Jesus and the Resurrection Justified by Witnesses in Heaven and Earth, Part 2 · Chapter 2

Jesus and the Resurrection Justified by Witnesses in Heaven and Earth · Part 2 · Chapter 2

p. 43CHAP. II. A more particular Diſcourſe of this LIFE.

THERE is the greateſt Reaſon that all Chriſtians, as the ſame Authour goes on, ſhould ſay and doe and think thus in all circumſtances, and in all things that occurre; and ſay ſo with the devouteſt, the moſt humble and chearfull Submiſſion to him: ſince it is the will and pleaſure, you heard juſt now, of this Great Lord, that his Son Jeſus ſhould give us, after our ſhort labours or ſufferings here, Everlaſting Life. The very name of which ſounds ſo delightfully, that we cannot well preſently ceaſe to ſpeak of it; nor chuſe but deſire to be better acquainted, if it be poſſible, with ſo tranſcendent a Bliſs. It concerns us more then any thing elſe to underſtand it, and to be ſure of it: For the Hope of it is our Refuge, the Anchour, the Stay, yea the Joy and comfort of our p. 44hearts. And therefore, for the ſake of thoſe who deſire to be led into a more particular knowledge of this Happineſs, I ſhall venture ſomething farther in the deſcription of it: and know not how to conduct them better in this enquiry, then by explaining, as clearly as I can, theſe two words, LIFE, and the ETERNALL duration of it.

And if the nature of the Firſt be examined, you will find, that LIFE is nothing elſe but the exerciſe of all thoſe faculties and powers, which are proper and peculiar to us, upon their true and naturall objects. Whence it is that wicked men are ſaid, in the Sacred ſtyle, to bedead; becauſe nothing that is reaſonable, nothing that conſtitutes the form of a man, acts in them: and on the other ſide, they that are converted from Vice to Vertue are ſaid to be made alive; becauſe ſuch perſons onelyonly imploy and make uſe of all thoſe powers which belong to reaſonable creatures, and have devoted themſelves to the beſt improvement of them. There is in a man, as Philo excellently expreſſes it, foreign, &c.foreign, a certain notion and ſenſe that loves God, and is a friend to Vertue: which p. 45when it is extinguiſhed in his Soul, the man is dead; and when it is revived, he is then again made alive. Since therefore St. John is ſpeaking of the higheſt Life that man is capable of, we are directed by this notion to look upon it as conſiſting in the moſt intended operation of all our Powers, and that in their higheſt improvement, upon the greateſt and nobleſt Good; which we ſaw before is God himſelf.

Let us then conſider, that man conſiſts of Soul and Body as his eſſential parts; and that the Soul, as the better part, muſt be moſt conſidered in this ſtate of Bliſs; for from it Bliſs will be derived to the Body: and therefore conſider again what the ſeveral Faculties and Operations of our own Souls are; and farther, how much they ſhall be inlarged, and their force increaſed, by the mighty change which ſhall be made in us at death and at the reſurrection; and laſtly, how that all theſe Faculties thus improved, and made bigger then they themſelves can now comprehend, ſhall be filled to the brim with that fulleſt Good: and we ſhall be able to frame in our mind ſome diſtinct apprehenſion of this bleſſed Life. Now we all know p. 46there are two Faculties of our Soul, the Ʋnderſtanding and the Will, upon which all Operations depend: and it is as certain that the ſatisfaction and felicity of the Underſtanding can conſiſt in nothing but in Knowledge and contemplation of the Truth; and that the happineſs of the Will conſiſts in the Love of that which is Good: And by neceſſary conſequence the utmoſt ſatisfaction of both theſe is in the cleareſt Contemplation of the higheſt Truth, and in the moſt ardent Love o… the higheſt Good. And therefore every one ſees where we muſt begin to ſpeak of this moſt Bleſſed LIFE.

I.

Which conſiſts in the greateſt Treaſures of Divine Knowledge, by the contemplation of the faireſt Object; which is the exerciſe of the prime Faculty in man, and the good of his Soul, as it is rationall. For the better underſtanding of which let us conſider, (1.) that the Soul in it ſelf is apt to receive the notice of all manner of things: as we may eaſily diſcern, if we do obſerve, how things moſt cortrary in themſelves can agree to lodge together in our Mind; and we behold p. 47them one after another, or both together, without any diſturbance, yea with abundance of pleaſure. But, (2.) whatſoever our capacity now is, we find it is very little that we actually know, by reaſon of many impediments that we are clogg'd withall. And yet that little, when we are maſters of any notion, communicates ſo much pleaſure to us, that we are hugely deſirous of having our minds enlarged to know more; and think it neceſſary to our happineſs, that we ſhould be put into a condition of more free and undiſturbed converſe with Truth. When therefore (3.) we ſhall be rid of this clog, being either alone without this body, or having it made ſo ſpiritual, that it will be under abſolute command, and when we ſhall be in a ſtill and quiet place, and enjoy perfect ſettlement of mind and peace of conſcience, (the want of which is the onelyonly thing conceivable to diſturb an uncloathed Soul in its contemplations,) we may reaſonably hope to be put into that moſt deſirable condition. But we finding (4.) even in this narrow condition, wherein our Souls are pent up, ſuch an infinite thirſt after Knowledge, that the Mind of man is never ſatisfied; we may gueſs by that how p. 48vehement this deſire will grow, when our Souls ſhall be no longer impriſon'd, and their capacities ſo much inlarged. And therefore you may conſider farther, (5.) that if this capacity and this deſire in our Souls be not filled, we ſhall be ſo far from leading an happy life, that we ſhall be more miſerable then we are now; becauſe we ſhall be more able to diſcern our wants. And thence we may conclude that, to make us happy, our Mind ſhall be gratified, and its widened enlarged Faculties filled with a Divine light, proportionable to the power it hath to apprehend.

