The Herbal of Divinity, Part 1 · Sermon 3

The Herbal of Divinity · Part 1 · Sermon 3

p. 103The great Joy of Saints in the great Day of the Reſurrection.

SERMON III. Preach'd on a Thanks-giving DAY.

ISAIAH 26.19.

Awake and ſing, ye that dwell in the duſt, for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the Earth ſhall caſt forth her dead.

I Have ſhewed unto you, that theſe words are a preſent comfort, or cordiall, given by God unto his people, for the refreſhment of their languiſhing ſpirits, and ſad hearts in the midſt of their afflictions. And have proved that the bodies p. 104of the Saints ſhall ariſe, and that they ſhall ariſe as the body of the Lord Jeſus. He is their head; they ſhall riſe as his members. He dyed to bring his people to a ſpirituall oneneſſe, with himſelfe, and his Father. They are his poſſeſſion, and inheritance. And as a body may properly be called the body of that ſoule which doth informe it: ſo Chriſt ſhall be the ſpirituall forme, and ſoule to thoſe that ſhal be raiſed at the great day of the generall reſurrection. By theſe and other ſpirituall conſiderations, I did evidence this truth, that the bodies of the Saints ſhall be raiſed, as the dead bodie of their bleſſed Saviour. My dead body ſhall they riſe.

I ſhall now by the Aſſiſtance of Gods grace, briefly open unto you, the words that follow in the Text, and make choyſe of one propoſition from them, which may heighten your ſpirituall joy this day, upon which I ſhall enlarge my ſelfe, and ſo ſhall commend you and what I ſhall deliver to you, to the bleſſing of the Almighty.

The next word which doth preſent it ſelfe to us in the Text, is this. Awake, which doth afford us this obſervation, that Death is but a ſleep. It is night for a time with the Saints, while they ſleep in their graves, but they ſhall awake at the morning of the reſurrection.

p. 105The grave is a bed of reſt, perfumed, and made ſweet to all Saints by the death of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who hath taken away whatſoever is bitter, and unpleaſant in it. It is no longer a curſe to the Saints, but rather a part of their happineſſe, Bleſſed are the dead that die in the Lord, Rev. 14.4.13. As the Pſalmiſt ſpeakes, Pſal. 17. When I awake I ſhall be ſatisfied with thy likeneſſe, that is, at the great day of the reſurrection; after I have had a long ſleep in the duſt, when the night is paſt, and the day of the reſurrection ſhall ſhine, I ſhall awake, and then I ſhall be ſatisfied with thy likeneſſe, Iſa. 57.2. The Prophet hath an expreſſion that runnes this way; ſpeaking of righteous and mercifull men, (ſaith he) they ſhall enter into peace; they ſhall reſt in their beds. And when Stephen was ſtoned to death, the Holy Ghoſt tell… us that he fell aſleep, Act. 7.60. And the Primitive Chriſtians called the places where they buried their dead foreign, ſleeping places. The Earth to every Saint is but a ſleeping place. Jeſus Chriſt ſhall come downe from Heaven with a ſhout, and with the voyce of the Arch-angel, and with the Trump of God. And this great Trumpet being blown, the dead in Christ ſhall awake and riſe. He that dyeth in Chriſt, and p. 106is one of his dead men, doth not dye but ſleep. And at the reſurrection ſhal in a moment awake out of his ſleep. When the Father, Word, and Spirit did make the Fabrick of the world, all things were ſpeedily, and ſuddenly made; for the making of any thing, there was but verbum & factum; the word ſpoken, and preſently the thing was made. Let there be Light, and there was light, let there be a firmament, and there was a firmament: ſo when the Lord Jeſus Chriſt ſhall ſpeake the word, and bid us awake; in a moment, in the twinckling of an eye, thoſe that are dead in the Lord, ſhall awake out of the ſleep of death.

And here by the way, let me give you another obſervation. You ſee at the great day that the dead that lye in the duſt ſhall be raiſed by the command of Chriſt, who ſhall bid them come out of the duſt. Now, as no rationall man would conclude from this place, that the dead (who it may be, have their duſt lying in ſeverall places, in every part of the world a portion of their duſt,) have any power to raiſe themſelves, though they are bid to awake: eve ſo when God ſpeaking to ſoules that heare the word preached, doth command them to believe, repent, live holily, and rejoyce, we cannot conclude, that there is p. 107any power, ſtrength, and ability in the creature to doe what they are commanded to doe; no more then the dead can awake of themſelves, though Chriſt commands them to awake. As when Chriſt did bid Lazarus come forth of the grave, he did preſently come forth; though he had not any power in himſelfe to come forth; but that power that bid him come forth, enabled him to come forth; ſo, though Chriſt exhort us in the Goſpel to believe, and to doe good duties, we have no power in our ſelves to doe good duties, but that power that bids us doe good duties, muſt inable us to doe them, or elſe we are never able to doe them: which moved Auguſtine to pray thus; Da domine quod jubes, & jube quod vis, give Lord what thou commandeſt, and command what thou wilt. Againe, in the next place take notice, that thoſe who ſhall be raiſed are called the inhabitants of the duſt, yee that dwell in the duſt, the duſt for a time is a habitation for the Saints: in Eccleſ. 12.5. It is ſaid, Man ſhall goe to his long home. The grave is a home, or houſe for a time, which may aſſure us of the reſurrection of the ſame bodies which are entruſted to the duſt, that which dwelleth in the duſt, and no other thing in ſtead of it, muſt be be raiſed out of the duſt.

p. 108Thirdly, here is a reaſon laid downe in the next verſe to aſſure us of our reſurrection. Thy dew is as the dew of Herbes.

The Lord Jeſus, in the power of his Spirit, ſhall be as a heavenly dew, upon the dead bodies and duſt of the Saints, to raiſe them up, and quicken them to a new life. Chriſt in the power of his Spirit may be compared to dew for three reaſons; firſt, becauſe as the dew comming downe upon the earth, the earth bringeth forth graſſe without the help, and labour of man, Mich. 5.7. ſo, without the labour, and ſtrength of the creature, the Lord Jeſus, the dew of Heaven, coming down upon the duſt and aſhes of the Saints, ſhall quicken them to a life, and make them flouriſh after they have layen rotting, and moldering in the grave.

Secondly, as the dew doth come downe ſpeedily, and ſuddenly upon the earth, as you may gather from that expreſſion of Huſhai, in that ſpeech of his to Abſalom concerning David, 2 Sam. 17.12. We will come upon him, in ſome place where he ſhall be found, and light on him as the dew falleth upon the ground. As the dew falls ſuddenly, and unexpectedly, ſo we will ſurpriſe David. So the Lord Jeſus will come in the twinkling of an eye; ſuddenly upon the bodies of the Saints. Therefore he p. 109compares his comming to the comming of a thiefe in the night; and to lightning, which we know is darted through the middeſt of Heaven with great volubilitie, and ſwiftneſſe. In the third place; Chriſt ſhall be as dew: becauſe as dew doth make the herbs on which it falls to be fruitfull, and to waxe green and flouriſh, after they have ſeemed to be dead: So the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, ſhall quicken the dead carkaſſes of his Saints, and put a life into their duſt. Thus Moſes, the holy ſervant of God, ſpeaking of his Doctrine in reference to the flouriſhing of it, Deut. 32.2. (ſaith) that his Doctrine ſhall drop as the raine, and his ſpeech ſhall diſtill as the dew, as the ſmall raine upon the tender herb, and as the ſhowers upon the graſſe. As the dew of Heaven makes the things upon which it falls, fruitfull, and fertile: ſo the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, falling downe upon the duſt, and aſhes, upon the rotten bones, putrifyed carkaſſes, and skuls of the Saints, ſhall cauſe them to flouriſh, and to ſpring up, and they ſhall have a new life put into them by his comming downe upon them.

