirs, for they enjoy in quiet and peace, all the pleaſures that the animal Nature is able to reliſh. They are not tormented by ſo many diſeaſes that vex our Bodies; neither do they know the cares and diſpleaſures that conſume and fret our minds; They grieve not for the time paſt, nor trouble themſelves with any apprehenſions of the time to come; They never feel the grievous diſputes of Luſts; They know not moſt of thoſe Paſſions that torment and domineer over our Souls. All their pains and ſufferings, end with their breath, ſo that when they are dead, they endure nothing. If we make our Eyes the Judges of theſe things; we may ſay, The accident that happens to Men and Beaſts, is the ſame accident, as is the death of the one ſo is the death of the other. But if we ſearch and examine further, we ſhall find more difference than between Heaven and Earth, between Light and Darkneſs; for it is true, that the death of Beaſts delivers them from the ſenſe of all evils, but it doth not introduce them into any real happineſs; when it puts an end to their Miſery, it puts a period to their Being, and to all that pleaſure and content, which they formerly enjoyed; for their Souls and Bodies die together without any hopes of living again.
If we look to the wicked and unbelievers, we ſhall find that death deprives them, not only of their Honors, Riches, and of all their Pleaſures, and carnal Enjoyments; but it puts out their Taper in their blackeſt Darkneſs, and all their greateſt Delights are loſt in a vaſt Sea of bitterneſs. If Death looſeth them from that Chain of Miſery, from which all the Children of Adam are unſeparable; if it frees then Bodies from the pain of any temporal evils, it caſts their Souls into Eternal Torments; but for the vertuous and believing Chriſtians, if Death is ſo great a friend to them, becauſe it delivers them from many Evils and Miſeries, it is a greater friend, becauſe it opens to them the Gate that leads to an endleſs Glory and Happineſs.
The Son of God had a deſire to perſwade us this Truth, in that remarkable Parable of the 16 of St. Lukes Goſpel, for at one hand he ſhews a rich Miſer, cloathed in Purple and fine Linnen, feeding upon Dainties, and living in much Splendor and Magnificence; and at the other hand he diſcovers to us a poor Wretch, named Lazarus, all covered with Soars, lying at this rich mans Gate, intreating that he might ſhare with the Dogs in the Crums that fell from the rich Man's Table: the Dogs had compaſſion upon him, and lick'd his Sores; at laſt, the poor Man dyed, and was carried by the Angels into Abraham's boſom. O wonderful change! He that was lately a companion, ſcarce good enough for Dogs, now ſolaces himſelf in the Angel's Embraces; He that was lying at the Gate of a proud and unmerciful Wretch, is admitted into the Glorious Palace of Immortality, and repoſes himſelf in the boſom of a charitable and rich Abraham, where he is ſanctified with the Bread of the living God, and drinks of the Rivers of his Pleaſures. The rich Man dyed alſo, but it happened, that while his Body was laid in the Earth with State and Honor, the Devils dragg'd his Soul into Hell, and caſt it into a Fire that burns continually, and that nothing is able to extinguiſh: Therefore our Saviour repreſents this damned Soul, crying out of Hell fire, Father Abraham, have pity upon me, and ſend Lazarus,, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my Tongue, for I am tormented in theſe Flames. In the next Verſes, our Saviour ſhews, how all the complaints of the damned are fruitleſs, and their tortures remedileſs; he makes Abraham return an anſwer to this wretched Son. My Son, remember, that thou in thy life time receivedſt thy good things, and likewiſe Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
The Heathens have look'd upon Death, as the end of all their Afflictions and Sufferings, but they have never taſted of the Powers of the life to come, they have never had any aſſurance of future Glory and Happineſs. The Spiritual Joys, and Celeſtial Comforts, God keeps for them that fear him, and worſhip him in Spirit and in Truth. Theſe precious Riches, and Divine Excellencies, are only diſcoverable to the faithful, eſpecially, ſince the time, in which Chriſt our Saviour hath put Life and Immortality to light, through the Gospel. Hitherto I have given you a ſhort ſurvey of the calamities that attend upon us in this mortal life; I have eſſayed to preſent unto you all the Comforts that we may gather from thence, to ſtrengthen a believing Soul, and enable it to withſtand and endure all the encounters with which it is aſſaulted in this Valley of Tears. At preſent I intend to deſcribe its future Happineſs, when it is ſeparated from the Body, and introduc'd into Heaven; I ſhall, as far as I am able, diſcover unto you that Glory, and Bliſs which our Souls enjoy, in expectation of the great Morn of the Reſurrection. You muſt not think to ſee here any perfect Image of our Celeſtial Paradiſe, or any magnificent draught of the advantages reſerved for us there; it would be as difficult a taske as to paint the Sun in its ſplendor, or to meaſure the Waters of the Sea. I cannot find words to expreſs my thoughts, all my conceptions are far below that perfect Happineſs, and higheſt Glory; I ſhall think that I have done enough, if I can but repreſent unto you ſome few beams of ſo great a Light; If I can but ſhew ſome drops of that Ocean of Heavenly pleaſures, in which we ſhall ſwim for all Eternity.
I ſhall not deliver any thing from my own fancy, nor offer to ſpeak of that which I have never learned from the great Doctor of our Souls; I ſhall not engage my ſelf in vain ſpeculations, more fit to pleaſe and puff up the curious Wits, then to comfort and rejoyce the devout Souls, and ſatisfy ſuch as hunger and thirſt after Righteouſneſs: one word from the mouth of the Lord is better, and far more worth, than all the reaſonings of Humane Wiſdom, than all the ſubtilties of Philoſophy, than all the arguings and concluſions of the moſt refined and eloquent Ages. In this deſcription I ſhall not ſeek mine own Glory, nor the applauſes of the World, but the Glory of my God, and the inſtruction of the Souls which he hath purchaſed with his Bloud; I deſire to be underſtood of the weakeſt capacities, as well as of the ſtrongeſt; I hope that ſuch as know the language of Canaan, ſuch as have taſted of the good word of God, and of the powers of the Life to come, will not miſtake me; for ſuch as have not been accuſtomed in the diſcernment of ſpiritual things, unto whom the language of God's Holy Spirit is inſipid and unſufferable, if they are not moved, nor benefited by this Treatiſe, I dare ſay, 'tis none of my fault; but theirs. Therefore as the wiſe Men when they travell'd to Bethlem, where Jeſus Chriſt was lying in a Manger, took the Star of the Eaſt for their guide; Likewiſe, we that be marching to our true Bethlem, where our great God and Saviour is ſitting upon the Throne of his Glory; we will follow no other guidance, but that Divine Light which comes down from Heaven. And as it is impoſſible to number all the Stars that ſhine in the Heavens, therefore we are wont to reduce them to certain Figures and Conſtellations. Thus we will not undertake to ſhew you every particular of our private Meditations, upon this Rich and Divine Subject; but we will diſcourſe unto you of the chief Heads, leaving the reſt to your pious Thoughts, and the information of God's Holy Spirit.
