The Glorious Epiphany with the Devout Christians Love, Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. Two other Reaſons why, if we love our ſelves, we muſt needs love this Appearing.
IV.
SO we ought to wiſh, if we ſeriouſly believe there will be ſuch a day, becauſe we naturally love Life and Immortality, which till then cannot be perfectly beſtowed on us. Our Lord indeed hath brought theſe to light, and given us an aſſured hope that none of thoſe who believe in him ſhall periſh: But as the everlaſting Life he puts us in poſſeſſion of when we depart from hence (I ſhall ſhow in the next Chapter) is not preſently compleated; ſo it is out of all queſtion that we muſt ſtay till the laſt day before he perform his ſo frequently repeated promiſe, vi. Joh. 40.54, &c.of raiſing our bodys out of the duſt, and making them incorruptible, that they may live for ever.
Which is a thing we ſo much deſire, that we are prone to pleaſe our ſelves with the meer ſhadow of it; ſtudying, when we dye, to make our memory ſurvive our aſhes. We would fain record our Names in the Legend of fame, by the performance of ſome remarkable exploit. Or by ſome memorable work, we contrive that the world may ſpeak of us, when we are gone down into ſilence. And for fear it ſhould not, we teach Marble-ſtones, and Pillars to tell what we were; and by this means we fancy, we ſhall live as long as the world ſhall laſt.
But alas! this is no better than an imaginary life; which we cannot ſecure neither: but muſt leave the World without any aſſurance of that, for which we are ſo ſolicitous, and imploy ſuch ſerious pains. No mans Name can be ſo loudly ſounded by the trumpet of fame; but it may chance that ſucceeding ages ſhall not hear the leaſt whiſper of him. Or if they do, it may fare with him as it doth with Hercules and Bacchus, who were as great Souldiers and Conquerers, it is likely, as Alexander and Caeſar, and yet now their notable atchievements do but ſerve to fill up the number of Fables. Epitaphs, and Eſcutchions, Books and Monuments, do all dye as well as men. Our Names in all likelihood will at laſt be buried and periſh, as well as our ſelves. For this world is the place, where death reigns and plays the Rex; not only over us, but over all the reliques that we leave behind us.
What ſhould we wiſh for then, what ſhould be the ardent deſire of all Nations, if they were believers, but the time of our Lords appearing: when this mortality, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, ſhall be ſwallowed up of life; and we ſhall receive from his hands Laurels and Crowns, that are incorruptible and never fade away; a Name that ſhall never dye; a Glory, that ſhall live and continue in its ſplendor, as long as God himſelf? For as this is the time wherein Death hath dominion; ſo that will be the time of aboliſhing its Kingdom, and putting an end to all its tyranny, by ſetting up Life and Immortality in its ſtead.
O welcome time, ſayes the heavenly minded ſoul, when this great devourer of the world ſhall have nothing left to feed upon; unleſs it be the Grave, which ſhall dye eternally, and never be heard of more! O what a joyful name is this of Life, and of life for evermore! How ſweetly doth, even the word, IMMORTALITY ſound, in this land of death and deſtruction? What is it that makes our hearts ſo cold, and to feel ſo few deſires to ſee the Prince of Life appear? To ſee Him, who ſhall raiſe up that in glory and power, which was put into the earth in diſhonour and weakneſs; and ſhall turn this natural, this corruptible body, into one that is ſpiritual and incorruptible?
Are we afraid this world will be burnt up by the brightneſs of his appearing? Do we pity our Palaces and coſtly Furniture, which we think are then in danger to be conſumed? Are we concerned for our Money and Jewels, our ancient Demeſn and places of pleaſure, our Pictures and Statues, with ſuch like things, which we ſtrive to perpetuate to all poſterity? Will all theſe, do we fear, be in a flame? and ſerve for no other uſe than thoſe great Fires do, wherewith we honour the Coronations and Victories of Kings, or any other ſuch like noble ſpectacle?
Let it be ſo; I ſee no cauſe to be troubled at it: when I remember that together with theſe, the Graves and the Sepulchres, the Tombs and ſuch like Monuments of Deaths conqueſts, the Vaults and the Charnel-houſes, with every other Trophee that ſin hath erected, ſhall be caſt into this huge Bonfire; which ſhall be made, we conceive, by the conflagration of this Globe of earth, to adorn our Saviours Triumph.
Why ſhould we dread, O my ſoul, to behold ſuch Flames as theſe? Let us look and fix our eyes upon them as moſt cheerful blazes. Let us warm our hearts, at the very thoughts of ſuch fires. And though they ſhould prove to be this worlds Funeral; yet let us rejoyce in them as accompanying our moſt happy Reſurrection.