Fourthly, the Prophet ſaith, that the earth ſhall caſt out her dead; from whence we may ſtrongly conclude, the reſurrection of the ſame body which is caſt into the earth, p. 110That body which was dead and buried in the earth, ſhall be raiſed out of the earth. But I have ſufficiently ſpoken of theſe points, in my former diſcourſes. So that if I ſhould ſpeak from all theſe particulars, I ſhould rather repeat what I have ſaid, then preſent you with new matter. The thing therefore that I ſhall open unto you to day, for the furtherance of your joy ſhall be this; to ſhew you, what great joy there ſhall be, at the reſurrection of the dead, which is held forth in theſe words.

Awake, and ſing.

I doe make bold to finiſh this ſubject here among you this day, becauſe I know not whether I ſhall have an opportunity to ſpeak to you againe from theſe words. And ſeeing I have handled the two former parts in this place, I had a deſire to finiſh my diſcourſe from this Text among you.

Another reaſon was, becauſe I did find ſome Familiſticall ſpirits here, that were troubled with what I delivered: being enemies to that Chriſt, who came in the fleſh, and dyed on the Croſſe, & was raiſed from the dead, and enemies to the Doctrine of the reſurrection, which is to be wrought by his power; and that you may ſee, how little I regard the ſpeeches of theſe enemies of Chriſt, p. 111and the glorious reſurrection of Saints, I would not ſeeme for their ſakes to deſert my diſcourſe: therefore I did reſolve to goe on with it this day.

Then thirdly, I apprehend it may much further the worke of the day; for if we have remembred God aright in our prayſes; having made mention of his goodneſſe to the Land, and Nation, we have done it ſpiritually, and have more rejoyced in ſpirituall then temporall mercies. And if our joy ſhould end in rejoycing only for tēporal mercies, we ſhould rejoyce rather carnally then ſpiritually. Therefore having in the beginning of the day rejoyced for the mercies that God hath ſhewed to the Land, I thinke I ſhall doe well, if I raiſe you in your ſpirits by what I ſhall ſpeake from theſe words, and from the ſight of Nationall mercies, and temporall deliverances take occaſion to draw your eyes to behold by Faith, how you and all Saints ſhall rejoyce when you are delivered from all enemies at the reſurrection: that ſo I may ſublimate your joy, by carrying you higher in the ſpirit, to rejoice in the ſpirituall things ſpoken of in the text.

Awake, and ſing.

Ye know we expreſſe our joy by ſinging, as we may gather from that place, Pſal. 126.1. p. 112when the Lord turned againe the captivitie of Sion, we were like them that dreame: then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with ſinging. Singing in Scripture, is an expreſſion of great joy, If any be merrie, let him ſing, ſaith James. So, my Evangelicall Prophet, to ſhew what great joy there ſhall be at the reſurrection, when the bodies of the Saints ſhal be raiſed, he bids us awake and ſing. So that this is the point, there will be great joy at the reſurrection. For the amplifying of which point, I ſhall ſhew you what cauſe of rejoycing, there will be at the reſurrection.

The ſpirits, and the bodies of the Saints will then be reunited together again, which were diſunited for many yeares. And as the Spirit doth with ſome regret, griefe, and unwillingneſſe leave the bodie, having a naturall deſire, and appetite (being planted into it, by the hand of the Creator) after union with the bodie, ſo, the ſpirit cannot but rejoyce when it is united againe to the bodie. Therefore you ſhall find the ſpirits of Saints under the Altar, (in the Revelation 6.10.) crying, How long? holy and true, intimating their deſire to be reunited to their bodies. And in 2 Cor. 5.4. The Apoſtle there ſhewes us, that though the Saints be willing to live with the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, yet there is an unwillingneſſe p. 113in them to leave their bodies: therefore they had rather have immortalitie ſwallowed up of life, then to lay downe their bodies in the grave, if it were the will of God. We that are in this Tabernacle (ſaith he) groane, being burthened; not for that we would be uncloathed, but cloathed upon, that mortality might be ſwallowed up of life. There ſeemes in theſe words to be held forth an unwillingnes in the Saints, to be uncloathed of their bodies, to put off the cloathing of the fleſh. We obſerve in Philoſophie, that there is a naturall appetite in the ſoule, or forme to be united to that bodie that it once informed: and as it leaves the bodie with ſome unwillingneſſe, ſo there is a deſire of reunion when they are parted, ſo that re-union will be a cauſe of joy. For as there is joy at the meeting of friends, ſo the body and ſoule that were long together in this world, ſhall rejoyce when they ſhall meet together againe. This is one ground of joy from their meeting: the bodie and the ſpirit ſhall meet together, there ſhall be a reunion after there hath been a diſunion between them.

But in the next place, there will be a cauſe of great joy: becauſe there will be an abſolute perfection, both in the body, and in the ſoule. God ſhall be perfection in the Spirit in p. 114every facultie of it, and God in his glory ſhall dwell likewiſe in the body.

The ſoule ſhall be full of God: here we have but an imperfect knowledge of God: there the ſoule ſhall be free from all ignorance, having the full viſion of God. Here we ſee as in a glaſſe, darkly, foreign, enigmatically, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks; there we ſhall ſee face to face. Here we do but as it were ſee the back parts of God with Moſes. As the Kings of Perſia in State uſed to keep themſelves from the ſight of the people. God doth as it were hide his face here, in compariſon of the full diſcovery which hee will make of himſelfe hereafter. We doe but ſip of the cup of ſpirituall joy here; but there wee ſhall be filled with the rivers of the pleaſures of God. Here we have, as Auſtin ſaith, guttulas but little drops of joy: but there we ſhall be filled with joy. Here we have a ſight of God which doth not fully ſatisfie; but ſtill we deſire to know more of God, and more of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; but there wee ſhall be ſatisfied with the likeneſſe of God, as the Apoſtle ſaith Col. 3. v. 4. When Chriſt which is our life ſhall appeare, then we alſo ſhall appeare with him in glorie. The Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Joh. 3.2. Yet it doth not appeare what we ſhall be; it is not evident to us what glorie there ſhall be in our p. 115underſtandings; how our affections ſhall be raviſhed, and enamoured with the love of God, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; it doth not appear what ſhal be in our ſpirits: but we know that when be ſhall appeare, wee ſhall be like him: for wee ſhall ſee him as he is. O, what tongue of Rhetorick can expreſſe this! what it is to be like the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, to ſee him as he is! there is more in it then the Eloquence of Angels can ſet forth unto you.