Whoſoever thou art that haſt embraced Chriſt, dead and crucified, by Faith and Repentance, and knoweſt thy ſelf united to him, and incorporated into his myſtical Body; remember to praiſe this Merciful Lord, and rejoyce in his Salvation. Learn to admire the ſuperexcellent Riches of the Treaſuries of his Grace, and ſeriouſly conſider how magnificent and liberal he is to thee; for he intends not only to deliver thee from all the ſufferings and calamities that afflict thee, but he will alſo raiſe thee up to the higheſt and moſt tranſcendent Felicity: He will not only draw thee out of the deep Abyſſe of Death, and eternal Damnation, but he will take thee up to the Enjoyment of the moſt bleſſed Life, and an immortal Glory. He will not only remove thee from this wretched Wilderneſs, where thou art tormented with Hunger and Thirſt, and expos'd to the ſcorching heat of a burning Sun, to poiſonous bitings of the fiery Serpents, but he will introduce thee into his Celeſtial Canaan, where the Milk and Honey of the pureſt Joys, and moſt ſolid Comforts flow in abundance, and where thou ſhalt for ever repoſe thy ſelf, under the refreſhing Shadows of the Tree of Life, which is in the midſt of the Paradiſe of God. He will not only deliver thee from the captivity of this miſerable World, which is a true Babylon, full of all manner of abominations, but he will lead thee in to his Holy Jeruſalem, and carry thee thither upon his Arms; not with an intent that thou ſhouldeſt build and repair it with coſt and labor, but that thou ſhouldeſt behold the Glorious and Magnificent Structures, reared up by himſelf alone from the creation of the World, and that thou mayeſt be Eternally ſatisfied with his overflowing Plenty. He will not only pluck off from thee the filthy rags of Sin and Corruption, but he will cloath thee with a Garment of Light, of perfect Righteouſneſs and Holineſs. He will not only wipe away all Tears from thine Eyes, but he will put into thy Mouth Songs of Praiſe and Thanksgiving. He will not only break the Fetters from thy Feet, but he will place upon thy Head a Crown of pure Gold. He will not only draw thee out of a black and noiſom Dungeon, but he will place thee upon a Throne of Glory and Magnificence. He will not only extinguiſh all the carnal Luſts that War againſt thee, and put an end to all thy troubleſome diſputes; but he calls thee to the fruition of an Eternal Peace, and Celeſtial Triumphs. In ſhort, God will not only ſeparate thee from the acquaintance of ſinful and debauch'd Men, but he will cauſe thee to enter in amongſt the thouſands of Angels, and admit thee to the viſion of his Glorious Face.
When a compounded thing comes to be diſſolved, every part returns to its, firſt Principle; Likewiſe, when Man dies, his Body returns to Duſt, from whence it is taken, and the Soul returns to God that gave it. As the Bird, when its Cage is broken, flies away into the Air to ſeek lits Liberty and Pleaſure. Thus when this Body is broken to pieces by Death, the Soul flies above the Heavens, where it meets with Reſt and Happineſs; or as it is when the Net is torn, the Fiſh falls into the Water, where it lives and enjoys all its Delights; Thus when Death comes to break the ſtrings of this wretched Body, the Soul enters into the River of Living Water, and into an Ocean of Heavenly Delights. Finally, as the death of our Saviour Chriſt rent in pieces the Vail of the Earthly Sanctuary, and diſcover'd all its wonderful Myſteries. Thus the death of a Believer rents the Vail of this crazy and ſinful Fleſh, and gives us a ſight of the rich Treaſuries, and magnificent Excellencies of the Heavenly Sanctuary. You Chriſtians, whom God calls to his Glorious Reſt, who may expreſs the greatneſs of your future happineſs? It is not poſſible to imagine it as it is. When your whole Lives ſhould have been nothing elſe but a continuation of Miſery, and a Chain of Calamities; you have now juſt cauſe to comfort your ſelves, and rejoyce in God with an unſpeakable joy; for when all things are reckon'd up, the ſufferings of this preſent time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which ſhall be revealed in us. You can looſe nothing in this life but God will reſtore to you an hundred times more in his Kingdom; beſides, there is no compariſon between the advantages of the life to come, and of this mortal Eſtate and Being. Grieve not, Believing S…uls, to forſake an Earth overſpread with darkneſs, full of Miſery, and all infected with Sin; ſeeing that thy God purpoſes to receive thee into new Heavens, all enlightened with a Divine Light, and enriched with endleſs Felicities, where Righteouſneſs and Holineſs ſit upon the Throne. Grieve not for the loſs of the moſt Pious and Regenerated Societies; Seeing that thou art to be admitted into the Companies of the Glorified Saints, and Bleſſed Martyrs, who have waſhed and whitened their Garments, in the Sacred Bloud of the Lamb; Seeing that thou art from henceforth to be reckoned in the number, and of the ſociety of the Angels of Light, and of the glorious Cherubims. Fret not to leave behind thee the Holy Congregations of the Militant Church, for thou art going apace to the Glorious Congregation of the Church triumphing, and in a few moments thou ſhalt find thy ſelf amongſt the thouſands of Angels and Saints, that worſhip God day and night, and adore him, who lives for ever and ever. If God hath beſtowed upon thee worldly Riches, leave them without Regret or diſpleaſure, for thou art going to poſſeſs ineſtimable Treaſures, which ſhall never be taken from thee. If thou art advanced to great Employments and Honors, caſt off thy Purple and Scarlet willingly, and of thine own accord, for God will ſhortly cloath thee with an infinite Glory, that ſhall never change. When thou ſhouldeſt be raiſed up to the higheſt, and moſt ſplendid Dignities, when thou ſhouldeſt enjoy a great and flouriſhing Kingdom, come down from thy Throne with joy, and let fall thy Scepter and thy Crown; for God calls thee to ſit upon a Throne that can never be ſhaken, to an incorruptible Crown, and to endleſs Joys.
Can there be any Town ſo Rich, ſo Great and Noble a Seat, that thou mayeſt juſtly grieve to forſake it, at that time when God intends to make thee a Citizen with the Glorified Saints of the Jeruſalem from above; where neither Crying nor Labor, neither Fear nor Grief, neither Poverty nor Want ſhall ever come near thee; where all the Inhabitants are Kings, and poſſeſs Riches without value? Is there any Dwelling ſo Beautiful and Magnificent, that ſhould cauſe thee to depart out of it with ſorrow? for God will lead thee into his own Palace, all built with fine Gold and precious Stones, where God himſelf is the Light, and the Lamb is the Sun. Art thou delighted in the enjoyment of ſome pleaſant Inheritance here on Earth? Then conſider, that all the Inheritances of the Earth, are nothing in compariſon of that uncorruptible Inheritance which God keeps for thee in Heaven, and hath prepared ſince the Creation of the World. Haſt thou a pleaſant Garden, or a rich Field? But what are all the Gardens of the World, in reſpect of the Heavenly Paradiſe, where the Tree of Life grows, that brings forth its Fruits every monethmonth of the year, and where the River of living Water, as tranſparent as Chryſtal, runs continually.
