Jesus and the Resurrection Justified by Witnesses in Heaven and Earth, Part 2 · Chapter 13

Jesus and the Resurrection Justified by Witnesses in Heaven and Earth · Part 2 · Chapter 13

p. 499CHAP. XIII. The Ʋſe we are to make of this RECORD.

I.

AND in the very entrance of ſo pious a deſign, to improve the great grace which Heaven hath beſtowed on us, it becomes us to ſtand amazed at the tranſcendent love of God our Saviour: who not contenting himſelf to have thoughts and intentions of good towards ſuch wretched Sinners, hath been pleaſed to make us a gracious promiſe that he will bleſs us; and to acquaint us, by no leſs Meſſenger then his own Eternall Son appearing from heaven in our fleſh, with the ſecret purpoſes of his heart to give us the greateſt Bleſſedneſs. There is nothing ſo aſtoniſhing as this; whether we conſider the incomparable excellency of the Good he deſigns us, or the favour he hath done us in revealing it to us, or the glory of that perſon by whom he reveals it, or the certainty we have that this is a p. 500true report, that God hath given to us Eternall Life, and this Life is in his Son.

O moſt joyfull news! ſhall we poor mortalls live for ever? and live there where Jeſus is? May ſuch as we preſume to expect ſuch glory, honour and immortality, as he hath brought to light by his Goſpell? O wonderfull love! which might have concealed its kindneſs, and yet eternally obliged us. It had been enough, if we had got to heaven, without knowing before-hand we ſhould be ſo happy. Why ſhould ſuch offenders injoy the comfort of hoping for ſo great a Happineſs, while we are here in theſe earthly priſons? Might we not have been well contented, to creep upon our hands and knees to ſo high a glory? Had we not been fairly uſed, if with our heads hanging down, and not daring ſo much as to lift up our eyes to that holy place, we had travelled through this world, and at laſt found our ſelves, beyond all expectation, at reſt with Jeſus? But, O the love of God, which hath bid us hold up our heads, and look above, and behold our Lord in his glory, and hope well, yea be confident, that he hath ſeated us together in heavenly places in Chriſt p. 501Jeſus! We are indebted to him beyond all thoughts, for promiſing us ſo freely, out of his exceeding great love, and giving us ſo evident a right to ſuch glory and honour, as our own unworthineſs and guilt forbad us to promiſe our ſelves, or to have the leaſt expectance of.

And what is it that he hath ſo freely promiſed? To look into that high and holy place where he is? at ſome diſtance to behold his glory? to have an Angel come ſometimes to viſit us, and bring us ſome meſſage from him in ſome of the ſuburbs of heaven? And a great favour too, I aſſure you. A very ſingular kindneſs it ought to be eſteemed, if we vile wretches may be permitted to be ſo happy, as but to come near the gates of the celeſtiall palace. Well would it be for us, to come but within the ſound of thoſe melodious hymns which the heavenly hoſt continually ſing: or to live but in ſome of the moſt remote corners of that heavenly countrey; and there enjoy, for many Ages, the ſweet ſociety of ſome good Friends, in pure love and innocent converſation. But hark; He tells us we ſhall live with him, and ſee his Glory, and be with his Son Jeſus, and p. 502reign together with him in his heavenly Kingdom, and be equall to the Angels, and enter into the joy of our Lord, and continue with him for ever. What manner of love is this, that we ſhould be called the Sons of God; and being like him, behold him as he is! Where is our love? whither is it run? after what is it wandred, if it be not here ready to acknowledge this kindneſs, in making us ſuch great, ſuch exceeding great and precious promiſes? Ah me! that we ſhould have loſt our ſelves ſo much, as not to find our affections forward to meet ſuch a love as this, with the higheſt tranſport of joy! When our hearts ſo abound with love, that we have enough for every thing in the world; when there is not a pretty bird or a dog but we have ſome to ſpare for it; have we none at all for our Lord God, for LOVE it ſelf, for that Love which hath ſo loved us?

Ah bleſſed Jeſus! that thou ſhouldſt be pleaſed to doe ſo much for thoſe, whoſe hearts thou kneweſt to be ſo cold, that they would ſcarce be warmed with the brighteſt beams of thine inconceivable love! How ſhall we excuſe our ſelves to thee, that our Souls are ſtill ſo frozen, p. 503after thou, the Sun of righteouſneſs, haſt ſhone ſo long ſo powerfully upon us?

Let us conſider, are we fed with a mere fancy? do we live onelyonly in a pleaſing dream? or are we left in doubt of the truth of theſe things, and hang in ſuch ſuſpence, that we know not what to think of them? No ſuch matter neither. He hath compleated his kindneſs, by giving us a Certainty and full aſſurance of thoſe things which are revealed to us in his Goſpell. Here are WITNESSES of the higheſt quality to atteſt the truth of his Love: by whom we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an underſtanding that we may know him that is true, &c. This is the true God, and Eternall Life. And as if one or two were not ſufficient, here are ſix Witneſſes come to tell us how he loves us. Heaven and Earth conſpire to draw our hearts to be love of him; who hath not onelyonly given us exceeding great Promiſes, but exceeding great Certainty that they are all true and faithfull. He knew very well they would ſeem incredible; being as much beyond all our thoughts, as they are beyond our deſerts. And therefore he took care to give us ſuch evidences of p. 504their truth, as ſhould not merely work in us belief, but a full aſſurance of faith. By Himſelf, by his Word, by the Holy Ghoſt, by the Water, the Bloud, and the Spirit, we are ſo many ways rooted and grounded in this perſwaſion, that we cannot but ſee we are doubly beholden to his infinite bounty: firſt, for ſuch exceeding great and precious promiſes; and then, for as wonderfully great confirmation of them, to our unſpeakable and endleſs comfort.

And are we not yet apprehenſive of his love? Doth it not yet feelingly touch our hearts; but leave us indifferent whether we will love him or not? Ah fools that we are! who muſt be ſent to ſchool to thoſe brute creatures mentioned before, to teach us better nature and better manners. How do our very dogs (as I have ſaid elſewhere) follow us and fawn upon us for a cruſt of bread? how cloſe do they keep to us? how ready are they to defend us and our houſes, and all belonging to us? Even when we are dead, ſome of them have been known not to forſake their Maſters for any other. And what is all this ſervice for, but ſuch things as we have no uſe of, or make no p. 505account of our ſelves? O bleſſed God! who can endure to ſtay ſo long as to hear this applied to himſelf, before he learn to love thee? I ſee whither this leſſon tends: I behold already how ſhamefull it is to diſpoſe of my heart away from thee. Thou haſt given us thine own dear Son: What a gift! how great a boon! Thou haſt promiſed us eternall life: How invaluable a poſſeſſion! Thou haſt given us good hopes and ſtrong conſolation: What an exceſſive kindneſs! Shall we not devote our ſelves to thee? ſhall we not forſake all, and follow thee, whitherſoever thou wilt lead us? We cannot refuſe: we muſt reſolve to ſurrender our hearts intirely to thee. We ſhould be worſe then Dogs, ſhould we not with all our minds and ſoul and ſtrength love that tranſcendent goodneſs, which by the moſt miraculous demonſtrations hath perſwaded us, that we ſhall live eternally with himſelf, and enjoy the everlaſting fruits of his infinite love. This is the moſt comfortable news that could poſſibly arrive from heaven. Should we have had our own wiſhes, nothing greater, nothing ſo great could have entred into our hearts deſire. This ſweetens the bitterneſs of all afflictions, and this heightens p. 506all our joys; when we hope the one ſhall ſhortly, but the other ſhall never end.

Plutarch deſervedly blamed Epicurus of great incogitancy, who, making all happineſs conſiſt in Pleaſure, denied the ſtate of the future life: which it is the greateſt pleaſure to hope for and expect. Nothing caſts ſuch a damp upon all a man's enjoyments here, as the cold thoughts of an endleſs death ſeizing on his heart. He cannot but ſigh to think that ſhortly there muſt be a finall period put to all his delights. As on the contrary, this gives life and ſpirit to them, if he can think they ſhall be improved and perpetuated for ever. And therefore how much do we owe to the love of God, who hath given us aſſurance even of the Reſurrection of our body to an immortall life; and told us, it ſhall be ſo far from being loſt by going to the grave, that, like Seed, it ſhall riſe again quite another thing then it was when caſt into the ground? no longer weak, contemptible, corruptible and mortall; but powerfull, ſpirituall, glorious, incorruptible and immortall: and conſequently capable of purer, more ſpritely, and more p. 507laſting pleaſures then now it injoys.

O how much more comfortable is this opinion, then that of the Epicurean, (as Tertullian excellently ſpeaks **De Teſtimonio animae c. iv.,) which vindicates thee from deſtruction! How much more ſeemly then the Pythagorean, which doth not ſend thee into beaſts! How much more full then the Platonicall, which reſtores even thy body as a new dowry to thee! O taſt and ſee how gracious the Lord is. Bonum Deum novimus; ſolum optimum à Chriſto ejus addiſcimus **Id. De Reſurrectione carnis cap. ix.: We knew God was good before; but ſo moſt excellently good, we learn onelyonly from his Chriſt; who bidding us, next him, to love our Neighbour, doth that himſelf which he expects from us. He loves even our body, which is ſo many ways of kin to him.

II.

But that we may underſtand how much we are indebted to him, and thereby become more ſenſible of his wonderfull Love, give me leave to ſhew, as briefly as I can, how little the world knew, before our Saviour came, of this Happineſs which he hath revealed to us: and how p. 508much his loving-kindneſs hath abounded towards us more then to his more peculiar people in former days; whoſe love notwithſtanding he expected ſhould be intirely devoted to him and his ſervice.