As they ſhall have ſuch unſpeakable glory in their ſpirits, ſo likewiſe there ſhall be a glory on their bodies. Alas, our bodies now are but vile bodies; weake bodies: but what ſaith the Apoſtle? Phil. 3. ult. God ſhall change our vile bodies and make them like his glorious body; or to his body of glory: for ſo it is in the originall. As the body of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt at his transfiguration was changed, and his face did ſhine, and his whole body did ſhine with heavenly brightneſſe, and Celeſtiall glory; ſo the bodies of the Saints, ſhall be bodies of glory: there ſhall be a heavenly brightneſſe on them. Therefore Daniel ſpeaking of the Saints at the reſurrection, hee ſaith, Dan. 12.3. that they that are wiſe ſhall ſhine as the brightneſſe of the firmament, and they that turne many to righteouſneſſe as the Stars of Heaven. As the Starres are glorious creatures, p. 116and the brightneſſe of the firmament is a great glory to our eyes; ſo there ſhall be a Celeſtiall, Star-like glory upon the bodies of the Saints; they ſhall not be groſſe, lumpiſh, and heavie bodies as they are now: but ſpirituall bodies, as ſwift as a Seraphim. The bodie is now a clog and weight to the ſoule, it is ergaſtulum animae as the Platoniſts ſay, it keepeth the ſpirit under, and preſſeth it down with the weight of it, but then the bodie ſhall be a ſpirituall body: ſo that in this body the Saints ſhall aſcend into the aire, as in a Charriot of triumph, and glory, to meet the Lord Jeſus. As Elias was carried up to Heaven; ſo ſhall the Saints in theſe bodies of theirs riſe in glorie, to meet the Lord Jeſus Chriſt in the ayre. Now they are ſubject to diſeaſes: then they ſhall be freed from all diſeaſes; now they are ſubject to death; then death ſhall be ſwallowed up, and every Saint in his owne perſon ſhall appeare as a Conquerour of death, and of the grave; every Saint ſhall have this foreign, this ſong of triumph in his mouth, O death, where is thy ſting? O grave, where is thy victory? The ſting of death is ſinne, and the ſtrength of ſinne is the Law; but thanks be unto God who hath given us the victory, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Our bodies then ſhall be incorruptible, wholly p. 117like the body of Chriſt; therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, that the bodie it muſt be foreign, Phil. 3. laſt, conformable in likeneſſe, to the glorious bodie of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelfe: you ſee what perfection there ſhall be in the bodies of the Saints; though they be vile now, they ſhall be honourable, and glorious then: though they be now as pieces of earth, they ſhall be then more bright then the Starres of Heaven, or the Sunne in the firmament. This glorie God will put upon the bodies of the Saints, and being thus made happy in their bodies and ſpirits, when they ſhall ſee themſelvs in this happy condition, filled in their bodies, and ſpirits with the glory of God, it cannot but cauſe great joy.

If a man lye ſick a long while, and have a weake, diſtempered, crazie bodie; when he is reſtored, he rejoyceth that he hath health, and ſtrength, and is freed from the weakneſſe that was upon him: ſhall not there be great joy then, when the Saints ſhall riſe? when they that had weake, crazie, and vile, mortall bodies here, ſhall ſee themſelves in bodies of glory, in bodies as glorious as the body of the Lord Jeſus?

Againe, there will be great cauſe of joy to theſe Saints, when they ſhall be thus united in their bodies, and ſoules, and ſhall meet p. 118the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, becauſe they ſhall have great dignitie put upon their perſons; they ſhall bee raiſed as no meane perſons. As wicked, ungodly, and unbelieving men ſhall be raiſed as ſlaves, and vaſſals, and be brought forth in chaines and fetters, before the dreadfull tribunall of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: ſo the Saints ſhall all come forth as Kings; every one of them ſhall be dignified with the glorie, and Majeſtie of a King. This is that, that is ſpoken of, in the Revelation, where it is ſaid, that Chriſt hath made us Kings and Prieſts, and wee ſhall reigne upon earth. We ſhall reigne in our bodies. As an Ambaſſadour ſaid of the Senate of Rome, that he apprehended that there were as many Kings as Senators in the Senate-houſe, (Quot Senateres tot Reges:) So, there ſhall be as many Kings, as Saints at the reſurrection; and every one ſhall have Kingly glory, and Majeſty; every one, together with the Lord Jeſus, reigning as a King upon the earth, Rev. 5.10. Therefore if men rejoyce in the enjoyment of earthly Kingdomes and Crownes which are lined with cares, that a King profeſſed, that if men knew the troubles, which attended upon a Crowne, no man would ſtoop to who it up; what joy will there be, when wee ſhall reigne as ſpirituall, and heavenly p. 119Kings with the Lord Jeſus?

Againe, there will be great joy: becauſe all things that may occaſion any ſorrow or ſadneſſe ſhall be quite removed away: all teares muſt then be wiped from the eyes of all the Saints, Rev. 7.17. there muſt be no more ſighing; no more griefe; no more ſorrow. All earthly infirmities and weakneſſes, which are accompanied with griefe and paine, ſhall be removed: for our bodies ſhall be Celeſtiall bodies, (1 Cor. 15.40.) raiſed up in incorruption, 1 Cor. 15.42. And there ſhall be no more blindneſſe or blackneſſe upon our ſpirits. Here ſo long as wee carrie ſinne about us, though we know it is pardoned, though we know it ſhall be remembred no more, Heb. 8.12. though we know in point of Juſtification, that it may be ſought for, and cannot be found, Jer. 50.20. yet ſo long as wee feele it oppoſing the Spirit of glory, and holineſſe in us by the filthy nature of it, ſo long it will occaſion ſorrow, griefe, and ſome trouble to the ſoule: but at the generall reſurrection, as ſinne is now compleatly taken away in our Juſtification to thoſe that believe in the Lord Jeſus (ſuch being thoſe bleſſed ones ſpoken of in the 32. Pſal. whoſe iniquities are forgiven, and whoſe ſinnes are covered;) So then ſinne ſhall be wholly taken away to our owne p. 120ſenſe, feeling, and apprehenſion, by the Spirit of Sanctification. There ſhall be no corner then in the ſoule, ſpirit, or body for any luſt, or uncleanneſſe, and conſequently no place for ſorrow. Sinne is like the evill ſpirit that poſſeſſed Saul, that made him melancholy and ſad, and afflicted him in his ſpirit. But when the Lord Jeſus Chriſt ſhall appeare, then all ſinne ſhall be done away to our ſenſe, and feeling, as it is done away now in our Juſtification. Then we ſhall be as perfectly ſanctified throughout, both in bodie and ſpirit, as wee are now perfectly juſtified. Now the life that wee live in the fleſh is by Faith in the Sonne of God, by ſeeing how compleatly we are juſtified from ſinnes, luſts, corruptions, thoſe enemies to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt that wee carrie in our boſomes: but then wee ſhall be as perfect in reſpect of the life of ſanctification, as wee are now perfect, and compleat in reſpect of our Juſtification. So that the cauſe of ſorrow, and trouble ſhall quite be taken away.

There ſhall be no place then left for Evangelicall ſorrow; the ſorrow that now is wrought in the Saints is Evangelicall, not Legall; but the joy, and glory which doth remaine for the Saints hereafter ſhall be ſo great, that there ſhall be no place then left p. 121for Evangelicall griefe for any ſinne, that we have committed. And as ſin ſhall not then bring any ſorrow upon us, ſo neither ſhall the Devill, who is the troubler of the Iſrael of God, be able to afflict us. Here he is permitted to afflict us, as he did Job, for the tryall of our Faith and patience; and though for the preſent, when we looke on Chriſt in his perſon, we ſee that wee are conquerours over the Devill in him, yet we meet with the Devill, his fierie temptations, darts and arrowes, which he ſhooteth into our ſpirits: ſo that he oft-times cauſeth us to walke ſomething ſadly, occaſioning troubles, which Jerome calleth (tempeſtates mentis) the tempeſts of the mind. As Paul tells us, that he was buffeted by the meſſenger of Satan. But then this wicked Fiend ſhall be ſo chained up, that he ſhall never be let looſe upon us again. Then he ſhall be ſo under our feet that hee ſhall never have any liberty given him to tempt us any more.