Well then, (6.) conſidering that all objects are finite, and limited both in their nature and number, except God alone, who contains in his own Being all things that are and can poſſibly be; our Minds will certainly be carried to him, as the onelyonly object that can perfect their Happineſs, by ſatisfying their boundleſs deſire of wiſedom and knowledge. He alone can fill thoſe Minds who long to know all things, and who have an aptitude to a vaſter knowledge then now can be conceived. And (7.) who can doubt but he will fill them, ſince he hath p. 49promiſed, as you have heard, by our Saviour, that the pure in heart ſhall ſee him? that is, know him and contemplate him in that Eternall LIFE which Chriſt hath revealed? For in this our enjoying God muſt begin: and it may well be called SEEING in Scripture, becauſe Knowledge to the Mind is the ſame with Seeing to the Eyes; and the Ʋnderſtanding to the Soul is the ſame with the Eye to the Body. And (8.) we can as little doubt but that their Souls will be moſt happy who ſhall lead ſuch a Life, which begins in their admiſſion to this bleſſed Sight. The contemplative Life, even in this world, hath been thought by the greateſt Philoſophers to be the moſt excellent, and in a manner Divine; as Ariſtotle endeavours to prove by ſeverall Arguments in the concluſion of his Ethicks. Lib. x. c. 7, 8.Now the more excellent the object is which we contemplate, the more excellent is the contemplation it ſelf. From whence he concludes, xii. Metaphyſ.in another place, that God muſt needs be the moſt Bleſſed, becauſe he perfectly and perpetually contemplates himſelf; whom all acknowledge to be the moſt excellent and perfect object. And ſince the Underſtanding, ſays he, conceives by a kind p. 50of conjunction with that which it underſtands, ſo that in ſome ſort they are made one; from thence alſo we may argue, that his Contemplation of himſelf muſt needs be the moſt excellent, becauſe it is the moſt intimate, as well as conſtant and never interrupted enjoyment of the moſt excellent Being. The more then our mind can be fixed on God, and the more we underſtand of him, and the nearer we approach to him, the more we ſhall partake of his moſt bleſſed Life; who being moſt intimately One with himſelf, never ceaſes to contemplate his own moſt adorable Perfections.

You will be the more ſenſible of this, if you do but imagine how happy many a man would think himſelf, could he but raiſe his mind to underſtand the wonderfull frame of the World, and diſcover the rare wiſedom that lies hid in the contrivance of every part of ſo goodly a Fabrick. If there be ſuch pleaſure in looking into the curious compoſure of this great Book of the Creatures, and ſearching after all the myſterious learning contained in it, (which employs the ſtudy of innumerable ſouls night and day;) you may eaſily conceive it muſt p. 51needs be a moſt ſublime ſatisfaction to know him clearly who is the Authour of this Structure, whoſe Artifice now raviſhes contemplative minds into ſuch admiration. They ſeem to have meant nothing elſe anciently who diſcourſed of the Muſick of the Spheres or celeſtiall Orbs, but the extraordinary pleaſure and delight wherewith the minds of thoſe Philoſophers were ſtruck, who beheld the orderly and gracefull motion of thoſe heavenly bodies. And the ſame men ſaid the Mind of man was an Harmony, becauſe of the well-ſet notions whereof it is compoſed, and the ſweet touches that it gives us when it is in tune, and runs into coherent thoughts and orderly ſpeculations. Now look what joy it would be to a contemplative man, if he could know the Art there is in the frame of the Heavens, or if he could but ſo reflect upon his own Soul as to know its nature, all its motions, the ſpring and the manner of them, nay, but to know his own Body, which, as the Pſalmiſt ſays, is ſo fearfully and wonderfully made, that it aſtoniſhes our minds when we ſeriouſly think of it; and by this you may judge what an happy life it will be, to be acquainted with God, by whoſe wiſedom p. 52the heavens were made, and all the hoſt of them by the breath of his mouth, and who faſhioned all our Souls, and curiouſly wrought all the members of our bodies, where no eye could ſee but onelyonly his own; yea, to know ſo much of him, that —

But it is not in my power to make you underſtand what this Knowledge ſhall be, for that would be to place you in Heaven. Nay, we cannot conceive how God himſelf ſhould make us know it in this ſtate; unleſs he work a change in us, and cauſe theſe bodily operations to ceaſe. All that I can doe is, to make you underſtand, that our Souls ſhall be enlarged to know more then now we can conceive, and that we ſhall be as inconceivably pleaſed in that knowledge: for the very hope of it now is not without its ſingular pleaſure. You will ask, perhaps, But what is it that we ſhall know of him? Do you tell us of a myſterious Darkneſs, or, which is all one, an inapprehenſible Light? This is but to know that we are ignorant. And who can faſten his heart on things of which he hath no perception? or delight in the thoughts of that with which he hath p. 53no acquaintance? I anſwer, We are already acquainted, bleſſed be God, with ſomething of him; though, as I have ſaid before, we ſee but through a glaſs, darkly, 1 Cor. xiii. 12. As a glaſs repreſents not the thing it ſelf, but its image; and he that ſees a thing in a glaſs doth not know it immediately from its ſelf, but from its image: ſuch is the knowledge we have of God in this life. We know him by the effects of his Wiſedom, Power, and Goodneſs; and by the revelation he hath made of his Mind and Will in his Goſpel. We know him not immediately and by himſelf; but we know, as it were, an Image of him, in his Works and in his Word. And though this knowledge be but obſcure, and not ſo clear as we deſire; yet ſo much is plainly revealed, that one day we ſhall ſee him face to face: that is, we ſhall be more nearly preſent to him, and immediately contemplate him; who is a Mind and Spirit, joyning himſelf to our very Mind by himſelf, and not by an image.