What reaſon haſt thou, Chriſtian Soul, to grieve, when thou forſakeſt the pleaſures of the World, that thou enjoyeſt with the Children of the Earth, or the Delights of the Body, which are common to thee with the bruit Beaſts: Seeing that God will ſatisfy thee with his moſt precious Delights; for in the bleſſed Viſion of his Face, thou ſhalt meet with fulneſs of joy? Haſt thou any friends on Earth? Let it not trouble thee to leave them; for inſtead of one friend here below, whom thou fancieſt to be real and ſincere, thou haſt thouſands in Heaven, who will receive thee into the Eternal Manſions, and embrace thee as their companion, and the partaker of the ſame Glory and Happineſs. Haſt thou any Parents or Relations? I ſuppoſe that they are not burdenſome to thee, and that thou receiveſt much more Pleaſure and Aſſiſtance from them, than Grief and Ingratitude; yet thou haſt a ſpiritual Parentage in Heaven, and Eternal Relations. Thou haſt in the Manſion-Houſe of thy Heavenly Father, a great number of Brothers and Siſters, with whom thou ſhalt live in a bleſſed Unity, as Members of one Body, governed by the ſame Spirit, and enflamed with the ſame Zeal.
Thou Husband, whom Death ſnatcheth away from thy beloved Wife, ſeriouſly conſider, that God will unite thee to himſelf, by an unſcparable Union, and that he purpoſeth to take up to him, ſome part of thy ſelf, that thy expectations, thy hopes, and affections might be now in Heaven. And thou alſo, O Woman! whom Death plucks out of the embraces of thy dear and loving Husband, remember that thou haſt a Husband alſo in Heaven, who hath eſpouſed thee to himſelf for ever in Righteouſneſs, in Mercy, and Compaſſion; a Husband always Living and Glorious; a Husband, who loves thee with an Eternal Love, that is ſtronger than Death; whoſe affections are enflamed for thee in ſuch a manner, that the Water of all the Seas and Rivers, are not able to extinguiſh; a Husband, who bears with all thine infirmities, and hath redeemed thee from all thy ſins; a Husband who hath not ſpared for thee his precious Bloud, that he might procure for thee the Glory and Happineſs of his Kingdom; who invites thee to his Heavenly Nuptials, having prepared and appointed for thee a Room in the Banqueting-Chamber, where thouſands of glorified Saints ſhall ſit, and where the meledious Tunes of Angels ſhall be heard; a Husband who calls to thee, reacheth out unto thee his Hand, and opens his Boſom to receive thee. If thou haſt found any ſatisfaction and pleaſure in the company of that Perſon whom God had given thee for an Aſſiſtant, and Mate; judge from thence, what Angelical Delights thou ſhalt meet with, in the raviſhing embraces of thy Heavenly Spouſe. The moſt pleaſant Marriage days are gone as a ſhadow, but the day which ſhall bring thee to thy Celeſtial Bridegroom, ſhall never depart nor darken, ſo that the Heavenly Contentments ſhall abide and continue with thee for ever, without the leaſt diſtaſte.
You beloved, and loving Children, who are yet in the boſom of a good Father, or of a tender-hearted Mother, ſuffer Death patiently to remove you far from them, and depart with joy to that good God, that will receive you as his Children; ſatisfy your Souls with the Milk of his moſt Bleſſed Conſolations, and will make you his Heirs, and Co-Heirs with his Son Jeſus Chriſt, Say to him as the Holy Prophet, When my Father and my Mother ſhould forſake me, yet the Lord will receive me, Iſai. 66. Rom. 8. Pſal. 27. And you Fathers and Mothers, that have a tender affection for your Children, if Death takes them out of your ſight, and deprives you of the comfort of their company, grieve not as thoſe who have no hope, for when they ſhould be never ſo accompliſh'd, when they ſhould have never given you but pleaſure and divertiſement. What are all theſe pitiful Delights that paſs away in a moment, and that change oft-times into bitterneſs and ſorrow, if compared with the Eternal Pleaſures which we ſhall enjoy, in the contemplation of God's Glorious Face, and in a familiar acquaintance with his Divine Wiſdom? You ſhall not return to them, but they ſhall in their time go to you, ſo that you ſhall ſhortly ſee one another, in the Dwelling of the Father of Spirits, Matth. 27. Death ſeparates you for a while. but the Author of your Life will bring you together for ever.
Finally, of what age and condition ſoever you be, if you perceive the breath of your Life to ſtop, never grieve nor murmure at it; for if Death ſeparates you from your Selves, it brings you nearer to God, your chief Good, and inſtead of a wretched and periſhing life, it will promote you to the fruition of an Eternal and ever happy one.
If we had lived in the days when our Saviour was on Earth, there is none of us but would have looked upon it as a ſingular Happineſs and Honor, to have been admitted with Peter, James, and John, when they went up to Mount Tabor, to be Eye-witneſſes of our Saviour's transfiguration; A far greater Honor and Happineſs, Death is endeavouring to procure you; it will uſher you up to Mount Sion, it will tranſport you above all the Heavens, where you ſhall behold more excellent wonders than ever the Apoſtles beheld upon Mount Tabor; for you ſhall not only ſee this Glorious Saviour whiter than the Snow, and brighter than the Sun, but you your ſelves ſhall be transfigured with him, and cloathed with an exceeding great Glory. The Holy Apoſtles ſaw but two Prophets, but you ſhall ſee all the Prophets, all the Patriarchs, Apoſtles, Confeſſors, Martyrs, the Holy and Bleſſed Virgin, and generally all the Saints that Reign and Triumph in Heaven. The Apoſtles had a ſight of this Glory of our Saviour, as of a flaſh of Lightning, it continued with them but for a moment, for ſoon after they came down from the Holy Mountain, and were again in danger of the ſame temptations as before, and beſieged by the ſame Calamities. It will be otherwiſe with thee, O Chriſtian Soul, thou art flying up to Heaven, from whence thou ſhalt never deſcend, till the great day of the Glorious Reſurrection of our Bodies; Thou ſhalt not be aſſaulted any more by any temptation… thou ſhalt have no more Enemies to overcome, nor Bitterneſs to digeſt. Thou art going to reap and enjoy the Bleſſed Fruits of thy Saviours Victories, and to be Eternally ſatisfied with the Celeſtial Pleaſures that are at the right hand of the God of Mercies.