The accuſer of the Brethren is caſt out of heaven, Revelation 12.10. His accuſations and complaints againſt them cannot be heard by the eare of God, to prejudice their Juſtification, but he doth perſecute the woman upon the earth, Rev. 12.13. He afflicts the Church and brings much p. 122trouble oft-times to the Saints: but at the generall reſurrection, we ſhall be freed wholly from the Devill, from all temptations, from all troubles, all enemies that can be thought upon: ſo that then things ſhall be fully accompliſhed, and compleated for our good. The Apoſtle though he telleth us that Chriſt for the preſent hath aboliſhed death and ſinne to us, 2 Tim. 1.10. and deſtroyed him, who hath the power of death, who is the Devill, Heb. 2.14. yet he informeth us that the promiſes of God made to us in Chriſt are not fully accompliſhed, compleated, and perfected till the reſurrection; as wee may ſee by that place, 1 Cor. 15.54. then ſhall be fulfilled that ſaying, ſpeaking of the reſurrection day, Death is ſwallowed up in victory, then it ſhall be ſaid, O death where is thy ſting? O grave where is thy victory? foreign. Then ſhall it be, that is, it ſhall be, in the full accompliſhment; wee have now what is there promiſed, in the promiſe of God by Faith; then wee ſhall have what is in the promiſe, in the actuall fruition of the thing promiſed. So that in this reſpect, there will be great joy: becauſe then every Saint ſhall ride in a Chariot of triumph, as a Conquerour of all enemies in his own perſon. And as Chriſt in his owne body, and Spirit did ride to Heaven, p. 123and triumph over the power of Hell, Death, ſinne, curſe, and condemnation; and as the life that we live for the preſent, is by beholding this victory of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt with the eye of Faith: ſo at the generall reſurrection all the Saints ſhall imitate the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and in their owne perſons ſhall ride as Conquerours triumphing over all enemies, and ſhall live the life of viſion, ſeeing the ſame thing done in their owne perſons, which now by Faith they ſee done for them in the perſon of Jeſus. So that all cauſe and occaſion of trouble, and ſorrow being taken away, there muſt needs be great joy at the reſurrection of thoſe, who are raiſed by the Lord.

In the next place, as the occaſions and cauſes of all ſorrow ſhall be taken away; ſo likewiſe all things, all objects that may move ſpirituall joy ſhall be preſented to the Saints, to raiſe their ſpirits to a ſpirituall joy, who ſhall be raiſed and made happy with the Lord Jeſus: whatſoever it be that can be thought upon that can make any one happy, that the Saints ſhal enjoy: they ſhal enjoy God in a full meaſure, and the Lord Jeſus. Sweet ſtreames of joy will flow into their ſpirits, becauſe God will make himſelfe the Author and worker of their joy. Sing O daughter of Sion, p. 124ſaith the Prophet, Zeph. 3.14. Be glad and rejoyce O daughter of Jeruſalem. But why muſt Zion ſing and ſhout? behold the reaſon in the 15. verſe, The Lord is in the midſt of thee, and in the 17. ver. He will rejoyce over thee with ſinging. There is the chiefe ground of their joy laid downe. So the 12. of Neh. 43. it is ſaid, the people rejoyced, for God made them rejoyce with great joy. So at the reſurrection, God ſhall make them to rejoyce, they ſhall be alway then at the Fountaine, at the Well-head, In thy preſence is fulneſſe of joy, at thy right hand (ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 17.11.) there are pleaſures for evermore. All the Saints ſhall then bee in the preſence and at the right hand of God, where there ſhall be pleaſures for evermore: they all ſhall be in the glory of the Lord Jeſus. God ſhall emptie himſelfe, and the rivers, and ſtreames of joy which are in himſelf, into their hearts and ſpirits; ſo that they ſhall be ſwallowed up, into thoſe ſtreames and rivers of joy, and pleaſure which are in the enjoyment of a God. Macarius ſpeaketh of (foreign) the ebriety of the Spirit. They then ſhall be inebriated with the fulneſſe of a ſpirituall joy.

If there be ſuch rejoycing here in the ſpirit of a Saint, when he hath a light from God p. 125to ſee ſomething of God in the face of Chriſt; what ſpirituall joy ſhall there be when our joy ſhall be at the full. If there be ſuch joy in the ebbing of the Spirit here, what joy will there be when we ſhall enjoy the hightyde of the Spirit in the viſion of Gods grace, and glory hereafter; when wee ſhall eat of the tree of life; when wee ſhall drinke our fill of thoſe rivers of pleaſures which runne in the Paradiſe of God? And if there be ſo much ſweetneſſe in ſpirituall joy here; what tongue can expreſſe, or heart conceive what there ſhall be in that joy that ſhall be hereafter? Great, glorious and high are the expreſſions by which Saints doe ſet forth the joyes that they feele here, but no Saint can tell what the joyes ſhall be hereafter at the reſurrection. Pſal. 94.19. In the multitude of my thoughts within mee, thy comforts delight my ſoule; the delight is ſuch here, that David had rather have the light of Gods countenance, in a Spirit of joy upon him, then to enjoy all the glory and great things in the world. Thou haſt put greater joy into my heart, then when the corne and wine of wicked men is increaſed, Pſal. 4. and in Pſal. 84. One day in thy houſe is worth a thouſand. If there be ſuch joy in the preſence of God here, in the beholding of his grace, in the kiſſes of p. 126his mouth, in the imbraces of his Sonne, when he doth now ſprinkle us with his grace; O what joy ſhall there be, when God ſhall poure out the Spirit of grace, and ſweetneſſe into our ſoules? when he ſhall open all the treaſures of his Spirit and love; when hee ſhall more freely and fully ſhew us the things, that neither eye hath ſeene, nor eare hath heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive what they are? 1 Cor. 2.

Wee have ſeene great things in the world; Crownes, Scepters, riches, worldly pomp and glory, but what are all theſe things? they doe not ſhadow forth the things that wee ſee here in the Spirit, and ſhall more plainely ſee hereafter. Our fancies, and Imaginations, worke beyond our eye, we fancie greater things, then we behold: but what eye hath not ſeene, nor eare hath heard, nor hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive, what they are, wee darkly ſee here, and ſhall fully enjoy hereafter.

The Poets in their fancies, have fancied golden Mountaines, and great things; the earth doth not afford ſuch things as they have fancied and minted in their poeticall braines: but the things that ſhall then be diſcovered to us, goe beyond the cogitation and thought, and workings of mans heart, p. 127and ſpirit; and theſe things ſhall be gloriouſly revealed to us by the Spirit of God; and the Spirit ſhall ſhew us that all theſe things are ours. Wee ſhall ſee God ours, and Chriſt ours, and all the glory of Heaven ours, and ſee our ſelves in the Kingdome of Heaven. So that there ſhall be the preſence of all things that ſhall make us happy, the confluence of all good things that can bring any bliſſe, tranquillity, and joy to the ſpirit, and ſoule of man. So that it is evident there will be great joy, if wee conſider that there will be every thing wanting, that may make us ſorrowfull, and every thing preſent that may make us joyfull: there will be the abſence of all evill, and the preſence of all good: there will be God himſelfe, who is the ſummum bonum, the chiefe good; and this God will unvaile himſelfe, and ſhew forth his love, and ſhine forth in his glorie, beautie, and excellency on the ſpirits of his people; and ſeeing themſelves in this happie, and blisfull condition; they cannot but ſing and rejoyce at the reſurrection. Here the Saints in believing doe rejoyce with joy unſpeakable and full of glory. 1 Pet. 1.8. How glorious then and unſpeakable will be the joy of the reſurrection?