It would be very eaſy to ſhew, were there not danger of making this Treatiſe too big, how weak all the reaſonings of the Philoſophers were about this matter; and in what uncertainty they left men after they had written whole Books on this Subject. Among all thoſe who endeavoured by humane argumentations to find it, there were but few (as St. Auguſtine truly obſerves **L. xiii. De Trinitate c. 8. & 9.) that could, and they but ſcarcely, arrive at the knowledge of the immortality of the Soul; though men of great wit, and abounding with leiſure, and inſtructed in the moſt ſubtill pieces of learning. And when they had reſolved, ſays he, that it was immortall, they could not find a ſettled bleſſed life for it. But many of them thought it returned again to the miſeries of this life. And they who bluſht at this, and placed the Soul in immortall bleſſedneſs without the body, deſtroyed their own opinion by p. 509the revolution which they fanſied of all things back again, after a certain period of time, to that condition wherein they were before: As he ſhews more fully in his Book of the City of God **Lib. xii. cap. 20.. There is nothing truer then that of St. Paul, ii. Eph. 12. that they had no hope, viz. of the Reſurrection and eternall Life. For, to ſay nothing of the Reſurrection, (to which they were perfect ſtrangers,) ſome of the greateſt Philoſophers denied the immortality of the Soul. Socrates himſelf, the very beſt of them, was not confident of it; but left it in doubt as a thing uncertain. Nor was Ariſtotle more aſſured; no nor Tully and Seneca: who could not by all their reaſonings attain a ſure and well-grounded hope of it; but were forced to confeſs, after all their diſquiſitions about the Soul, that, foreign **Ariſtoteles L. i. de A…ma c. 1., it is one of the moſt difficult things in the world to receive any belief or certain knowledge about it. All that they ſaid was conjecture, and very weak, very uncertain, and ſometimes very extravagant. Which ſhews in what a miſt they were, without the light of Divine revelation, which we by God's great grace injoy.

p. 510They themſelves ſeem to be ſenſible ſometimes of the want of an heavenly Guide, to conduct them with more certainty to the knowledge of that happineſs which they deſired; as any one may ſee in Plato's Dialogue **in Phaedone.on this Subject. Where Socrates his arguments for immortality, juſt before he was going to die, have ſo little force to conclude any thing certainly; that Simias had reaſon to ſay, it is either foreign, impoſſible, or a thing extream difficult, to know any thing clearly of it in this life. But a man muſt chuſe the beſt reaſons he can find, which are leaſt liable to exception; and he muſt venture to embark himſelf in theſe, and ſail by them through this life: unleſs he can be ſo happy as to be carried ſafer and with leſs hazzard foreign, **p. 85., in a ſurer ſtedfaſt chariot, of ſome divine word, that is, or revelation. Which is a plain acknowledgement that this onelyonly can give us perfect ſecurity, and ſatisfy us ſo as to take away all doubt. And this God hath granted to us Chriſtians, to whom he hath ſpoken in theſe laſt days by his Son, and given this Record of him, that p. 511Eternall Life is in him. And therefore Lactantius might truly ſay **L. vii. Divin Inſtit. c. 7.Immortales eſſe animas Pherecydes & Plato diſputaverunt; haec verò propria eſt in noſtra Religione doctrina. Pherecydes and Plato diſputed that Souls were immortall; but it is our Religion onelyonly that teaches this as its proper leſſon. For to know what is true is in no man's power, but his that is taught of God. And their arguments, he ſhews in the next Chapter, were ſo weak, and ſo much there was to be ſaid with equall probability on the other ſide, that Tully, after all things weighed on both parts, concluded he knew not what to ſay but this, Harum igitur ſententiarum, quae vera ſit, Deus aliquis viderit; Which of theſe opinions therefore are true, God onelyonly knows. And in another place, Both theſe opinions have learned Authours; but which is certain, cannot be divined. In the next Chapter alſo but one he brings another ſuch uncertain reſolution of the ſame great man; who ſays, We ſhould go confidently to death, in which we know there is either the greateſt good, or no evill.

p. 512But what this Summum bonum greateſt good was, they were ſtill to ſeek. When they had ſuppoſed their Souls to ſurvive their bodies, they had no certain knowledge what the happineſs of their future ſtate ſhould be; but miſerably wandred in the darkneſs of their imaginations, as their ſeverall fancies led them. We need onelyonly take the faireſt deſcriptions they have left us of the foreign, country of the pious, to ſatisfy us how little men could know, when they had onelyonly their own thoughts to direct them, of the ſtate of the other World. Gobryas, in a Dialogue aſcribed to Plato **in Axiocho, p. 371. edit. Serran., ſays, that it is a region where the ſeaſons of the year abound with all manner of fruit, the fountains guſh out with the pureſt water, the fields are cloathed with all kind of flowers, and where there are Schools of Philoſophers, Theatres of Poets, Muſick and Dancing-ſchools in perfection; together with the neateſt Banquets, all ſorts of Dainties ſpringing up of themſelves, a ſweet eaſy life without any mixture of ſorrow or grief: for neither the winter nor ſummer are there in exceſs, but a welltempered air illuſtrated by the ſofteſt p. 513beams of the Sun: and there they that are initiated in the Myſteries have the preeminence, and rightly perform the holy offices. Which is not much different from the Paradiſe which the diſciples of Mahomet expect; who cannot raiſe their minds higher then the things they beſt fanſy in this World. Which makes them, being forbidden by their Law the drinking of wine here, to reckon this among the pleaſures of the other world, that they ſhall have liberty there to drink as much as ever they will, and be in no danger of intoxication. For the wine of Paradiſe, the Alcoran **Miſcell. D. Po…ock. c. vii. p. 300.ſays, doth not make men drunk, as ours doth; but paſſes away all by ſweat, which ſmells as ſweet as any Musk.

Which I mention for no other end, but to ſhew how ſtupidly blind men are, when they are left to walk in the ways of their own hearts: and how deeply we are indebted to the exceeding great love of God; who, when he ſaw the minds of men too weak to comprehend ſuch things, and that they ſtood in need of a Divine Teacher, (as Clemens Alexandrinus **L. v. Stromat. p. 548.ſpeaks,) was pleaſed, in his infinite condeſcenſion, to ſend one from the very p. 514place, his own dear Son from heaven, foreign, both the Teacher and the Giver of that poſſeſſion of Good; the ſecret holy token of that great Providence, which took care, when men had loſt themſelves in vain imaginations, to lead them right by Him, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Who hath made that certain, which was dubious; and that plain to every body, which was the hardeſt thing in the world to know before: and bids us lift up our Minds to God himſelf, with whom he dwells, and to whom he will bring us; that we may rejoyce in his Love for ever, in the happy company of Angels and good men, and in that place of which the Divine Majeſty is the glory.

And it was but needfull, we ſhall ſee, he ſhould ſend us ſuch a Conductour; when we conſider how little even they who were inſtructed by God himſelf underſtood of this Eternall Life, before our Saviour appeared.

It cannot be denied that the greateſt part of the Jews, before our Saviour's coming, did expect the Reſurrection of the dead, and Eternall Life. v. Joh. 39. p. 515xxvi. Act. 6, 7. And their pious Anceſtors before the giving of the Law, (xi. Heb. 9, 10, 16, 26.) as well as after, (ver. 35.) ſought an heavenly country, and had reſpect to the recompence of reward, and refuſed deliverance from their tortures, that they might obtain a better reſurrection. And their Writers in all Ages have ſpoken much of the World to come; whereby they underſtand ſometimes the days of the Meſſiah, and ſometimes the future State which we expect after death. All this is true; but it is as certain,

I. That they had no ſuch expreſs promiſes of theſe things, either in the Law or in the Prophets, as we have in the holy Goſpell. Where do you reade one ſuch ſaying as this (which we frequently meet withall) in the whole Law of Moſes; Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlaſting life. I am the living bread, which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he ſhall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my fleſh, which I will give for the life of the world? vi. Joh. 47, 51. Promiſes indeed of the good things of this world are very rife, to thoſe that diligently keep God's commandments; to p. 516whom he ſays, I will give you the rain of your land in due ſeaſon, that thou mayeſt gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil. And I will ſend graſs in thy fields for thy cattel, that thou mayeſt eat and be full. xi. Deut. 14, 15. Which is repeated again more largely, xxviii. Deut. 2, 3, &c. And all theſe bleſſings ſhall come upon thee and overtake thee, if thou ſhalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. Bleſſed ſhalt thou be in the city, and bleſſed ſhalt thou be in the field. Bleſſed ſhalt thou be in the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, &c. Bleſſed ſhall be thy basket and thy ſtore. Bleſſed ſhalt thou be when thou comeſt in, and bleſſed ſhalt thou be when thou goeſt out. But in what place do you find any ſuch promiſes as theſe: BLESSED are the poor in Spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven: Bleſſed are they that mourn; for they ſhall be comforted: Bleſſed are the pure in heart; for they ſhall SEE GOD: Bleſſed are they that doe his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life: with ſuch like? of which the New Teſtament is ſo full, that a little time will not ſerve to number them all. v. Matt. 3, 4, 8. xxii. Rev. 14.

p. 517Alas! when their Writers undertake to prove the life of the World to come out of their Law, it is out of places ſo far from the purpoſe, that this endeavour is a plain confeſſion they have no expreſs promiſes of it, but are fain to ſqueez the words to ſpeak that which is not in them. Shall I give a few inſtances of this truth? Joſeph Albo, a famous man of that Nation, and of good reaſon, from that place, xiv. Deut. 1, 2. Ye are the children of the Lord your God; ye ſhall not cut your ſelves, nor make any baldneſs between your eyes for the dead: For thou art an holy people, &c. thus fetches about his diſcourſe. Behold, one would think the quite contrary ſhould be concluded. They ſhould the rather mourn and grieve, becauſe they are the children of God: as the Son of a King is more to be lamented when he is dead, then the child of an ordinary man. But the true interpretation is, as if he had ſaid, Seeing the moſt Bleſſed God is holy, and his Miniſters are holy; thou alſo art an holy people. All things are joyned to that which is like themſelves: and therefore without doubt your Soul is joyned to the Angels, becauſe it is holy p. 518as they are holy: for which cauſe you muſt not cut your ſelves for the dead, nor mourn more then is fit. And this teaches us, that there is a bleſſed immortality for the Soul after death. Such is his concluſion from thoſe words: which rather teach us, how hard it is to find anything in the Law to that purpoſe; and how much we are bound to magnify the love of God for the revelation of his bleſſed will in the Goſpell. He argues ſomething better when he gathers it from thoſe words, xxxii. Deut. 47. where he ſaith there is a twofold happineſs or reward ſpoken of; one ſpirituall, [it is your life,] the other corporall, becauſe it is ſaid, through this ye ſhall prolong your days. And yet, ſo weak and infirm are their reaſonings that, at another turn they ſhall prove Eternall Life from this promiſe of prolonging their days; though it be expreſly added, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. For there being the letter Jod wanting in the word foreign in the Fifth Commandment, where God promiſes to prolong their days, they conclude that there is no prolongation of days in this world, but it belongs to the next. Nor can he find any clearer place to prove the Reſurrection of the body, p. 519then that in the ſame book, xxxii. Deut. 39. I kill, and I make alive. Nay, our Lord himſelf alledges a place for it, which was but dark till he illuſtrated it, and proved, by conſequence, not an expreſs promiſe, that Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob ſhould be rewarded by him who called himſelf their God.

