The Glorious Feast of the Gospel, Sermon 9
THE Ninth Sermon.
ISAIAH 25. 9.
And it ſhall be ſaid in that day, loe, this is our God, wee have waited for him, and he will ſave us: this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoyce in his ſalvation.
IN the worſt age of the Church, that the Church may not be ſwallowed up with fear, in the worſt times, God doth prepare promiſes for his people. It was the caſe of our bleſſed Saviour himſelf to his poore Diſciples, that they might not be overwhelmed with ſorrow. Therefore hee addeth Sacraments to Paſſeover, and the New Teſtament to the Old, and all to confirme faith, knowing that our hearts are very ſubject to be danted.
The Lord promiſeth here a feaſt of fat things, and all things pertaining to a Feaſt, the beſt of the beſt, and removall of all that may hinder joy, as taking away the vaile, which hinders them from the ſight of it. And then death is ſwallowed up in victory, as it is already in our head, who is gloriouſly triumphing in heaven: And then all teares ſhall be wiped from all faces. There is a viciſſitude of things, they are now in a valley of teares, but it will not be alwayes thus, time ſhall come when all teares ſhall be wiped away; and the cauſe of all teares are ſorrow. The rebukes of his people ſhall be taken away, the ſcandall that lyeth upon the beſt things ſhall be taken away. The worſt things goe under a better repreſentation, and the beſt things under a vaile, but one day as things are, they ſhall be. The God of truth will have truth to be cleare enough; And all this is ſealed up with the higheſt Authority that admits of no contradiction. The Lord of Hoſts hath ſpoken it.
We came the laſt day to theſe words; Loe this is our God, &c.
Wherein we may conſider firſt of all, That God hath left to his Church rich and precious promiſes, ſuch as is ſpoken of before. A feaſt, and removall of all hinderances whatſoever. He not only vouchſafeth heaven when we dye, and eternall happineſſe, but in this world in our way he vouchſafes precious promiſes to ſupport our faith, that we may begin heaven upon earth. What theſe promiſes are, we ſhewed the laſt day.
The ſecond obſervation was, in that Gods people are here in a ſtate of expectation. It ſhall be ſaid, loe we have waited for him. We are in a condition of waiting while we live in this world, becauſe we are not at home; our ſtate requires waiting, heaven requires ſetledneſſe and reſt: There all appetites, all deſires ſhall be ſatiated to the full: Our eſtate here is a paſſage to a better eſtate, and waiting is a diſpoſition fit for ſuch a condition.
And in this there is good, and imperfection; good, that we have ſomething to wait for, imperfection, that we are to wait for it, that we have it not in fruition, and till we be in heaven we are in a ſtate of waiting. In the Revelations, Come Lord Jeſus, come quickly, there is a glorious ſtate of a Church ſet forth, but while all is done, it hath not what it would have. We cannot be in ſuch a ſtate in the world, but there is place for a deſire, namely immediate and eternall communion with Chriſt in heaven. And therefore it ſhall be ſaid in that day, loe this is our God, we have waited for him.
I will adde a little to this ſtate of waiting before I goe farther.God will have us continue in a ſtate of waiting. God will not have our condition preſently perfect, but have us continue in a ſtate of waiting.
Firſt of all,Reaſ 1. Its his pleaſure we ſhould live by faith, not by ſight. it is his pleaſure that we ſhould live by faith, and not by ſight. We have ſence and feeling of many things, he reſerveth not all for heaven; how many ſweet refreſhments have we in the way? but the tenor of our life is by faith, and not by ſight. God will have us in ſuch a condition.
Again,Reaſ. 2. We are not yet fitted for ſight of Glory. we are not fitted for ſight of the glory to come here: our veſſels are not capable of that glory. A few drops of that happineſſe ſo overcame Peter in the transfiguration, that he knew not himſelfe.
God is ſo good to us that he would have us enjoy the beſt at the laſt;Reaſ. 3. Becauſe God would have us enjoy the beſt at laſt. the ſweeter is heaven, by how much the more difficult our way thither is: Heaven is heaven, and happineſſe is happineſſe, after a long time of waiting; For waiting enlargeth the capacity and deſires of the ſoule to receive more, it commendeth the happineſſe afterwards. And therefore God keepeth the beſt for the laſt, becauſe he will never interrupt the happineſſe of his children, when they be in heaven, there is a baniſhment of all cauſe of ſorrow. Hee will have a diſtinction between the Church-militant and Triumphant: He will traine up his children here, before he bringeth them to heaven; he will perfume his Spouſe, and make her fit for an everlaſting communion with him in heaven.