We eſteem St. John highly priviledged, becauſe the Lord gave him a ſight of his Glory, of the Riches, and Divine Excellencies of the New Jeruſalem; but how much greater is thy priviledge? for that which this Holy Apoſtle beheld in a Viſion and a Dream, God will diſcover to thee in Truth and Reality. Let thine Heart liſten, and thou ſhalt hear the voice of thy Saviour, calling already to thee feom Heaven, as unto his Beloved Diſciple, Come and ſee, Come my good and faithful Servant, come my Son, or my Daughter, and I will ſhew thee my Glorious and Magnificent City, I will ſhew thee the Palace of my Glory, and all the Splendor and State of my Kingdom; Come, and I will expoſe before thine eyes, all my Riches, Treaſuries, and my moſt precious Crowns; Come, and I will cauſe the River of Living Water, which proceeds from my Throne, to run before thee, and the Eternal Delights that proceed from my Face; I ſhall ſhew thee all theſe Heavenly Treaſures and Glory, all the Angelical ſatisfactions, not in the viſions of the night, in an extaſy, in an Holy raviſhment of the Mind, or in a Prophetical elevation of the Soul, but I will diſcover them to thee in Reality and Truth, by the aſſiſtance of a purer and more Glorious Light, than that of the Sun. I ſhall not only cauſe thee to behold this Glory, theſe Treaſures and Delight, but I will cauſe thee to be partakar of them for ever; for as thou haſt pledged me in the Cup of my bitterneſs and ſorrows, as thou haſt continued with me in my afflictions, and haſt been faithful unto Death; I will give the Kingdom to thee, as the Father hath given it to me, I will give thee the Crown of Life, and will cauſe thee to ſwim in the vaſt Ocean of the Eternal Pleaſures; Thou ſhalt not only ſee all my Treaſures, all my Pomp and Glory; thou ſhalt not only behold the Rivers and the Seas of my moſt wonderful Delights, and ſhalt be a partaker of them, but thou ſhalt ſee me as I am in my Kingdom; I will pull off the Vail that covers me, and ſcatter the Clouds and Miſts that hide me, ſo that thou ſhalt look upon me without hindrance, and behold me face to face; thou ſhalt be transformed into my Likeneſs, and be ſatisfied with my Reſemblance. You ſee therefore Chriſtians, that although Death appears to us grievous, and ill-favoured, we may apply to it what David ſaid of Ahimaz, that it is the Meſſenger of good news; Notwithſtanding its hideous Vail and Cloak of Darkneſs, we have juſt cauſe to liken it to the Chariot of Fire, that carried up the Prophet Elijah into Heaven.
From what we have ſaid, you may eaſily conclude with the wiſeſt of Kings, That the day of our death is better than the day of our birth; for our Birth brings us upon a wretched Earth, but death carries us into a Paradiſe of Heavenly Delights. Our Birth expoſeth us to ſeveral Encounters, but Death lifts us up upon a Chariot of Triumph. Our Birth expreſſeth from us Crying and Tears, but Death makes us ſing for joy; our Birth brings us into the Light, but Death cauſeth us to ſhine as the Sun; our Birth makes us to live a ſenſual and animal Life, of a ſhort continuance, but Death introduceth us into a Spiritual and Angelical Life, that ſhall continue for ever. In ſhort, our Birth caſts us into the Arms of Death, but Death leads to the Well-ſpring of Life.
Therefore the Apoſtle St. Paul confeſſeth, that Chriſt is gain to him both in life and death, Phil. 1. And for the ſame reaſon, the Primitive Chriſtians could not endure to ſee any perſon afflicting himſelf, for the deceaſe of Believers, becauſe that it was the day of their Deliverance, Reſt, Glory, and Happineſs; they did commonly forbid all manner of Mourning, for they judged that it is not proper that we ſhould cloath our ſelves with black, and ſadneſs, for their ſakes who are clothed in white and ſhining Garments of Light and Immortality. They look'd upon this Life as upon a continual Death, and upon Death, as upon the beginning of a real Life. Therefore they ſtiled the aniverſary day of the Martyrs death, The day of their Nativity. From hence proceed the uſual Songs of Praiſe, which they did commonly ſing, to perpetuate their Bleſſed Memories.
I need not cauſe you to take notice, devout Souls! of the notable difference between the death of God's Children, and the death of the wicked, It is as great as between Heaven and Earth, between Paradiſe and Hell. Balaam had good cauſe to deſire the one, and fear the conſequence of the other; we have as much reaſon to cry out as he did, Let me dye the death of the Righteous and let my laſt end be like his, Numb. 23.
You have heard how an Heathen Prince made this addreſs to his Soul, My little Soul, my little Darling, Hoſteſs and Companion of my Body; Adrian.thou art going to wander up and down in cold, obſcure and fearful places; thou ſhalt never delight thy ſelf in jeſting, as thou haſt been wont; thou ſhalt never give me any more paſtime: but when a Chriſtian Soul goeth out of this mortal Tabernacle, he may talk to it in another manner. O my Soul! pleaſant Hoſteſs, and Heavenly Companion of this crazy Body, thou canſt not wander out of thy way, for thou haſt a faithful and a knowing Guide; Thou art already in the bleſſed company of Angels that ſhall bear thee upon their wings; thou art going to a Noble place, enriched with Light and Glory, and bleſſed with the ſincereſt and moſt Heavenly Delights: Thou ſhalt meet with no more Sorrows, Grief, nor Diſpleaſure, which ſo often diſturb thy quiet here upon Earth; Thou ſhalt rejoyce for ever with all the Glorified Saints, and ſing Songs of Praiſe and Thanksgiving for ever, with all the Celeſtial Spirits. O my Soul! how great is that Glory and Happineſs which thou mayeſt juſtly expect from thy God, who hath both an infinite Power, and an infinite Mercy and Goodneſs, ſeeing that he hath endeared thee unto himſelf, by giving his own Life to free thee from Death, and Eternal Damnation? If your friends or rather your enemies in this occaſion, weep, and are grieved at your departure; if they labour by their Tears and Sighs, to move your Heart, and to perſwade you to remain yet here below, ſpeak to them, as St. Paul did to thoſe that wept about his neck, What mean ye to weep and to break my heart? Acts 21. St. Paul was then in his journey to Jeruſalem, where he was to be bound and impriſoned, and to be carried to the City of Rome, where he was to dye upon a Scaffold by the ſeparation of his Head from his Body; notwithſtanding St. Paul's friends comforted themſelves with this expreſſion, The VVill of the Lord be done. And what mean ye my friends? will ye hinder me from going up to an Heavenly Jeruſalem, at the Gates whereof I muſt caſt off all theſe Chains and Fetters of Mortality; I muſt leave my Sins and all my Sufferings and Grief. I ſhall enter into a new Glory, into the ever bleſſed company of Saints and Angels. If your love be ſincere and real, prefer my Felicity and Reſt, to the ſmall ſatisfaction that you find in my company here below; Conſider, that in the Houſe of my God and in the viſion of his Glorious Face, I ſhall find every moment more Joy and Pleaſure, than I ſhould have met with upon Earth, in thouſands of Ages. All the Pomp and Splendor of the World, all the Glory and State, its Riches and Treaſures, its Pleaſures and Delights, are as unconſiderable to thoſe that I am going to enjoy in Heaven, as a few drops of Water to a boundleſs Sea, or as a flaſh of Lightening to the Noon-Sun. Muſt the blind Paſſion which you have for to ſee me continue with you, hinder me from ſeeing the face of my God and Heavenly Father? Suppoſe I were now ſhut up with you in ſome dark Dungeon, and bound with the ſame Chain; would you rather ſee me your companion, to continue in your miſery, and ſufferings, than to behold me at a diſtance at liberty, in the fruition of a perfect ſatisfaction. Tell me not, that we ſhall never ſee one another any more; for can you be ſo great an Unbeliever to doubt of God's Mercy, that intends to bring us together again in Heaven. Death ſeparates us for a moment, but the Prince of Life will unite us together for ever in his Fathers Houſe, whither he is gone to prepare a place for us. O Devout and Religious Soul! by ſuch Language as this thou ſhalt be able to mollify the hardeſt Hearts, and prepare them to behold thy Tranſlation into Heaven, as Eliſha was, when he ſaw his Maſters Rapture. If they feel any diſpleaſure and grief for thy ſeparation from them; they will have more joy and comfort to conſider with the Eyes of Faith, that extraordinary Glory and Happineſs into which God intends to receive thee, of his infinite Goodneſs and Mercy.