But we cannot, I think, learn this truth better from any then from Philo, a man much excelling all the modern Jews; who could find no places to this purpoſe plainer then thoſe cited by Albo; ſome of which he alledges, and adds others **in his Book foreign.no leſs weak and obſcure. Such as that iv. Deut. 4. But ye that did cleave unto the Lord, are alive every one of you this day. They that were good, ſays he, Moſes onelyonly acknowledges for the living; and he witneſſes to them immortality, by adding, ye are alive foreign this day. For this to day is the foreign, world without end. If he could have met with any plain promiſes, who can think that a man of his parts would have uſed ſuch ſancifull proofs as this? And yet this place I find R. Gamaliel moſt relied on, when after a long diſpute with the Sadducees, who would p. 520not be ſatisfied that the Reſurrection could be proved out of the Law, he at laſt referred them hither **Manaſſeh ben Iſrael L. i. de Reſur. c. 1.. But he explained the words thus, As ye are all alive to day, ſo you ſhall live alſo in the world to come. For he ſuppoſes ſome of thoſe whom Moſes ſpeaks of were dead, and yet the text ſays they were alive; becauſe their union with God, by cleaving to him, made them immortall. Which is not much better then the next proof which follows in Philo, who fanſies that in x. Lev. 2. where it is ſaid, Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord, foreign, the tokens of their immortality is proclaimed. And that to ſay, they died before the Lord, is as good as to ſay, they lived; for it was not lawfull to bring a dead thing into the preſence of God. And this, ſays he, is that which the Lord preſently adds, I will be ſanctified of thoſe who draw nigh to me: for the dead, as it is in the Pſalms, praiſe not God; foreign, it is the work of the living. Juſt thus he proves in another Book **foreign, &c. p. 164., with the like force, that Abel lives foreign an happy life in God, becauſe the Scripture ſaith the voice of his bloud cried out againſt his p. 521wicked Brother. Now foreign; how could he be able to ſpeak, if he was not in being? An argument which rather proves, Moſes ſpake nothing clearly of theſe things; for if he had, this Writer would not have contented himſelf with ſuch ſlender inferences. Which are as weak as that of R. Johanan, who proves the Reſurrection from that in xviii. Num. 28. where they are commanded to give the Lord's Terumah to Aaron the Prieſt. Who did not live, ſaith he, to enter into the land of Canaan; and therefore muſt be raiſed again to receive the portion of the Lord in that good Land. And yet this is as ſtrong an argument as that of R. Solomon, who concludes it merely from the two Jods in the word foreign ii. Gen. 7. where it is ſaid, the LORD God formed man, &c. This ſignifies, ſays he, that man muſt be formed twice; once in this world, and once in the next at the reſurrection of the dead. There are more of this nature in the Gemara of the Sanhedrin **Vid. Coch. c. xi. n. 2, 3, 9., which I ſhall not trouble the Reader withall: but onelyonly note, that the weakneſs and uncertainty of theſe proofs make the Samaritans brag of the advantage they have of the Jews; becauſe they ſay, in their p. 522Pentateuch (which therefore they would have to be the true copy of Moſes his Law) there is an expreſs text to prove the Reſurrection and the Life to come, which the Jews cannot ſhew. So deſirous were all that had the poſſeſſion of theſe Books, to find theſe Truths plainly recorded there; which even thoſe words, which the Samaritans pretend to be a part of their Law, do not contain. All is dark and doubtfull, after their beſt gloſſes and inferences; and we can conclude nothing certainly, but that God did not reveal theſe things to Moſes, who was ſent to make a covenant of another nature with the Iſraelites. Whence it was that they were ſo much diſputed by a great party among the Jews, as every body knows; the Phariſees affirming, and the Sadducees denying. Which left the minds of the multitude in much doubt, while they ſaw theſe two Schools ſo reſolutely oppoſing one the other.

And if we paſs from the Law to the Prophets, eſpecially to the Prophet Iſaiah, who (as Abarbinel ſays in his Preface to him) ſpeaks more clearly of the Reſurrection of the dead then all the reſt, we ſhall not receive much greater ſatisfaction. p. 523For the places from whence it is deduced do ſo evidently belong to another ſenſe in the firſt intention of the Prophet, that it forces us to confeſs this Doctrine was but obſcurely delivered in thoſe days; and that we could not have been certain of any other ſenſe, without the benefit of a Revelation. The proofs which Abarbinel brings are, xviii. Iſa. 4. xxiv. 18, 21, 22, 23. xxv. 8. xxvi. 19. lxvi. 8, 14, 24. and ſuch like: which when we have ſeriouſly examined, it will excite us with the greater admiration to acknowledge the infinite grace of God towards us; who do not ſee theſe things through ſhadows, nor have need of long diſcourſes to extract this heavenly Doctrine out of our Books, but in expreſs terms reade, So God loved the world, that he gave his onelyonly-begotten Son, that whoſoever believeth in him ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life. iii. Joh. 16. And this is the promiſe that he hath promiſed us, even ETERNALL LIFE. 1 Epiſt. ii. 25. What is there in all the Prophets like to this, I am the reſurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet ſhall he live: And whoſoever liveth, and believeth in me, ſhall never die? xi. Joh. 25, 26. The cleareſt place is p. 524that in Daniel, xii. 2. And yet, if we reade the words going before, (not to ſay Mr. Brightman **Ib. & in xx. Rev. 11.Rev 11, Grotius, and other learned Writers upon the place,) we ſhall not be able to deny that he is ſpeaking of a particular Reſurrection, from exceeding great oppreſſion, to a long ſtate of proſperity. Which typified indeed in a very admirable manner (as Ezekiel's dry bones and many other things did) the ſtate of the Generall Reſurrection and eternall Bleſſedneſs; but did not plainly reveal it. This was reſerved for our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who brought life and immortality to light by his Goſpell; and openly proclaimed, that ALL (not MANY, as it is in Daniel,) that are in their graves ſhall hear his voice, and ſhall come forth: they that have done good, unto the reſurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the reſurrection of damnation. v. Joh. 28, 29.

II. But we ſhall ſee more reaſon to bleſs the infinite goodneſs of God towards us Chriſtians, if we obſerve, as we may eaſily from what hath been ſaid, that as they wanted the expreſs promiſes which we have; ſo what they underſtood of the nature of this Felicity, by the light p. 525they enjoyed, was but very dull in compariſon with what is revealed to us. Who can ſee more even in their Books then they could do themſelves; and find out that by the light of the Coſpell, which was wrapt up in dark figures and clouds under the Law and the Prophets. As they ſaw Chriſt in Iſaar and in a Lunb; ſo they beheld Heaven under the figure of Paradiſe, and in a Land flowing with milk and honey, and in the …oly city, and the Temple of ſtone; the greateſt glory whereof was, when it was filled with the cloud. 1 King. viii. 10, &c. But now in the Church of the New Teſtament there is no Temple, but the Lord God Almighty and the L…mb are the Temple of it. xxi. Rev. 22. And he ſaith not now, I will dwell in thick darkneſs; but, as it follows there, ver. 23. the glory of God inlightens the Church, and the Lamb is the Light thereof: who hath made us with open fa…e to behold his glory in the heavens; and given us full aſſurance that we ſhall be changed into the ſame image, from glory to glory: 2 Cor. iii. 18. This he publiſhed ſo clearly, that the dulleſt and moſt illiterate fouls ſaw there was no Maſter comparable to him, who had the Words of …ernall life; and by his Death, Reſurrection and Aſcenſion, p. 526opened to all believers the Kingdom of heaven. That's a word St. Auſtin confeſſes **Tom. vi. L. xix. contra Fauſt. Man. cap. ult.he could not find in all the Old Scriptures; and St. Hierom ſays the ſame. There are Teſtimonies there, ſaith he, of Eternall life, whether plain or obſcure it matters not: (though the places he alledges would have been obſcure, if we had not been inlightned, before we reade them, by the Goſpell:) but this Name of the KING DOM OF HEAVEN I can meet withall in no place: Hoc enim propriè pertinet ad revelationem Novi Teſtamenti; For it properly belongs to the Revelation of the New Teſtament. And it is a word, as the Authour of the Anſwers ad Orthodoxos teaches us, which doth not ſimply ſiguifie the Reſurrection, foreign but the ſtate of things after the Reſurrection, when we ſhall be ſo marvell ouſly changed, as to be fit companions for the Angels, and reign with our Saviour in his glory.

Of which things the Jews have now ſo little knowledge, that they expect onelyonly to riſe again to feaſt here upon earth with the M…ſſiah whom they look for; and after they have ſpent ſome years in the enjoyment of the good things of an earthly Paradiſe, then they think their p. 527bodies ſhall die, and their Souls onelyonly live for ever **Vid. Jacch…ades in viii. Dan. 14. & L'Empereur ib.Let any one that is able but reade what Manaſſeh ben Iſrael hath writ of the Reſurrection; and he will find it ſuch poor ſtuff, that the beſt uſe that can be made of it will be, to put our ſelves in mind how much we ſtand ingaged to the Divine love, for acquainting us ſo plainly with the Happineſs he will give us at the Reſurrection of our bodies to an immortall life. Our Saviour, indeed, ſaith they might have learnt better out of the Scriptures, then to imagine there will be eating and drinking and marrying after the reſurrection: but there was none of their books could teach them that we ſhould be companions of Angels, and ſhine like the Sun, and ſee God, and be coheirs with Chriſt, and ſuch like things; which by the Goſpell are now ſo clearly diſcovered to us, that the moſt ignorant know more then the wiſeſt that want this Revelation.

