The Door of Salvation Opened by the Key of Regeneration, Treatise · Subject 2
The ſecond ſubject of Conſideration, The felicity of the Regenerate.
SEcondly, Conſider the unſpeakable felicity which thou mighſt enjoy, if thou wert one regenerated. Thy happineſs would be far greater then my tongue can declare, or thine heart deſire. Bleſſedneſs is ſo full a word, that it comprehends all the good which the rational creature can wiſh; and truly thou ſhouldſt have it in its full weight. As before thou waſt above all expreſſions Curſed, ſo now thou ſhouldſt be beyond all compariſon Bleſſed. Thy gleanings ſhould be better then the moſt proſperous worldlings Vintage, the worſt eſtate that thou ſhouldſt ever be in, would be far more leligible then the beſt eſtate of the greateſt Emperour on earth that were unregenerate.
Every bleſſing written in the book of God would be thy birthright if thou wert born of God; thou ſhouldſt be bleſſed with the bleſſings of the throne and of the footſtool, with all things that belong to life and godlineſs, 2 Pet. 1.3. No evil ſhould come to thee, there ſhall no evil happen to the juſt, Prov. 12.21. No good ſhould be kept from thee, The Lord ſhall give grace and glory, and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly, Pſal. 84.11. If earth can make thee bleſſed, thou ſhouldſt be bleſſed; Bleſſed are the meek, for they ſhall inherit the earth, Matth. 5.5. If heaven can make thee bleſſed, thou ſhouldſt be bleſſed; Bleſſed are the poor in ſpirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven, Matth. 5.3. If all things could make thee bleſſed, thou ſhouldſt be bleſſed; Whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things preſent, or things to come, all are yours, and ye are Chriſts, and Chriſt is Gods, 1 Cor. 3. two laſt verſes.
Reader, I ſhall do my utmoſt ſo to ſet forth the felicity of the regenerate (which no pen can fully) that thou mayſt admire it; How goodly are thy tents, O. Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Iſrael! Numb. 24.5. and not only, as Balaam, deſire their deaths, Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my latter end be like his, Numb. 23, 10. but alſo endeavour to live their lives, and to have thy converſation like theirs.
While thou continueſt in this world thou ſhouldſt be a bleſſed ſoul; and when thou entreſt into the other world thou ſhouldſt be a glorions Saint.
In this world thou ſhouldſt be a bleſſed ſoul in every condition into which thou couldſt come, in every relation in which thou doſt ſtand, at all times, and in all places whatſoever.
All the Providences of God ſhould be profitable to thee.
If Gods hand were enlarged in mercy, thy heart ſhould be enlarged in duty: If God ſhould proſper thee in temporals, the ſtreams of his bounty ſhould lead thee (as the water courſe, either upward to the ſpring, or downward to the ocean) to the ſource and fountain of all thy happineſs. Thy heart would ſtill be in heaven, where thy beſt things were, even then when thy body were buſied among earthly good things, 1 Cor. 7, 29, 30, Phil. 3.19.
Some obſerve of the ſeed called Henbane, that it killeth all birds ſave ſparrows, and to them it is nouriſhing food; and they give this reaſon, becauſe their veines are ſo narrow, that the fumes of the ſeed cannot paſſe through them, to their hearts: truly thus twould be with thee, though thou ſands of others are poiſond with their worldly portions, becauſe the fumes thereof penetrate into their vitals; but if riches increaſe, thou ſhouldſt not ſet thine heart upon them, nay thou ſhouldſt get nouriſhment from them. As Jehoſaphat, the more honour and wealth thou hadſt, the more thy heart would be lifted up in the ways of God. 2 Chro. 17.5, 6.
If thine eſtate were but little, yet twould be perfumed with love, and that lump of ſugar in thy cup, would make the liquor ſweet, be it never ſo ſmall. As the waters which flow from the hils of ſome of the Iſlands of Molacca, taſte of the Cinamon and Cloves which grow there, ſo ſhould thy guift though it were but water, taſte of the good will and ſpecial grace of the giver. Thy little with the fear of the Lord, would be better then the riches of many wicked men, Pſal. 37 15. As a little ring with a very coſtly Diamond in it, is far more worth then many great ones without it; ſo thy eſtate though it were but a penny, ſhould be joyned with the pretious jewel of that love which is better then life, and enjoyed by ſpecial promiſe, and thereby be infinitely more worth then the thouſands and millions of others, beſtowed meerly from common bounty, and enjoyed onelyonly by a generall providence.
If the black froſt of adverſity overtake thee, thou ſhouldſt as Conies thrive the better; thy ſoul being hail, thou wouldſt become thereby the more healthy. By affliction thou ſhouldſt be partaker of Gods holineſs. Heb. 12.10.
The waters of affliction ſhould waſh out the diri of thy corruption, and the more they increaſed they would raiſe thee, (as the flood the Arke) higher above the earth, and mount thee nearer to heaven. Torches burn the better for beating, Spices ſmell the ſweeter for pounding, Vines bear the more for bleeding; and the more thy ſoul were kept down by thoſe weights (like the Palm-tree) the more thou ſhouldſt grow. That ſcouring and rubbing which fretteth others, ſhould make thee ſhine the brighter, Pſal. 94.12. Divine corrections ſhould make thee learn thy ſacred leſſons.
It is ſaid of the Lacedemonians, that when all other people were undone by war, they onelyonly grew rich; Truly thus when ungodly ones are the worſe for outward miſeryes, and wants, like Ahaz in their diſtreſs, they ſin more againſt the Lord; thou ſhouldſt thrive the better, grow the richer in grace and good works; The diminution of thy temporal, ſhould be an addition to thy ſpiritual eſtate. Job 36.9, 10. As ſpring-water ſmoaketh, when other waters are dried up, becauſe that is living, and theſe are dead; nay tis obſerved, waters ariſing from deep ſprings, are hotter in winter then in ſummer, the outward cold keeping in and doul …g the inward heat. So the waters of thy graces ſhould not onelyonly continue (having a living principle) when the Sun of calamity ſcorcheth and drieth up the dead ponds of unregenerate profeſſors, Mat. 13.21. but alſo increaſe in ſpiritual heat, Job 17.8, 9. Philip. 1.14.
If the Devil aſſaulted thee with temptations, they ſhould never be for thy perdition but probation, Rev. 2.10. The Captain of thy Salvation would ſo ſtrengthen thy ſoul with the Shield of Faith, and Sword of the Spirit, that thou ſhouldſt not onelyonly defend thy ſoul from all deadly wounds, but offend thine Enemy, and be more then a Conqueror over Principalities and Powers through him that loveth thee. It would poſſibly be grievous and terrible to thee to be tempted; but if God did not ſee it needful, he would not ſuffer it; nay, if he could not make it uſeful, he would not ſend it: by thoſe thorns of the fleſh he would prick the vein, and let out the ranck blood of thy ſpirit. It is ſaid of Telephus, that he had his impoſtume opened by the dart of an Enemy which intended his hurt. Truly, ſo God would make to thee the fiery darts of the Devil, though they were intentionally mortal, to be eventually medicinal, 1 John 5.18. The evil one ſhould not touch thee, that is, with a mortal or deadly touch. As a ſound tree ſhaken with the winde, thou ſhouldeſt not fall, but root thy ſelf the …ter; thou ſhouldeſt like Sampſon fetch meat out of the Eater, and out of the Strong ſweetneſs; thou ſhouldſt get honey even out of this roaring Lion; thy Regeneration, like Pollium, would be a ſpecial preſervative againſt the poyſon of that croocked Serpent.
Nay, when thou ſhouldeſt fall into the evil of ſin, even that ſhould turn to thy good. God (no thanks to thee) like the skilful Apothecary, would make wholſom treacle of ſuch poiſonus drugs. If thy corruption ſhould at any time get the maſtery, and break out in thy life, thou ſhouldſt be ſo well purged by the Phyſician of ſouls, with the bitter Aloes of Repentance, that as thoſe who have had ill humors of their bodies, getting head, and breaking out in the ſmall-pox, and do well, thou ſhouldſt be the healthier in thy ſoul while thou liveſt; As a burnt child, thou ſhouldeſt ever dread that fire: thy broken hone being once well ſet, would be ſtronger then before; Compare 2 Sam. 11.4. and 15. with 1 C…ron. 11.18, 19. Mark 14.29. with Iohn 21.15, 16, 17.thou ſhouldſt after thy falls, walk more dependingly on Chriſt, more compaſſionately towards others, and more watchfully over thine own heart.