What that is, ſome excellent Souls ſeem alſo to have had a little taſt of here in this world; by gaſping with the mouth of their heart (as St. Confeſ. Lib. ix. c. 10.Auſtin ſpeaks) to p. 54the fountain of Life, that receiving a ſmall ſprinkling from thence, they might perceive after ſome ſort ſo great a thing. For he ſaith, that as he and his Mother were diſcourſing together, a little before ſhe died, of the life of holy Souls in the other world, they had their thoughts carried by degrees above all things ſenſible, till they touched it a while with the whole ſtroke of their heart. And could we but ſilence the tumult of the fleſh, could we make all imaginations of the earth, the air and the heaven it ſelf lie quiet and ſtill; could the Soul it ſelf not ſtir, but, by ſilencing its own thoughts, go beyond it ſelf; could we but liſten alone to him that made all things, and hear him alone ſpeak, not by them, but by himſelf; ſo that we heard his word not by a tongue of fleſh, nor by the voice of an Angel, nor by the darkneſs of a ſimilitude, but him whom our Soul loves in all theſe, it could hear without theſe; (as he and his Mother then did, when with a ſwift thought they touched that eternall Wiſedom, who is over all:) we might eaſily and ſenſibly perceive what eternall Life is, by ſuch a moment; and conclude, that if this moment was continued, p. 55and all other lower ways of thinking vaniſhing, this alone remained, it would be no leſs then to enter into the joy of our Lord. Thus he and ſhe diſcourſed, till this World and all the pleaſures in it were forgotten; and ſhe cried out, Son, there is nothing that I delight in in this Life.

Now the hope we have, that what ſome have felt, for the twinckling of an eye, by an intimate conjunction of their Soul with God, we ſhall all at laſt feel in endleſs life, is a mighty attractive to our hearts; the greateſt of all other, though we cannot reach it here. Therefore the Good we are to enjoy is ſo deſirable, becauſe it is bigger then all our preſent thoughts; and the greatneſs of it is not hid from our eyes, becauſe we ſhould not underſtand it, but becauſe we cannot. What more powerfull argument can there be to move our affections, then the conſideration that, though we know not theſe things, what they are and what the manner of their enjoyment is, yet, we know that they ſhall be known and enjoyed; and we know alſo ſo much of them and of other things, as gives us aſſurance that the fulneſs of that knowledge p. 56will be beyond all thought pleaſant and delightfull to us? For, (1.) it is now ſo great a pleaſure to the mind, to behold the wiſedom which appears in the ſmalleſt Mite that creeps on any part of this earth; that we cannot but be ſenſible the higheſt perfection of it is, to have any conception of the Wiſedom, the Power, the Goodneſs, the Eternity, Immenſity, Truth, Purity and Providence of Almighty God; which the longer we look upon, the more we find our minds inlarged, and their thirſt increaſed. This perfection of pleaſure then (2.) cannot but be ſtrangely advanced, when we ſhall come to ſee him face to face, and to know him as we are known: for our thoughts of him in that ſtate, as was ſaid before, will differ as much from our preſent conceptions, as the underſtanding of a grown Man doth from that of a Child. And then likewiſe (3.) we may diſcover ſome Divine Perfection of his, which no man ever thought of before. New Beauties may reveal themſelves to us, of which we have not now the leaſt notice: becauſe God is ALL, and therefore contains more in his Eſſence, then we ever framed any Idea or notion of. So that, p. 57perhaps, (4.) we ſhall never ceaſe to make ſome new diſcovery or other, but be ſtill beholding more and more of his Glory, to our endleſs ſatisfaction.

Let us but cheriſh ſome ſuch thoughts as theſe, and we ſhall feel preſently, by the incomparable pleaſure wherewith they affect us, how powerfull they are to draw our hearts towards this bleſſed LIFE, and all the ways that lead unto it. It was ſome great delight which they preconceived, that made one Philoſopher put out his eyes, the better to be able to contemplate intellectuall things: and which made another travell all the learned world over, that he might have the converſation of knowing men: and a third live xxii years in the fields, that he might diſcover onelyonly the manners and the workmanſhip of Bees: and a fourth wiſh he could be able to look upon the Sun, to ſee what it is; though he died the next moment after the ſight: and all the wiſe men, to improve their knowing faculties, take ſuch vaſt and incredible pains. Would any man ſo toil his brain as the Mathematician doth, were there not a certain raviſhment in Knowledge ſurpaſſing all ſenſuall delights? How is p. 58the ſillieſt Soul affected, when you bring it the notice of ſome new thing, of which before it was perfectly ignorant? And all pious hearts how glad are they but to think that they are in the direct path to Heaven? And the ſenſe they have of God ſometimes overſpreading their hearts, how much doth it tranſport them, and make them long to have it continue for ever? And therefore think with your ſelves, if theſe little notions of ſenſible things be ſo ſweet, if a ſmall flaſh of light, that breaks in upon us from Heaven for a moment, be ſo glorious; what will it be to have our minds ſo conſtantly illuminated with the Divineſt knowledge, as the air is with the beams of the Sun? How deſirable is that ſtate, when we ſhall be all ſhining, when our inheritance ſhall be Light, and when we ſhall be able to look upon the noon-day brightneſs?