R. Tanchum (who would fain prove the life of the World to come from the words of Abigail, who ſpeaks of the binding David's Soul in the bundle of life, 1 Sam. xxv. 29 **D. Pocock. Not. miſcell. c. vi. p. 91..) obſerves, that this Myſtery, which was a ſtranger to mens underſtandings in other nations, and far p. 528remote from their thoughts, to the knowledge of which none but very wiſe men came, by much labour and exerciſe, and after long diſquiſitions and difficult reaſonings, was known then among the Jews, and maniſeſt even to the Women. An argument, ſaith he, that wiſedom was much ſpred in our Nation, and that, as Moſes ſpeaks, iv. Dent. 6. we are a wiſe and underſtanding people. Which is far truer of the Diſciples of the Lord Jeſus; among whom even the moſt ſimple are taught ſuch things, as (whatſoever ſuch a wiſe woman as Abigail may be ſuppoſed to underſtand in ancient days) their greateſt Doctours have been ſo ignorant of ſince, that we ſee the words of Iſaiah xxix. 14. ſulfilled in them, The Wiſedom of their wiſe men ſhall periſh, and the und…rſhanding of their …ndent men ſhall be hid. Where is the wiſe? (as St. Paul triumphs over them, 1 Cor. i. 20, 27.) where is the S…? where is the diſputer of this world? God hath choſen the fooliſh things of the world, to confound the wiſe. Made uſe …, of ſuch men as the World, for wa… of humane learning, accounted no better … fools, to publiſh ſo clearly and with ſuch evidence the doctrine of Lternall Life; that it may juſtly make p. 529men of the greateſt repute for learning bluſh, who could not ſpeak one wiſe word about it.

But ſuppoſe them all to have been indued with a clearer ſight then indeed they had of the Life to come; yet of the Bleſſedneſs which God intends for us there, that of St. Paul (1 Cor. ii. 9.) will ſtill be true; Eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, neither have entred into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. There is a paſſage in the Prophet Iſaiah very like this, lxiv. 4. which the Jewiſh Doctours themſelves expound, in the myſticali ſenſe, of the future life; and from thence St. Paul is ſuppoſed to have borrowed theſe expreſſions. Though the very words …mſelves of St. Paul being found in the Apocryphall Book of Elias, it is probable, as Grotius thinks, that this was grown a common ſaying among the Rabbins; who had been taught, by ancient tradition, to expect ſuch things in the days of the Meſſiah, as never any eye had ſeen, nor ear heard, nor had entred into any man's heart to conceive. Which is verified in the whole Revelation of God's will in the Goſpell; eſpecially in this part of it. p. 530No man had ſo much as a thought or a deſire of ſuch things as God hath done for us, and intends to doe by our Lord Jeſus. That he ſhould ſend from heaven his own Son, his onelyonly-begotten Son, begotten of him before all worlds, to be incarnate of a pure Virgin, to die for our ſins, that he might riſe again to ſit at God's right hand, where our Nature ſhines far brighter then all the glorious hoſt of heaven, are ſuch things as they had no imagination of who expected the coming of Chriſt. Much leſs did they think of being ſo promoted by him in his heavenly Kingdome, that they ſhould at laſt arrive at the ſame glory; and this clod of earth ſhould be lifted up to the dwellings of Angels, and there be faſhioned like unto the glorious body of Chriſt himſelf. Theſe are things, as St. Auſtin you heard ſaid before, which are proper to the revelation of the Goſpell; wherein we reade this unheard-of love ſo plainly, that every child may underſtand it. But without this revelation, even they that have got the words ſink into the dulleſt and moſt groſs apprehenſions of the future State. The Mahometans uſe theſe very words to expreſs the felicity they expect in their Paradiſe; ſaying, God hath prepared p. 531for his ſervants ſuch things as eye hath not ſeen, nor the ear heard, nor have come up into the heart of man **D. Pocock. not. ad Gregor. Abul. Pharaj. p. 292.. But they mean onelyonly (as they themſelves explain it) virgins with fairer and larger eyes then ever they beheld in this world, and ſuch like things which I am aſhamed to name: beyond which theſe blockiſh vicious Arabians were not able to lift their minds. They are the words of Maimonides, upon this occaſion, who talks more rationally, I ſhew'd in the beginning of this Treatiſe, then many of his Brethren: in whom we find conceptions of the ſtate of the other life little leſs ſenſuall then theſe of Mahomet.

Bleſſed be God therefore, ſhould we ſay, who hath revealed theſe unſeen, unheard-of, inconceivable things to his Apoſtles by his Spirit; and made us underſtand what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints. We can never thank him enough, who hath delivered us from the power of darkneſs, and tranſlated us into the kingdom of the Son of his leve. By whom we underſtand that fleſh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdom of God; but we ſhall be changed, and made ſpirituall p. 532and heavenly, after the image of him who is the Lord from heaven.

III. And we are bound to the love of God above all other men in another regard alſo; becauſe he hath given us ſuch Records, ſuch Witneſſes of this Eternall life; far greater then ever the World had ſeen or heard of before.

When men ſaw Abel, that firſt-fruit of righteouſneſs, (as Theodoret calls him,) haſtily pluckt by the hand of violence before it was ripe; and his murtherous Brother Cain ſurvive, and take root, and build cities; there was great danger that men ſhould be tempted to think it was in vain to ſerve God faithfully, there being as yet no hope of the Reſurrection to … mars Souls. And therefore God was … for this reaſon, as **….Theodoret thin…, to manſlate Enoc…, a man whoſe play …dingly pleaſed him, to the othere world, de foreign, that he might comfort the hearts of th…ſe who reſolutely oppoſed vice, and co…nded for vertue, in a wicked Age. And this was apt to revive in all m…s minds a belief of his Providence, and perſwade them that piety never p. 533went unrewarded; but that he who thus honoured Enoch, had taken care to recompenſe righteous Abel. Such was the grace of God to men before the law. And afterward, when the Iſraelites were greatly degenerate, and faln into Idolatry, Elias their Prophet was carried in a chariot of fire by a whirlwind into heaven. Theſe things were mighty incouragements to good men, and were apt to confirm all in the belief of a future life. But who is there whoſe name ſtands upon record to teſtify that he ſaw Enoch ſnatcht from this mortall life, and taken up to God? And of Elias his tranſportation, what witneſs is there more then one, till our Saviour's time; when three of his Apoſtles beheld him and Moſes too (which was more then they knew of) appear in glory? Whereas we have no …ſs then Six Witneſſes, three in Heaven and three on Earth, who many ways teſtify to us that Jeſus is gone into heaven, and (which is more) is on the right hand of God, Angels and authorities and powers being made ſubject unto him. 1 Pet. iii. 22. All his Apoſtles likewiſe ſaw him aſcend thither, and he hath appeared to more then one of them ſince his ſupereminent exaltation. What a vaſt difference hath p. 534his goodneſs made between us and former times? They beheld ſomething of the life to come in Enoch; juſtorum tranſlationem praemonſtrans, (as Irenaeus **Lib. v. cap. 5.ſpeaks,) who foreſhewed the tranſlation of the juſt: but we ſee it clearly in the Son of God, who hath promiſed to take us up to himſelf. They ſaw a few beams of this glory in the face of Moſes, which ſhone on them when he came down from the Mount: but we in the face of Jeſus Chriſt; who, all the time he was among men, ſhone in ſuch illuſtrious works, that they beheld his glory, the glory as of the onelyonly-begotten of the Father; and after he aſcended to heaven, appeared ſeverall times from thence in a light above the brightneſs of the Sun at mid-day. What a vaſt difference is there between our times and theirs? foreign. For faith then was in Shadows, (as St. Greg. Naz **Orat. xx. p. 366.. ſpeaks of Enoch's tranſlation,) and they had not the things themſelves clearly revealed to them; as we have by the grace of the Goſpell: which, when it appeared, was ſo bright and full of glory, that it ſcattered, nay conſumed, as the other Gregory **Gregor. Nyſſen. Hom. v. in Cantic. p. 642.ſpeaks, foreign, all that duskiſh umbratick repreſentation in types and figures; and inlightned all places p. 535with the beams of that true light, of life and immortality.

And more then this; there is not the leaſt evidence, no ſyllable of any record which teſtifies that any of theſe perſons had life in themſelves, to give to their friends, or ſo much as help them forward to Eternall Life. No; nor do they ſay that others who fear God ſhall have the ſame felicity to which they were carried; though their very going thither put pious men in hope of being happy with them in heaven. Whereas we have abundant teſtimonie in ſo many words, that Jeſus hath life in himſelf, and is the Reſurrection and the Life; that we ſhall live by him, and with him; that none ſhall periſh who believe on him, nor any be able to pluck them out of his hands; that He himſelf will raiſe them up at the laſt day, and give unto them eternall life. v. Joh. 26. vi. 57. x. 28. xi. 25. vi. 40, 44, 54.

Then indeed, in thoſe old times, was the Infancy of the World; and being little Children, (though they were heirs, yet) they differed not much from Servants. They knew not what their Father p. 536intended for them, nor underſtood the inheritance to which they were born: no more then a child does what the enjoyments of a man are, till he come to that eſtate. Unto that growth we are now arrived, who have the knowledge of God's grace in Chriſt Jeſus. We are now the Sons of God: and though it do not appear (as I ſaid before) how we ſhall be his Sons hereafter; yet this we know, that we ſhall be like him when he appears; for we ſhall ſee him as he is. And therefore we cannot refrain from crying out again, Behold what manner of love the Father hath beſtowed upon us. Let us admire it, let us adore it; for never was there ſuch love.

III.

But it is not ſufficient onelyonly to admire this incomparably tranſcendent love; which naturally excites in the hearts of thoſe that conſider it ſuch an ardent reciprocall affection, as leads them to an univerſall chearfull obedience to God's will. That's the proof our Saviour juſtly expects of our unfeigned love to him. He would have us, if we be truly ſenſible of the kindneſs he hath done us, not p. 537labour ſo much for the meat that periſheth, as for the meat that endureth unto everlaſting life, which he will give unto us. Take any pains, that is, to be ſo happy as he deſigns to make us: which no man can refuſe who hath once ſet his affections, not on things beneath, but on thoſe which are above, where Chriſt ſitteth on the right hand of God. And this he may well expect we will doe, now that he hath ſo clearly demonſtrated where our Happineſs lies, and given us ſuch aſſurance that he lives for ever to bring us to it. This will move us, if any thing in the world can do it, to come when he invites us, to take his yoke upon us, and ſtoop to his burthen; ſo ſhall we find reſt to our Souls. This Eternall life, as the Divine Record tells us, is onelyonly in the Son of God: part of the meaning of which words is, that onelyonly by the Religion which our Lord Jeſus hath taught us is this great Good to be obtained. This is teſtified to us by God as much as any thing elſe, that there is no way to be happy but by his Son Jeſus; who hath ſhewn us the onelyonly means to obtain glory, honour and immortality, is by patient continuance in well doing. True Vertue is the preparation for it, without p. 538which nothing is good for us; neither health, nor riches, nor beauty, nor ſtrength, nor power, no nor immortality, (as Plato **L. ii. de Legibus p. 661.excellently diſcourſes,) ſhould we ſuppoſe it added to all theſe: but it is beſt that an evill man foreign, ſhould live as little a while as may be.