The third thing is,Waiting not an empty thing. that as there be promiſes, and theſe promiſes are not preſently fulfilled, which put us in a ſtate of waiting: ſo God giveth grace to uphold in waiting. Waiting is not an empty time, to wait ſo long, and no grace in the meane time; but waiting is a fitting time for that we are to receive afterwards.
We ſee in nature,Simile. In the winter, which is a dull time to the ſpring, and harveſt, and the times are very cold; yet it ripens and mellowes the ſoile, and fits it for the ſpring. There is a great promotion of harveſt in winter, it is not a meere diſtance of time: ſo between the promiſe and heaven it ſelfe, it is not a meere waiting time, and there is an end; but it is a time which is taken up by the ſpirit of God in preparing the heart in ſubduing all baſe luſts, and in taking us off from our ſelves, and whatſoever is contrary to heaven. The time is filled up with a great deale of that which fits us for glory in heaven. The gracious God that fits us for heaven,God fits heaven for us, and us for heaven. and heaven for us, fits us with all graces neceſſary for that condition. As faith to beleeve, patience to wait for, and to depend on that which he ſeeth not to be above ſence; a grace of hope to wait for that which he believeth to be an anchor to his ſoule in all conditions whatſoever: And then a grace of patience to wait meekly all the while: And then longſuffering patience lengthened out. As the tediouſneſſe is long between us and heaven, ſo there be lengthening graces. We would have all preſently, How long Lord, how long. We are ſo ſhort, even David and others, and therefore God giveth grace to hold out and lengthen our ſpirituall faith, and hope and perſeverance, and conſtant courage to encounter with all difficulties in the way. When the ſpirit of a man beholds heaven, and happines, and God, it makes him conſtant in ſome ſort, as the things he beholdeth, for the ſpirit transformeth him to the object. Now he beholds a conſtant Covenant: And as faith looks upon a conſtant God, conſtant happineſſe, and conſtant promiſes, it frameth the ſoule ſuitable to the excellency of the object it layeth hold upon.
And then the ſpirit of God in the way to heaven, ſubdueth all evill murmurings, and exceptions, in ſuffering us not to put forth our hands to any iniquity, though we have not what we would have, he keeps us in a good and fruitfull way; for to wait, is not only to endure, but to endure in a good courſe, fitting us for happineſſe, till grace end in glory.
In the fourth place, God will performe all his promiſes in time. As the Church ſaith here, This is the Lord, we have waited for him. Now he hath made good whatſoever he hath ſaid.
To inlarge this point a little.As there is a time of waiting, ſo there will be a time of performing. As there is a time of waiting, ſo there will be a time when Gods people ſhall ſay, Lee this is the Lord, we have waited for him. Why God is Jehovah, a full and pregnant word, a word of comfort and ſtay for the ſoule,1 Reaſ. God is Jehovah. in this word Jehovah. He is a God that giveth a being to all things, and a being to his word, and therefore what he ſaith, he will make good: He is Lord of his word. Every mans word is, as his nature, and power, and abilitie is, the word of a man, or the word of an honeſt man, but being the word of a God, he will make all good.
And then he will make all good,Reaſ. 2. God is faithfull. becauſe he is faithfull.Reaſ. 3. He hath bowels of compaſſion towards his people. God, he ſaith it, and he will doe it, you need no more reaſon then pitty to his people, his bowels of compaſſion; the hearts of people would faile, if he ſhould ſtay too long. And therefore out of his bowels in his time, which is the beſt time, not only becauſe he is faithfull, but becauſe he is loving and pittifull, he will make good all his promiſes. And then he will doe it; for what is grace, but an earneſt of that fulneſſe we ſhall have in heaven?Reaſ 4. Becauſe the grace we have, is but an earneſt of what we ſhall have. What is peace here, but an earneſt of that peace in heaven? And what is joy here, but an earneſt of fulneſſe of joy for evermore? And wil God loſe his earneſt? Therfore we ſhall enjoy what God hath promiſed, and we expect, becauſe we have the earneſt. It is not a pledge only, for a pledge may be taken away, but an earneſt wch is never taken away, but is made up in the full bargain. Grace is made up in glory, as beginnings are made up with perfection. Where God layeth a foundation, he will perfect it. Where God giveth the firſt fruits, he will give the harveſt.