Againe, you may take notice that there p. 128will be cauſe of great joy, if you confider that all the joy which wee have here is but a ſhadow of that joy which the Saints ſhall have hereafter. Nay, all the joy in the world here cannot ſhadow forth that joy that ſhall be hereafter. Conſider for what men doe rejoyce here, and you ſhall ſee that they have the ſame cauſe to rejoyce for the ſame things in a full manner hereafter. The reſurrection day is the Saints Coronation day, and their wedding-day. Rev. 19.7. Let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made her ſelfe ready. It is Gods and their harveſt day. Among men, the time of harveſt is a time of joy. They ſhall rejoyce before thee according to the joy of harveſt, Iſa. 9.3. The reſurrection is Gods harveſt for the gathering in of Saints. When a man ſowes his ſeed, he ſowes it in expectation of a harveſt. So God ſowes his ſeed, he ſowes the bodies of the Saints in the earth, he layes them in the ſurrowes; he doth it in expectation of a harveſt. And the people of God were commanded to rejoyce before him, in the time of harveſt: which did typifie the ſpirituall joy that the Saints ſhall enjoy at the generall reſurrection, which ſhall be their harveſt; when their bodies ſhall ſpring and come out p. 129of the duſt, in their glory and excellency.

Againe, that I may bring you back to remember what the worke of the day is, and enlarge my ſelfe upon that, at which I pointed even now; we know that we uſe to have great joy for great deliverances; When God hath ſuffered us, even to come to the brinke of ruine, and deſtruction, and then doth pull us from it, and ſave us, there is joy with ſhouting. We know how neere wee were to ruine, wee had almoſt been deſtroyed by the enemies that roſe up againſt us: but the Lord hath delivered us: and ſeriouſly conſidering this deliverance wee cannot but be thankfull and joyfull for the mercy. And our joy for the mercy of this day, may imperfectly ſhadow forth, and repreſent unto you the joy which ſhall be in Saints at the reſurrection. For wee that were compaſſed about with ſo many enemies in the world; that had all the Devills in hell againſt us, and all the wicked men in the world, holding forth their hands, to draw us and lead us into the broad way that leads to deſtruction: and a baſe malignant party that wee carrie about us, within our ſelves joyning with the Devill, the world, & wicked men againſt our ſelves: by the power of God ſhall we be preſerved from all theſe enemies, and made more then Conquerours p. 130over all our enemies through Jeſus Chriſt, that loved us. And ſo ſhall have cauſe to rejoyce in our preſervation and deliverance.

Truely we are not able fully to apprehend our deliverance here, and that is the reaſon that Saints rejoyce ſo little in the God of grace and his mercies. We cannot apprehend fully what it is to be freed from ſinne, that hath layed the foundation of Hell. Wee apprehend not, what it is to be in the hands, and jawes of the Prince of darkneſſe, and then to be pulled out of his hands, and jawes by Chriſt; as David recovered his Lamb out of the mouth of the Lyon, 1 Sam. 17.34. Wee doe not apprehend what it is to be by nature children of wrath, and yet to be crowned with grace, glory, and immortality, through the goodneſſe of God; but then we ſhall fully apprehend our great deliverances by the grace of God, and the power of the Lamb, and ſhall ſing for joy. In the 15. of the Rev. the 3. it is ſaid of Saints that they ſing the ſong of Moſes, wee ſing it here in the ſpirit, in part, believing with Zacharias that wee are delivered out of the hand of our enemies; but then we ſhall ſing it fully, in the fulneſſe of ſpirituall joy. It is called the ſong of Moſes, becauſe it ſhall be a ſong for their deliverance out of the hand of p. 131all enemies. As Moſes, when the Iſraelites were delivered from Egypt called the people to play upon Muſick, and ſing prayſe to God, ſo that the Heavens anſwered, and ecchoed to their ſinging, and the joyfull noyſe, that they made to God for their deliverance: So when wee ſhall apprehend that the Lord by his mighty power hath delivered us from the Egyptian Pharaoh, the Devill; from the houſe of bondage, the Iron furnace of Egypt; from the ſting of ſinne, from the power of darkneſſe, from all curſes, and condemnation; from temporall, ſpirituall, and eternall death; being fully apprehenſive of this deliverance, wee cannot but be filled with joy in ſinging prayſes to him who is our deliverer.

When by the crueltie of Haman, the people of Iſrael were appointed for ſlaughter and deſtruction; and God had given in a glorious deliverance to them; we read how they kept the day with joy, Heſter 9.22. The day was called a day wherein the Jewes reſted from their enemies, and the monethmonth which was turned unto them from ſorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day; that they ſhould make them dayes of feaſting, and joy, and of ſending portions one to another, and gifts to the poore. The Devill like Haman had appointed the Iſrael p. 132of God to ſlaughter, and deſtruction; he thought to have ſwallowed them up, and to have made them as miſerable to all eternitie as he himſelfe ſhall be: but by the goodneſſe, and power of God they are delivered from this ſpirituall Haman. The Lord hath raiſed up a Mordecai, the Lord Jeſus, who hath given us a deliverance from him. As Mordecai did ſpeake peace to his people, Heſt. 10.3. So Jeſus Chriſt our ſpirituall Mordecai ſhall ſpeake peace to us, bring deliverance to his people, diſcover the plots, and machinations of our enemies, by which they would have wrought our ruine, and deſtruction, and the Saints that were as ſheep appointed for the ſlaughter, by cruell Haman the enemy of mankind, ſhall eſcape out of the hands of this bloudy Lyon, out of the ſnare of this cruell hunter; which will afford plentifully matter of great joy, and ſinging to the Saints.

But in the next place there is cauſe of great joy, when people are not only delivered from their enemies, but their enemies are likewiſe put under their feet, (as God by his goodneſſe ſeemes to doe ours this day: who are brought to a low and helpleſſe condition, unleſſe the Devill help them with a new plot, and make them as ſtrong as formerly they p. 133were) ſo it will be with Saints at the reſurrection; we apprehend it matter of joy to us, that God hath not onelyonly delivered us from the hands of our enemies; but hath given us the necks of our enemies likewiſe: ſo that we are Conquerours of them that hoped to conquer us; they are under our command, that thought to have made us ſlaves, and vaſſals to the commands of their imperious, and cruell luſts. So there will be rejoycing at the reſurrection, becauſe as Joſhua put the enemies of Gods people under their feet, ſo Chriſt ſhall then put all our enemies under our feet; Shall we now ſee cauſe of rejoycing, becauſe God hath weakned the ſtrength, & enfeebled the forces of our enemies? and ſhall there not be greater cauſe of rejoycing at the reſurrection, when the Saints ſhall ſee all powers againſt them brought to nothing? Hell, ſin, the world, man and Devills being trampled under their feet. Chriſt is filled with prayſes and joy, becauſe his Father hath given him the necks of his enemies, that he may deſtroy them that hate him, Pſal. 18.40. So the Saints ſhall be joyfull in glory, becauſe, they ſhall execute vengeance upon the Heathen, and puniſhment upon the people. Binding their Kings with chaines, and their Nobles with fetters of iron, Pſal. 140.7.8. For the Saints ſhall ſit together upon the p. 134bench with the Lord Jeſus to judge them that unjuſtly judged them upon earth. Wicked, and ungodly men, that for the profeſſion of truth, have brought Saints before judgement-ſeats; and have jeer'd, and ſcoffed at them, making them their paſtime and merriment, ſhall be brought before the Saints, and the Saints ſhall fit upon the Judgement-ſeate with the Lord, and paſſe a ſentence of condemnation upon them. When the Lord delivered the Iſraelites, and avenged himſelfe upon their enemies in the time of Barak and Deborah, Judg. 5.1, 2. they ſung a ſong of prayſes unto the Lord. So the Saints ſhall rejoyce, becauſe God at the reſurrection ſhall avenge himſelfe upon the implacable enemies of his glory. Therefore when the Judgement is paſſed upon Babylon; the Heavens are commanded to rejoyce; Rejoyce over thou Heaven, Rev. 18.20. That is, ye Saints who are Inhabitants and Citizens of Heaven, for God hath avenged you on her; ſo that we ſhall have the ſame cauſes of joy, and rejoycing at the generall reſurrection, which we have here, this joy which wee have here, in theſe things, being but as it were the ſhadow and figure of the joy which wee ſhall have hereafter.