O Death, I fear none of thy threatnings. O Grave, I am not aſtoniſht any longer at thy darkneſs. I ſee the fatal day is coming, which ſhall put an end to both your dominions. And till then, I yield my ſelf your ſubject, and intend not to ſtruggle againſt your power. But I fear it not: becauſe, unleſs you can prevent that day, or prevail againſt my Saviour, as well as over me, I am ſafe enough.
It is not much you can rob me of at preſent. The pleaſures we enjoy in this crazy body, are not ſo conſiderable, that we ſhould mightily lament the loſs of them. Our Friends indeed have taken ſuch faſt hold of our hearts, that we cannot eaſily conſent to leave them: but ſetting them aſide, what is it that you can take away, which I am loth to part withal? And they, I conſider, ſhall at laſt triumph together with me, over your now prevailing power. We ſhall only part, to meet again, and ſee you ſwallowed up in victory. And we ſhall be revived in bodies far more glorious, with hearts full of more vigorous love. In which we ſhall live with endleſs pleaſure; without any fears of being ſevered any more. Amen.
I wiſh thou wouldſt come, O bleſſed Jeſus, and carry us all to a place of ſecure and peaceful love: where we might ſit together, and chaunt thy praiſes for ever.
V.
We cannot but be inclined to ſuch meditations, and bear an affectionate love to our Lords appearing, unleſs we be in love with Sin; which at that time (we ſhould further conſider) ſhall quite ceaſe, and not have ſo much as the leaſt ſhadow of it remaining.
Are not all pious ſouls very much afflicted, to think that God is every where ſo much dishonoured? Is it not exceeding grievous to them, to ſee his moſt high authority daily affronted, without any remedy for it? and that Image he hath placed of himſelf in man, after ſuch a lamentable manner, and without any remorſe, continually mangled? Nay, is it not a conſiderable part of their trouble, that they are afraid leſt, through the violence of temptations, or the weakneſs of their nature, or the inadvertency of their minds, by ſudden ſurpriſes, they ſhould add to the number of thoſe diſorders which are already ſo prodigiouſly increaſed? What is there then, for which they can more reaſonably wiſh; than that they may be delivered out of this fearful danger, and the Heavens may be ſecured from this rude violence?
A bleſſing to be deſired and expected not only upon their own account, but in reſpect to our bleſſed Lord and Saviour alſo, who is now, we read, in the moſt holy place above, there preſenting himſelf, with his pretious blood, before God for us. Which he muſt continue to do, till the time of his Appearing be fulfilled; when he ſhall come out from thence without ſin (ix. Heb. 28.) as having diſcharged all his Office in that heavenly Sanctuary. While he ſtayes therefore in that place, the care of all the people lies upon his ſhoulders: there is a daily charge he is to attend; that he may cure and expiate the ſins of men. This is the conſtant imployment of his high and Royal Prieſthood, and it cannot ceaſe till he come out again, on the day of his appearing: which, it is manifeſt, will free both him and the world from this great burden of tranſgreſſions.
Then there ſhall never be any more objects of his pity and compaſſion. He ſhall have no ſenſe then of our infirmities; no feeling of our pains, our grief and our anguiſh. Then he will ceaſe to be afflicted with us, and be put to no further trouble about us: But be all delight, all joy, all complacence and pleaſure in his members; who will be ſo well, as to call for none of his care any more for ever.
And ſhall not the thoughts of this bleſſed time be our joy and pleaſure too? We have very much reaſon to ſuſpect our faith, if we can find ſuch contentment here, that we would not have it make too much haſte: For nothing is ſo ſad to pious hearts, as that it ſeems to be ſo far off, and comes ſo ſlowly to them. They groan and ſigh here under many weakneſſes. They complain moſt heavily, and mourn under the weight of many imperfections. From which they would fain be delivered; that they may turn their ſighs, into ſongs of praiſe to the triumphant Captain of their ſalvation, Chriſt Jeſus.
Nay, ſhould we ſuppoſe there will be a time, before the end of all things, when righteouſneſs will more univerſally prevail; which is the beſt ſenſe that can be made of the Saints reigning upon the earth with Chriſt a thouſand years (which ſome are perſwaded is ſtill to come:) Yet ſuch and ſo many are the weakneſſes that will hang upon us, and ſo great are the dangers to which they will make us ſubject, while we dwell in theſe earthly Tabernacles, that Good men would but be the more deſirous our Lord would appear, to perfect what they ſaw ſo happily begun, in their intire reformation to a better ſtate.
O what a long time am I like to ſtay, cries ſuch an oppreſſed ſoul, before I be eaſed of this burden, which is too heavy for me? How many days and years more muſt I ſpend, under the load and preſſure of this fleſh and blood? Give me patience, Dear Lord, to wait for that day, which ſhall free me from it. Make me able to ſupport my ſelf in contentment, with the hopes that the time of releaſe, at laſt will come.