If it happens otherwiſe, and that thou art to deal with weak minds, whoſe Love is blind, and whoſe Paſſions are ſo unreaſonable, as to reſiſt God's appointment, and to hinder thy promotion to Happineſs; thou muſt overcome, by the ſtrength of God's Grace, and the aſſiſtance of his Holy Spirit, all the furious reluctances of Nature. Thou muſt imitate St. Peter when he ſaw our Saviour Chriſt in his transfiguration upon Mount Tabor; he forgot his Family, and all his deareſt Enjoyments in the World, therefore in that exceſs of joy, he cried out, Lord it is good for us to be here. In the ſame Language muſt you ſpeak, Chriſtian Souls; I dare be bold to affirm, if your mind is raiſed up by Faith into Heaven, to behold Jeſus Chriſt ſhining in Light and Glory, and ſurrounded by all the Holy Angels, and Immortal Spirits. Aſſoon as you ſhall have but the leaſt reliſh of Paradiſe, you will be ſo raviſh'd with that extraordinary Happineſs, that you will eaſily forget the moſt lovely Enjoyments of the Earth, unto which you had devoted your affections; ſo that in that tranſport of Joy, you will be ready to burſt out in this Language, My Lord, and my God, I am ſick with Love for thee, I wiſh for nothing but for thy glorious Preſence; My chief Happineſs is to be with thee, and to behold thy face, where I ſee already ſo much Light and Love. I confeſs, we ſhall not ſay as St. Peter, Let us build Tabernacles; For we ſhall never be concerned as Soldiers, and Travellers, in Fights and Journeys; We ſhall not ſay, let us build an Houſe, that we may dwell with thee and thy bleſſed company; for I ſee, O God, with the eye of Faith, the Palace which thou haſt built from the foundation of the World, where thou haſt prepared a place for me. Lord open to me the Gates of this Glorious Palace, that I may enter in, and ſing forth thy Divine Praiſes.
My dear Friend, ſhall the miſerable Pagans, who never taſted of the Heavenly Gift, who were never made partakers of the Spirit of Grace, nor of the powers of the Life to come; the Heathens who were without Hope, and without God in the World; ſhall they march courageouſly to meet Death, and wilt thou that haſt had ſome foretaſts of the happineſs of Heaven, that haſt ſeen ſome beams of its Glory; canſt not thou reſolve to depart out of the World? Shall a Seneca, who had no other means to ſtrengthen himſelf, but the perſwaſions of his vain Philoſophy, who had no expectation of advantages of the life to come; ſhall ſuch an one look with a ſtedfaſt countenance upon his Blood and Life, guſhing apace out of his veins, and thou my Brother, haſt thou been brought up under the tuition of an Eternal Wiſdom; Doſt thou embrace by Faith the Glory and Felicities prepared for thee by God? and art not able to look upon Death, with reſolution and courage? and canſt not leave the World with expreſſions of Joy? Shall Socrates, whoſe crazy Body was animated by a ſinful Soul, and who had no manner of Antidotes againſt Death; drink up that poiſon that was mixed for him as a pleaſant cup of Drink? And thou Chriſtian, that art animated by the Spirit of the living God, that ſeals to thee, his great and moſt precious promiſes; Thou Chriſtian, that enjoyeſt the earneſt of that Inheritance, prepared for thee in Heaven; ſhalt not thou be able to ſwallow down, with content, the cup, that death holds out to thee? Thou haſt a powerful, and an infallible Antidote againſt this poiſon, for after this bitter Cup, thou art going where thou ſhalt drink at leaſure, out of the Rivers of Eternal Pleaſures. Shall it be ſaid, that in the Jews Houſes, at the time of death, the ſound of Inſtruments of Muſick was heard, together with Crying and Lamentations, and at thy Dwelling, who haſt an intereſt in Chriſt crucified, and ſeeſt him Reigning and Triumphing in Heaven; there ſhall be nothing heard but weeping and ſighing, that praiſing God, and giving of Thanks, ſhall not be ſeen at ſuch a time?
Finally, ſeeing ſo many perſons of all Ages, Sexes, and Conditions, have deſired Death, to be freed from all Earthly Evils and Calamities; haſt not thou good cauſe to wiſh for it heartily, when it ſhall pleaſe God that thou mayeſt enter in the fruition of the advantages and happineſs of the Heavenly Life? How excellent is thy loving kindneſs, O God, therefore, the Children of Men, or rather thy Children, the Brothers and Siſters of Jeſus Chriſt, thy Well-beloved Son, put their truſt under the ſhadow of thy wings; They ſhall be fully ſatisfied with the fatneſs of thy Houſe, and thou ſhalt cauſe them to drink out of the Rivers of thy Pleaſures.
If you be paſſionately deſirous to taſte of the Angelical delights, and reliſh the Divine pleaſures that flow from the Throne of God and of the Lamb; if you be really athirſt for God, will not you ſpeak in Davids Language? Pſal. 42. As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, ſo panteth my Soul after thee O God, my Soul thirſteth for God, for the living God, when ſhall I come and appear before God? Pſal. 63. And elſewhere, O God thou art my God, early will I ſeek thee, my Soul thirſteth for thee, my Fleſh longeth for thee, in a dry and thirſty Land, where no water is, to ſee thy Power and Glory, ſo as I have ſeen thee in the Sanctuary. It is not poſſible to taſte of the heavenly Joyes but we are conſtrained to cry out as the man after Gods own heart. How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hoſts? My Soul longeth, yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord, my Heart and my Fleſh crieth out for the living God. Pſal. 84.