But it will be a long time before, becauſe he will exerciſe all grace to the uttermoſt. You ſee how Abraham was brought to the laſt. In the mountaine God provideth for a ſacrifice, when the knife was ready to ſeiſe on Iſaacks throat.
We ſhould anſwer with our faith Gods dealing,Our faith ſhould anſwer Gods dealing. that is, if God deferre let us wait, yea wait to the uttermoſt, wait to death. He is our God to death, and in death, and for ever. If God performe his promiſe at the worſt, then, till we are at the loweſt we muſt wait.
And therefore one character of a child of God from others is this.Waiting the character of Gods people. Give me the preſent, ſaith the carnall beaſtly man, the world, but Gods people are content to wait, he knoweth what he hath in promiſe is better then what he hath in poſſeſſion. The gleanings of Gods people are better then the others harveſt. The other cannot wait, but muſt have preſent payment: Gods child can wait, for he liveth by faith. And therefore we ſhould learne patiently to wait for the performance of all Gods promiſes.
And to direct a little in that,Directions to help waiting. remember ſome rules, which every man may gather to himſelfe,1 Gods time is the beſt time. as Gods time is the beſt time. Deus eſt optimus arbiter opportunitatis, The beſt deſcerner of opportunities. And, in the mountain will God be ſeen. Though he tarry long, he will come, and not tarry over-long, and then all the ſtrength of the enemy is with God: Robur hoſtium apud Deum, The ſtrength of the enemy is in his hand, he can ſuſpend it when he pleaſeth.
Then though God ſeemes to carry things by contrary wayes to that he promiſeth,2 God will effect things, though by contraries. which makes waiting ſo difficult, yet he will bring things about at laſt. He promiſeth happineſſe, and there is nothing but miſery; he promiſeth forgiveneſſe, and opens the conſcience to cry out of ſinne. I but Luthers rule is exceeding good in this caſe; Summaars, the greateſt art of a Chriſtian is, credere credibilia, &c. & ſperare dilata, to hope for things a long time, and to beleeve God when he ſeemeth contrary to himſelfe in his promiſe.
But though God doth deferre, yet in that day he doth performe, it is ſet downe indefinitely, for it is not fit we ſhould not be acquainted with the particular time. And therefore he ſaith,Times are in Gods hands. in that day, he ſets not downe a particular time, but in that day wherein he meaneth to be glorious in the performance of his promiſe. There is a time, and a ſet time, and there is a ſhort time too, in regard of God, and a fit time. If the time were ſhorter then God hath appointed, then it were too ſhort, if longer, too long. My times, ſaith David, are in thy hands. If they were in the enemies hands, we ſhould never be out: If in our owne, we would never enter: If in our friends, their good will would be more then their ability. But my times, he ſaith not, my time, but my times are in thy hands, that is, my times of trouble, and times of waiting. And it is well they be in Gods hands, for he hath a day and a certaine day, and a fit day to anſwer the waiting of all his people.
And when that day is come, you ſee how their hearts are inlarged, they will ſay, This is the Lord, we have waited for him.
When God meaneth to performe his promiſe either in this world, or in the world to come, the world to come ſpecially, when there ſhall be conſummation of all promiſes, God ſhall inlarge the hearts of his people. This is the Lord, we have waited for him, This is the Lord; he repeats it againe and againe.
Our ſoule is very capable being a ſpirituall ſubſtance, and then God ſhall fill the ſoule, and make it comprehend miſery, or comprehend happineſſe, when every corner of the ſoule ſhall be filled, and then having bodies too, it is fit they ſhould have a part; ſo the whole man ſhall expreſſe forth the juſtice or mercy of God.
For the nature of the thing it cannot be otherwiſe, every member of the body ſhall be fit to glorifie God. What the Pſalmiſt ſaith of his tongue, Awake my glory, he may ſay of every member, doe thy office in glorifying the Lord, and rejoycing in the Lord: Pectus facit diſertos, The heart makes a man eloquent and full: ſo the performance of any promiſe fils the heart ſo full of affections, the affections are ſo inlarged, and therefore we muſt not have affections to a Court-kind of expreſſions, as they in old time, and the like Court-eloquence, when men might not ſpeake fully. But when joy poſſeſſeth the heart to the full, there be full expreſſions. This is the Lord, this is the Lord, let us rejoyce in him. And therefore there ſeemeth ſo many tautologies in the Pſalmes, though they be no tautologies, but meere exuberancies of a ſanctified affection.