What ever thy condition were, it ſhould tend to thine eternal conſolation: Every wind that blew, whether the nipping Northwinde of adverſity, or the cheriſhing Southwinde of proſperity, ſhould neither of them wrong thee; for Chriſt would give them a charge concerning thee (as David his Captains concerning Abſolom) Do this young Convert no harm, no diſcourteſie, but deal gently with him for my ſake: yea, they ſhould both blow a bleſſing to thy ſoul: though the providences of God might be ſometimes painful to thine outward, yet they ſhould be alwayes profitable to thine inward man. Infinite love would ſend all, infinite wiſdom would temper all, and infinite power would diſpoſe all for thy benefit: the rod would ever be in the hand of a loving Father, and therefore never uſed to ruine or harm thee, but ever to reform and heal thee.
As in the revolution of the Heavens, every Planet moveth in its proper orb; their motions are various, nay oppoſite; yet by the wheeling round of the primum mobile, they are all brought about to one determinate point: And as the wheels of a watch, though they move contrary wayes, yet all ſerve to carry on the end of the workman, to tell us the time of the day: So though the providences and dealings of God be never ſo croſs ſeemingly, yet they ſhould all tend to thine advantage really and finally, and to carry on Gods deſign, which is thy ſpiritual and eternal felicity.
In a word, if afflictions did wait upon thee, if temptations watch againſt thee, if mercies did flow in, or by iniquity thou didſt fall down, whether the dayes of thy pilgrimage were cloudy or clear, ſhining or ſhowring, whatever weather thou travelleſt in towards thy Father Houſe, All things ſhould work together for thy good, if thou didſt once love God, and wert called according to his purpoſe, Rom. 8.28.
As all Gods providences ſhould be profitable to thee, ſo alſo in all thy performances thou ſhouldſt be acceptable to God.
When thou ſhouldſt approach the Lord of Glory, he would give thee a meeting in the means of Grace; he would bid thee welcom into his preſence, and warm thine heart with his ſpiritual influences; thou mighteſt hear him ſpeaking to the ſolace and wonder of thy ſoul; O my Dove, ſhew me thy face, let me hear thy voice; for ſweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely, Cant. 2.14.
The Spirit of God would aſſiſt thee in all thy performances, enabling thee to offer up to God what came firſt from God; and O how exceedingly would the Father be taken with, and delight in his own childe! The fruits of his Spirit would be pleaſant fruits indeed, Rom. 8.26. Cant. 4. ult. Thou ſhouldſt in every ſacrifice give God thine heart, which he could not but take kindly at thy hands; Thy prayer would be his delight, Sozomen ſaid of Apollonius, … at he …ever as …ed that thing of God which was denied.Prov. 15.8. Thy ſweet breath would abundantly pleaſe him; no muſick could be ſo melodious to thee, as thy prayers to him; thou ſhouldſt never ask any thing, but he would grant it, either in ſpecie or pondere, in money or money-worth: The King of Heaven is not he that could do any thing againſt thee, as that earthly King ſaid, Jer. 38.5. Thy prayer ſhould come before him like incenſe, and the lifting up of thine hands as morning and evening ſacrifices, which his ſoul would ſmell a ſweet ſavour in: His eyes would be alwayes open upon thy perſon with acceptance; and therefore his ears would be open to thy prayers with audience, Gen. 4.4.
Thou like Eſther ſhouldſt be arrayed in thy beſt raiment, the robes of thy Saviours righteouſneſs, and ſo appearing in the preſence of the King, ſhouldſt finde ſuch favour in his eyes, that thy Petition ſhould be granted, and thy requeſt performed, though it were to the half, to the whole of his Kingdom.
Thy duties ſhould be performed with ſutable graces: At a Sacrament, or in a Prayer thou ſhouldſt draw nigh to him by faith, Hebr. 10.22. Know thy diſtance from him by godly fear, Hebr. 12.28. be made one with him by love, John 17.23. which would enlarge thy heart in deſires after him, and raviſh thy ſoul with delight in him, Pſal. 73.25. Job 22.26. and thou ſhouldſt walk with him throughout the duty, with one foot of hope, and the other of humility.
Thus graciouſly ſhouldſt thou look up to him, and he would graciouſly look down upon thee: little doſt thou think what powerful loadſtones theſe Graces would be to draw forth his love. Obſerve and admire; Thou haſt *Taken away my heart or behearted me. Hebr.raviſhed my heart, my ſiſter, my ſpouſe, thou haſt raviſhed mine heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck; How fair is thy love, my ſiſter, my ſpouſe! how much better is thy love then wine, and the ſmell of thine oinments then all ſpices, Cantic. 4.9, 10, 11. to the end.
Beſides all thy performances would be perfumed by the Mediator: There would indeed ſtill be imperfection in thy graces (which are poured by the Spirit into thy ſoul, as pure liquor into a foul veſſel: Spring waters as they paſs thorow the veins of the earth will taſte of the minerals which they there ſalute; ſo would thy gracious actions have their faults and defects, becauſe thou wouldſt have ſtil an unregenerate part; therefore duties, as they came from thee, would not have a good ſavour) but Chriſt the Angel would ſtand at the Altar with ſweet incenſe, intercepting thy ſacrifices and prayers in their paſſage to heaven, purge away the iniquities of thy holy things with his own blood, perfume thy duties with his infinite merits, and ſo preſent them to his Father in his own name without the leaſt defilement; and then, O then, how pleaſing and acceptable muſt they needs be to him! Revel. 8.3, 4.
As when a Servant is with a Maſter upon liking, he doth his buſineſs ſo coldly and careleſly, and is ſo indifferent about it, that his Maſter takes little notice either of him or his work, and all that time is loſt: But when he is once bound, and the Indentures ſealed, and his father engaged for his faithfulneſs, the Apprentice falls to his work with another manner of ſpirit, and the Maſter now eſteems it as ſervice, carrieth himſelf towards him as a Maſter, reſolves to teach him his trade, and his time every day goes on. So whilſt a man is unregenerate, he ſerveth God ſo coldly, hypocritically and carnally, that God accepts it not, nay loaths it; his performances they are as the cutting off of a dogs neck, or the offering up of ſwines fleſh, it is loſt ſervice; but when In dentures are ſealed in Regeneration, that the man is bound to God by an hearty dedication of himſelf to his ſervice, and Chriſt hath given a conſiderable ſum with him, and undertaken for his faithfulneſs, then the foul fals to Gods buſineſs with hand and heart, and God eſteems it as ſervice, and reſolves to teach him the trade of pleaſing God on earth, that he may be fit to do it in heaven.
All the Ordinances of God ſhould be for thy good; If thou wert but born again and alive ſpiritually, thou ſhouldſt find the Word, Prayer, Singing, Sacraments, Sabbaths, communion of Saints, to be both refreſhing and nouriſhing food to thy ſoul, though now thou canſt reliſh them no more then the white of an egg, and receive no more good from them then from a dry chip; then they would be as pipes to convey the water of life, to chear and ſatisfie thy thirſty ſpirit. If thou wert a child weak in grace, Ordinances would be milk to thee; if a ſtrong man, they would be ſtrong meat; though thy ſpiritual ſtrength were never ſo ſmall, thou ſhouldeſt find they would increaſe it. The father of eternity would take care ſo to nurſe and feed thee that thou ſhouldſt thrive, 1 Pet. 2.2.
As the head doth by the organs of ſinews or nerves convey the animal ſpirits into the whole body, and with them both ſence and motion: ſo thy head Chriſt Jeſus, would by thoſe organs of Ordinances, convey ſpiritual life, ſenſe and motion to thee his member.
Thou mighteſt hear the Word with much ſpiritual hunger, and that being thy ſauce would make thee both fall to and reliſh thy food. When thou ſhouldſt hear Chriſt ſpeaking to thee, and opening the Scriptures, thine heart would burn within thee, and as mettal melted be ready for any mould which God would caſt thee into.
The Precepts of the word would be a light to thy feet, and a lanthorn to thy paths, thou wouldſt love them for their purity, find them to be exceeding pleaſant, and turn thy feet into thoſe ways of peace: Thine heart would in part anſwer Gods holy Law, as the Counterpain the original Deed; and thou ſhouldſt ſo behold the face of the Lord in the glaſs of his Word, that thou ſhouldſt be changed into his image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord, 2 Cor. 3.18.
The threatnings of the word, though they portend and ſpeak dreadful thing (as Nebuchadnezzars dream) yet thoſe fearful & faithful dreams would belong to thine enemies, and the interpretation of them to them that hate thee. Thoſe doleful threatnings of Gods wrath, the delivering up of ſouls to go on in ſin, and the eternal torments of Hell, like drones would buz about thine ears to keep thee wakeful, but could not ſting thee to make thee woful; wert thou but alive in Chriſt, thou ſhouldſt be dead to the Law and all its curſes, Rom. 7.4.