Conſider well, believing Soul, what vaſt difference there was between the earthly Jeruſalem, for which David was ſo paſſionate, and the heavenly Jeruſalem where God intends to receive thee. What great diſproportion was there between the little ſtream of Shilo, and the large River of Paradiſe; between the material Tabernacle, the mercy Seat covered over with fine Gold, upon which the Cherubims did ſtretch out their Wings, and the immaterial Sanctuary of Heaven Jeſus Chriſt the true Ark of the Covenant, in whom are hid the richeſt Treaſure of Wiſdome and Knowledge, in whom the fulneſs of the God-head dwells bodily, and in whoſe glorious preſence the Seraphims cover their Faces with their Wings, Coloſſ. 2. How contemptible were the Sacrifices, Oblations and Burnt-offerings of the Children of Iſrael, in compariſon of the Spiritual Sacrifices that are preſented unto God in Heaven, in compariſon of the Offerings burning there entire in the Flames of an Holy Zeal, and of a perfect Charity? And what was all the Frankinſence of Arabia, and the ſweet ſmells of the Holy-Land which were burnt in God's preſence, if compared with the ſacred perſumes that mount up out of the Golden Vials that are in the hands of all the members of the Glorified Church. Seeing David eſteems a Door-keeper of the Houſe of the Lord, an happy man on Earth, How great ſhall thy Glory be, and extraordinary thy happineſs, O believing Chriſtian? for thou art going to be advanced to the moſt Honorable Room of that Celeſtial Dwelling, which God hath built with his own Hands, To this purpoſe, our Lord Jeſus hath made to thee this gratious promiſe; Him that overcometh, will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God, and he ſhall go no more out, and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the City of my God, which is new Jeruſalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God, and I will write upon him my new name, Revel. 3. If this great King was ſo deſirous to hear the Levites ſinging the praiſes of God, with their Tongues, and Inſtruments of Muſick, How much more paſſionate ſhould we be to hear the Harmonies of Heaven, and the Celeſtial Hymns of the Holy Angels, Archangels, Cherubims, Seraphims, and of all the Glorified Saints, who have in their mouths every one a new Song, the Song of Moſes and of the Lamb?
When the Shepherds heard ſome few expreſſions of the Angels Songs, who praiſed God at the Nativity of the Son of God, they began to rejoyce with an exceeding great joy, they left their Flocks, and ran in haſte to look upon the Child Jeſus in the Manger of Bethlem; and, thou devout Soul, thou heareſt already the ſweet Anthems of Paradiſe, and the raviſhing conſorts of thouſands of Angels; thou knoweſt that thy Saviour ſits there upon a Throne cloathed with Glory, and Divine Majeſty, and wilt thou not forſake all the baſe Employments of this ſenſual and animal life, to go and ſee this wonderful Saviour, who expects thee, and intends that thou ſhalt ſit alſo with him upon his Throne?
Zacheus climed upon a Sicamore-tree with an unſpeakable ſwiftneſs, and an earneſt deſire to behold the Lord Jeſus as he paſſed by, when he was in the eſtate of his hum…liation, and abaſement. Shouldeſt not thou be as earneſt, O Chriſtian Soul, to fly up above the Heavens, to ſee this merciful Saviour, in the eſtate of his Glory and elevation; and to have him alwayes in thine eye, for ever and ever. When our Lord was come into the houſe of this poor Publican, he told him, That Salvation was that day come to his houſe; And ſhalt not thou O bleſſed Soul, have more reaſon to ſay when thou ſhalt enter into the Palace of this glorified Redeemer, I am this day going into my Salvation and my Glory?
We highly eſteem Iacobs happineſs, when he was in Bethel▪ becauſe God appeared unto him in that ſurpriſing Viſion, mentioned in the 28 of Geneſis; But if thou art an Iſraelite without fraud, I eſteem thee to be in a more happy, and a more bleſſed eſtate, thou haſt a greater cauſe to break out into Iacobs Language; This is Gods houſe, and the Gate of Heaven. Jacob it is true ſaw the Heavens open, but he was not admitted into them at that time, but now God opens theſe Heavens to receive and lodge thee for ever. The holy Angels of God went up and down the Ladder that reached up from the Earth to Heaven, but they left Jacob at the bottom of this Ladder; whereas the Angels that are about thee are come down to cauſe thee to aſcend up with them, or rather to carry thee up in their hands, and bring thee to Chriſt typified by this myſterious Ladder. Jacob ſaw God at the top of this Ladder, but he was to go afterwards to padan Aram, he was to travel up and down, to ſuffer many inconveniences, the heat of the day, the froſt of the night, the diſpleaſure of his Father-in-Law, and his Treachery; he was forced to fly from the cruelty of his Brother Eſau, nay more then that he was forced to ſtruggle and wreſtle with God himſelf. Whereas here is now the end of thy Pilgrimage, of all thy troubles, and encounters: Thou ſhalt never feel the burning and ſcorching heat of thy Afflictions. Thou ſhalt be no more tortured with the fears and Apprehenſions that now congele thy Blood: Thou ſhalt no more ſtand upon thy guard for fear of the deceits, and violent dealings of Men: Thou ſhalt wreſtle no more with God by Prayers and Supplications, and tears, for they ſhall be no more in uſe. God ſhall load thee with his moſt extraordinary bleſſings, and beſtow himſelf upon thee.
The Prophet Moſes wiſhed very paſſionately to ſee, but for a moment, God's Face, whereof he had beheld ſo many glorious expreſſions, and ſhouldeſt not thou deſire as paſſionately to ſee that beautiful and ever ſhining countenance in its Glory and Splendor. (O Religious Soul) thou art enflamed with this Divine affection, God will ſhortly fulfil all thy mind; ſo that thou mayſt ſay to him as one of the Prophets, Thou ſhalt cauſe me to know the way of Life, Thy face is the fulneſs of Joy, and at thy right hand are pleaſures for evermore.
Chriſtian, if thou hadſt but as much Faith, and aſſurance as there is Glory and happineſs in Heaven, with what exceſs of Joy ſhalt thou leave the World, and all its vanities, to aſcend up to that magnificent Palace, purchaſed for thee with the precious Blood of thy Redeemer.
Jonathans eyes were once enlightned when he taſted ſome Hony with the end of his Rod which he had found in a Rock; And (thou believer) if thou haſt by Faith taſted the Divine ſweetneſs that proceeds from Chriſt the Rock of Eternity, thine underſtanding will be all enlightned: Thou ſhalt need no other Conſolation againſt Death, for Death it ſelf ſhall fill thee full of Conſolation, and real Joy; So that thou ſhalt have cauſe to ſpeak not onelyonly as Jacob, O God I expect thy Salvation, Gen. 49. but as King David, I was glad when they ſaid unto me let us go into the Houſe of the Lord, our feet ſhall ſtand within thy Gates, O Jeruſalem, Pſal. 122. By this means thou ſhalt not onelyonly expect with patience, and embrace with Joy, the bleſſed news of this Glorious Salvation, but thou ſhalt endeavor to haſten its coming by thy continual and repeated Sighs: O my God, When wilt thou ſtretch out unto me, from above, thy Gracious Armes? When ſhall I go into thy Celeſtial Sanctuary? When ſhall I ſee plainly thy Divine and Glorious Face? When wilt thou cauſe me to drink out of the Rivers of thy Pleaſures? How bleſſed is the man whom thou haſt choſen and taken to thy ſelf, to dwell for ever in thy Holy Courts? ſuch ſhall be ſatisfied with the good things of thy Houſe and of thy Glorious Palace.