Oh beloved what a bleſſed time will that be, when this large heart of ours ſhall have that that will fill it! When the beſt parts of us, our underſtanding, will and affections ſhall be carried to that which is better and larger then it ſelfe, and ſhall be as it were ſwallowed up in the fulneſſe of God! And that is the reaſon of the repetition of the word, This is the Lord, this is the Lord.
And it followeth, We will rejoyce and be glad in his ſalvation. When a gracious heart is full of joy, how doth he expreſſe that joy! A wicked heart, when it is full of joy, is like a dirty river that runs over the banks, and carrieth a deale of filth with it, dirty expreſſions. But when a gracious heart expreſſeth it ſelfe being full of joy, it expreſſeth it ſelfe in thanks and praiſes, in ſtirring up of others: Loe this is our God, we will rejoyce and be glad in his ſalvation.There's ſuitable action for every affection. Is any merry, ſaith the Apoſtle Saint James, Let him ſing. God hath affections for any condition: Is a man in miſery? let him pray. This is a time of mourning. Doth God performe any promiſe, and ſo give cauſe of joy? let him ſing; there is action for every affection, affection for every condition; And this may ſtirre us up to begin the imployment in heaven, on earth here. We ſhall ſay ſo in heaven, Loe this is the Lord, we have waited for him.
For every performance of promiſes,In performance of promiſes, be much in thankfulneſſe. be much in thankfulneſſe. Our converſation is in heaven, ſaith the Apoſtle: And what is the greateſt part of a Chriſtians converſation, but in all things to give thankes. Here the Holy Church ſaith, their matter of praiſe was too big for their ſoule, and therefore they brake out in this manner. And ſo oftentimes a child of God, his heart is ſo full, that it is too big for his body in the expreſſion of matter of praiſe. But it is his comfort, that in heaven he ſhall have a large heart, anſwerable to the large occaſion of praiſe. I will not inlarge my ſelf in the common place of thanks-giveing.
In this condition we can never be miſerable, for it ſprings from joy, and joy diſpoſeth a man to thankfulneſſe, and upon thankfulneſſe there is peace, and can we be miſerable in peace of conſceince? Therefore ſaith the Apoſtle, in all things give thanks, and let your requeſts be made knowne to God, and what will follow upon that, when I have made knowne my requeſts and paid my tribute of thanks? then the peace of God which paſſeth underſtanding ſhall guide your minde. When we have paid to God the tribute we can pay him, then the ſoule, as having diſcharged a debt, is at peace. I have prayed to God, I have laid my petition in his boſome, I am not in arrerages for former favours, therefore the peace of God which paſſeth all underſtanding ſhall keepe your hearts and mindes. Hanna had prayed once, went not away but prayed againe; the happineſſe of heaven followeth the actions of heaven, praiſings being the maine imployment of heaven, the happineſſe and comfort of heaven followeth.
And howſoever theſe promiſes be fulfilled in heaven, yet they have a graduall performance on earth; For he ſpeaks certainly of the ſtate of the Jewes yet to come, wherein there ſhall be accompliſhment of all theſe promiſes.
We have waited for him, Experience of Gods performances ſhould ſtir up waitinghe will ſave us. Experience of Gods performance ſtirs them up ſtill to waite for him, and rejoyce in his ſalvation. Experience ſtirs up hope. The begining of a Chriſtian, and midſt, is to hope for the end; and ſurely our beginning ſhould helpe the latter end; all a Chriſtians life ſhould helpe the end, all former things ſhould come in, and helpe his latter.
Beloved,We ought to treaſure up experiences. we are too backward that way to treaſure up the benefit of experience; there be few of yeares, but might make ſtories of Gods gratious dealings with them, if all were kept; the comforts paſt, and for time to come, and all little enough. It was Davids courſe, thou art my God from my mothers wombe, and upon thee have I hanged over ſince I was borne, faile me not when I am old. Goe along with Gods favours, and uſe them as arguments of future bleſſings. As former victories are helps to get the ſecond victory. Every former favour helpeth to ſtrengthen our faith.