We all find, that a pure and unſpotted Beauty hath a ſtrange power in it to charm the dulleſt minds. Let us ſuppoſe then, with a modern Philoſopher, that there were a Beauty whoſe colours were ſo radiant and bright, that our eye ſhould not be able to look upon it, without the aſſiſtence of ſome new-found Spectacles; p. 59by which the luſter of the colours, and the exceeding great purity of its light, might be kept from ſtriking our eye with too piercing a ſplendour. Do you not conceive that, if there were ſuch an object, and ſuch an help to your eye, you ſhould be preſented with a ſight more raviſhing then you ever yet beheld? and that you would deſire never to put off thoſe Spectacles, which fortified your eye to ſee ſo fair a Beauty; unleſs you could hope to have your eye made ſo ſtrong, that of it ſelf it ſhould be able to behold it? Ponder then within your ſelves, that juſt as the pleaſure, in ſuch a caſe, would ariſe together with the excellency of the object, and the increaſed power of the eye; ſo will the delight of ſeeing ſo ſublime an object as God by our raiſed and ſtrengthned Souls, exceed all that which we now perceive in any worldly good, or even in God himſelf. And according to the degree to which our Faculties ſhall be advanced and impowered, which may be as much as God pleaſes, ſo certainly will the fulneſs and the overflowing meaſure of the delight be, which riſes and falls according to the alterations that are in in us; for in GOD there is none at all.

p. 60To all this I have one Conſideration more to adde; that the Soul, as you heard before, by knowledge becomes, in a manner, what it knows: not indeed by being changed into the object, but by receiving the object into it ſelf. As we ſee ſome Bodies admit others ſo intirely into them, that they have all the qualities of the nature which they have aſſumed: (iron, for inſtance, in the fire becomes red, and warms or burns according as other bodies approach it:) ſo our Minds, by the knowledge they have of things, are after a ſort united to them, and partake ſo far of their qualities, that Heaven and Earth do not differ more, then two Souls do, who have fixt their thoughts, the one on Earthly, the other on Heavenly things. And therefore, when we ſhall come to know God face to face, the ſight of him will be nothing leſs then a full poſſeſſion of him, a kind of becoming what he is, in a true and reall, (as Divines ſpeak) though not eſſentiall likeneſs to him, in Wiſedom, Righteouſneſs, Goodneſs, Immortality, and, I may adde, Power too, becauſe we ſhall perfectly command our ſelves, and have our preſent unruly thoughts and p. 61affections in a due ſubjection to his ſovereign Will. For if, as the Apoſtle ſaith, by beholding now (without a veil, but) in a glaſs the Glory of the Lord Chriſt, we are changed into the ſame Image from glory to glory, 2 Cor. iii. 18. then much more, when we ſhall come without the help of words and writings to behold the Face of God himſelf, we ſhall be transformed into his image; and by being aſſimilated to his Divine Nature, be made partakers of the joys and pleaſures which are inſeparable from it.

And if the transfigur'd Humanity of Chriſt (as Anſelm **in Matt. xvii.Matt 17meditates) in the company of two Saints gave ſuch delight, when it was ſeen but for a point of time; O how great will the pleaſure be of ſeeing the Deity among the Quires of Angels? If Peter, beholding the glorified Humanity, was affected with ſuch a joy, that he deſired never to part with that ſight; what ſhall we think of thoſe who ſhall be counted worthy to ſee the Divinity? We may ask the Queſtion as oft as we pleaſe, but can no more give an Anſwer to it now, then the Diſciples could tell, till they beheld it on the holy Mount, what it was for their Maſter to be transfigured. Then p. 62we ſhall underſtand it, when we come to the High and Holy place where Jeſus is; of which that Mountain was but a figure. For the preſent, we muſt be content, if we can raiſe up our minds to ſome ſmall conceptions of its greatneſs, by ſuch conſiderations as theſe. O… which I have the longer inſiſted, becauſe they lay the foundation of what follows▪ and lead our thoughts to the eaſier underſtanding of it.

II.

And if the nature of this LIFE be farther examined, you will find the Mind is not the onelyonly Faculty that ſhall be gratiſied; but the Will ſhall conceive a Love as great as the Knowledge of which I have diſcourſed. For as God is the higheſt object of the Underſtanding, being the Prime Truth; ſo he is the chiefeſt object of the Will, being the Firſt and Beſt Good. And therefore as the Underſtanding ſhall then …oſt clearly know him; ſo the Will, in like manner, ſhall moſt ardently love him, and find perfect ſatisfaction in that Love. There is a neceſſary connexion between theſe things; and it cannot be otherwiſe, but that from p. 63the beſt Good clearly known, there will flow the greateſt Love; drawing along with it the greateſt delight, and the moſt perfect repoſe. And therefore to SEE GOD, virtually contains in its notion both Love and Delectation, with Reſt, or Satisfaction. Love naturally flows from thence, as from its fountain; and the other naturally flow from Love. Which is the higheſt act of that Faculty which we call the Will, as knowing and contemplating is of the Underſtanding. Deſire, indeed, is the firſt Motion of it, when any thing is apprehended to be good for us; but that will there be quenched in poſſeſſion and enjoyment: and no more of it can be conceived to remain, then a longing after the continuance and increaſe of this Happineſs; which, yet, will be ſo certain, that we ſhall be rather confident, then deſirous.

The Will therefore, having ſuch a glorious object always before it, will be wholly imploy'd in Love, and ſpend it ſelf, without any decay, in flames of affection towards this Univerſall Good, which ſhines ſo fairly and brightly in its eyes. It will apply it ſelf to the enjoyment of it with as great a vehemency as p. 64it can; and laying its mouth (as St. Auſtin teaches me to ſpeak) to the Spring of all happineſs, do more then taſte the ſweetneſs of it. We may expect to have it filled with thoſe delicious pleaſures which we know attend on Love; and which in that ſtate will be proportionable to the greatneſs of the Good that is embraced, and to the ſtrength and ardency of the embracement.

And whereas here in this world men are wont to love beyond all reaſon, whereby their love becomes adulterate, and is mixed with ſo many diſcontents, that it proves but a bitter-ſweet: There our Underſtanding (as you have heard) will be in its full growth and highe… pitch; ſo that as nothing which is reaſonable ſhall be omitted to be done, nothing likewiſe ſhall be done that is unreaſonable. This Love will be grounded upon the cleareſt Judgment; this Flame kindled by the pureſt Light: ſo that there will be no …nquiet or trouble in it, but perfect reſt and peace.