Which demonſtrates again the incomparable love of God, in revealing thoſe things to us which are ſo neceſſary for the ſecuring and promoting our preſent happineſs in this World. Where, as we could not be ſafe without the belief of a Life to come; ſo this alone is ſufficient to make the whole World moſt happy, if it were deeply planted in it. We are infinitely therefore indebted to the Almighty goodneſs for making this ſo certain. For this World would be a place full of nothing but confuſion, diſorder and miſchief, were not the evill inclinations of men over-ruled by a belief of ſomething to follow in another life. This reſtrains them from thoſe outrages, which their power many times inables them to commit with impunity while they are here. Their bold and violent ſpirits are check'd and curb'd, whenſoever they think there p. 539is a greater Lord then they, who will call them to an account. Bleſſed be God therefore, we have all reaſon to ſay, who hath ſo evidently demonſtrated there is a Life to come, after we go from hence; and, by the reſurrection of Chriſt Jeſus from the dead, aſſured us he hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteouſneſs. This belief not onelyonly reſtrains men from doing evill, but, which is much more, will even force them to doe well. It alone is ſufficient, as I ſaid, to make the World happy, did we throughly entertain it. Let a man but believe ſtedfaſtly there is a Life to come in another world, and you need not inſtruct him how to behave himſelf here. That one Principle will teach him to make an exact difference between good and evill; and awaken his Soul to attend to thoſe directions which he finds there, for the regulating his actions towards God and man. And this it doth with ſuch a force, that as a man cannot be ignorant, if he think of this, what he ought to doe on all occaſions; ſo neither his naturall propenſion to ſin, nor his evill cuſtoms, nor corrupt doctrines, nor the common received faſhions among men, nor meanneſs of parts, nor multitude of buſineſs, p. 540nor the conceived difficulty of Religion, will be able to hinder that man from doing as he ought, whoſe breaſt is poſſeſſed with the thoughts of immortall life. Neither nobility nor meanneſs of birth, riches nor poverty of eſtate, freedom nor ſervitude of condition, thirſt of glory nor fear of contempt, the praiſe of ſome nor the ſcorn of others, the company of our equals nor the commands of ſuperiours, no gain, no loſs, nothing that we deſire, nothing that we dread, can ſtand before the force of this ſingle argument, if it be ſettled in the heart. For the love of life it ſelf, which is the firſt of all goods that we receive, and the laſt of all that we loſe, is overcome by this, and ſubmits to the diſpoſall of this Eternity of life. So that this is an Univerſall Medicine to purge us of all vicious humours, to ſtrengthen and fortifie our Nature, and to revive and comfort the moſt languiſhing and fainting ſpirits. It is an Engine ſtrong enough to remove the moſt ponderous impediments that lie in our way; an unanſwerable reaſon for any duty; and ſuch a demonſtration, as not onelyonly perfectly ſatisfies our mind, but, being once ſeated there, will never go out again.

p. 541The truth of this will be apparent to thoſe that conſider,

1. That this Motive alone contains all other whatſoever in it: there being more in theſe two words, ETERNALL LIFE, then kingdoms, and thrones, and treaſures, and glory, and joy, and a thouſand ſuch like words can expreſs. By which we may judge what force there is in that to make us doe well, in which the ſtrength of all other arguments, from greatneſs, honour, riches, pleaſure, to engage our affections, are concentred and united. There is as vaſt a difference therefore between this and all other perſwaſives to the will, as between the beams of the Sun when they are gathered in a glaſs, which ſet all combuſtibles that approach them on fire; and the ſame beams ſcattered and diſperſed in the air, when they work onelyonly by their ſingle virtue. By reaſon of which excellency it is, that it meets with every man's deſires, and hath ſomething in it agreeable to his hopes. And to every one of thoſe men of different deſires, it preſents alſo every thing: So that the ambitious, for example, hath the greateſt glory and honour ſet before p. 542his eyes to invite him to it; with the addition of pleaſure, joy, peace, and all other deſirable goods. Whereby it breaks the force of all temptations which would divert us from piety; or rather heightens and lifts up our minds above them, as things inconſiderable. For, a man's Spirit being naturally formed into a likeneſs of the objects with which he is converſant, his Mind who hath his thoughts in heaven neceſſarily becomes great and heavenly; and is inſpired with ſuch a generous and divine ſenſe, that he is not moved with the ſolicitations of theſe little things here, but overlooks them all, as much below him. He is made ſublime and truly noble by frequent converſation with ſo great a Good; and ſcorns to ſtoop to the lure of thoſe temptations, which have ſuch power upon earthly ſouls.

2. For ſuch is the force of this motive, it is manifeſt from hence, that (as I diſcourſed in the beginning) it ſpeaks to the whole man, and leaves no part of him untouched and unſatisfied. The Underſtanding cannot ſay it is not ſatisfied with ſeeing, nor the Will that it is not ſatisfied with loving, nor the Affections that they p. 543are not filled with joy, nor any part of man complain that it wants a ſhare in this Eternall life. For even the Body, we ſaw, ſhall partake of the glory that ſhall be revealed, and be much improved in ſtrength, and beauty, and agility, and durableneſs; being made incorruptible. So that while other, petty goods, do onelyonly ſtill the craving of one deſire, (and that but for a little time,) leaving the reſt diſcontented; this intirely and at once quiets all, and brings in an univerſall fulneſs; being the very life of God himſelf. It is deſirable therefore upon its own account and for it ſelf alone; there being nothing beyond it (as there is in other goods) for which we ſhould deſire it. We intend by the gaining of any thing here, to come to the poſſeſſion of ſome other good. But it is not ſo in our deſires of Eternall Life; which being the laſt and chiefeſt Good, our thoughts naturally reſt and repoſe themſelves, when they come there, and ſeek no farther. There our hearts ſettle, and no longer rove up and down in uncertainty after every thing we fanſie. For the hope of it gives us a full contentment within our ſelves; and thereby preſerves us from a needleſs purſuit of this and the other enjoyment; p. 544and leaves us little elſe to doe, but to ſecure the inheritance of ſo great a Bleſſedneſs.

3. And that we cannot miſs, if we keep it in our thoughts: for ſo great is the efficacy of this Good, that it cannot be refuſed. It is not in our power to ſet it at nought, (as we may do other things, which have ſomething greater then themſelves to be their competitors in our affections;) becauſe it is a Good ſo excellent, that there is none above it, or equal to it. It will not let us ſo much therefore as deliberate (when we attend to it) whether we will have it or no; but forces it ſelf upon us on any terms or conditions whatſoever. And can there be a greater motive to doe well then this; which not onelyonly baffles all temptations, and quiets the heart ſo that it need not gad abroad after every little thing in this world; but alſo quite takes away all liberty to reject it, and leaves us no power to chuſe whether or no we will embrace it? Anſwer me in your own thoughts; What is there more perſwaſive then that, which we can have no will at all, if we mind it, to deny? Such is the condition of Eternall Life, which p. 545inclines the will, juſt as a talent doth the ſcales, when there is nothing but air in the contrary balance, without any the leaſt hovering or deliberation which way to turn. And were it alway preſent to us, it would wholly deprive us of all our liberty to doe otherwiſe then it would have us. By reaſon indeed of its being in expectation hereafter, and that it becomes ſenſible to us now onelyonly by ſerious thoughts, a ſtrong and lively faith, and by the power of the Holy Ghoſt; the will of man retains a liberty, (which while this Good is before him he is quite deſpoiled of,) whereby he too often chuſes other things before this Eternall life. But were it not for this, he could not chuſe but embrace it intirely: which ſufficiently manifeſts the force of it in its own nature, if we will but be at the pains, by conſideration, faith, and prayer for the Holy Spirit of God, to bring it into frequent view and ſet it before us. And what is there imaginable of greater efficacy to move us to ſuch conſtant diligence to bring it near to our hearts then this, that when we ſee it, our wills have no power to be indifferent, either to it, or the well-doing which leads unto it. Nay, I may adde this; So great is the p. 546force of this argument, that, though onelyonly the abſence of it ſome time from our thoughts can make it poſſible we ſhould periſh; yet the Will, being mightily affected with its preſence, doth not onelyonly love it, but lays its commands upon the mind alſo to inquire and adviſe more ſeriouſly about the way to attain it at laſt, by preſerving a conſtant ſenſe of it at preſent. It hath no liſt to part with ſo great a Good; and therefore excites the Underſtanding to find out the means to keep and maintain a lively apprehenſion of it, and requires it to be carefull and diligent in the continuall uſe of thoſe means.

4. And truly it is ſuch a Good (by which alſo you may judge how forcible a motive it is) as makes all means whatſoever, whereby we may attain it, lovely and deſirable. There is no Rule more known then this, that the End we deſign prevails with us to love thoſe Means, which we would not love for themſelves. As the hope of having our health reſtored, makes bitter pills and diſtaſtfull potions go down well enough. But what is there, except perhaps the deſire of ſaving our lives, which will render every thing p. 547whatſoever acceptable? It is the privilege of this Good alone, to diſpoſe a man to refuſe nothing, no not death it ſelf, that he may enjoy it. It commands over all the evill things in this world, as well as over the good; and makes a man willing to endure the one, as well as turn away from the invitation of the other. It makes the greateſt ends a man hath in this world to ſubmit to ſerve as means to bring us to it. And what will you imagine of greater virtue then that, which will be received by all means? Suppoſe a man ſhould be content to loſe his pleaſures and recreations, and health too, for the getting riches; which is all he aims at while he lives: but ſee here a Good which will make him willing to loſe them too, for ſo glorious a purchace. Or ſuppoſe a man will chuſe to loſe all his worldly goods which he hath got, that he may preſerve his liberty, and not be inſlaved: here is a greater Good ſtill, which will diſpoſe a man to kiſs his cords or his chains, and ſing, like Paul and Silas, in the innermoſt priſon. Or ſuppoſe again, that, to ſave his life, a man ſhould embrace the chains and fetters which tie him faſt to his oar: nere is ſomething ſtill beyond this, which is the onelyonly thing that p. 548can make a man chearfully ſacrifice his life; for the loſs of which nothing elſe can make him any recompence. The reaſon is, becauſe there is no proportion between this and all other things, either as to greatneſs, or goodneſs; not ſo much as between a Kingdom and a barly-corn.