In the next,God an inexhauſt fountain. God is an inexhauſted fountaine, and when we have to deale with an infinite God, the more we take of him, the more we offer him. It is no good plea to ſay, you have done courteſies, therefore do them ſtill. But we cannot honour God more, then from former experience to looke for great things from the great God.
We have have waited for him, he will ſave us, we have waited for him, and we will rejoyce in his ſalvation. That which a child of God gives thanks for, & rejoyces in, and labors for, is more & more experience of his ſalvation. We wil rejoyce in his ſalvation. There is not a ſtronger word in all the Scripture, nor in nature, he doth not ſay rejoycing in this or that benefit, but in his ſalvation, that is in deliverance from all evill; we will reioyce in his perſervation, when he hath delivered us, we will reioyce in his advancement of us, and we will reioyce in his ſalvation. And therfore when the wiſedome of heaven would include all in one word, hee uſeth the word Jeſus, all happineſſe in that word, that pregnant full word, a Saviour.
So that Gods carriage towards his children is Salvation.Gods carriage towards his children is ſalvation. He is the God of Salvation, or a ſaving God. And God ſent his name from heaven, and the Angels brought it, the name of JESUS. Therefore looke to the full ſenſe of it. We have a Saviour that will anſwer his name, as he is Jeſus, ſo he will ſave his people from their ſinnes; And therefore we will reioyce in his ſalvation. God dealt with us like a God, when he delivered us from all miſery, from all ſinnes, and advanced us to all happineſſe that nature is capable of, As he ſaid before, he will wipe away all teares from all faces, and take away the rebukes of all people. He will puniſh the wicked with eternall deſtruction. And if he advanceth a people he will be ſalvation, then which he can ſay no more.
And this ſheweth that the children of God rejoyce more then in any thing elſe in ſalvation, becauſe it is the ſalvation of God, and becauſe God is ſalvation it ſelfe. Heaven were not heaven, if Jeſus, and God in our nature were not there; And therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, I deſire to depart, not to be diſſolved, and to be with Chriſt, for that is better. Our joy and happineſſe is in the enjoyment of God.The ſight of God, ſpecially in our nature, God the ſecond perſon taking our nature, that we might be happy, will make us happy for ever. In loving God, and joying in God, and enjoying God, makes full happineſſe; but that is not the cauſe of joy in heaven, but the cauſe of all, is Gods influence into us. Here in the world happineſſe is mediate, in Gods revealing of himſelfe to us, by his holy ſpirit in the uſe of meanes▪ in his dealings and deliverances, letting us ſee him by his grace, to ſee him, and joy and delight in him for ever. It is no good love that reſteth in any bleſſings of God for themſelves. It is an harlottry affection, to love the gift more then the giver: So the Saints of God they doe all deſire to ſee him as they may, and to joy in God, and enjoy God himſelfe, and to ſee God in our nature, and to be with him for ever. Before he ſpake of a feaſt, and if the Feaſt-maker be not there, what is all? In a Funerall feaſt there is much cheere, but the Feaſt-maker is gone. In heaven there is joy, but where is God, where is Chriſt, he that hath done ſo much, ſuffered ſo much for us, that hath taken poſſeſſion of heaven, and keepeth a place for us there? What is heaven without him? ſalvation ſevered from him is nothing.