The promiſes would be precious alſo to thee, if thou wert converted; thou wouldſt have the mouth of Faith, with which thou ſhouldſt ſuck much warm heart-cheering milk from thoſe breſts of conſolation, Iſa. 66.11. To thee the Promiſes would be encouragements to ſervice; the threatnings, affrightments from ſin; the precepts, directions to ſanctity; if thy heart were ſorrowful, the promiſes would enliven it; if ſecure, the threatnings would awaken it; if full of doubts, the precepts would counſel and adviſe it. Of the Promiſes more in the next Head.
At a Sacrament Chriſt would ſweetly feaſt thy ſoul, bring thee into his Banqueting houſe, and cauſe his Banner over thee to be love: when others feed onelyonly upon Elements, thou ſhouldeſt feed on the Sacrament, and finde his fleſh to be meat indeed, and his blood to be drink indeed: when others ſtood at the door, and are put off with ſome poor ſcraps (as much as they came for) thou ſhouldſt be called in, ſit at his own table, feaſted with the fat things of his houſe, drink of the rivers of his own pleaſures, continue under his ſhadow with great delight, and know his fruit ſweet unto thy taſte: when thou ſaweſt with the eye of faith the board ſpred, and richly furniſhed with variety of dainties, all the Cordials and ſweet-meats of the Goſpel; among the reſt, with that love which is better then wine, thou ſhouldſt hear a voice from the Spirit within thee, Eat, O Freind, drink abundantly, O Beloved; which, how raviſhing it would be to thine ears, and how refreſhing to thine heart, no tongue can tell. O Reader, hadſt thou ever found at a Sacrament what it is to ſup with Chriſt, and Chriſt with thee, thou wouldſt ſcorn the life of an Emperor for the life of a new Creature.
In Prayer, God and thy ſoul would ſweetly converſe together. Thy petitions would aſcend up to him, and his righthand-kindneſſes would deſcend on thee. In this duty thou wouldſt call, turning his precepts into prayers, and he would anſwer by turning his promiſes into performances. Many many a bleſſing ſhouldſt thou obtain kneeling. This veſſel would never return (though ſomtimes it might ſeem to tarry long) but richly laden. The crop of Gods anſwer, would be far greater then the ſeed of thy prayer, out of which it grew. The Prodigal deſired but the liberty of a ſervant, but the Father beſtowed on him the dignity of a ſon; the King aſked life, and thou gaveſt it him, yea a length of days for ever and ever, his glory is great in thy Salvation, honour and majeſty, haſt thou put upon him. Pſ. 21.4, 5. As a merchant in a morning, will get Five hundred or a Thouſand pound by a bargain, truly thou ſhouldſt by a duty in a morning, or evening, get thouſands, nay millions at a clap, increaſe of grace, a ſupply of thy ſpiritual wants, the ſubduing of thy ſecret wickedneſs, peace of conſcience, communion with God, joy in the ſpirit, which are more worth then the whole earth.
In brief, Chriſt would be thy Shepherd, feed thee in green paſtures, lead thee by the ſtill waters, and take care that thou be fat and flouriſhing. As the root ſendeth up its ſap through the bark to all its living branches, whereby they continue living, and bring forth fruit; ſo if thou wert but regenerated and a living branch, thou ſhouldſt derive the ſap of grace through ordinances from Chriſt thy root, whereby thou ſhouldſt perſevere in ſpiritual life, and glorify God by bringing forth much fruit.
All the promiſes of God ſhould be thy portion.
Reader, thou art not able to conceive the unſearchable riches, which are laid up in the promiſes. Well may the Apoſtle call them exceeding great and precious promiſes. 2 Pet. 1.4. The promiſes are the great Charter, containing all the priviledges which were purchaſed by Chriſt; like an apothecaries. ſhop, they are full of various ſalves for every ſore, of precious remedies for every malady, of choice cordials to enliven thee with, ſpiritual conſolation in the ſaddeſt condition. One promiſe is of unſpeakable worth. As every precious ſtone, ſo every individual promiſe hath its vertue and value. It is the ſaying of one, Mallemus carere ſale, coe…o, &c Selveccer. in Paedag. Chriſtian.We had better want meat, drink, air, light, all the elements; then that one ſweet ſentence of our Saviour, Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy-laden, and I will give you reſt. Mat. 11.28. Mr. Burroughs ſaith that there is more of God in that one verſe, John 3.16. then in heaven and earth beſide, God ſo loved the world, that he gave his onelyonly begotten ſon, that whoſoever believeth on him, ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life. And Mr. Baxter, I remember, In his Everlaſting …eſt.hath an expreſſion to this purpoſe, That he would not for all the world, that that verſe John 17.24. had been left out of the bible, Father, I will alſo that they whom thou haſt given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory.
One promiſe hath revived the ſaints, when they have been almoſt dead with ſorrow, and held their heads up, that they have not ſunk in deep waters. Melib. Adamus in vit.Beza was refreſhed by that, John 10.27, 28, 29. Mr. Bilney that bleſſed Martyr, by that 1 Tim. 1.15. Father Latimer at the ſtake by that 1 Cor. 10.13. Mr. Robert Bolten, that famous preacher and eminent ſaint, was comforted under a ſad affliction by that Iſa. 26.3. Now if one promiſe be ſo pretious, how happy ſhouldſt thou be (wert thou but regenerated) to have an intereſt in all the promiſes! That whole book ſhould be thine, wherein every leafe drops myrrhe and mercy, love, and life: Thou mightſt walk in the garden, where thoſe choice flowers, pleaſant fruits, and ſweet ſpices grow, and abundantly delight thy ſoul with their fragrant ſmell, and luſcious taſte, The promiſe is to you, and to your children, and to then that are a far off, and to as many as the Lord our God ſhall call. Acts 2.39. Obſerve the ſilver thread upon which all the jewels of the promiſes hang, To as many as the Lord our God ſhall call. When thou art called and born of him, all the promiſes would be thy portion As all the rivers meet in the Ocean, ſo all the promiſes meet in regeneration. I will name two or three promiſes, that thou mayſt ſee how well twould be with thee, wert thou once in Chriſt. All thy ſins ſhould be pardoned, though they were never ſo great, and greivous, yet the blood of Jeſus Chriſt would cleanſe thee from them. Didſt thou but know, what a great price was laid down to procure a pardon, Heb. 9.22, 14. what dreadful puniſhments ſinners undergo in hel, for want of pardon, Jude 7. what ſorrows and ſighs, broken bones, and waterd couches the Saints ſuffer, when they are but doubtful of their pardon. Pſa. 38.1, 2, 3, 4. thou wouldſt ſay, O bleſſed is the man whoſe iniquity is forgiven, and whoſe ſin is covered; bleſſed is he to whom the Lord imputeth not ſin. Pſal. 32.1, 2. Now thou ſhouldſt obtain this bleſſedneſs, God would eſteem thee perfectly righteous. Solinus reports of a river in Boetia, which maketh black ſheep (if waſhed therein) white; truly wert thou never ſo black a ſinner, yet thou ſhouldſt be made white by the blood of the lamb, Rev. 7.14.
As all thy ſins ſhould be remitted, ſo thy perſon ſhould be adopted. Thou ſhouldſt of a child of wrath, become the child of God. Joh. 1.12. David reckoned it a great honour to be the Son in Law of King Saul; Seemeth it (ſaith he to Sauls ſervant) A light thing to you, to be a Kings ſon in Law, ſeeing that I am vile and lightly eſteemed! 1 Sam. 18.23. O what is it then to be the Son of God, of the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords! Behold, what manner of love hath the father loved us with that we ſhould be called his children! 1 John 3.1. The greateſt admiration is too little for ſuch infinite condeſcention; yet this priviledge ſhould be thine. The boundleſs God, who hath millions of glorious Angels for his ſervants, would own, feed, cloath, protect, maintain and portion thee as his ſon.
Thou ſhouldſt be ſure to perſevere in grace. Being once in Chriſt, thou ſhouldſt be ever in Chriſt; though the wind ſhould blow and the waves beat againſt thee, yet thou ſhouldſt not fall, being built upon the true rock; The very gates of Hell ſhould not prevail againſt thee: Though thou mighſt fall foully, yet thou ſhouldſt never fall finally, becauſe the ſeed of God would remain within thee, 1 John 3.9. Phil. 1.6. 1 Theſ. 5.23, 24. Thy life would be hid in Chriſt, as the ſap in the root, and therefore though thou mightſt have thine Autumne, yet thou ſhouldſt ſpring again. Thy ſtock of grace would not be in thine own, but in Chriſts hands, and for this cauſe thou couldſt not poſſibly prove (as Adam) a bankrupt. Though the flame of a zealous profeſſion might be abated, yet there would be fire on the hearth under the aſhes; true grace in thine heart; the love of God to thy ſoul would be everlaſting love, Jer. 33.3. The kindneſs of thy Redeemer to thee everlaſting kindneſs, Iſa. 54.8. The Spirit of Grace would abide in thee for ever, Joh. 14.16. The Covenant into which thou ſhouldſt enter with God, would be an everlaſting Covenant, Hebr. 13.20. And in that very Covenant thy Saviour would undertake for thee, that thou ſhouldſt never depart away from him, but abide in him for ever, Jer 31.33.34. and 32.40. Chriſt himſelf would be ever in thee; and Chriſt (ſaith one) may as ſoon die in Heaven at his Fathers right hand, as in the heart of a Believer.