Then in the next place; another thing p. 135that will heighten the joy of the Saints at the reſurrection, will be the eternitie of their joy. Eternity, is the hell of hell; there is no torment that makes hell to be ſuch a place of torment as it is, as the eternity of the torments of Hell: ſo the eternitie of the joyes of Heaven, is the very Heaven of Heaven, and this eternity of joy is the eternall portion of Saints. The joy that the Saints ſhall have, is not for a moment; as our joyes are here, vaiſhing, and tranſitory; Joy appeares to us in the morning, and ſorrow comes in the evening, that wee have more cauſe to weep, and mourne before night, then wee had to rejoyce in the day. It ſhall not be ſo then, there ſhall be joy that ſhall be lengthned out to eternity; joy that ſhall have no period, nor end: when wee have rejoyced many hundred thouſands of yeares; wee ſhall rejoyce then, and our joyes ſhall be ſo new and pleaſing unto us, as though wee had never rejoyced before: we ſhall never be weary of our joy.

We find we are weary of joy and recreations here, and therefore there muſt be varietie of joy, and recreations by the enjoyments of divers things, or elſe they will not give us content: but here ſhall alway be the ſame joy, the ſame cauſe of joy, and the p. 136ſame joy alway new; The ſong which wee ſhall ſing ſhall alwayes be a new ſong. The Kingdome that is promiſed, is a Kingdome that cannot be moved, Heb. 12.28. The righteouſneſſe that ſhall be in it ſhall be an everlaſting righteouſneſſe, the ſalvation of it ſhall be an everlaſting ſalvation, Iſa. 45.17. The joy of it ſhall be everlaſting joy, Everlaſting joy ſhall be upon their head, Iſa. 51.11. The Crownes that we ſhall weare ſhall be Crownes of glory, that ſhall never fade away, 1 Pet. 5.4. 1 Theſſ. 4.17. Wee ſhall be ever with the Lord; we ſhall alwaies enjoy the viſion of Gods glory, and ſo ſhall alwayes have cauſe of joy, and rejoycing in him.

The tranſitory, and momentanie continuance of earthly joyes, pleaſures and contentment is that, that imbitters all the ſweetneſſe of theſe earthly joyes, and contentments; ſo that, that ſhall ſweeten the joy of the Saints at the reſurrection, will be the eternitie of their joy, it ſhall be joy that ſhall never have an end: ſo the Pſalmiſt ſaith, at thy right hand there are pleaſures for evermore. They are laſting joyes, everlaſting joyes, they ſhall be like God himſelfe, they ſhall have no end: but the Saints that are raiſed in joy, ſhall be happy in that joy for evermore.

But why doe I ſpend ſo much time to ſet p. 137forth theſe joyes? Truly I cannot give you a full relation of them. Sheba's Queen, when ſhe had ſeene the glorie of Solomons Palace, his ſervants and attendance about him, and the glory, and pompe of his earthly Eſtate, ſhe confeſſed that the fame in her owne Countrie, was nothing to that ſhe had ſeene with her eyes, 1 Kings 10.7. I beleeved not the words untill I came, and mine eyes had ſeene it, and behold the halfe was not told me: thy wiſdome and proſperity exceedeth the fame which I heard. Fame commonly exceeds the thing which is reported; but Solomons glory exceeded the fame of it. So, we heare of great and glorious things which ſhall be at the reſurrection; the joy and glorie that the Saints ſhall have, and we take paines to illuſtrate it by earthly joyes and ſpirituall comfort, which is the beſt thing to ſhadow it. But all that can be ſaid is far ſhort of ſetting forth to the full, the glorie, and joy of it. And therefore ſeeing that the thing farre exceeds the diſcourſe and apprehenſion of any man; ſeeing words cannot ſet forth, what glorie, and joy this is: I will not lay downe any more conſiderations to ſhadow forth to you this joy, which I profeſſe I want language fully to expreſſe. Wherefore give me leave to make a little uſe, and I ſhall put a period for the preſent p. 138of ſpeaking of this joy which is unſpeakable.

In the firſt place, ſeeing there will be great joy at the reſurrection, therefore wee ſhould rejoice in it before hand: God will not faile in giving you of any thing that he hath promiſed: you will find the joy a hundred thouſand times greater then any man on earth is able to expreſſe it to you.

As God, when he promiſed the people of Iſrael the Land of Canaan, that flowed with milk and honey, he did not faile of any thing he had promiſed to them, all came to paſſe, as you have the ſtorie, Joh. 21.45. So God hath promiſed a heavenly Canaan of glorie, an everlaſting Kingdome; a City which hath foundations, whoſe builder and maker is God, Heb. 11.10. Palaces that ſhall ſtand faſt, and firme upon their baſis and foundation to the dayes of Eternitie. He hath promiſed to put Scepters into our hands, Crowns of glory upon our heads. And he that hath promiſed theſe things to his people will not faile in performance; he is juſt, and faithfull, he is not like man: he cannot lie, he cannot repent of the good he intends to doe for his people. Therefore you that are his people rejyocein your portion, and inheritance. As the young Ward in his non-age or minority, p. 139when little is allowed him for the preſent, doth rejoyce in foreſeeing what large poſſeſſions he ſhall be maſter of for the future, when the time of his Wardſhip ſhall be expired. So, let us who are the Heires of Heaven, happineſſe and giorie here, though wee ſhall not have the fruition of it untill hereafter, rejoyce here as though wee were in the full enjoyment, and poſſeſſion of it.

Suffer not any wicked, unbelieving ſpirits, to bereave you of your joy and comfort, by leading you into errour, concerning the reſurrection. O what enemies are theſe people to the ſpirituall joy of Gods people, that goe about to ſow this ſeed of falſe Doctrine among them, by perſwading them that there ſhall be no reſurrection of the bodie, but onelyonly a ſpirituall reſurrection here? How doe theſe with ſpecious ſhewes of truth bereave people of that ſpirituall joy, comfort, and contentment that they might take in believing the Doctrine of the reſurrection?

Beloved, you meet with many Arguments againſt the reſurrection that baffle carnall reaſon: I profeſſe that if I ſhould follow carnall reaſon, I know there are ſuch ſtrong Arguments againſt the reſurrection, that I ſhould eaſily yeild the bucklers, and contend no more for the point; but conclude p. 140that there would be no reſurrection of the bodie: but when I looke upon the power of him that hath promiſed; when I conſider that God hath ſaid it; it anſwers all objections of carnall reaſon. Therefore ſhew your ſelves children of faithfull Abraham, ſtagger not at this promiſe, he believed above hope, and againſt hope. It is above hope, and againſt the hope of naturall reaſon that this bodie ſhould be raiſed: yet give God the glory of his power, God hath ſaid that this bodie ſhall riſe, and riſe as the body of his Sonne; that we ſhall awake and ſing, and the Earth ſhall caſt forth her dead. (Conſidera authorem & tolle dubitationem Ter.) Conſider the power of the agent, and all doubting will be removed. He that hath promiſed it, is power, love, and faithfulneſſe: he will doe what he hath promiſed for his people, what they expect, and beyond their thoughts, deſires, and expectations; therefore 1 Theſſ. 4. ult. Comfort your ſelves with theſe words. There is no Doctrine that brings ſo much ſpirituall conſolation to the ſoule as this: it is the ſpring of ſpirituall joy in the hearts of the Saints. Take away the Doctrine of the reſurrection of bodies, and take away all ſpirituall joy, and comfort. And then look no longer upon the Saints as glorious, and p. 141happie creatures; but as the moſt miſerable abjects that you behold upon the face of the earth. If there be no reſurrection of the dead, ſaith the Apoſtle, We are of al men moſt miſerable. Saints profeſſe themſelvs the moſt happie and joyfull people in the world, and rejoyce in their portion, and bleſſe themſelves in their happineſſe, and inheritance. But take this Doctrine away, let it be granted that there ſhall be no reſurrection, let it bee granted that Chriſt is not riſen in his humane bodie, and that the Saints ſhall not riſe in their humane bodies as Chriſt did, and be happie in their humane bodies: it will damp all the joy of the Saints preſently, it will quench the Spirit of joy in the people of God. For there can be no cauſe of rejoycing to the Saints but in this aſſurance, that their ſinnes are pardoned, that they are in Covenant with God, that God having loved them from eternitie, will love them to eternitie, and preſerve them in happineſſe with himſelſe.