We ſhall ſay when we are there, Loe here is David, Abraham, Saint John, here the Martyrs. I but here is Chriſt, here is God, here is our Saviour the cauſe of all, and the ſeeing of him in them, that he will be glorious in his Saints, that maketh us rejoyce. We ſhall ſee all our friends in heaven, there we ſhall ſee the excellency of the happineſſe of Chriſt his love, his grace, his mercy
The words are expreſſed with a kind of glorying,The joy of a Chriſtian ends in glorying. Loe, this is our God. So that the joy of a Chriſtian endeth in glory, and in the higheſt degree of glory. As you have it, Rom. 5. We glory alſo in tribulation, we glory in hope of glory, nay we glory in God as ours reconciled. And if we glory in him now as a God reconciled, what ſhall we doe in heaven? Can a worlding glory in his riches, his greatneſſe, his favour from ſuch a man, as Haman did? And ſhall not a Chriſtian glory in his God? and make his boaſt in his God?Begin to glory in God here. And therefore in this world wee ſhould learne to glory, before we come to that glory in heaven, ſpecially when we be ſet upon by any thing that is apt to diſcourage us, glory then in our head; perhaps a Chriſtian hath no wealth, no great rents to glory in, I but he hath a God to glory in, let him glory in him. The world may take all elſe from him, but not his God. As the Church in Cant. 5. The virgins put the Church to deſcribe her beloved, what is thy beloved more then another beloved? My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefeſt of 10000. Then ſhe goeth on in particulars, my beloved is thus and thus, and if you would know what my beloved is, this is my beloved. So a Chriſtian that hath a ſpirit of faith, ſhould glory in God here, for heaven is begun here, and he ſhould glory in Chriſt is Saviour, and ſhould ſet Chriſt againſt all diſcouragements, and oppoſitions; if you will know what is my beloved, this is my beloved, the chiefe among ten thouſands. Pſal. 115. Our God is in heaven, and doth whatſoever he pleaſeth in heaven, and earth, and the deepes, yea we make our boaſt of God ſaith the Pſalmiſt, when there is occaſion; this is the Lord, this is our God, we have waited for him; ſpecially in times of afflictions, and what is the reaſon? This will hold out to eternity. This is our God. As in the Revelations, It is a plea, and a glory for ever; for God is our happineſſe. As the School-men ſay, he is our objective happineſſe, and our formall happineſſe, he is our happineſſe, as he is ours. And he is ours, in life, and death, and for ever, ſo there is alwayes ground of glory, onelyonly God doth diſcover himſelfe to be ours, by little and little, as we are able to beare him; he is ours in our worſt times. My God my God why haſt thou forſaken me? yet my God ſtill.
He is our God to death, and hee is ours in heaven. This is our God, we will rejoyce in him. And therefore well may we boaſt of God, becauſe in God is everlaſting Salvation. If we boaſted in any thing elſe, our boaſting would determine with the thing it ſelf, but if we rejoyce in God, we rejoyce in that which is of equall Continuance with our ſoules, and goeth along with the ſoule to all eternity.
And therefore we ſhould learne to rejoyce in God, and and then we ſhall never be aſhamed.Intereſt in God & Chriſt is the ground of all rejoycing. It is ſpoken here with a kind of exalting, a kind of triumphing over all oppoſitions, Loe, this is our God. Beloved, this, that God is our God, and Chriſts is ours, is the ground of rejoycing, and of all happineſſe.Therefore we are to make good that intereſt whilſt we are here. All joy, all comfort is founded upon this, our intereſt in God; and therefore we muſt make this good, while we live here, that God is our God, and that we may doe ſo, obſerve this; Chriſt is called Emanuell, God with us.1 By Union. God in the ſecond perſon, is Godman, and ſo God with us, and the Father in Emanuell is God with us too. So we are God the Fathers, becauſe we are his. All things are yours ſaith the Apoſtle, whether Paul, or Apollo, things preſent, things to come; why? becauſe you are Chriſts. I but what if I be Chriſts, Chriſt is Gods. So we muſt be Chriſts, and then we ſhall be Gods; if Chriſt be ours, God is ours, for God is Emanuell in Chriſt, Emanuell, God is with us in Chriſt, who is with us. God is reconciled to us in God and man, in our nature. And therefore get by faith into Chriſt, and get union and get communion, by prayer open our ſouls to him, entertaine his ſpeeches to us by his word, and ſpirit, and bleſſed motions, and open our ſpirits to him, and ſo maintaine a bleſſed entercourſe. Make it good that God is our God,2 By acquaintance with him by dayly acquaintance. Theſe ſpeeches at the latter end are founded upon acquaintance before. This is our God. Grace and glory are knit together indiſſolubly. If God be our God here, he will be ours alſo in glory, if not here, not in glory. There is a Communion with God