5. And therefore I may adde, that it will make us in love with all piety at once; and with all the means leading to it, though never ſo troubleſome. It doth not work upon us after the way of Art, but as Nature it ſelf doth. It doth not teach us vertue and godlineſs by little parcels, as a Statuary firſt forms one part of his ſtatue, and then another, now working on the face, and then on the hands or feet; but inſtills it altogether in the whole maſs, (as I may ſo ſpeak,) and works in us ſuch an univerſall love to goodneſs, as to have a ready will preſently to doe whatſoever God would have us. Juſt as you ſee the ſpirit of Nature or a particular Soul work in the formation of the body of a plant, or of an animall in the womb; which it begins in all its proportions together, and ſo proceeds on ſtill to bring the parts to a greater bigneſs and ſtrength: even ſo doth this p. 549mighty Good operate when it touches the heart, not inclining it firſt to the grace of temperance, and then by another touch to the grace of charity, and after that by a third to the grace of contentedneſs, &c. but at once begets an hearty love to univerſall goodneſs, and forms the whole body of Chriſtian Vertues all together; which grow up after the ſame manner all alike, there being the ſame power inſpiring us unto all. Which may ſpare me the labour of ſhewing what a Motive it is to inforce the practice of every particular Vertue. Which it makes eaſie alſo; becauſe this one thing, which is the reaſon for all, is eaſily kept in our mind. Eternall Life is like a ſhort Sentence, which contains in it the pith and ſtrength of a long Diſcourſe: or like unto a little Leaven, which infuſes it ſelf into the whole maſs wherewith it is mixed. And it makes all Divine graces intire and perfect alſo. For where the mind is once impregnated with it, and it hath begun a Divine life there, it will never produce a monſtrous birth. No lim of the New man, if I may ſo ſpeak, ſhall here be wanting. It will not ſuffer us, I mean, to be defective in any part of true piety; nor ſhall one part draw all p. 550the nouriſhment to it, and overgrow the reſt. It will not let us ſpend our zeal about ſome particulars, while we are cold and remiſs in other Chriſtian duties; but make us equally affected and ſpirited unto all. From whence likewiſe ariſes another benefit; that while, by the thoughts of this, we excite our ſelves to any one grace, we promote our growth alſo in every one. When we ſtir up our ſelves to the practice of our preſent duty, we are diſpoſed thereby to the like chearfull obedience on any other emergent occaſion. When we call up our Souls by this to doe God's will, it impowers us alſo (though we ſhould not then think of it) to ſuffer what he would have us. And while we animate our ſelves hereby to ſuffer one thing, it enables us to doe and ſuffer all.

O the power of this Divine Good, if it once ſeat it ſelf in the very throne of our hearts! How it makes them beat with the love of God, and with the love of our neighbour! How it inſpires us with reſolution, with confidence, with zeal, with joy, with all other pious affections! It will let us ſcruple none of God's Commands, becauſe it is of equall p. 551force to make us ſubmit to all. Neither prophaneneſs nor hypocriſy, neither liſtleſneſs nor deſpondency, can ever lodge in that heart where this belief is deeply rooted; that God will give to our little ſhort labours here, an immenſe eternall recompence in the other World.

6. One cannot imagine how it ſhould be otherwiſe, if we go on to conſider once more how naturally this belief fills our hearts with love to that bleſſed God, who is ſo good as to deſign us ſuch inconceivable Bleſſedneſs; and to his will, as the onelyonly way and means to be partaker of it. We ſhall eaſily be perſwaded that the Will of him who promiſes us immortality muſt needs be the Rule of Goodneſs. It will never enter into our hearts to ſuſpect, that he who loves us ſo much can enjoyn us any thing but what is truly good for us. And ſo our wills and affections will readily bow and ſtoop to his, without any diſpute at all about it.

But I have ſaid too much already about this buſineſs, to have any room left for a new argument of the power of this great Good.

p. 552IV.

Let us proceed rather to conſider what the matter is, that a Motive in it ſelf ſo great and ſo powerfull ſhould have ſo little power upon mens hearts, to move them to vertue and goodneſs. One may juſtly wonder at it, and ask, What is the cauſe that men are ſo dull, ſo ſluggiſh, ſo backward to doe well, ſince the reward is ſo certain, ſo tranſcendent; and it is as certain they will miſs of it in any other way but this of vertue and piety? Where is the Violence which the holy Goſpel ſpeaks of, and which in all reaſon was to be expected when the Kingdom of heaven was opened? One would have thought, upon the report of ſo great a Bleſſedneſs, men would have throng'd into heaven; and with eager violence ſtriven to thruſt in themſelves before others into ſuch preferment as was offered them in our Saviour's Kingdom. His Diſciples, ſure, thought that men could not chuſe, when they heard ſuch news, but all flock to his fold, and prepare themſelves to receive his bleſſing. And there have been thoſe **Maldonate and de Celada.who have fanſied the Apoſtles were ſo poſſeſſed with theſe thoughts, that this p. 553was the reaſon they were troubled to hear our Saviour ſay, whither he went, they could not go; (that is, at preſent; xiii. Joh. 33.) becauſe they imagined all would run ſo thick towards the Bliſs which he promiſed, that if they went not to heaven with him then, it was to be queſtioned whether there would be any room left for them, and all places might not be taken up before they came. And to comfort them, our Saviour, ſay they, bid them not be troubled, for in his father's houſe were many Manſions: (xiv. 1, 2.) that is, there was room for all comers, though never ſuch multitudes. The diſcourſe indeed of our Saviour there ſhews that this is but a fancy: yet if we conſider the haſte men make in any other advantageous offers, and how they will ſtrive to prevent and circumvent one another, to gain any preferment here in this world; they might well think that men would come in as great crowds to heaven, as we have ſeen them ſometime come to Church; and would all run as men do in a race, contending earneſtly who ſhould carry away the crown. For bonorum quorundam, ſicut & malorum, eſt intolerabilis magnitudo; the greatneſs of ſome goods, as well as of ſome evills, is p. 554ſo exceſſive and intolerable, (as Tertullian, if I forget not, ſomewhere ſpeaks,) that it weighs down all that can be caſt into the ſcale againſt it; and ſuffers not our wills, as you have heard, to deliberate about it. Whence is it then that we ſee ſo little care and concern about that far more exceeding eternall weight of glory? that good which is ſo vaſt, that in this ſtate we cannot bear the very thoughts of it? In ſtead of that forwardneſs which might have been expected, there is a ſtrange backwardneſs ſo much as to think of theſe things. A prodigious numneſs and ſtupidity hath ſeized on the hearts of Chriſtian people, who ſeem to have no life at all in them. To what ſhall we impute it; ſeeing the Sun of righteouſneſs hath ſhone ſo brightly and ſtrongly on them, with theſe chearfull beams of Eternall Life, which he hath brought to light through his Goſpell?

Is there any thing here that can pretend to vie with the Eternall Life he hath revealed? I will not ſtay for an Anſwer, the diſparity is ſo great between this and all other goods. What is it then which makes men ſo indifferent? Is there little or no hope that God will beſtow ſuch p. 555great and glorious things, upon ſuch vile wretches as we are? No; he hath promiſed, and prepared them, as you have heard; and he cannot be worſe then his word, nor loſe all his own preparations. What is it then that ſtifles their endeavours after this immortall bliſs? Will he not give it but upon very hard terms, and ſuch rigorous conditions as are enough to freez the warmeſt reſolutions, when we think of them? Not this neither: For he hath prepared theſe good things for thoſe that love him. And what is there more eaſie, what more pleaſant and chearfull then love? eſpecially of the firſt and chiefeſt Good? which will certainly make all our duty as eaſie and delightfull as it ſelf is. Or will you ſay, that we cannot love him; it is an impoſſible Condition? For ſhame conſider, that the very offer of ſuch glorious things is enough to make us love him intirely, if we did believe them. Were we perſwaded that he will beſtow upon good men ſuch happineſs with himſelf, ſo great, ſo long; it would inflame our hearts with the moſt ardent paſſion towards his ſervice. Therefore I have already named the true cauſe of all mens coldneſs and ſloth. After all our ſearch, we ſhall find it nothing elſe but p. 556this, They do not believe. They are not perſwaded of the certainty of the rewards in the other World, or have not fixed this belief in their Minds: for if they had, it would not eaſily ſlip out again. They are moved ſtrongly by what they ſee with their eyes, and feel with their hands, and taſte with their tongues; but faith hath little or no place or power in their hearts. This is proved to be too true by the lives of men; which are ſo baſe and unworthy, as if they did not hope for the happineſs of a fly in the other World.

Therefore every one of our buſineſs muſt be, to awaken that faith in our Souls which we profeſs; that Divine principle, which is of ſuch force as to overcome the World. For it is manifeſtly true, which the Apoſtle writes, that without faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God. We ſhall never doe any thing worthy of him, unleſs we believe that God is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently ſeek him. As, on the contrary, it is no leſs manifeſt that, if we do believe, we ſhall not onelyonly pleaſe him, but we ſhall pleaſe our ſelves in doing ſo, and find it moſt delightfull to be religious. It will marvellouſly inliven us, and infuſe, as it were, p. 557a new ſpirit and ſoul into us: ſo that we ſhall differ as much from our ſelves, as the corn doth when it is ſown in the ground, and when it ſhoots up again in all its verdure and beauty. It will make us adorn our ſelves, I mean, with all the fruits of righteouſneſs; and beget in us ſuch a ſpirituall life, as will fructify and increaſe in all good works.