Therefore you that truly believe this Doctrine rejoyce in it, and ſuffer not the ſcoffing enemies of this Doctrine to draw you from it, and ſo from the comfort that will flow into your hearts while you believe it. Take heed leſt there be in any of you a heart of unbeliefe, p. 142to depart from the living God. And if there be any poore weak Chriſtians here that have been miſled by theſe miſcreants, and ungodly men, let them looke up to God, beholding his power, and faithfulneſſe in their Redeemer, that they may ſee all thoſe objections of carnall reaſon (by which they have been deluded, and miſled) eaſily anſwered; that ſo their former joy, and conſolation may returne to them, by believing the Doctrine and joy of the reſurrection.

And let me adde this alſo, that as this is a Doctrine of great joy; ſo it is a Doctrine that obligeth us to great holineſſe. The Doctrine of Chriſt in every part, and branch of it leads to holineſſe. If thou meet with any tenent or opinion that furthereth not holineſſe, looke on that opinion as an errour: for whatſoever is the truth of the Lord, it is a truth that leads us to holineſſe of life, and converſation: So doth this Doctrine of the reſurrection; for if wee conſider ſeriouſly that the bodie ſhall be raiſed, and we ſhall be happie at the reſurrection in enjoying of God; will not this raiſe up the ſpirit of a man to thankfulneſſe? and where there is true thankfulneſſe, will not that thankfulneſſe be legible in obedience?

Therefore ſeeing God intends to glorifie p. 143thee with himſelfe in bodie, and in ſpirit, ſince thou ſhalt be ever happie with him, ſhouldeſt thou not glorifie this God, while thou art here, in thy life and converſation? As the Apoſtle ſaith, 2 Pet. 3.13, 14. We according to his promiſe looke for new Heavens, and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteouſneſſe. What is the uſe of this? Wherefore beloved ſeeing ye looke for ſuch things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without ſpot, and blameleſſe. A true aſſurance of ſalvation given by the Spirit of grace, doth not make us negligent in the performance of good duties; it doth not make us looſe and licentious in our lives: but that aſſurance that is a right aſſurance, which is wrought in us by the Spirit of grace, will as well teach us to be holy as aſſure our hearts that we ſhall be happy. Lucian ſpeaking ſceffingly of the zeale of Chriſtians and their readineſſe to help one another, doth give this as the reaſon of it, [foreign.] Theſe miſerable men ſaith he, believe that in bodie and ſoule they ſhall be immortall. The ſcoffing Atheiſt did ſpeake truth in this, and found out the true cauſe of the zeale which was in primitive Chriſtians. There can be no holineſſe without a perfwaſion of happineſſe for men after p. 144this life: If there be no reſurrection, ſaith Paul, Let us eat and drinke, 1 Cor. 15. But when a man is perſwaded of this, He will purifie himſelfe as Chriſt is pure, 1 Joh. 3.3.

Againe, this ſhewes the different condition between a Saint, and a ſinner; Looke upon Saints, and ſinners; eye them onelyonly with a carnall eye in reſpect of the preſent condition, and it may be you ſhall apprehend a ſinner in a better condition then a Saint. God oft-times gives temporall bleſſings to them, which he denies to his owne people, they are the worlds happie creatures. But looke on Saints in this condition, and then you ſhall ſee a vaſt difference between the condition of a believer, and of a man that is an enemy to Chriſt, the one ſhall awake, and ſing. He ſhall awake at the reſurrection to be filled with joy; to be crowned as a King, with immortall glorie. The other ſhall awake and houle: As Agag when he thought, and was perſwaded that the bitterneſſe of death was paſt, was hewen in pieces: ſo Epicures, and prophane men that ſing away ſorrow, feare of Hell, and damnation, ſpending their dayes in mirth, in a moment they goe downe to the grave, Job 21.13. and are raiſed from thence to ſuffer torments to eternitie. But the Saints ſleeping for a while in the grave are raiſed to p. 145felicitie. This is elegantly ſet forth in the book of Wiſdome, 5. Chap. We fooles thought their lives madneſſe, and their end without honour, and behold they are become the children of God, ſpeaking of the Saints, verſ. 6. And in the 8. v. ſpeaking of themſelves, they doe thus complaine: What hath our pride profited us? what hath our pomp and riches brought unto us? The time will come that wicked men ſhall wiſh that they had never been, elſe that ſome mountaine would be ſo propitious as to fall on them, that they might never come into the preſence of God, and his Sonne Jeſus Chriſt, that ſhall fit upon the Throne. O what a dolefull noyſe will it make in the eares of wicked and ungodly men, when they ſhall be called forth to the reſurrection of Damnation; while the Saints ſhall be bid to awake to the reſurrection of life! Who would bee envious at wicked men, that grow rich, and proſper, and flouriſh in the world; that get great eſtates, and leave their eſtates and houſes to their heires, if they did but conſider, that at the reſurrection they ſhall be enforced to take hell as part of their purchaſe, and ſhall be drawne and dragged as ſlaves to eternall torments?

I remember what the Heathen ſaid; It is a miſerable thing for a man to have been happie; p. 146Fuiſſe faelicem miſerrimum eſt, Boeth. It grieves a man when he comes to povertie, to remember that he was once rich; when a man is in a diſgracefull condition, to thinke with himſelfe, I was honourable; this is double miſery. Remember (ſaith Abraham) to the rich man, that thou in thy life time didſt enjoy riches, and poore Lazarus lying at thy gate was denied the crummes falling from thy Table. This was the aggravation of the rich mans miſery, to be put in minde that he had been happy, and rich upon the earth. Conſider this, and you ſhall plainly ſee, that rich and great men, without Chriſt, though they live happily to the eye of the world, yet they are in a miſerable condition; and the meaneſt Saint is in a farre better condition then they. The wicked rich men ſhall awake to howling, and ſcreeching, to miſery, and torment eternall; the poore Saint to joy, rejoycing, and happineſſe for evermore.

Wicked men are like the Perſians ſlave, who for a day was feaſted, and had all things provided to delight him, that they uſed to provide for the Emperour, and at night he was put to death. So wicked men, God feaſts them as ſlaves here, they have furniſhed tables, and ſervants, children, and muſicke: but poore wretches, night comes upon them, and p. 147death takes off their heads, and they are miſerable to eternitie. Therefore James ſaith, They are nouriſhed as againſt the day of ſlaughter. God doth but fat them, as men uſe to fat beaſts for ſacrifice, or ſlaughter; ſo God ſuffers them to ſwim in pleaſures, to live in vanities, to get riches, to grow fat in the earth: but it is to deſtroy them: they are fatted for the day of damnation. In this glaſſe, or mirrour, ſee the difference between Saints and ſinners.