And whereas in this world mens affections flow to things that are not …ea… ſo big as themſelves, (i. e. as … p. 65deſires,) and ſo they languiſh, and faint, and fall ſick, even in the enjoyment of the beſt good that it affords; becauſe they find it is not a ſupply proportionable to their want, or to their expectations: There will be no ſuch emptineſs nor want of ſatisfaction in thoſe celeſtial enjoyments; becauſe we ſhall embrace not onelyonly our proper good, but that which is commenſurate to our deſires, and beyond our hopes. Our Affections will not fall then upon that which cannot ſuſtain the whole weight of them; but feeling themſelves born up to the greateſt height of Love, by a Good ſo full, that it will leave no room for complaint or uneaſineſs, they will enjoy the moſt ſolid Reſt and Satisfaction.

Do but conceive then in your minds what a pleaſure it is here in this Life, to Love and to be Beloved; and you will have ſome notion whereby to take a meaſure of the LIFE we are ſpeaking of, which will conſiſt in ſuch mutuall Love and delightfull Correſpondencies. And they who have neither Father nor Mother, Wife nor Children, near Kindred nor Relations, whereon to place their affection; let them conſider, if they have p. 66but a ſingular Friend, what the pleaſure is that two perſons, who ſincerely and purely love, take in the ſweet company and converſation of each other. Or if I muſt ſuppoſe any man to be ſo unkind and ſo unhappy, as to have no love for any body but his own ſelf, let him think what contentment he hath, and how he is pleaſed, if he can arrive any thing near to a quiet enjoyment of his dear Self And ſuch a delightfull ſtate may be a ſmall image of Heaven, where holy Souls will love God with a far greater flame, then ever they did (or ſhall then) love themſelves: becauſe He will appear infinitely more lovely, and to bear alſo a far greater love to them, then it is poſſible for then to do to themſelves.

Now none can tell how tranſporting it will be to a good Soul, when it feels i… ſelf the Beloved of God, as well as full of love to him: becauſe we cannot think how great the Love of the Almighty is, unleſs we could know how great he is himſelf. This is a thing that cannot fail to have a ſtrange power over our affections, and to maſter them ſo that we ſhall be taken quite out of our ſelves: for we all extreamly love to be beloved.

p. 67If any neighbour ſhew us an unexpected and undeſerved kindneſs, we are apt to think he is the beſt perſon in the world: And the pooreſt Wretch that is, if we ſee in him the undoubted ſigns of an hearty love to us, we cannot chuſe but requite it with ſome expreſſions of kindneſs back again. Nay, if a Dog, as I have ſaid elſewhere, or ſuch a dumb creature, do but fawn upon us, and delight in our company, and with a great deal of obſervance follow us whereſoever we go; we cannot but be ſo far pleaſed with this inclination towards us, as to make much of it, and to be troubled to ſee any harm befall it, and to love to ſee it play and be well pleaſed. Judge then what a pleaſure it will be to pious Souls, to find themſelves beloved of him, who hath put theſe kind reſentments into our nature. To what an height will the ſweet breathings of his Love blow up the flames of theirs? Into what Ecſtaſies will they fall, when they feel by the happy fruits, what an exceeding great affection their Heavenly Father bears to them? It is above our preſent thoughts to apprehend the joy that will then overflow them: but we may conceive p. 68a little of it, if we remember, that GOD is Love; and that by our Love He will be in us, and by his Love we ſhall be in Him.

But, if you pleaſe, let us fall much lower then this; and onelyonly repreſent to our ſelves, how great an happineſs we ſhall account it, to be beloved of the whole Family of God in Heaven. Look down from the higheſt Angel to the ſmalleſt Infant that ſhall be bleſſed there, from the nobleſt to the meaneſt in that celeſtiall Court; and there is not one of them but will love us, and be ready to ſhew their ſincere and moſt affectionate kindneſs towards us. They that are the greateſt in that Glory, will be the greateſt Lovers; they that enjoy moſt of God, will be diſpoſed to let us enjoy moſt of them. For there is no Pride nor Envy in the heavenly Quire; but the more any are Beloved, the more they will delight in the moſt effectuall expreſſions of their Love. And how can they chuſe but interchange to each other unſpeakable contentment, who live in the comfort of ſuch indiſſoluble Amity and Friendſhip? Nothing can be thought of beyond this to ſet forth their happineſs: p. 69But we much conclude with **foreign, p. 459.Philo, that this i… the beſt definition of immortall life, foreign, to be held faſt in an unfleſhly and incorporeall love and friendſhip of God.

You will ſay, perhaps, that I have been now ſpeaking of ſome other Love beſides his; which, ſuppoſing our hearts ſo fixed on him, we ſhall not be capable to entertain our ſelves withall in the other world. For who can divert himſelf from ſo beloved a Good, (which ſends alſo ſuch tokens of Love to him,) and turn to any other object? We cannot think that they who love God perfectly, will be inclined to love any thing elſe. And you may think ſo ſtill, if you pleaſe, without any prejudice to what I have ſaid. This will but make that LIFE the more deſirable, and move us to wiſh for ſuch an happy ſtate; where God will be in all our thoughts, and we ſhall always love him, and yet love one another too. For theſe are not at all inconſiſtent, but we may delight our ſelves in the ſweet ſociety of Angels and Saints, and yet always SEE GOD; becauſe we ſee and love Him in every thing. They will be his Beauties which we ſhall p. 70behold in them. Thoſe holy ones will ſhine in his Glory. So that our affections will not incline to run to any perſon merely for himſelf; but becauſe we behold the face of God in him, and ſee his Graces wherewith he is adorned. All the Love there will be Divine: And the more of God ſhall appear in any perſons, the more lovely they will be; and the more we ſhall be raviſht with their company, and rejoyce in a happy league of friendſhip with them.