To ſum up all the promiſes in one; God would be thy God: And how much wealth is in this golden mine, would nonplus the tongues of all the men in the world to expreſs, and the underſtandings of all the Angels in Heaven to conceive. This is the great new-Covenant Promiſe, Hebr. 8.8, 9, 10. I will be to them a God, and they ſhall be to me a people. The Author of all Promiſes is the matter of this Promiſe: Surely, tis the Main, the Ocean, a large Promiſe indeed, when it contains him whom the heavens and Heaven of heavens can never contain. The Book of Promiſes is as a glorious Crown, but this is the moſt ſparkling Diamond in it.
Friend, doſt thou conſider what it is to have God for thy God? All that God is would be thine; the Father thine, to adopt thee for his own Son; the Son thine, to puriſie and preſent thee acceptable to the Father; the Spirit thine, to dwell in thee as a witneſs, ſeal, and earneſt of thine everlaſting inheritance. All that is in God ſhould be thine; all his attributes and perfections ſhould be laid out for thy profit: His wiſdom would be thine to direct thee, his power thine to protect thee, his grace thine to pardon thee, his mercy thine to pitty thee, his goodneſs thine to comfort thee, and his glory thine to crown thee. Thou canſt not imagine what a full good this one God is in himſelf, and would be to thee. He would be to thee health in ſickneſs, ſtrength in weakneſs, light in darkneſs, joy in ſadneſs, riches in povery, honor in ignominy, freedom in ſlavery, eaſe in pain, ſafety in dangers, and life in death. This one God would ſupply all thy need according to his riches in glory by Chriſt Jeſus, Phil. 4.19.
God would ſubdue thy corruptions, enable thee to overcome temptations, to be a gainer by afflictions, to hold out under deſertions, to improve providences, to be the better for ordinances, to be filled with holineſs, and fitted for happineſs: He would do more for thee then thou couldſt ask or think, Epheſ. 3.20. Well might the Pſalmiſt wonder at the riches of his portion, who had a propriety in God. Pſal. 144. ult. Happy is the people that is in ſuch a caſe; YEA, HAPPY IS THE PEOPLE WHOSE GOD IS THE LORD. Ainſworth reads thoſe words by way of admiration; O happy is the people whoſe God is the Lord! As if the Pſalmiſt, Beatus ergo populus cujus Iehova eſt Deus. Tremel.conſidering what he had ſaid before, that it was an happineſs to enjoy children, cattel, and outward comforts, did from thoſe ſtreams aſcend to the fountain, and gathered by rational arguing; If they are happy that have their ſons growing as plants, and their daughters as poliſhed ſtones, their barns ſwelling, and their flocks thriving; O how happy are they whoſe God is the Lord! If they are ſo bleſſed who have the Stars, how happy are they that have the Sun? For in the preſence of this Sun all thoſe Stars muſt vaniſh and diſappear. aPraedic… populum beatum o… haec bona… Deo conti g…rint ſed add…t mox correcti… nem, ne q…i… in h…s rebus terrenis fubſiſtat, & ſumman beatitudi n… pon… Mollerus in loc.Mollerus takes the words by way of correction, Yea rather, Bleſſed is the people whoſe God is the Lord. As if David had recalled himſelf, and with his pen given a daſh to all that he had ſaid: Did I ſay that they were happy which abounded with relations, poſſeſſions, and outward comforts? I recal my ſelf, Alas, they are not happy, in compariſon of their happineſs who have the Lord for their God: yea rather hapyy is the people whoſe God is the Lord. By this latter he cuts off the neck of his former expreſſion. Some take the words conjunctively, as if David had proclaimed them happy indeed, for whom the Lord as their God doth ſo liberally provide. The children muſt needs be happy that have a Father that takes ſuch care of them, and beſtoweth ſo many outward good things on them. Auſtin takes the words diſ-junctively, as if the former part of the verſe, Happy is the people that is in ſuch a caſe, were the voice of the world; and the latter part of it, Yea, happy is the people whoſe God is the Lord, were the choice of the Saints. And that Father explains himſelf to this purpoſe. O vain and fooliſh ſpeakers, O ſtrange children: They have called the people happy that are in ſuch a caſe. — But what ſayeſt thou David? What ſayeſt thou O Body of Chriſt? What ſay ye O Members of Chriſt? What ſay ye O Children of God? Becauſe thoſe vain Speakers, and ſtrange Children have called them happy that are in ſuch a caſe: What ſay ye? And then he anſwereth for them, as the voice of all: O vaniloqu…, O ſilii alieni Beatum dixerunt populum eui haec ſunt — Quid tu David? Quid tu cor…us Chriſti? Qu… vos membra Christi? Quid vos non filii alieni, ſed Dei, Quoniam vaniloqui fili alieni, Beatum dixerunt populu…, Cui haec ſunt. Vos …id dicitis? Beatus populus cujus Dominus deus ipſius. Aug. in Pſal. 143. Tom. 8.Happy is the people whoſe God is the Lord.
Thus happy, Reader, ſhouldſt thou be, if thou wert once regenerated. That God in compariſon of whom the whole Creation is as nothing, would be thy God. O how eminently, how infinitely, wouldſt thou be bleſſed, in having ſo rich, ſo vaſt, ſo boundleſs a good for thy God.
Thou ſhouldſt be bleſſed in thy body, that ſhould be the temple of the Holy Ghoſt, and part of the myſtical body of the Son of God, and ſo nearly and cloſely united to him, that neither death, grave, nor duſt, ſhould ever be able to ſeparate it from him, 1 Cor. 6.19. 1 Theſ. 4.14, 16.
Thou ſhouldſt be bleſſed in thy ſoul, that ſhould be ever fat and flouriſhing, Pſal. 92.13, 14. like a watered Garden abounding in fruit; the ſmell of thy ſoul would be as the ſmell of a field which the Lord hath bleſſed.
Thou ſhouldeſt be bleſſed in thy eſtate; that bleſſing which can turn a Priſon into a Palace, a Cottage into a Court, poverty into plenty, would be thy portion; thou ſhouldſt be ſure of neceſſaries, of enough to bear thy charges till thou comeſt to thy Fathers houſe, Pſal. 37.25, 26. and 34.11. Having faith, thou ſhould not fear a famine, but wouldſt be aſſured that he who feeds the birds of the air, fodders the beaſts of the fields, filleth the bellies of his Enemies with hidden treaſures, would never forget his friends, or ſtarve his children: The Lord would be thy Shepherd, and therefore thou couldſt not want, Pſal. 23.1. As they that are well lined within, and have much good blood and ſpirits can endure to go in cold weather with leſs clothes then others: So thou being inwardly ſtrengthened with the grace and love of God, ſhouldſt be able to walk in the world comfortably with a leſs eſtate then others; If thou ſhouldſt be thine own carver, thou wouldſt cut thy fingers.
If thy means were ſmall, thy ſtomach ſhould not be great. As the ſheep can live upon bare Commons, and thrive there where the fat Ox would be ſtarved, ſo in the midſt of thy ſtraights, thy contentedneſs would give thee a ſufficiency: when others who are ſtrangers to grace in the midſt of their ſufficiency are in ſtraights, Job 20.22. True piety hath true plenty, and is never without a well-contenting ſufficiency, for twill give him who hath nothing the poſſeſſion of all things, 1 Tim. 6.6. Hab. 3.16.17. 2 Cor. 6.11. Thy dinner of herbs, with the love and favour of God, would be better then a ſtalled Ox with his anger and frowns. Prov. 15.15.16.
Thou ſhouldſt be bleſſed in thy children. The juſt man walketh in his integrity, and his children are bleſſed after him. Prov. 20.7. John's Children fared the better for their fathers godlyneſs, thoug it were but counterfeit, 2 Kings 10.30. Surely then, The generation of the upright ſhall be bleſſed. Pſal. 112.2. When thou didſt leave them. God would find them, and require thy children (for thy love to him.) much more faithfully then David did Mephiboſheth for Jonathans good will. Gen. 17.8. Act. 2.39.