Joſeph m…rched out of his Priſon in haſte to go to the Palace of the Kings of Egypt; and haſte not thou as much reaſon to make as much haſt out of the Priſon of this wretched Body, O believing Soul, that thou mayeſt go up to the Palace of the King of Kings, who inten…s to inſtall thee into ſuch a Glorious eſtate, in compariſon of which all the pomp of Pharaoh, and of all the Kings and Princes of the Earth, is nothing but as the hore-froſt of the night?
Bartimeus forſakes willingly his Mantle to creep to the Lord Ieſus, when he called him, and thou, Chriſtian Soul, wilt not thou leave this body which is as a troubleſome garment to thee, to aſcend up to this Divine Saviour, who intends to cure thee of all thy diſtempers and Diſeaſes, and who purpoſes to load thee with his bleſſings, and unſpeak…ble favors? He will not onelyonly bring thee to behold the refreſhing light of Heaven, but he will alſo cauſe thee to ſhine as the Sun, for ever and ever.
Religious Soul, caſt off this ſpotted garment of the fleſh, and ſo much the more chearfully, becauſe God holds out in his Hand a Garment of Light and Glory, which he will beſtow upon thee; for it ſhall happen to thee as to the Prophet Elias, who having let fall his Mantle, he found himſelf all encompaſſed about with Flames of fire, and an extraordinary light; for aſſoon as thou ſhalt put off this miſerable body, thou ſhalt be ſurrounded with Celeſtial flames, in which thou ſhalt mount up to Heaven into the dwelling of immortality, where thou ſhalt be like God, who cloaths himſelf with light as with a Garment. To this purpoſe the words of the Prophet Zachariah concerning the High-Prieſt Iehoſchuah are very proper; he was arayed with filthy Garments, but an Angel from Heaven calls to them that waited before him; Take away the filthy Garments from him, and cloath him with change of raiment, let them ſet a fair Mitre upon his head: This, O Chriſtian Soul is the true Image of thy condition, at thy departure, and the lively portraiture of thy future happineſs. At preſent thou art cloathed with a body undermined by ſickneſs and labor, thou beareſt about thee the relicks of the old man; but behold, God calls to thee from his Holy Sanctuary, Take away from him this old garment, pluck off all remains of this old cloathing, beſpotted with ſin, where the Devils Image is yet to be ſeen; and give him the Sacred ornaments of a Royal Prieſthood; cloath this Soul with a long garment whitned in the Blood of the Lamb, gird it about with the Ephod of righteouſneſs, put upon its head, an uncorruptible Crown, and in its hand a Golden Viol, that it may for ever offer up the Heavenly perfumes in the company of all the glorified Saints.
If, after all this, O Chriſtian! thou doubteſt of the felicity and glory of ſuch as die in the Lord Ieſus, hear what an Apoſtle ſaith, who was himſelf raviſhed up into the third Heaven, where he beheld in this Glorious Palace unſpeakable things; We know, that if our earthly houſe of this Tabernacle were diſſolved, we have a building of God, a houſe not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens; for in this we groan earneſtly, deſiring to be cloathed upon with our houſe which is from Heaven: If ſo be that being cloathed we ſhall not …e found naked; for we that are in this Tabernacle do … burdned, not for that we would be uncloathed, but cloathed upon that mortality might be ſwallowed up of Life. And liſten to what the Holy-Ghoſt ſaith, Bleſſed are the Dead that die in the Lord, for ſo ſaith the Spirit, for they reſt from their labors and their works do follow them.
Would to God that we had ſome other Word beſides that of Death, to expreſs the wonderful and happy change that we make when we go out of this miſerable World; for, to ſpeak properly, we cannot be ſaid to die, when we leave a place full of miſery to enter into another bleſſed with an endleſs felicity; when we exchange a laborious eſtate for a peaceable and an happy reſt; when we come off from a cruel War, to enjoy the pleaſures of everlaſting Joy; when we paſs through Death to an endleſs life; and forſake a Tomb to mount up on a Throne. Chriſtian Soul, remember thy beginning and thine end, conſider what thou art, from whence thou proceedeſt, and whither thou goeſt: Thou art a living Image of thy Creator, and a beam of glory; thou art of a celeſtial and immortal nature; God hath waſhed and cleanſed thee in the Blood of his Lamb, without ſpot and blemiſh; and ſanctified thee by his holy Spirit; he hath brought thee to an eſtate convenient to enter into his holy City, and he is ready to admit thee to take the fruition of his glory; Thou haſt fought the good fight, finiſhed thy courſe and kept the faith, it is therefore high time that thou ſhouldeſt receive the Crown of life; Thou haſt this precious Crown already in thine hands, Thou art at the Gates of Heaven, and at the entrance of Paradiſe.
Go therefore, O believing Soul! go with Joy and gladneſs to this great God that calls thee, to this mercifull Saviour that ſtretcheth forth his hands unto thee, and opens his boſome to receive thee; go into the glorious company of Angels and bleſſed Spirits; take upon thee theſe beautiful Robes of light with which thine Heavenly Father will cloath thy nakedneſs, and accept this immortal Crown that he offers to thee; go and ſatisfie thy ſelf with the Bread of the Kingdome of Heaven, and remove thy thirſt with the Chriſtial Waters of that River of pleaſure, which proceeds from the Throne of God and of the Lamb: Go and behold the face of the Father of lights; go and be happy with his Divine reſemblance, and be transformed into his glorious Image.
O bleſſed Soul! Seeſt thou not already the Heavens open, and Ieſus Chriſt at the right hand of God the Father holding out his hand unto thee, offering to receive thee into his glorious reſt? Seeſt thou not the Angels of Heaven (cloathed in white raiment) coming to tranſport thee out of this miſerable eſtate? Seeſt thou not how thou art already encompaſſed about with light and Celeſtial Flames? Doſt thou not reliſh the ſweetneſs of Paradiſe? Is not there a Heaven already in thine heart? Doſt thou not hear the Hymns of the glorified Spirits? Hath not the Lord cauſed thee to hear that ſweet and comfortable voice ſound in thine ear; Verily I ſay unto thee thou ſhall be this day with me in Paradiſe: Come good and faithfull Servant enter into the Ioy of thy Lord: ſeeieſt thou not thy ſelf lifted up above all earthly and periſhing things? Doſt thou not fly upon the wings of faith and repentance to the Throne of Gods glory? Doſt thou not caſt thy ſelf into Paradiſe, into the Arms of Almighty God, into the boſome of the Lord Ieſus, to reſt there for ever; and to be Satiſfied with the good things which eye hath not ſeen, ear hath not heard, and which are not entered into the heart of Man, but which God hath prepared for them that love him.
A Prayer and Meditation of a Chriſtian Soul that prepares to go out of its Body, and comforts its ſelf in the Contemplation of the glory and happineſs of Paradice.