Well then, withdraw your thoughts a while from all the things you love here, and raiſe them above to look at Love where it reigns, and hath an uncontrolled Empire: Behold it ſitting on its Throne, advanced to its utmoſt pitch of Perfection, and ſhewing it ſelf in its full Glory: And then keep the beginnings of this Heavenly LIFE out of your Souls, if you can. It will be impoſſible you ſhould not think, there is nothing ſo much to be deſired as to be all Love. O happy Life, will you ſay, where they love as much as they are able! and where they ſhall be able to love more then now can be conceived! and where they will be beloved more then they can love; p. 71and have their Love hereby heightned, when they reflect upon it, in an endleſs Circle of joy and pleaſure! Let us enter upon this Life with all the ſpeed we can make. Let us begin it this very moment; and endeavour that no moment may paſs hereafter, but in the Love of God. For there is no heart ſo ſtony (ſure) and inſenſible, that will not be diſſolved into fleſh, and receive any impreſſions from God, if it be once touched with the ſerious thoughts of this ſtate of Love. No Soul ſo hard frozen and icy, that will not be thawed and melted to run whether God pleaſes, when it doth but feel the leaſt ſpark of this heavenly Fire fall down upon it. Do but go from the reading of this, with the thoughts of this Happineſs burning in your breaſts, and preſerve the fire, for one hour, from going out: and you cannot imagine, till you try, to what an heavenly temper it will purifie and refine your Spirits. It will make you heartily in love with the Life of Chriſt here, which leads to ſuch a bliſsfull Life in the other world. You will zealouſly follow thoſe holy deſires and reſolutions, which you will neceſſarily feel it inſpiring you withall. And you will not ſuffer any temptation whatſoever p. 72to divert you from that earneſt purſuit; but ſtill be ſaying, as St. Auſtin begins and ends his Confeſſions:

Thou, Lord, haſt made us for thee, and our heart is uneaſie and reſtleſs untill it repoſe it ſelf in thee. Who being that Good which needs no good, art always at reſt; for thou thy ſelf art thine own Reſt. But to underſtand this, what man will give to man? what Angel to Angel? or what Angel to man? Let it be askt of thee, let it be ſought in thee, let it be knockt for at thee: So, ſo ſhall it be received, ſo ſhall it be found, ſo ſhall it be opened. Amen.

III.

And the more we think of it, the more we muſt needs ſtill deſire it; becauſe our Underſtanding being filled with the knowledge, and our Will with the love of the chiefeſt Good, we ſhall ſenſibly perceive a Divine joy reſulting from theſe, and flowing into our heart with inexpreſſible pleaſure: For it is eſſentially included in every act both of that Knowledge and that Love, as may be clearly diſcerned by what hath been already ſaid. We are now compounded p. 73of different, and ſometimes contrary paſſions; which frequently diſquiet us, and diſturb our peace, by falling out with our Reaſon, and with one another. But in that bleſſed LIFE there will be no ſuch troubleſome mixture; no fear, no ſorrow, no hatred, no anger, or any the like, remaining: But joy alone, advanced to the greateſt height of glory, will be left in the poſſeſſion of the whole Soul, and have the ſole Dominion of it to it ſelf. The reaſon is, becauſe we ſhall for ever have the preſence of the greateſt Good; which will exclude the preſence of any evil, to give us the leaſt fear of loſing what we love. That's the originall of all our Paſſions: As we are glad when we enjoy any thing that we love; ſo we are troubled when we want it, or when we loſe it; and we are full of care and ſolicitude when we eagerly purſue it; and riſe up in hatred and diſpleaſure at that which oppoſes our deſires. When Love then is ſecure by the poſſeſſion of that Supreme Good, whom no evill can approach, the cauſe of all other paſſions will be baniſhed; and Joy alone be left to triumph in the conqueſt of them. For which cauſe this heavenly Joy muſt needs be the more p. 74exceſſive, when we ſhall have nothing elſe to do, but to rejoyce. This will mightily increaſe the greatneſs of it, that there will be no employment for the reſt of our Paſſions, which here, whether we will or no, take their turns together with it: and conſequently there will be nothing to diminiſh the greatneſs of it, by any trouble or diſorder that can be given it.

For the proof of which I need onelyonly refer you to the foregoing diſcourſes, and deſire you to reflect upon what you have read of the Knowledge and Love of God. You could not but obſerve how joy and pleaſure was ſo inſeparably knit to them, and interwoven with them, that I could not well ſpeak of them, but I muſt touch upon this alſo.

1. As for the firſt of them, we all feel a certain complacency which our very Senſes as well as our Underſtanding takes in objects conformable to them; even before our appetite moves at all towards them. Truly, the light is ſweet, ſays the Wiſe man, and a pleaſant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun. xi. Eccles. 7. Look then how much the Divine Light p. 75excells all other, and how much the Majeſty and Splendour of the Authour of Nature is beyond the beſt of his Works, the glory and brightneſs of the Sun: and ſo much ſweeter and more pleaſant will it be for our Mind to be filled with that Light, and to behold that firſt and Originall beauty, from whence all other are derived. We cannot think of God and of our Saviour now, without a ſingular joy: and therefore we ſhall not be able to SEE them, without an exceſs of it.

2. And, ſecondly, as for Love, Joy is a no leſs neceſſary attendant on it, or rather is intwined with it; being nothing elſe but that delight and pleaſure which ſprings up from the ſenſe of any Good that we have taken poſſeſſion of. So that look how great the Good is to which the paſſion of Love hath carried us; proportionable will be the Joy, when we feel that we are owners of it. And if it now pleaſe us ſo much to think that we are really beloved of God, and of his Son Jeſus; what an endleſs pleaſure will the ſenſe of their Love yield us, when it hath placed us in Heaven? Do but conſider now how vaſt the Love of the Lord Jeſus is, in coming down from p. 76Heaven to us, and that he knows better reaſons of his Love then we do, and that his own pleaſure is concerned in loving us, and that he cannot but finiſh his Love to thoſe who are purchaſed with his Bloud, and are of his Spirit; and it will give a marvellous ſatisfaction to your heart at preſent. But what it will do then, when he will have expreſſed all his Love to us, and perfected his kind intentions towards us, we are not able to tell. We can onelyonly conſider a little farther, how he hath plainly told us, that they who love him will rejoyce now, becauſe he is gone to the Father. (xiv. Joh. 28.) And therefore it muſt needs be an additionall pleaſure in the other life, to ſee (what we here believe) our Deareſt Lord ſhining in the Glory of God the Father, and inthroned on the right hard of the Majeſty in the Heavens. It will be an exceeding high ſatisfaction to us, to behold him, who loved us ſo much, and was ſo ill requited for it by men, ſo gloriouſly rewarded for it by God himſelf. — But it is ſo eaſie to apply what hath been ſaid to this purpoſe, that I ſhall leave ſuch conſiderations as theſe to your own diligence, and note ſomething that is not altogether ſo obvious.