And here conſider, firſt, That the things themſelves propounded to our belief are ſuch, as we cannot but deſire it ſhould be true, that God intends to beſtow them on us. Who is there that would not willingly live for ever? that doth not think Immortality the greateſt prerogative of humane Nature? provided we may live always in joy and pleaſure, in uninterrupted contentments, and never-fading delights. Though they ſhould be leſs then our Lord hath promiſed, there is no heart but above all things wiſhes to be ſo happy. To ſee onelyonly the beautifull orders of the heavenly hoſts, the glorious Company of the Apoſtles, the goodly Society of the Prophets, the noble Army of Martyrs, the venerable Quire of Paſtors, the whole multitude of holy men and women, who celebrate a p. 558perpetuall feaſt of joy; to live in happy friendſhip with them, to love them, and to be beloved of them; to bear a part in their eternall Song of praiſe and thanks to God; how deſirable is it above any thing that we can fanſy in this world? No man hath ſo little love to himſelf, as not to wiſh he might be numbred among thoſe Saints in glory everlaſting. It's impoſſible we ſhould not be pleaſed with the thoughts of having a conſortſhip in ſuch an incomparable happineſs; were we but perſwaded that it is not a dream, but a reall truth. There needs nothing more to bring it into all mens favour, but onelyonly to be ſatisfied that there is ſuch an Happineſs.

And that's the other thing I would propound to your thoughts; That as we naturally deſire ſuch an Happineſs, ſo, if we conſider the evident demonſtations we have of it in the Goſpell, this and a great deal more appears to be the undoubted inheritance of all good Souls; who ſhall ſee God, and be with our Lord, and behold his glory. Which wonderfully recommends the Chriſtian Religion to us; wherein we are gratified in our moſt important deſires, and have thoſe things made ſure and certain to us p. 559which we would all fain have for our portion. For what is the generall intent of the Goſpell, but to diſcover to mankind immortall life, and the way to it? This was the great end of our Saviour's appearing; who brought that glimmering light that was in mens minds, of the other world, to a more perfect day. And upon this errand the Apoſtles were ſent, as you have heard, to call men to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. 2 Theſſ. ii. 14. Which made the Jews ſo unexcuſable that they would not come unto our Lord, that they might have life; (v. Joh. 40.) though there was the greateſt reaſon in the world to believe this Record, that God hath given us Eternall life; and this life is in his Son.

A voice from heaven, I have ſhewn you, often teſtified as much: and ſo did the Holy Ghoſt, which deſcended on our Saviour at his baptiſm; and the many ſigns and wonders whereby God the Father ſealed him, and ſet, as it were, his mark, ſtamp and character upon him; that all might know who he was, and believe his word as undoubtedly, as if they heard God the Father himſelf ſpeaking to them continually with his own voice out of heaven. From thence our Saviour came, it was p. 560apparent; and therefore did not pretend to diſcover things of which he had no certain knowledge, but onelyonly revealed that happy Country from whence he deſcended. So he profeſſes to a very wiſe man among the Jews, who was convinced, by his many Miracles, that he was a Teacher come from God; iii. Joh. 2. Verily, verily, I ſay unto thee, We ſpeak that we do know, and teſtify that we have ſeen: ver. 11. For as he came down from heaven; (as he farther tells him ver. 13.) ſo at that very moment he was there, and had a moſt intimate familiarity and communication therewith: and therefore might well ſay, he had ſeen the things he reported from thence. What they were, you may reade in the following verſes, 15, 16. That whoſoever believeth in him, ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life, &c.

The very ſame, as I have likewiſe ſhewn, John Baptiſt teſtified, ver. 36. And ſo did Moſes and Elias; who appeared in glory, and diſcourſed with him concerning his return to the other world, after he had done the will of God here. ix. Luke 30, 31. At that time our Saviour was transfigured, (an evident p. 561token of the glorifying even of our bodies in the other ſtate,) as three perſons of integrity witneſs; who ſaw his glory, and the two men that ſtood with him, ver. 32. and were themſelves overſhadowed with a bright cloud, (an emblem of the glory to come in another World,) and ſo raviſht with the ſight, that they wiſht they might always remain in that happy place. Neither was this onelyonly a ſudden tranſport; but it made ſuch a laſting impreſſion upon their minds, that ever after they lookt upon it as a notable proof of the majeſty and glory of our Saviour. 2 Pet. i. 16, 17. And ſo did the ancient Chriſtians; as appears by the Syriack Tranſlatour of the New Teſtament, who before the Epiſtle of St. James takes notice, that now follow the Epiſtles of the three Diſciples before whom our Lord was transfigured.

This we are to mark diligently, and take it for an eminent token of the glory to which our Lord was to go, and which he ſhould be able to give. For it relies upon the report of thoſe who were perſons of known worth, and uprightneſs of heart; who had no deſign in the world to ſerve, but onelyonly to promote ſuch an p. 562important truth, of which they were fully aſſured. They appeal to all that had any acquaintance with them, whether ever they ſaw or had reaſon to ſuſpect any falſe or double dealing in them; and had not rather been witneſſes of their honeſty and ſimplicity in the whole courſe of their Miniſtry. For we are not, as many, ſaith St. Paul 2 Cor. ii. 17. foreign, that ſell the word of God, and make merchandize of it to inrich themſelves thereby: (ſuch might not ſtick to corrupt God's word, as we render it, and mix their own dreams with it:) but with all ſincerity, as men who are authorized by God, and have him before our eyes, to whom we muſt give an account of our actions, we publiſh the Goſpell of Chriſt. Whom they accounted it a great mercy and favour from God to ſerve. And therefore having received this miniſtry, (ſaith he iv. 1, 2.) we are not ſluggiſh in doing our duty, nor do we perform it in a baſe unworthy manner; but have ſo renounced, or thruſt away far from us, all ſecret devices of inriching our ſelves, that we do not bluſh to think of our deſigns: (for foreign are ſuch practices as for mere ſhame men hide and cover, pretending, for inſtance, onelyonly the p. 563good of Souls, when they intend nothing but to get their money:) nor do we walk in craftineſs, appearing one thing and being another; nor corrupt the word of God, by mixing any of our own inventions with it; but in a free, open and plain manner we commend our ſelves to all mens conſciences, as having God looking on us. All that know us cannot but approve us; (if they be not led by paſſion more then reaſon;) and if they do not, God doth. This he repeats again, Chap. vi. where he gives a proof of their ſincerity, in the exerciſe of their Miniſtry, from theſe two things; firſt, that they got nothing by it, but many afflictions; and then, that they did nothing but good to others, in recompence for all the trouble they gave them. Of the former he ſpeaks ver. 4, 5. of the ſecond, ver. 6, 7. and then returns to the other again. Which argument he handles alſo at large towards the concluſion of the ſame Epiſtle, xi. 23, 24, &c. and once more xii. 10.

And thus he writes alſo to the Church of Theſſalonica, (1 Theſſ. ii. 4.) who knew very well how faithfully they had diſcharged their truſt, and that they did not accommodate themſelves to any man's humour; p. 564but plainly delivered the meſſage which God had committed to them. No body could ſay that they had uſed any flattering ſpeeches, to ſooth them up in a vain conceit of themſelves, (ver. 5.) nor uſed any colours to hide a covetous deſign: no, as to their words and addreſſes, the Theſſalonians could teſtify the contrary; and as to their mind and heart, which God onelyonly could know, they call him to witneſs, it never entred into their thoughts. Nor did they ſeek glory and fame either from them or any body elſe, but deſpiſed it as much as riches: unleſs it were the honour of obliging them, by communicating the bleſſings of the Goſpell to them, and receiving no reward from them: ver. 6. They might indeed have put them to charge, and lived upon their coſt, as other Apoſtles of Chriſt did, and that honeſtly too: But He and his companions were among them with more gentleneſs; (ver. 7.) they parted, that is, from their own undoubted right, to ſpare the Theſſalonians: and as a good nurſe cheriſhes her children; ſo they defrauded themſelves, and took the meat, as we ſpeak, out of their own mouths, for the good of others whom they deſired to breed up in Chriſtian piety. This ſhews the wonderfull p. 565innocency and goodneſs of theſe men, who got nothing by the Goſpell, (no not what they might have lawfully and juſtly taken,) but onelyonly ſtudied how to win Souls to Chriſt. In ſhort, he calls them and God alſo to witneſs, how holily, how juſtly, how unblamably they behaved themſelves among thoſe that believed: ver. 10. The firſt of which words refers to God; the ſecond to thoſe actions which belong to humane ſociety; and the third to thoſe which every man is bound unto ſeverally by himſelf: in none of which could He, Silvanus and Timotheus, be charged with any miſdemeanour. On which argument he once more inſiſts 2 Tim. iii. 10, 11. being ſo confident of his unreprovable vertue, that he deſired nothing more of all that knew him, but to be followers of him, and to walk ſo as they had him for an example. 1 Cor. iv. 16. iii. Phil. 17.