here, before communion with him in glory, and therefore make it good that God be our God here, firſt by union with him. And then maintaine dayly acquaintance with him, by ſeeing him with the eye of faith, by ſpeaking to him, and hearing him ſpeake to us by his ſpirit, joyning in his ordinances; And then he will owne us, and be acquainted with us, in heaven we ſhall ſay, Loe, this is our God. We have had ſweet acquaintance one with another, He by his ſpirit with me & I by my prayers with him. Our Saviour Chriſt will not be without us in heaven, we are part of his myſticall body, and heaven were not heaven to Chriſt, without us. With reverence be it ſpoken, we are the fullneſſe of Chriſt, as he is the fullneſſe of his Church.The Church cannot be without Chriſt, nor Chriſt without the Church. And if he ſhould want us, in ſome ſort, he were miſerable, he having fixed upon us, as objects of his eternall love. In what caſe were he, if he ſhould loſe that object? And therefore as we glory in him, he gloryeth in us. Who is this that cometh out of the wilderneſſe? who? his beloved. And, woman is this thy faith? he admires the graces of the Church, as the Church admires him, This is the Lord. The Church cannot be without him, nor he without the Church. Theſe words are ſpoken with a kind of admiration.In heaven nothing but in its admirable. Loe, this is the Lord, we will rejoyce in him. So I ſay, as there is thanks and joy, ſo their is admiration, loe, behold. This is a God worthy beholding, & ſo he wonders at the graces of his Children. Beloved there is nothing in the world worthy admiration. Sapientis non eſt admirare, It was a ſpeech of the proud Philoſopher, A wiſe man will not admire, for he knoweth the ground. But in heaven the parts are lifted up ſo high, that there is nothing but matter of admiration, things that eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, nor hath entred into the heart of man to conceive of. They be things beyond expreſſion, and nothing is fit for them, but admiration at the great things vouchſafed to the Church.
And as with admiration ſo with invitation, that is the nature of true thankfullneſſe; there is no envy in ſpirituall things, no man envyeth another the light of the Scriptures, but loe, behold with admiration, and invitation of all others, This is the Lord.
Let us therefore rejoyce beforehand, at the glorious times to come, both to our ſelves and to others, be ſtiring, and exciting one another to glory, and rejoyce in God our ſalvation.1 Be not offended at the meaneneſſe of the Church.
And therefore learne all to be ſtirred up from hence, not to be offended with Chriſt, or with Religion. Be not offended, ſaith Auſtin, with the parvity of Religion. Every thing to the eyes of the world is little in Religion. A Chriſtian is a deſpiſed perſon, and the Church, the meaneſt part of the world, in regard of outward glory, but conſider with the littleneſſe,2 Nor offended with Religion, for there's a glory to come. and baſeneſſe, and deſpiſedneſſe of the Church, the glory to come. Time will come when we ſhall rejoyce, and not onelyonly ſee, but boaſt with admiration, to the ſtirring up of others, Loe, this is the Lord. And therefore ſay with our Saviour Chriſt, happy is he that is not offended with me, nor with Religion, there is a time coming that will make amends for all. Who in the world can ſay at the houre of death, and day of judgment, Loe, this is my riches, this my honours? alas the greateſt perſons muſt ſtand naked to give account, all muſt ſtand on even ground to hold up their hands at the great barre. We may ſay to the carnall preſumptuous man, loe this is the man that put his confidence in his riches. And none but reconciled Chriſtians can ſay, loe this is our God. Therefore take heed of being offended with any thing in Religion.
Againe if time to come be ſo tranſcendently glorious,3 Be not afraid to dye, for heaven is our reſt and center. let us not be affraid to dye, let us not be over much caſt downe, for it ſhall end in glory. And let us be in expectation ſtill of good times, waite for this bleſſed time to come, and never be content with any condition, ſo as to ſet up our reſt here. We may write upon every thing, Hic non eſt requies veſtra; Our reſt is behind, theſe things are in paſſage. And therefore reſt content with nothing here. Heaven is our centre, our element, our happineſſe, and every thing is contentedly happy, and thriveth in its Element; The birds in the aire, the fiſh in in the ſea, beaſts on the earth, they reſt there as in their center: And that that is our place for ever, it is heaven, it is God. The immediat injoying of God in heaven, that is our reſt, our Element, and we ſhall never reſt till we be there. And therefore he is befooled for it, in the Goſpell, that ſetteth up his reſt here; whoſoever ſaith I have enough, and will now take contentment in them, he is a foole. There is a reſt for Gods people, but it is not here.