p. 773. Which is, that pious Souls will conſiderably augment their joy, by the reflexions they will make upon their happineſs, and the ſtrong attention of their mind to their own delight and pleaſure. For we are never ſo truly delighted, as when we find that we are not deceived in the comfort and contentment which we promiſed our ſelves; and when we take notice of all the pleaſing motions that are in our hearts, and duly mark and obſerve the ſweetneſs of them. Before this reflexion and ſelf-obſervation; our Souls are onelyonly touched by the Objects which they apprehend, and receive ſuch impreſſions as they are able to make there: But by this means the Soul touches and ſtrikes it ſelf; ſealing thoſe impreſſions deeper, and preſſing them harder upon our ſpirit. The preſence of a Friend, without asking our leave, excites a joy and ſudden paſſion of pleaſure in our heart, upon his very firſt approaches: But when we conſider with our ſelves, not onelyonly that he is our Friend, but how good a Friend he hath been, and what joy he hath now and many other times given us; we then affect our ſelves with his preſence and ſweet company, and make the joy greater by minding how p. 78great it is. For it is the higheſt kind o… life in this world, which hath an apprehenſion that it lives. This makes the life of a man above the life of beaſts, and his pleaſures above thoſe that they enjoy. This is it alſo which makes a man in … Lethargy to be no better then dead; becauſe he hath no perception of his own life. The quicker therefore and the more lively this apprehenſion of our LIFE and of the happineſs and contentment of it grows, the more bleſſed and joyfull will the LIFE it ſelf be which we ſhall then lead. If by loving without ſeeing, we rejoyce in this world with joy unſpeakable and full of glory; (1 Pet. i. 8.) how glorious will the joy be there, when Sight or Knowledge ſhall be, if I may ſo ſpeak, in its high-noon, and Love at its full ſea; and when there will be no declenſion, much le… night, nor the leaſt ebbe any more; and when we ſhall with the moſt accurate quickneſs inſtantly apprehend and obſerve every circumſtance that adds to our unconceivable happineſs?

We have many conſiderations left us now, in the Goſpel of Chriſt, to refreſh our minds withall, from his great Love p. 79in becoming a Man for us, from his Croſs, from his Reſurrection, from his Aſcenſion and ſitting at God's right hand, from his promiſe of coming again, and the hope we have of reigning with him for ever: but by not attending to ſuch bleſſed Truths as theſe, we loſe the comfort of them. And when they are mightily urged upon us by others, and the Holy Spirit of God alſo touches us, and makes us ſenſible of the glad tidings that they bring us; we loſe ſtill a great deal of the pleaſure, by not preſſing them farther upon our hearts, marking how they are affected with them. And when all this is done, we ſhall ſtill feel a damp upon our ſpirits, unleſs we can comfortably reflect upon our own ſincere love to God, and aſſure our ſelves that we are perſons qualified for this ſupreme Joy. But there will be no danger of any ſuch defects in that happy World above; where holy Souls will as readily improve, as they eaſily diſcern, every thing that gives them ſatisfaction. As nothing will eſcape their obſervation which brings any joy along with it; ſo they will pleaſe themſelves in the contemplation of their own pleaſures, till they grow greater. And ſo far they will be from wanting any reflexions p. 80on themſelves as the perſons whom God loves and delights to honour, that they cannot but perceive it, and be tranſported with the joyfull ſenſe of it. For, if we ſhould ſpeak ſtrictly, this Joy will be ſo great, that it will need no attention to it. Its own ſtrength will make it be moſt ſenſibly felt; and (as ſome have ventured to expreſs ſo ſublime a ſtate) it will, by the tranſcendent force of its delight, eſſentially reflect upon it ſelf.

4. But let us come down from theſe heights, and conſider again, that as much as the Joy which God hath in himſelf exceeds all other ſatisfaction, ſo much will the Joy which we ſhall have in him exceed all that we have or can enjoy in any other thing. In his preſence (ſays the Pſalmiſt, xvi. 11.) is fulneſs of joy, and pleaſures everlaſting: which cannot fail to be the portion of thoſe who ſhall be admitted into his preſence, and have the happineſs to See him. For ſince by our ſight of him we ſhall be aſſimilated to him, (as was ſaid before,) and made in a manner ſuch as he is; we muſt needs be partakers with him in his Joy as well as in other things, and have ſuch a meaſure p. 81of it as exceeds all the meaſures that our ſcanty apprehenſions can now take of ſo full a Good. It is too little to ſay, that this Joy alone exceeds all worldly pleaſures, as far as the longeſt life exceeds a moment, or this whole World the leaſt mote we ſee in the Sun-beams: rather we may ſay, as far as God ſurmounts this World, or Eternity Time; between which there is ſcarce any compariſon to be reaſonably made.