Then in the next place, ſeeing it is thus that the people of God ſhall be made partakers of ſuch happineſſe at the reſurrection, let me exhort you to waite in expectation and deſire of it. A Ward that knows that when he ſhall live beyond the dayes of his wardſhip, he ſhall have his Lands and poſſeſſions in his own hands, he deſires that the time may be expired that he may have all in his own hands, that now is in the hands of his Guardian, who (it may be) keepes him to a ſhort allowance, though he be an heire to great poſſeſſions. Wee are Wards, as yee heard even now, and wee are under a guardian; though wee are rich in reverſion, happineſſe, and heaven, and all things being ours, yet God keepes us low here. Let us deſire that the time of our wardſhip may be expired, that wee may come to that happineſſe which he hath promiſed; that wee may awake, p. 148and ſing, and be happie in a more full enjoyment of God; and this is the deſire of thoſe that are truly faithfull. When Chriſt ſaith, He will come, and appeare; What doe the Saints anſwer? Even ſo come Lord Jeſus, come quickly, Rev. 22.2.

If a naturall, carnall man, ſhould ſpeake forth that which lies at the bottome of his heart, when Chriſt ſaith, He will come; he would ſay; O Lord never come, I am not conformed to thine Image; I am not made a new creature by hearing of thy Goſpel; O let me never ſee the face of Chriſt. But the man that knows the love of God, and truly underſtands he everlaſting Goſpel, when he heares Chriſt ſay, I come; preſently there is this eccho, by which he anſwereth the Lord Chriſt in his owne Spirit; Even ſo come Lord Jeſus, come quickly.

When the Judges are in their circuits, malefactors tremble and quake; but an innocent man that hath a good cauſe, expects and de…res to have it heard, and is glad that they are …ome: ſo wicked and ungodly men, who are theeves, robbers, murtherers, and malefactors, guiltie of all ſinnes, and lie in im…riſoned & ſhackled in their own conſciences, when they heare that the Lord Jeſus ſhall ride is circuit, and appeare as a Judge, (unleſſe p. 149they have ſeared conſciences) they cannot but tremble and quake. But the other, when Chriſt ſhall be as a Judge to the wicked, he ſhall be as a Saviour to them, therefore they cannot but deſire the coming, and appearing of the Lord. Wherefore let us deſire the appearing of the Lord Jeſus; let us not live as the men of the world, that are afraid, and tremble & quake, when they heare of a Judgement day, & Chriſt coming to judge every man according to his workes: but let us continue in the aſſurance of Gods grace, beleeving that our ſinnes are pardoned. Let not the coming of Chriſt be our feare, but our deſire; let us deſire foreign, to wait, as one doth upon one that he would ſpeake with, for the Sonne who ſhall deliver us from the wrath to come, and ſhall put a Crowne of glory on our heads, which he hath promiſed to all thoſe that love him.

Againe, that I may draw to a concluſion, let this ſweeten all miſeries, troubles, and afflictions that we ſhall meet with here below. If wee meet with perſecution, with impriſonment, with hatred in the world, with reproaches from men, let this be ſufficient to ſweeten all. Conſider the day is coming, it is at hand, Chriſt is at the dore, Jam. 5.10. and you ſhall awake and ſing, while theſe that now rejoyce ſhall howle and lament.

p. 150Beloved, Thinke it not ſtrange concerning the fiery triall, which is to try you, as though ſome ſtrange thing happened unto you. But rejoyce in as much as yee are partakers of Chriſts ſufferings, that when his glory ſhall be revealed, yee may be glad alſo with exceeding joy, 1 Pet. 4.13, 14. God leads his people to happineſſe by ſtraits. Heaven is a Palace of glory, a ſpacious place; but the way to it is narrow, the gate is ſtraite, by which wee muſt enter in unto it. Let the joyes provided for us at the end of our journey, ſweeten unto us the troubles and difficulties of the way. God intended to make Job a great man, but before God brings him to his full height of greatneſſe, God firſt brings him to the dunghill. So God will bring us firſt to the dunghill, he will lay us in the duſt, and then make us ſuch glorious creatures, as you have heard the Saints ſhall be at the reſurrection.

Joſeph was to be ruler in Aegypt; but firſt he muſt be laid in priſon: ſo God layes his firſt in priſon, he brings them to a low condition, to be nothing in the world; and afterward layes them in the priſon of the grave, and then hee raiſeth them to be Kings, Prieſts, Rulers, and Judges with the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Wherefore let this meditation of the reſurrection ſweeten trouble, and perfume the grave unto us.

p. 151And let it likewiſe ſweeten all the comforts that wee enjoy here, by looking upon them as pledges of the joy which wee ſhall have at the reſurrection: Let it ſweeten the mercies of this day, which will have little reliſh in them without this. Alas; what is it to looke on Nationall deliverances, mercies, victories, and conqueſts over our enemies; unleſſe you ſee your happineſſe in the Lord Jeſus? What is it if the Land have peace, if thou haſt not peace of conſcience by beleeving? What is it, if the enemies of thy body, of the State and Kingdome be wholly routed, and put under the feete of thoſe that deſire to ſtand for the liberties of the Subject; if in the meane while thou be a vaſſall, and a ſlave to the Prince of darkneſſe? What is it for thee to be free from corporall enemies, and yet to be under the power, and led captive by the enemy of thy ſoule? What is it, if thou be a freeman in thy body, and a ſlave in thy ſoule, to all luſts, filthineſſe, and ungodlineſſe? What is it, to keepe ſuch a day as this, and to rejoyce in a carnall way for outward mercies, when thou doeſt not ſpiritually rejoyce in the firſt place, that God hath freed thee from the enemies of thy eternall ſalvation? Rejoyce not onelyonly as a Heathen may for nationall bleſſings, but rejoyce as a Chriſtian, ſeeing God p. 152reconciled to thee in the Sonne of his love; let the joy of the reſurrection both ſweeten thy troubles, and adde ſpirituall fewell to the flame of thy joy for temporall mercies.

Truly, wee then rejoyce in temporall things, and in creature-comforts and mercies aright, when we rejoyce in them in a ſpirituall way, when wee ſee all ſweetened to us in the Lord Jeſus. Therefore improve to the full this doctrine, for the heightening of your joyes this day. Let there not be an evill heart of unbeliefe in any, to keepe him from rejoycing. Though there were great plentie of Corne in Samaria, yet the Lord that would not beleeve what the Prophet ſaid, though he ſaw it, he did not taſte of it, 2 Kings 7.19. I tell you of great plentie, and happineſſe, I have ſet it before your eyes, as God hath enabled me; but unleſſe you beleeve, you ſhall never taſte of this heavenly Manna; you ſhall never drinke of theſe rivers of pleaſure. Here is a cup of ſalvation, you that have the lips of faith drinke, and your ſoules ſhall be refreſhed and comforted in the enjoyment of it: but if you lie in unbeliefe, you may want the joy, and comfort, that you might have of it here, and you may want the enjoyment of it to all eternitie. Therefore beleeve what hath been ſpoken, what God hath promiſed, and rejoyce in it p. 153here, being confident that thou ſhalt enjoy what God hath promiſed. And what thou haſt (in ſpe,) in hope here, thou ſhalt hereafter have (in re,) in full fruition; ſerving God chearfully, joyfully, and comfortably in the aſſurance of happineſſe by Jeſus Chriſt at the reſurrection: thou ſhalt be happie with God, and with Jeſus Chriſt at the reſurrection, in body, and ſpirit. Which God of his infinite mercy grant unto us all, Amen.