Neither reſt in any meaſure of grace,4 Neither reſt in any meaſure of grace or comfort here. or comfort. What is faith to ſight? we have hope an Anchor, and Helmet, that keepeth up many a ſoule, as the Cork keepeth from ſinking. What is this hope to the fruition of what we hope for? Here we have love, many love tokens from God, I, but what is love to union? Ours is but a love of deſire, we are but in motion here, we lye in motion onelyonly, and our deſires are not accompliſhed, what is this love to the accompliſhing of the union with the thing beloved for ever? Here we have Communion of Saints; but what is this communion of Saints, to Communion with God for ever? We have infirmities here as others, which breedeth jealouſies and ſuſpition; I, but we ſhall have Communion in heaven, and there ſhall be nothing in us to diſtaſt others, but everlaſting friendſhip; yea our Communion ſhall be with perfect ſoules. Our Communion of Saints here is our heaven upon earth, but it is Communion with unperfect ſoules. Peace we have, I, but it is peace intermixt, It is peace in the midſt of enemies; There we ſhall have peace without enemies. Chriſt doth now rule in the midſt of enemies; In heaven he ſhall rule in the midſt of his friends. So that we can imagine no condition here though never ſo good, but it is imperfect. And therefore reſt not in any thing in the world, no not in any meaſure of grace, any meaſure of Comfort, till we be in heaven, but waite for the time to come, and rejoyce in hope by which we are ſaved. Wait ſtill, and though we have not content here, yet this is not our home, this is a good refreſhment by the way. As when the Children of Iſrael came from Babylon, they had wells by the way, as in Michae, they diged up wells. So from Babylon to Ieruſalem we have many ſweet refreſhments; But they be refreſhments far off the way. God digs many wells, we have breſts of Conſolation to comfort us, I but they are but for the way. And therefore let us anſwer all temptations, and not take contentment with any thing here. It is good, but it is not our home. Cui dulcis peregrinatio non amat patriam. If we have eternity,5 Be not overmuch dejected for the deſolation of the Church. love heaven, we cannot be over much taken with any thing in the way.
And ſo for the Church, let us not be over much dejected for the deſolation of the Church, but pray for a ſpirit of faith, which doth realize things to the ſoule, and preſents them as preſent to the ſoule, ſeeth Babylon fallen, preſents things in the Scripture phraſe, and in the words, Babylon is fallen, for as much as all the enemies of the Church fall. Mighty is the Lord that hath ſpoken, and will performe it. And as the Angell ſaith, it is downe. So time will come ere long, when it ſhall be ſaid, It is downe. The Church ſhall be gathered, and then, Loe, this is our God.
It was the comfort of the beleeveing Jewes that the Gentiles ſhould come. And why ſhould it not be the comfort of the Gentiles that there be bleſſed times for the ancient people of God, when they ſhall all cry, and ſay, Loe, this is our God; We have waited for him long, and he will ſave us. Therefore be not over much diſcouraged, for whatſoever preſent deſolation the Church lyeth under. If it were not for this, we were of all men moſt miſerable, as Paul ſaith. But there be times to come when we ſhall rejoyce, and rejoyce for ever, and make boaſt of the Lord, if it were not, we were of all men moſt miſerable. Howſoever happineſſe is to come, yet of all perſons he is moſt happy, that hath Chriſt and heaven. The very fore-taſte of happineſſe is worth all the world,The fore taſte of heaven is better than all worldly happineſſe. the inward peace of conſcience, joy in the Holy Ghoſt, the beginings of the Image of God, and of happineſſe here is worth all the injoyments of the world. Aske of any Chriſtian whether he will hang with the greateſt worldling, and be in his condition; he would not change his place in grace, for all his glory. And therefore ſet heaven aſide; the very firſt fruits is better, then all the heaiveſt of the world. Let us therefore get the ſoul raiſed by faith to ſee her happineſſe, we need it all, for till the ſoul get a frame raiſed up to ſee its happineſſe here, ſpecially in the world to come, it is not in a frame fit for any ſervice, it will not ſtoop to any baſe ſinne, where the affections are ſo poſſeſt they look upon all baſe courſes as unworthy of their hope. What, I that hope to rejoyce for ever with God in heaven, that am heir of heaven, that have the Image of God upon me, that am in Covenant with God, to take any beaſtiall courſe, to place my happineſſe in things meaner than my ſelfe, that have God to delight in, a God in Covenant that hath taken me into Covenant, with himſelfe. So I ſay in all ſolicitations to ſinne, get our ſelves into a frame that may ſtand firme, and immovable.
In all troubles let us know we have a God in Covenant, that we may joy in him here, and rejoyce with him in heaven for ever hereafter.
FINIS.