Thy whole houſe would be the happier for thee, God bleſſeth the habitation of the righteous, Prov 3.33. Nothing can poſſibly be wanting, but it may be made up by this bleſſing. If thou doſt hearken unto the voyce of the Lord thy God, bleſſed ſhalt thou be in the city, and in the field, bleſſed ſhall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground and the fruit of thy cattel. Bleſſed ſhall be thy baſket and thy ſtore, bleſſed ſhalt thou be when thou goeſt out, and bleſſed ſhalt thou be when thou comeſt in. Deut. 28.1, to 14. verſe.
Thou wouldſt be a bleſſing to thy neighbours, as a conduite yield clear water for others comfort. If they were prophane, they might be brought to mind piety by thy precepts and pattern. If they were good, they would rejoyce at thy converſion to God, and like Abraham make a feaſt at the weaning of thee a child of the promiſe from the breaſts of the creatures.
Thou ſhouldſt be bleſſed in thy name. The memory of the juſt is bleſſed, Prov. 10.7. Thy name would be heir to thy life, as ſoon as ever thy nature were religious, thy name would be reverend, and when thou dieſt thou wouldſt go out (of this world) like ſome ſweet perfume, leaving a fragrant ſavour behind thee.
O Reader, how many ſheets might I write, in relating thy felicity! How honourable ſhouldſt thou be, having blood royal running in thy veins, and being heir apparent to a Kingdom of glory! How rich, having a key to Gods treaſury, and being intereſted in the covenant of grace, which hath more wealth in it then heaven and earth! How comfortable, having the promiſes for thy cordials, and being garriſond within with that peace of God, which paſſeth all underſtanding! How beautiful having the robes of the righteouſneſs of God to adorn thee, which is infinitely more comly then the unſpotted innocency, either of Adam or Angels! The infinite God would be thy God, bleſſed Angels thy guardians, beautiful Saints thy companions, durable riches thy portion, the fleſh of Chriſt thy food, his own robes thy raiment, and his own manſion houſe thine everlaſting home.
Thou couldſt not caſt an eye, but it would ſee matter of mirth; nor ſend forth a thought, but it would return with a report of mercy. Whether thou lookeſt up to thy father in heaven, and his glorious attendants there, or lookeſt down to his creatures on earth, and the ſigns of his manifold wiſdom, and mighty power here, or whether thou lookeſt into conſcience or Scriptures, every thing, all things would yeild thee cauſe of comfort, and give thee occaſion of inward exaltation.
In all conditions, be they never ſo ſad, thy ſoul would be ſafe, and thine everlaſting eſtate ſecure. The vails are incertain, but the ſtanding wages are certain. What ballaſt is to a ſhip, that regeneration would be to thy ſpirit: If the veſſel be ſound and well ballaſted, though it may be toſſed and rocked with windes and waves, yet it ſhall not be ruined: So if thine heart were ſtabliſhed with grace, thou ſhouldſt be ſteady in the greateſt ſtorm; nay, though thou wert naked in deep waters, in the mighty Sea, yet Chriſt thine head being ever above water, thou couldſt not poſſibly ſink.
When thou ſhouldſt come to die, and to throw thy laſt caſt for Eternity, thou mighteſt walk in the valley of the ſhadow of death and fear none ill, for God would be with thee, Pſal. 23. When pale-faced death knocks at the door of thine houſe of clay, by the hand of ſome mortal ſickneſs, thou needſt not be daunted at his grim looks, but mighteſt boldly open to him, and bid that Meſſenger heartily welcom, as knowing that he comes from a God in Covenant, to give thee a paſſage into fulneſs of joy and everlaſting pleaſures.
Its reported of Godfry Duke of Bulloign in his expedition to the Holy-Land, that when his Army came within view of Jeruſalem, beholding the high Turrets and fair Fronts (which were the skelitons of far more glorious bodies) they were ſo tranſported with joy, that they gave ſuch a ſhout, that the very earth was ſaid to ring again. How might thine heart leap with joy, when thou upon thy death-bed ſhouldſt with the eye of faith behold the ſtately Turrets, and pearly gates of the New and Eternal Jeruſalem!
Thou mighteſt contentedly leave thine earthly habitation for the Fathers houſe, and joyfully bid adieu to thy corruptible ſilver and airy honors, for an enduring ſubſtance, and an eternal weight of glory. How cheerfully mighteſt thou forſake thy meat and drink, and all thy carnal comforts, to eat bread in the Kingdom of Heaven, and to bathe thy ſoul in angelical delights! With what courage mighteſt thou bid farewel to thy ſtately dwelling, deareſt wife, moſt lovely children, all thy kindred and acquaintance, to go to mount Sion, and to the City of the living God, the heavenly Jeruſalem, and to an innumerable company of Angels, to the general Aſſembly and Church of the firſtborn, which are written in Heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect, to Jeſus the Mediator of the new Covenant! Hebr. 12.22, 23, 24.
Thou ſhouldſt comfortably think of thy bodies being laid in the grave, to ſleep there till the morning of the Reſurrection; for that bed would be ſweet to thee, being perfumed with the precious body of thy Saviour for thee. And with what joy mighteſt thou think of the day of Judgement, when thy body ſhould be awaken out of its ſleep, united to thy ſoul, faſhioned like unto the glorious body of Chriſt, and both ſoul and body made perfectly bleſſed, in the full enjoyment of God to all eternity. O the felicity of the regenerate! How bleſſed are they whom God chooſeth, and cauſeth by Regeneration to approach unto him! Friend, Friend, Can the world do half this for thee? Why then doſt thou ſpend thy ſtrength for what is not bread, and thy labour for what will not ſatisfie?
Will not God do all this and much much more for thee! Why then doſt thou forſake the fountain of living waters, and hew unto thy ſelf broken ciſterns that can hold no waters! Ah, didſt thou but know the gift of God, and who it is that offereth theſe things to thee, thou wouldeſt ask of him, and he would give thee living waters, John 4.10. Reader, what ſayeſt thou to theſe things? Is there not infinite reaſon why thou ſhouldſt ſpeedily give a Bill of divorce to thy moſt beloved luſts, and ſtrike an hearty Covenant with the Lord Jeſus? Art not thou fully convinced of the matchleſs gain of godlineſs? Let conſcience ſpeak; one would think ſuch powerful arguments could not be denied; that ſo many, and ſuch coſtly Loadſtones ſhould draw thee towards Heaven, though thine heart were as hard as iron or ſteel. If thou art for profit, man, here is profit indeed, and to purpoſe. Thus whilſt thou continueſt in this world, thou ſhouldſt be a bleſſed ſoul.
The Felicity of the Regenerate in the other World.
THough in what I have already offered, in the Name of the bleſſed God, I have unſpeakably out-bid Devil, World, and Fleſh; yet to manifeſt thy folly, in making and continuing a League with them, to thine extream and unconceiveable diſadvantage, I ſhall endeavour to ſet before thee, though briefly, the far greater felicity which thou ſhouldſt obtain in the other World.
As whilſt thou continueſt in this world thou ſhouldſt be a bleſſed ſoul, ſo when thou entereſt into the other world thou ſhouldſt be a glorious Saint.
And this, Reader, is the beſt wine which Chriſt keeps for his Gheſts till the laſt, though how good it is none can tell but they that have taſted it. Truly, what Nazianzen ſaid of Baſil, I may ſay of this glorious Saint; There wants nothing but his own tongue to commend him. The Subject is large and weighty; and ſure I am, that it would require the words not onelyonly of a Saint, but an Angel to do it according to its worth. I ſhall onelyonly give thee a ſay briefly, of that which glorified Saints enjoy fully.
Firſt, thou ſhouldſt know what perfection of holineſs is; if thou wert but new born, this one thought would fill thy ſoul with marrow and fatneſs, and cauſe thy mouth to praiſe God with joyfull lips. One dram of holineſs infinitely ſurpaſſeth (in the eſteem of a Saint) all the Kingdoms and Empires of this world, how much then is perfect holineſs worth? In heaven thou ſhouldſt have it, There thou ſhouldſt be before the throne without fault, and ſerve him day and night, in his temple, Rev. 14.5.