O God! the Author of my being, and the Soveraign Lord of my life; thou ſeeſt all the motions and diſpoſitions of my Soul, thou knoweſt that I have wholly reſigned my ſelf into thy hands, and deſire nothing elſe but to depend upon thy good pleaſure; ſpeak Lord, for thy Servant heareth, here I am to do thy Will O God. Thy People Iſrael removed their Camp at thy Command, in the ſame manner I am ready to remove out of this Earthly Tabernacle at the firſt motion of thy Will. The Golden Cherubims were alwayes upon their feet, with their wings ſtretched out, and their faces towards the Mercy Seat; O that I likewiſe might look up to him who hath purchaſed for me the eternal Mercies of God; him, who is the Propitiation for my Sins; that I may be always ready to fly up to him: Lord Jeſus! ſeeing thou calleſt me to thy ſelf, ſtretch out thy hand unto me from above, and draw me out of this tempeſtuous Sea. When a poor blind man underſtood that thou calledſt him to reſtore his ſight, he left his Garment for haſte and ran to thee with joy, and ſhall not I quit this wretched body to go to thee my Lord and my God? ſeeing thou calleſt me out of the mid-night of this World to thy marvelous and glorious light; ſeeing that thou haſt a deſign, not onelyonly to diſcover to me this ſurpriſing and refreſhing light that ſhines in Heaven, but thou wilt cauſe me to ſhine in thy Kingdom as the Stars and as the Sun. When the Prophet Elias let fall his Mantle he was immediately received into a Chariot of Fire, and carried up into Heaven; alſo, I hope in thy tender love and favor that as ſoon as my Soul ſhall forſake this wretched Body, it ſhall be likewiſe received into a Celeſtial Charriot of Fire, that will carry it up to Heaven, thou wilt deal as gratiouſly with my Soul as with thine High-Prieſt Joſhua; thou wilt take away its Garments ſhattered and broken by ſickneſs and diſtempers, beſpotted and bedaubed with ſin, to adorn it with Robes of fine and bright linnen, and Crown it with glory: Therefore I am ſo far from being afflicted to ſee the earthly houſe of this Tabernacle demoliſhed, that I rejoyce in a certain aſſurance that I ſhall be admitted to my eternal Tabernacle of Heaven. O good God! thou ſeeſt upon me a contemptible body of duſt, that deſires nothing more then to return to duſt again; but, this Heavenly and immortal Soul of mine, that is come from above, that is thy breath, and a beam of thy glory; this Soul, I ſay, will return up to its ſource and origin, It ſighs for thee, O God! and deſires nothing but eternal happineſs. Is it poſſible that I can be happy too ſoon, and too ſpeedily admitted to the Contemplation of thy glorious face? Lord, I ſhould be worſe then an Infidel if I did doubt of my Salvation; if I were not aſſured to partake of thy glory; for, thou haſt promiſed to ſave all ſuch as perſevere to the end, and to give the Crown of life to all thoſe that are faithfull unto Death. Seeing therefore, that by the aſſiſtance of thine holy Spirit, thou haſt enabled me to continue in thine holy and Divine Covenant, to fight the good fight, to finiſh my courſe, and to keep the faith; thou wilt not refuſe me this great Salvation, this precious Crown: O merciful and bountiful Lord, thou haſt promiſed all ſuch as overcome to cauſe them to ſit upon thy Throne; now, by thy ſpecial grace and wonderfull power that appears, and is fulfilled in mine infirmities, I have overcome the World, ſin, the Devil and Hell at preſent; I beſeech thee give me a new ſupply of ſtrength to overcome Death alſo, that I may have no more Enemies to counter with, but that I may mount upon the magnificent Throne deſigned for me; let this Death be a paſſage that may bring me to life, immortality, eternal glory; and to the happineſs of thy Kingdom. Thou art my God and Father, that loveſt me with an unchangeable affection, reach thy hand to me thy childe, for I long for thee, and open for me the bowels of thy moſt wonderfull mercies: O good Lord receive me into thy boſome, and ſatisfie me with the moſt effectual Conſolations of thy goodneſs; thou art my Spiritual Bridegroom, draw me and I ſhall run or rather I ſhall fly after thee, to magnify thy tender compaſſions, and to be filled with thine heavenly delights: Thou art the chief Shepheard of my Soul, help me therefore in this vale of the ſhadow of Death, let thy Staff and thy Rod aſſiſt and comfort me, ſend me thy light and thy truth, that they may lead and conduct me up to thy holy Mountain, and to thine eternal dwelling; Send thy good Angels that they may carry me up upon their Wings; I expect O Lord thy Salvation, I do not onelyonly expect and hope for it, but I deſire and wiſh for it, with all mine heart; my Soul is athirſt for God, my fleſh and mine heart leap for joy, for the ſtrong and living God, O Lord when ſhall I go up to the Heavenly Jeruſalem, when ſhalt thou open for me the Gutes of righteouſneſs? When ſhall I go into the holy Sanctuary? When ſhall I be in the bleſſed company of the glorified Saints, who have Palmes in their hands, Crowns upon their heads, and Praiſes in their mouths? When ſhall I be with the thouſands of Angels that are cloathed with light and glory, and with burning Seraphims that ſurround thy Heavenly Throne? O my God and Father, When wilt thou remove and take away this covering from mine eyes, that I may behold thy beautiful and glorious Face? When ſhall I ſee my ſelf transformed into thy Divine Image, and ſanctified with thy likeneſs? O Lord! thy grace hath brought me to a moſt happy eſtate. Who could expreſs the joy and ſatisfaction of my heart? with the eyes of faith I ſee the Angels deſcending from Heaven to encompaſs me about, I ſee them ready to take me into their armes, and to tranſport me into thy glorious Reſt. O my God! I have nothing to ſtop me in this World; I ſhut mine eyes to all things under the Sun; all my thoughts are employed about the glory of Heaven, and the pleaſures of Paradice. Merciful Father, glorify thy Child, that thy Child may glorify thee; let me enter into the magnificent Palace of immortality, let me ſee my God face to face; let me embrace my Saviour and onelyonly Redeemer; let me receive from his hand the incorruptible Crown, let me drink out of the Rivers of of his pleaſures, and let me ſwim in the Sea of his Heavenly delights. O God whoſe goodneſs is unſpeakable; ſpeak to me in a Language ſuitable to thoſe heavenly deſires which thou haſt kindled in my Soul. O that I may ſoon hear theſe ſweet expreſſions; Verily I ſay unto thee this day thou ſhalt be with me in Paradiſe, come believing Soul enter into the Joy of thy Lord: And before that I ſhall go into thy Heavenly joy, cauſe this joy to come into my Soul; before thou receiveſt me into Paradiſe, cauſe a Paradiſe to be in me; O my God I feel an unſpeakable and ſurpriſing gladneſs in me, I enjoy a peace which paſſeth all underſtanding; I ſee my ſelf already ſurrounded with light and Glory; If therefore my expectation be ſo happy and pleaſant, what ſhall be the fruition? If the firſt-fruits are ſo raviſhing what ſhall we ſay of the harveſt? I ſee the Heavens open and Jeſus Chriſt ſtretching out his armes unto me, and opening his boſome to receive me, my Lord and my God, my Saviour and my All; I commend my Spirit into thy hands, for thou haſt Redeemed it, thou who art the Almighty, and true God, Lord Jeſus receive my Spirit. Amen.