5. To all which you may ſubjoyn this, as the higheſt conſideration of all, that ſuch are the Perfections of the Divine Nature, ſuch is his infinite Bounty, that they who are united to him in Love, will meet with an infinite Satisfaction. All objects of our delight here may be comprehended by our Underſtanding, and we may ſee an end of all their perfection. For which reaſon they may be ſlighted by our Will, as leſs then our ſelves, and unable to give us the contentment we deſire. It is at our choice whether we will love them or no, or at leaſt what portion of our love we will beſtow upon them: and therefore it is no great joy that they can give to one, who feels how much he is above them. p. 82But God now is ſo full, ſo infinitely above us, that he intirely ſatiates the heart of thoſe that love him. We cannot refuſe him, when we are perfectly acquainted with him; nor is it at our liberty to love him but to ſuch a meaſure. No, He will force our Soul then to love him and delight in him as much as it can; yea, more then naturally it could without the preſence of ſuch a Good; more then it believed it ſhould ever have been able to love. And this is not a force of which the Soul grows weary, as in other caſes when it is ſtrained beyond its preſent capacity; but a pleſing violence, to which it opens it ſelf, and perceiving the power of that great Good, would willingly be more poſſeſſed of it. The pleaſure that it feels ſweetly dilates it, and with a gratefull conſtraint ſo ſtretches and widens it, that the extenſion becomes natural to it. And with all this New Love created in it, the joyfull Soul will for ever remain thus big; embracing its moſt beloved Good, and delighting it ſelf in this largeneſs of Love.

This is the incomparable pleaſure of the LIFE that Chriſt promiſes. All p. 83other joys are but cold and dull, in reſpect of the flames and ſpirits of this. It is but a dream of drowzy delight which we enjoy here, in compariſon with that ſubſtantiall ſprightly pleaſure which our Souls will find in the boſom of God's Love; wherein they will repoſe themſelves with ſuch a tranſport, as if they would loſe themſelves to be all one with him. Whoſoever he be therefore that is inſenſible of all other charms, let him hearken to this; and ſee what pleaſure can doe, to make him in love with this Life of our Lord. Pleaſure, I ſay, which all mankind moſt paſſionately deſires, be it never ſo weak and imperfect: the Light of all good things; which ſhould we ſuppoſe ſeparated from humane life, it would be nothing but darkneſs and horrour. And if thou knoweſt not yet what ſpirituall delight means, let thy fleſhly pleaſures tell thee ſomething of this happineſs. If thou art not ſo ſottiſh, as never to have a thought of any thing beyond the ſatisfaction of thy fleſhly luſts; think how much more noble a Spirit and the pleaſures of it are, then a Body and all its delights. And then raiſe up thy mind a little higher, to conſider, that if pleaſure have now ſuch p. 84power over thee, here are the greateſt to invite thee. Pleaſures, that as much exceed thoſe of the ſpirit, as they do thoſe of the fleſh: Pleaſures at God's right hand; the very joy of the moſt High, the Father of ſpirits; the pleaſures of God himſelf. O come, come, if tho… loveſt thy ſelf, and thy own perfect ſatisfaction, come, I ſay, whoſoever thou art that eagerly followeſt after pleaſure, to the contemplation of theſe joys which are ſo ſublimely ſweet. And be content to part with all other, if that be the onelyonly means to be poſſeſſed of theſe. What if thou ſhouldſt ſuffer, by devoting thy ſelf to purſue theſe, in many outward accommodations? nay, if thou ſhouldſt loſe this Life, to attain that which is Eternall? It will be no dear purchace, but bring thee in an increaſe of more then an hundred-thouſand-fold. Whatſoever thou expendeſt here for the Lord Jeſus, He hath given thee his Bond for it, that it ſhall be repayed with good meaſure, heaped up, preſſed down, thruſt together, and running over into thy boſome. vi. Luk. 38. An overflowing joy it will be, but it runs over into our own breaſts. None of it will be ſpilt beſide our ſelves; but it will trickle down, with a delicious p. 85ſweetneſs, into our own hearts: Which ſhould ſtir up our moſt thirſty deſires, methinks, to be made partakers of it. If we fore-taſte the leaſt drop of it in ſuch Meditations as theſe, it ſhould fill our hearts with ſharp longings after more; and diſpoſe us to ſay with the devout Father I named at the concluſion of the foregoing particular,

Far be it from me, O Lord, Auguſt. Lib. x. Confeſ. cap. xxii.for be it from the heart of thy ſervant, to think my ſelf happy, whatſoever joy I have in this world. There is a Joy which is not the portion of the wicked, but of thoſe who ſerve thee freely; whoſe joy thou thy ſelf art. And that is the truly-happy life, to rejoyce to thee, becauſe of thee, for thee. This is it, and there is no other.

O how far diſtant is this preſent life from that! Here is Falſhood, Orat. contra Judaeos, Pagan. & Arrian. cap. xxi.there is Truth. Here is Diſturbance, there is ſure Poſſeſſion. Here is the worſt Bitterneſs, there eternall Love. Here dangerous Pride, there ſecure Joy and triumph. Here we fear leſt he that is a Friend ſhould on a ſudden turn an Enemy: there a Friend is always conſtant, becauſe no Enemy can be admitted thither. Here whatſoever Good p. 86we have, we are afraid to loſe it: there whatſoever we receive ſhall be preſerved by him, who takes care that neither we paſs away from it, nor it from us. Here is Death, there is Life. Here all things that God hath created; there God himſelf in ſtead of all, and in all things.

But what humane tongue can extoll that, which no ſenſe of mortalls can comprehend? We will go thither, that we may comprehend it. We will go and ſee there that which eye hath not ſeen, and hear there that which ear hath not heard, and underſtand there what the heart of man cannot now conceive: and ſeeing, hearing and underſtanding, we ſhall exult with unſpeakable joy. And what Joy is that, where no Fear will be? Wha… kind of Joy will it be, when thou ſhalt ſee thy ſelf a companion of Angels, a partaker of the Kingdom of Heaven, in Royall ſtate with the King of all, deſiring nothing, in paſſeſſion of all things, rich without covetouſneſs, adminiſtring without money, judging without Succeſſour, reigning without fear of Barbarians, living an eternall Life without Death?