What price doth a Saint ſet upon, and what pains doth he take for a little holineſs. If thou wouldſt know why he hideth the word in his heart, tis that he might not ſin againſt God; the purging out of ſinful humours, is the end for which he takes that phiſick. Why he readeth and heareth ſo diligently, tis that he might be ſanctified through Gods truth; cleanſing is the reaſon why he uſeth that water. Why he prayeth ſo frequently and ſo fervently, tis that he might have a clean heart created, and a right ſpirit renewed within him: Grace is the chief alms, for which he knocks and begs ſo hard, at the beautifull gate of Gods Temple; why he goeth to the ſacrament, tis that he might grow in ſanctity; he goeth to the death of his Saviour, for the death of his ſins; and his great deſign in that ſpiritual feaſt is ſo to feed, that he might get ſome more ſpiritual ſtrength. Nay how contented can he be under very ſad croſſes, if they may but make him more like to Chriſt, he can patiently bear the pain of lancing and cutting, ſo it may but let out corruption. He can take bitter pills for the removing of inward diſeaſes, and the furthering of his ſouls health, and more willingly ſpend all be hath for the cure of his iſſue of ſin, then ever the widow did, for the cure of her iſſue of blood. Now Reader, thou ſhouldſt have the veſſel of thy ſoul filled with this water of life. One drop of which is ſo precious, as thou haſt heard, to the regenerate. Thou ſhouldſt have a perfection of degrees, as well as of parts, and enjoy ſo much of theſe true riches, that thou ſhouldſt not deſire one grain more. Thou ſhouldſt be a book wherein the image of God ſhould be written, in a fair large print, and there ſhould be no errata's in thee. Sin now is like the Ivy in the wall, cut it never ſo much, yet it will ſprout out again; but as grace mortifieth it here, glory ſhall nullify it in heaven. Wert thou in Chriſt, twould be no ſmall comfort to think the time is comming when thou ſhalt never offend God more, never deal unkindly with Chriſt more.
Thou ſhouldſt by bleſſed experience, know the truth of thoſe Scriptures. Whoſoever is born of God ſinneth not, for his ſeed remaineth in him, and he cannot ſin, becauſe he is born of God. 1 John 3.9. Chriſt loved his Church, and gave himſelf for it, that he might ſanctify and cleanſe it, with the waſhing of water by the word. That he might preſent it to himſelf a glorious Church, not having ſpot or wrinkle, or any ſuch thing, but that it ſhould be holy and without blemiſh. Epheſ. 5.25, 26, 27.
The body of death, ſhould die with the death of thy body. Thou ſhouldſt not be taken away in thy ſins, but from thy ſins; It would be impoſſible for thee to ſin there, becauſe of thine happy ſight of God there. Sin is an averſion from God, and converſion to the creature. Now thou ſhouldſt enjoy ſuch ſoul raviſhing ſweetneſs in the bleſſed God, and that ſo fully, that thou couldſt not leave ſo excellent a good for any creature; thy graces here in their minority, and nonage would be then in their maturity.
If that holineſs which is but in part on earth, would be ſo beautiful in thine eyes, that it would raviſh thine heart more then all the glory of this lower world, what would perfect holineſs in heaven be?
If the picture or image of God, be ſo comely in its rough draught here below; Ah, how lovely a peice will it be in all its perfections, when Gods Noviſſima manus his laſt hand ſhall come upon it above! 1 John 3.2.
Secondly, thou ſhouldſt know what compleat happineſs is. Thine holineſs and happineſs like twins, would grow up and come to their full age together; thy perfect purity there, would cauſe perfect peace. Thy day of light and gladneſs in heaven, could never be overcaſt with the ſmalleſt cloud, becauſe ſins that are the vapours out of which they breed, could not aſcend ſo high. Thy freedom from evil would be full, thy fruition of good would be full, and therefore thy felicity muſt needs be full. Thy body there would be free from the diſeaſes, and deformity to which it is liable, and with which it is affected here. The errors of the firſt, would be corrected in its ſecond edition. A body of vileneſs ſhall be a body of glory.
All thoſe miſeries which fright and moleſt thee now, would then forſake thee. No evil durſt arreſt thee, when thou ſhalt walk in the preſence of Sions King. In this thou ſhouldſt be like irrational creatures, that thy miſery ſhould end with thy life: And in this reſemble the bleſſed Angels, that thou ſhouldſt alwayes behold the face of thy father.
In his preſence is fulneſs of joy. When the Sun beholdeth the Moon, with his full aſpect, then the Moon is at the Full. In heaven the Sun of righteouſneſs, would ever look on thee, with his favourable face, in ſo full a degree that thou ſhouldſt be at the Full of thy light, and happineſs. God is an univerſal good, the ſoul of man hath a kind of an infinite appetite. It deſireth this pleaſure, and that treaſure, and when it hath them, it is like a dropſicall body, as thirſty as ever; for thoſe creatures having but a particular limited goodneſs, can never ſatisfy but God will ſupply all the ſouls wants, becauſe he is infinite and univerſal good, and anſwereth all things.
Thou ſhouldſt ever be at the well-head; and therefore needeſt not fear the leaſt want. Thine appetite there would be ever freſh after God, and thy ſatisfaction ever ful in God. God would be to thee any thing, every thing, all things which thy heart could poſſibly deſire. God is ſo ſweet and ſatisfying a good to his people on earth, that they have found the loſs of other things abundantly, made up in his favour and love, Hab. 3.16, 17. 1 Sam. 30.6. though he communicated himſelf but in ſmall drops, by ſlow degrees unto them; O then what would God be to thee in heaven, when he would give of himſelf abundantly and continually unto thy ſoul! If all the delightful objects, and pleaſures which the whole creation here below affordeth, were united into one, and beſtowed upon thee, and thou wert to live a thouſand years, in the enjoyment of it, this were not worth one day in Gods courts in this world, much leſs one hour, or one moments enjoying him in the other world. In his preſence is fullneſs of joy, and at his right hand, are pleaſures for evermore. Pſalm. 16. ult. Though all words are too weak to utter the Saints happineſs there, yet David ſpeaks much in this verſe. For quality there is joy, there is pleaſure; What canſt thou wiſh which is not contained in thoſe two words? hope of future joy made the man of ſorrows contented under his ſhameful and bloody croſs; how comfortable wilt thou be when thou ſhalt have it in hand?
For quantity, fulneſs of joy, or a torrent, of which thou ſhouldſt drink full draughts, without interruption or intermiſſion. Thy joy would be pure without mixture, and perfect without meaſure. The Maſters joy, or the joy of thy Lord: In his preſence, the fruition of God is the faireſt flower in the Garland of Honor, and that alone which gives compleat ſatisfaction to the ſoul: He is the Heaven of Heaven, and other things are but acceſſary to this Principal, yet other things there would afford comfort, through the God of conſolation.
The ſights there would pleaſe thine eyes, for thou ſhouldſt behold not onelyonly perfect Saints, but the pearleſs Saviour; thine eyes ſhould ſee the King in his glory: there is a great difference between ſeeing a King in his ordinary attire, and on his throne with his robes, and all his ſigns of Majeſty. The ſight of the Saints would much delight thee, to ſee thoſe heirs in the poſſeſſion of their inheritances: When Cyneas the Ambaſſador of Pyrrhus, had beheld the ſtate and magnificence of the Roman Senators and People, he was ſo exceedingly taken with it, that at his return from that City of Rome, being asked, how he liked it, and what he thought of that ſtate, he anſwered, That he ſaw as many Emperors as Senators, and that it was a Commonwealth of Kings. Such would Heaven be to thine eyes, a Commonwealth of Emperors and Kings, wherein every Saint would have a robe of honour, a ſcepter of power, a throne of majeſty, and crown of glory. Surely, ſuch ſights would fill thee with wonder and joy, to behold all the children in their Fathers houſe ſo richly clad, ſo daintily feaſted, and ſo highly advanced as they ſhall be there. But O the joy which will poſſeſs thee at the ſight of the Lord Jeſus, who, as the Sun, will ſhine gloriouſly indeed in the midſt of thoſe Stars, and as a Judge be known by his robes, from all the Juſtices on the Bench. If it were ſo good to behold him here in his eſtate of humiliation, and in his mourning weeds; what will it be to behold him in his eſtate of exaltation, and in his bright, ſparkling, and glorious robes? Truly, that light will be ſweet, and it will be pleaſant to behold that Sun.
As the ſights there would pleaſe thine eyes, ſo the ſounds there will pleaſe thine ears; I have read of a Divine, that when he heard rare muſick on Earth, he was much taken with it, preſently cried out, O the raviſhing muſick which is in Heaven! How will thy ſpirit be taken, when thou ſhalt hear the new ſong, the ſong of the Lamb, ſung by the pleaſant voices, and play'd upon the harps of the thouſand thouſands that are before the throne of God, who reſt not day or night, but ſay and ſing, Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power: For thou haſt created all things, and for thy pleaſure they are, and were created, Rev. 4, 8. and ult.