I am ſo far from being unwilling that thou ſhouldeſt come; that I beſeech thee to make me willing to ſtay, till thou canſt come. Only give me leave ſometime to ſigh and ſay, when wilt thou come! O when wilt thou come! Suffer me to wiſh moſt paſſionately that thou wouldeſt appear: Be not angry with me, if in the agonies of my ſoul I deſire thou wouldſt haſte thine appearing.
And in the mean time, increaſe my belief that thou, O compaſſionate Saviour, pitieſt my weakneſſes, and art not inſenſible of all my miſeries: that ſo I may more comfortably hope, thou wilt come and eaſe me and thy ſelf, both together. Bear up my ſinking ſpirit, till I be ſo happy: and by thine almighty power ſupport me under the weight of all the fears and all the doubts that are apt to trouble me. And let not the dulneſs of my mind, or the heavineſs of my heart, the diſtraction of my thoughts, or the deadneſs of my affections in thy moſt delightſome ſervice, utterly deject me. But raiſe me up with a chearful hope of thy ſalvation, to a pitch of joy and gladneſs, under all the burdens that oppreſs me.
I am forced indeed to ſigh, when I think of the many temptations to which, on every ſide, I am expoſed. And more ſad it is to think that they, at any time, have ſhaken, though not overthrown me. O the childiſh follies of a mind, which doth ſo much as liſten to the treacherous allurements, which would ſteal away my heart from its happineſs! O the intolerable weakneſs of an heart, which doth ſo much as waver in its reſolved choice, of ſo reaſonable a ſervice as that of thine, wherein I am engaged!
Pardon me, Good Lord, that I call it intolerable. For I know I ought to bear it in hope of greater ſtrength and of eternal ſettlement: and that I ought to rejoyce I am not overcome, by all the temptation, wherewith I have been aſſaulted. Bleſſed be thy Almighty Grace, that I have ſtood hitherto ſo ſtedfaſt, ſo unmoveable in my duty: and that I have thy word for it, thou wilt never leave me nor forſake me. It is only my love to thee, which makes me complain, though not of the inconſtancy yet, of the weakneſs of my love. The coldneſs of my affections, the liſtleſſneſs of my devotions, my aptneſs to be tired and ſoon weary of the divineſt pleaſure and ſatisfaction, the unevenneſs of my temper, the ſudden diſcompoſures I feel in my ſpirit, are the things that often trouble me.
But I ought to remember that I am now in a body full of diſorders: and that my life is a warfare which I ought patiently to accompliſh. And I have great reaſon to bleſs thy name, O thou moſt glorious Conqueror of the Devil and ſin, by whoſe gracious aids, my will ſtandeth firm, and doth not yield or in the leaſt conſent to diſpleaſe thy Majeſty. By thy power I have and ſhall do valiantly. Thou ſhalt ſtill tread down all mine enemies. My ſoul ſhall make her boaſt in thee, O Lord, and be glad in thy ſalvation. For I am continually with thee: who haſt holden me by my right hand. Thou ſhalt guide me with thy counſel, and afterward receive me to glory.
Thus will I always hope in thee, if thou wilt but be pleaſed mercifully to bear with my incurable infirmities; to relieve my fainting ſpirit in this tedious pilgrimage; and to permit me to ſigh ſometime and ſay, O when will this long conteſt be ended! when will this war which my paſſions raiſe in my breaſt be concluded; and ſuffer me to live in tranquillity and enjoy the ſweeteſt pleaſures of perfect peace! Yea when ſhall all thine enemies throughout the world be diſarmed! and there be no more rebellions againſt thy moſt ſacred Authority and thy ſoveraign will!
O come ſweet Jeſus, come, thou Lord of peace; get thy ſelf and us the Victory: that we may be more than Conquerors, and triumph in thy praiſe. Come, and bring this troubled ſpirit into thy ſerene and undiſturbed regions above. Come, and give it the wings of an Angel, that I may flee away and be at reſt. That I may flee away from all the follies, and from all the ſorrows of this ſinful life; and be at reſt with thee, my Deareſt Lord.
At reſt in that peaceful place, in that Paradiſe above; where is no dangerous Fruit to invite, no temping Eve to ſolicite, no ſubtile Serpent to deceive: But we ſhall all live like ſo many Gods indeed, perfectly wiſe and perfectly good; inviting one another only to praiſe and love thee, with our united ſtrength. Thee, who art the firſt and the laſt; the beginner of our Faith, and the finiſher of our Hope; the Guide of our Pilgrimage, through the troubleſom wilderneſs of this World; and the eternal reſt of our wearied ſouls in that heavenly country, which overflows with pleaſures for evermore.