All which I have the more particularly noted, becauſe it is from theſe men that we receive the teſtimony of Jeſus. Who, they aſſure us, choſe to die the moſt ſhamefull death, when he could have avoided it; and with the greateſt p. 566confidence, when he was expiring, commended his Spirit into the hands of God. Which is an unqueſtionable argument that he believed, and was aſſured, that he ſhould be with God, when he went from hence, and be able to doe for his followers all that he promiſed. Which they tell us moreover God juſtified, when he raiſed him from the dead, and carried him, in their ſight, up into heaven: and afterward ſent the Holy Ghoſt upon them, to teſtify that he was ſtill alive, and poſſeſſed of an unſeen glory. In which, they alſo tell us, he appeared to ſeverall perſons; as I have already related. One of which was caught up into heaven, and heard ſuch things there as made him wiſh for nothing more, then to leave this earth, and to be with Chriſt. To whom the Angels, they alſo aſſure us, witneſſed upon ſeverall occaſions. For they attended him at his birth, and in his life, and when he died, and after his reſurrection, and when he aſcended into heaven: From whence he ſent them many times, as miniſtring Spirits, to his Apoſtles; of which we have very large teſtimonies in the whole book of the Revelation.

p. 567From all which we may ſafely conclude, that there can no other reaſon in the world be given, why any man thus informed ſhould not believe the Goſpell, but onelyonly his own deſperate wickedneſs. For the things propounded therein are moſt deſirable above all other. It reveals ſuch a wonderfull love of God to mankind, that all men would rejoyce to hear the news of it, were they not averſe to thoſe pious and vertuous courſes whereby, they are told, they muſt attain it. Nothing attracts all hearts ſo much as the hope of a bleſſed immortality: which is teſtified to us ſo credibly in the Goſpell, that nothing could make men turn their ears away from it by infidelity, but onelyonly the incurable wickedneſs of their Nature; which will not let them part with thoſe vices, which the Goſpell ſays they muſt quit for ſo great a Good. In one word, there is nothing in this Book but what is ſutable to all mens deſires, ſave onelyonly the holy rule of life: and therefore it can be nothing elſe but their hatred to this, which makes them reject all the reſt. They would follow their nobler appetite after thoſe good things which the Goſpell promiſes, if they had p. 568not perfectly given up themſelves to thoſe baſer appetites, which muſt be denied for their ſake. For if our Goſpell be hid, ſaith St. Paul in the place before mentioned, it is hid to them that are loſt: In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, leſt the light of the glorious Goſpell of Chriſt, who is the image of God, ſhould ſhine unto them. 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. That which the Goſpell reports is as clear as the noon-day. Nothing can be more viſible then the foreign, the light or the ſplendour of the Goſpell of the glory of Chriſt. By which, ſaith Theophylact, the Apoſtle means the belief of theſe great Truths, that Jeſus was crucified, that he was received up into heaven, and that he will give future rewards. This is the foreign ſplendour the Apoſtle ſpeaks of, which if any man do not ſee, after ſuch evident demonſtrations of theſe things, it is his wickedneſs hinders him. And ſuch men, after they have long reſiſted the light, fall under the power of the Devil ſo inevitably, that he blinds their eyes. Mark, as St. Chryſoſtom obſerves, that the Scripture calls ſeverall things by the name of a God, not from their own worth and excellence, but p. 569foreign, from the weakneſs of thoſe who are ſubject to them. Thus Mammon is the God of ſome, and the belly the God of others, and the Devill the God of all ſuch perſons; becauſe they are baſely inſlaved to the love of mony, and of their fleſhly appetite, and He rules and governs them as abſolutely as if he were their God. Yet he hath no power quite to blind their eyes, as he farther obſerves, before they diſbelieve that which is ſo credibly reported by ſuch Divine arguments: for, as the very words of St. Paul are, he blinds the minds of them that believe not. foreign, they became infidels of themſelves; and having given themſelves over to unbelief, againſt ſuch miraculous evidence of the truth of the Chriſtian Faith, God gives them over to him: to whoſe ſervice they have ſo ſlaviſhly devoted themſelves, that they cannot be recovered; but, as they deſerve, muſt unavoidably periſh.

From which miſerable condition let all thoſe who are inclined to infidelity take care to ſave themſelves, by timely conſidering thoſe Divine demonſtrations which theſe holy men of God have reported to p. 570us; who beheld our Saviour's glory, the glory as of the onelyonly-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. i. Joh. 14. Upon which words hear what the ſame eloquent Biſhop writes; who thus ſumms up a great part of the evidence we have for the Chriſtian belief.

The Angels appeared in great glory upon the earth to Daniel, S. Chryſoſtom. Hom. xii. in Johan.David and Moſes; but they appeared as ſervants, as thoſe that had a Maſter. It is the peculiar glory of our Saviour, that he appeared as a Lord, as having power over all: and though in a poor and vile faſhion, yet even in that the Creation knew its Lord and Maſter. A Star from heaven called the Wiſe men to worſhip him. A great company of Angels often attended him, and ſang his praiſes. To whom others ſucceeded, who publiſhed his glory, and delivered this ſecret Myſtery one to another: the Angels to the Shepherds; and the Shepherds to thoſe in the city; and Gabriel to Mary and Elizabeth; and Anna and Symeon to thoſe in the Temple. Nor were men and women onelyonly tranſported with the pleaſure; but an infant that had not ſeen the light leapt in its mother's womb: and all were ſtrangely lifted up in hopes of what was a-coming. p. 571Theſe things all fell out ſtraightway after his birth. But when he appeared in the World, there were more Miracles, and greater then the former, appeared again. For not ſo little as a Star and the Heavens, not Angels or Archangels, not Gabriel or Michael, but the Father himſelf proclaimed him from heaven; and with the Father, the Comforter came down with a voice, and remained on him. And therefore well might the Apoſtle ſay, We have ſeen his glory, the glory as of the onelyonly-begotten of the Father. And not by theſe things alone, but by thoſe which followed after. For now not merely Shepherds, and an aged Propheteſs, and reverend men, publiſhed the glad tidings of the Goſpell; but the voice it ſelf of the things he did, louder then the ſound of any trumpet; which was heard preſently every-where. For the fame of him, ſaith the Evangeliſt, went into all Syria; and revealed him to all, and cried every-where that the King of heaven was come to men. For Daemons every-where fled and got away; and the Devill departed; and Death began to give place, and not long after quite vaniſhed; and all manner of infirmities were looſed; and the tombs diſmiſſed the dead; the Daemons left thoſe that were mad, and Diſeaſes thoſe that were ſick. p. 572Wonderfull and ſtrange things were to be ſeen, which the Prophets deſired to ſee, and did not. For one might have ſeen eyes new made, paralytick lims ſtrengthened, motion given to withered hands and lame feet, ears that were ſtopt up opened, and the tongues of the dumb looſed. In one word, like an excellent workman that comes into an houſe which is decayed and rotten by time, he repaired, or re-built rather, humane Nature.

For who can tell how he made the Souls of men new, which is a greater wonder then all the reſt? For the wills of men oppoſe their cure, which the body doth not. They will not yield, we ſee, no, not to God himſelf. And yet theſe were reformed by him; and all kind of wickedneſs expelled. Nor were they onelyonly freed from Sin; but, like the bodies to which he gave the beſt habit after he had cured their diſeaſes, they were advanced to the higheſt degree of vertue. A Publican became an Apoſtle. A perſecutour, a blaſphemer, a reproacher of Chriſtianity, turned the Preacher of the Word. A thief was made a Citizen of Paradiſe: and a ſtrumpet became illuſtrious by a great faith. And abundance of others, worſe then theſe, were liſted in the number of the p. 573Diſciples, till whole cities and countries were ſtrangely reformed by the Goſpell. Who is able to declare the wiſedom of his Precepts, the vertue of his heavenly Laws, the excellent order of his Angelicall Converſation? For he hath taught us ſuch a life, he hath given us ſuch laws, and inſtituted ſuch a polity; that they who uſe them, though before the worſt of men, ſtraightway become Angels, and like to God, according to our power. The Evangeliſt therefore recollecting all theſe things, the Miracles he wrought upon mens bodies, upon their Souls, and upon the elements; the Precepts, the ſecret Gifts, the Laws, the Polity, the power of perſwaſion, the future Promiſes, his Sufferings; he pronounced this wonderfull lofty voice, We beheld his glory, the glory as of the onelyonly-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

For they did not admire him onelyonly for his Miracles, but for his Sufferings. As for example, becauſe he was nailed to a Croſs and ſcourged; becauſe he was beaten; becauſe he was ſpit upon; becauſe thoſe buffeted him, to whom he had been a benefactour: upon the account even of theſe, which ſeem moſt ſhamefull, that voice is worthy to be repeated again; becauſe he himſelf hath p. 574called this a Glory. For then Death was deſtroyed, the Curſe was diſſolved, Daemons were put to ſhame, and he triumphed over them openly, and the hand-writing of ſins, or obligation to puniſhment, was nailed to the Croſs and cancelled. And beſides theſe wonders, which were inviſible, there were others apparent unto all; which ſhewed he was the onelyonly-begotten Son of God, and the Lord of all the Creation. For while his bleſſed body yet hung upon the Croſs, the Sun withdrew its beams, the earth was aſtoniſhed and wrapt in darkneſs, the ground ſhook, the tombs were broke open, a great many dead people walkt out of their graves, and went into the City, the ſtone upon his grave was rolled away, and he aroſe. He that was crucified, he that was faſtned with nails to the croſs, he that was dead aroſe; and filling his Apoſtles with great power, ſent them to all the World, as the common phyſicians of humane Nature, the rectifiers of mens lives, the ſowers of the knowledge of heavenly Doctrine, the looſers of the Devill's tyranny, the teachers of the great and hidden Goods, the preachers of the glad tidings of the immortality of the Soul, the Eternall life of the body, and the rewards which (as they paſs all underſtanding, ſo) never have any end. p. 575Theſe and many more ſuch like this bleſſed man beholding, (which he knew, but was not able to write, becauſe the world could not have contained the Books,) he cried out, We beheld his glory, the glory as of the onelyonly-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Who is now as able, I may adde, to give us new bodies, and inconceivably-improved Souls, and then to perpetuate the happineſs of both in heaven; as he was to cure diſeaſes, and raiſe dead bodies, and purify mens minds, when he was here on earth.

Let our concluſion therefore, as he ſays elſewhere, be ſutable to our diſcourſe. Hom. xiii. p. 607. 5.And what's ſo ſutable as Doxologies and giving glory to God, in ſuch manner as is worthy of him? Not by our words onelyonly, that is, but much more by our deeds. So our Saviour himſelf exhorts us, ſaying, Let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in heaven. For there is nothing more bright and ſhining then an excellent converſation, as one of the wiſe men hath ſaid; The ways of the juſt ſhine like the light. And they ſhine not onelyonly to thoſe that light their lamps by their works, but to all that are near unto them. p. 576Therefore let us pour oyl continually into theſe lamps, that the flame may riſe higher, and the light ſhine more abundantly.

Having received ſuch grace and truth by Jeſus Chriſt, Id. p. 611.let us not grow the lazier by the greatneſs of the gift. For the greater honour hath been done us, the more we are bound to excell in vertue. Let that therefore be our buſineſs, to purify our ſelves ſo throughly, that, being thought worthy to ſee Chriſt, we may not at that Day be delivered over to the ſevere tormenting powers, but to thoſe that are able to bring us to the inheritance in heaven, which is prepared for thoſe that love him. Which God grant we may all obtain, through the grace and loving-kindneſs of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.