O how much might I expatiate here, and ſhew thee, that whatever is requiſite to happineſs would be enjoyed by thee there! If honor could make thee happy, thou ſhouldſt there have an eternal weight of glory; ſuch a weight, that if thou wert not upheld by the power of God, would preſs thee down. If pleaſures can make thee happy, thou ſhouldſt drink of the rivers of pleaſures which flow from the bleſſed God for ever; ſuch pleaſures as thine eyes never ſaw, thine ears never heard, and thine heart can never conceive. If a gallant glorious ſeat could make thee happy, thou ſhouldſt be happy: Thou ſhouldſt dwell in a City, Rev. 21.19, 20.whoſe Builder and Maker is God, its gates are of pearl, and its pavement of pure gold. The houſe which thou ſhouldſt live in, is the Fathers houſe, that houſe which the mighty Poſſeſſor of Heaven and Earth hath erected with his own hands, to be the place wherein he will ſhew all his riches, magnificence, grace, goodneſs and glory. If reſt could make thee happy, thou ſhouldſt reſt from all thy labours, enjoy an eternal Sabbath; There the ſpiritual oppreſſors ceaſe from troubling, there the weary are at reſt. If good company could make thee happy, thou ſhouldſt have the ſociety of all the Saints, ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, the Prophets, Apoſtles, and all the children of God in the Kingdom of Heaven, thou ſhouldſt enjoy the many millions of holy Angels, the deareſt Jeſus, and the ever bleſſed God. If food can make thee happy, thou ſhouldſt eat of the hidden manna, of the bread which came down from Heaven, of the tree of life which groweth in Paradice, and drink of the water of life, Rev. 22.1, 2.which is clear as Cryſtal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. If life can make thee happy, thou ſhouldſt have that eternal life, which is from God, in God, and with God. In a word, whatever were needful for thee, or could be joyful to thee, or deſired by thee, in order to thy happineſs, thou ſhouldſt have it.
Thirdly, Thou ſhouldſt know the vertue and preciouſneſs of the blood of Chriſt: the Apoſtle doth not without cauſe, when he compares the blood of Chriſt with ſilver and gold, infinitely prefers it before them, and call it precious blood, 1 Pet. 1.19. Indeed, 'tis that which as the diamond to the ring, addeth worth and value to what ever 'tis joyned. The two Teſtaments are precious, becauſe they are both ſprinkled with the blood, and confirmed by the death of the Teſtator, Hebr. 9.16, 17, 18, 19. The Lords Supper is precious, becauſe it ſheweth forth the Lords blood and death, 1 Cor. 11.26. pardon of ſin, peace of conſcience, the affection of the Father, the ſanctification of the Spirit, are all precious, becauſe they are the fruits and effects of this precious blood, 1 John 1. and 7. Rom. 5.1. Hebr. 9.14. Epheſ. 2.13. All our comforts run in this channel, the blood of Chriſt is the ſtream which bears them up, and brings them to us; yea, Heaven it ſelf, and the Crown of Glory have weight and worth from this precious ſparkling ſtone. Heaven is the purchaſed poſſeſſion, Epheſ. 1.14. 'Tis the blood of Jeſus which giveth boldneſs to enter into that holy place, Hebr. 10.19. The precious price paid for it will ſpeak it and make it a glorious place.
If thou wert once regenerated, Chriſt would be ſo precious to thee at this day, that all things would be dung and droſs in compariſon of the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus thy Lord; to them that believe Chriſt is precious, 1 Pet. 2.7. O the price which true Chriſtians ſet upon Chriſt. The wiſe Merchant ſold all for this Pearl. I have read that the Duke of Burgundy had a Jewel, which was afterwards ſold for twenty thouſand duckets. But Chriſt to a Saint is better then ſilver, and more deſirable then choice gold, more precious then rubies, yea, then many millions of worlds.
When the Athenian Ladies were boaſting to Phocion's wife of their Jewels; ſhe told them, My jewels are my husband Phocion. When Alexander was asked, where his treaſure was, he ſhewed them his friends. Such a Jewel, ſuch a Treaſure is Jeſus Chriſt in the eſteem of his Spouſe, his Friends, Chriſt is all in all.
The pious ſoul is of the ſame minde with John of Alexandria, ſirnamed the Almoner, when at the years end he had given all he had left to the poor, and made even with his Revenues, he looks up to Heaven, and thanked God that he had nothing left but his Lord and Maſter Jeſus Chriſt; to whom he longed to flye with unlimed and untangled wings. The face of none is ſo comely to the Saints eye, the voice of none ſo lovely to his ears, the taſte of nothing ſo pleaſant in his mouth as Jeſus Chriſt.
But the Chriſtian hath a choice room in his ſoul, for the blood of his Saviour; He prizeth the ſhameful croſs of Chriſt above the moſt glorious crown of the greateſt earthly Potentate, Gal. 6.14. Thus Friend, it would be with thee here if thou wert conveted, thou wouldſt determine to know nothing but Jeſus Chriſt and him crucified: O the honey which thou wouldſt ſuck out of the Carkaſs, the death of this Lion of the Tribe of Judah!
When thou ſhouldeſt conſider, that this blood of Jeſus Chriſt is that alone, which hath ſatisſied Gods juſtice, Rom. 3.25. Rom. 5.9. Col. 1.20. Heb. 9.14. Rev. 1.5, 6.pacified his anger, juſtified thy perſon, ſanctified thy nature, removed the curſe of the Law from thee, and thee from the eternal wrath of God, and unquenchable torments of Hell, would it not be precious blood in thine eſteem? think of it, what a price thou wouldſt ſet upon it; but when thou ſhouldſt in Heaven for ever behold the bleſſed body of Chriſt ſhining with incomprehenſible beauty far above the brighteſt Cherub; and conſider, that every vein of that body bled to bring thee to glory; when thou ſhouldſt ſee thouſands and millions in matchleſs and endleſs burnings, from which thou wert delivered, and behold thy body made far more glorious then the Sun in his high noon attire, and thy ſoul filled brim-full with unſpeakable joy; nay, every part of thy body and ſoul enlarged to the utmoſt, and fully fatisfied with unconceiveable delight, and thou ſhouldſt be confident and aſſured to enjoy this for ever, and know clearly all this to be the travel of Chriſts ſoul, and the fruit of his blood: Friend, friend, what thoughts then wilt thou have of the blood of Chriſt! Surely, 'twill be precious blood indeed; thou wouldſt have other manner of thoughts of him that came by water and blood, then thou ever hadſt here below.
The work of our redemption will be the matter of the Saints communion, and the great ſubject of their eternal admiration. Their delivery from ſin, Satan, wrath and hell, into a ſtate of liberty, love, grace, and ſalvation, by the blood of Jeſus, will fill their eyes, and hearts with wonder, love, and joy for ever.
All the voices there ſhall ſing, this ſong and all the vials there ſhall be ſet to this tune. Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the ſeals thereof, for thou haſt redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and nation, and haſt made us unto our God Kings, and Prieſts. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many Angels, round about the throne, and the beaſts, and the elders, and the number of them, was ten thouſand times ten thouſand, and thouſands of thouſands, ſaying with a loud voice. Worthy is the Lamb that was ſlain, to receive power, and riches, and wiſdom, and glory, and bleſſing. Rev. 5.9.10, 11, 12, to end.
If the Queen of Sheba when ſhe beheld the wiſdom and magnificence of Solomon was ſo tranſported that there remained no more ſpirit in her; how will thine heart be tranſported to ſee the love and glory of the true Solomon, who wept, and bled, and lived, and died to bring thee to heaven.
Fourthly, Thou ſhouldſt know what God is; and truly this would be no ſmal part of thy felicity: Knowledge is the excellency of a man and differenceth him from a bruit; divine knowledge is the excellency of a Chriſtian, and differenceth him from a Heathen. The knowledge of humane things hath been ſo highly eſteemed by ſome of the Heathen, that they have profeſt they would give their whole eſtates to enjoy their books without interruption; what then is the knowledge of divine things worth! Ariſtotle ſaith, That a little knowledge of heavenly things, though but conjectural, is better then much certain knowledge of earthly things; what then is the knowledge of the God of heaven worth! The excellency of the object doth much dignifie the act.
In this world thou canſt ſee but little of him, thy ſight is ſo weak, but there thou ſhouldſt ſee him as he is, 1 Joh. 3.3. Now the Chriſtian rather ſeeth and knoweth God as he is not, then as he is; we deſcribe him (for indeed he is infinitely above all definitions) by way of negation to be a Spirit, Infinite, Unchangeable, and the like; which particulars tell us what God is not. He is a Spirit, that is, a being without a body; for God is not a Spirit as the ſouls of men and as Angels are, I mean, not of ſuch a ſubſtance: The Spirit of God in that expreſſion, God is a Spirit, Joh. 4. condeſcendeth to our capacities, becauſe we are not able to conceive of the nature of the bleſſed God, as he is in himſelf, therefore the Holy Ghoſt doth ſpeak of God by the moſt excellent beings which our underſtandings reach, as Spirits are; for God is queſtionleſs ſuch a ſpiritual being, as is far above the moſt enlarged underſtanding. Beſides, we are ſo clog'd and piniond with fleſh, that we know but little, yea very little of our own ſpirits, much leſs what a Spirit God is. But there thou ſhouldſt (if converted) know him fully, thy underſtanding ſhould be enlarged and ſatiſfied.
Thoſe ſcales which now hang about thine intellectual eye ſhould then fall off, and thou that didſt behold him upon earth in the galſs of his Goſpel, ſhouldſt then ſee him face to face; as the Sun doth by his beams and brightneſs ſo enlighten the eye and the air, that we ſee thereby, not onelyonly other creatures but its own moſt glorious body; ſo God would by the beams and beauty of his majeſty ſo irradiate thy minde that thou ſhouldſt ſee both the comelineſs of his creatures, and the brightneſs of his own being.
Thou ſhouldſt know the great myſtery of the Trinity, the love of the Father, the wiſdom of the Son, the ſweet fellowſhip of the Holy Ghoſt. That Riddle which now puzleth thee ſhould there be unfolded; thou ſhouldſt know how the Father begat the Son, how the Spirit proceeded from Father and Son, and the difference between the generation of the Son and proceſſion of the Spirit.
Thou ſhouldſt know God in the unity of his nature; now the Saints know him moſt by his Attributes, which indeed differ not at all from his Being; they are but different manifeſtations of one individed eſſence, and diſtinguiſhed by us for our better underſtanding of the Divine Nature, but they are all the ſame in him and in themſelves, and then we ſhall know ſo.
Thou ſhouldſt know the Hypoſtatical Union, Ioh. 14.20how the Son of God became the Son of Man; that wonder of wonders, Emanuel, God with us, God and Man in one perſon would be clearly ſeen; all thoſe knots would be untied; thou ſhouldſt then plough with Gods heifer, and underſtand all his ridles; thou ſhouldſt know all things in God that were to be known in a full manner, in a large meaſure to thine infinite comfort and content. Thou ſhouldſt know all this and far more for thy good.
If a little knowledge of God here be ſo pleaſant to the ſoul, Pſal. 19.10though it be but a glimpſe of him in the dawning of themorning; what ſatisfaction will the compleat knowledge of him yeild, to ſee that Sun at noon day! If it be life eternal to know God and Jeſus Chriſt imperfectly, what will it be to know them perfectly, and ſo as to enjoy them fully! ſurely ſuch inſtruction will be better then ſilver, and ſuch knowledge then choice gold; this wiſdom is better then rubies, and all that thou canſt deſire is not to be compared to it.
How much have many waſted their wealth, dried their brains, macerated their bodies for a little knowledge of Nature, which when they had gone to their utmoſt could not ſatisfie them; they might as ſoon have broke their necks as their faſts by ſuch knowledge; but of what ineſtimable value is the knowledge of the God of Nature, is the knowledge of him in Chriſt here, and O of what incomparable worth will it be to know him, as we are known of him; to ſee him face to face! this will be without queſtion the beatifical viſion.
Fifthly, thou ſhouldſt know the extent and truth of all the promiſes in the word which concern thy welfare in the other world. How various and how precious are the promiſes which relate to heaven! God promiſeth his children (ſuch as are born of him) large portions when they ſhall come to age, unto the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſs of Chriſt. And thou ſhouldſt then find that God will make good his word to a title. He promiſeth that they ſhall reſt from their labours, and their works ſhall follow them. That they ſhall be before the throne, and ſerve him day and night, in his temple, and he that ſitteth on the throne ſhall dwell among them. That they ſhall hunger no more, nor thirſt any more, neither ſhall the Sun light on them, nor any heart. For the Lamb which is in the midſt of the throne, ſhall feed them and ſhall lead them unto living fountains of waters, and God ſhall wipe away all teares from their eyes, Rev. 7.3. ult. He promiſeth, that they ſhall be with Chriſt where he is and behold his glory! John 17.24. That they ſhall not be hurt of the ſecond death. That they ſhall eat of the tree of life, which groweth in the midſt of the Paradiſe of God. That they ſhall be cloathed in white raiment, and not blotted out of the book of life, but confeſſed before the father and the holy Angels, Rev. 2.7, 11. and 3.5. Chriſt promiſeth, him that overcommeth will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he ſhall go no more out, and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the City of my God, which is new Jeruſalem, and I will write upon him my new name. Rev. 3.12. That they which overcome, ſhall ſit down with him on his throne, even as he hath overcome and is ſit down with his father on his throne, Revel. 3.21. Look Pſalm. 16. ult. and 17. ult. Rom. 8.18. 2 Cor. 5.1. 1 Cor. 13.12. Mat. 8.11. 1 Pet. 1.4. Phil. 3.21. 1 Theſſ. 4.2, ult. 1 John 3.2. Ephe. 5.25, 26.
All theſe promiſes and many more, ſhall be fully accompliſhed. There ſhall not one good thing of all that the Lord hath ſpoken be unfulfilled. The expectation of the promiſes hath filled ſeveral of Gods Children with extaſies and raviſhments of ſpirit; what joy then will the poſſeſſion of them bring? The very thought of a promiſe hath made them like Leviathan to laugh at the ſhaking of Spears, at the threatning of their adverſaries, nay to kiſs ſtakes, and ſmile at fire and fagots. O what then will the performance be! The promiſes are large, but our ſtraitened minds cannot underſtand their breadth, but then happy experience ſhall teach us their full latitude; they are now like bones, which have the ſweeteſt meat upon them, and the ſweeteſt marrow in them, but we are not able here to pick them clean, nor to ſuck out half the marrow, but then we ſhall taſte and enjoy every thing in them. Now when we read of drinking of the rivers of Gods pleaſures, of dwelling in his houſe, of a kingdome, and thrones, and ſcepters, and palms, and crowns of glory, and reigning with Chriſt for ever and ever, our hearts are ready to faint, as Jacob at the news of his Sons honour in Egypt; and as the Queen of Sheba, at the news of Solomons wiſdom, believed it not: ſo we; What God look upon ſuch ſinks of ſin, ſuch clods of clay as we are, and make our vile bodies like unto the glorious body of his Son, and our ſouls like unto his bleſſed Majeſty in holineſs, beauty, and delight! O what are we, and what our fathers houſes that God ſhould do any thing for us! As Perillus when Alexander promiſed his daughter fifty talents for her portion, cryeth, 'twas too much, ten were ſufficient; And when David ſent to take Abigal to wife, ſhe wondred at it, ſhe counted it an honour to waſh the feet of his ſervants; 'Twas too much to be his wife. So we cannot but count it a favour to wait upon his ſervants, to be his door keepers and ſtand without; 'tis too much we think to be marryed to Chriſt, the eternal Son of God, and to dwell in the houſe of the Lord for ever. We can hardly be perſwaded that God will thus dignifie ſuch worthleſs worms; but then ſeeing, and enjoying, will be believing; then we ſhall ſay, It was a true report, which I heard in the lower world, what God would do for poor creatures in heaven; howbeit I believed not, till I came and mine eyes have ſeen it, and behold the half was not told me; my glory and joy exceedeth the fame which I heard.
Sixthly, Thou ſhouldſt enjoy all the forementioned good things, (and more then I can ſpeak or thou think) without intermiſſion, interruption, and for ever. The good things of this life are intermitted, partly by contrary and evil things, as our health loſt by ſickneſs, our wealth by want; partly by neceſſary diverſions, the body muſt have ſleep, and then we loſe the comfort of the creatures; but there thy day of comfort ſhould never be overcaſt, for all tears will be wiped from thine eyes, and thy fruition of God ſhould be without intermiſſion, thou ſhouldſt ever ſtand in his preſence, and behold his face, thou ſhouldſt ever be with the Lord, 1 Theſ. 4.16. Hadſt thou here a confluence of all comforts, yet becauſe thy life is ſhort, thy joy could not be long; but there thy life will be an everlaſting life, and thy joy therefore everlaſting joy. I wil ſee you again and your hearts ſhall rejoyce, and your joy ſhall no man take from you, ſaith Chriſt, Joh. 16.
Eternity will perfect thy felicity indeed; It is a boundleſs duration, without intermiſſion and end; Suppoſe that all the vaſt ſpace between heaven and earth were filled with ſand, and once every ten thouſand years, a bird came and carried away a crum in her bill, what a long while would it be before this vaſt heap would be carried quite away! but ſuppoſe after the bird had done that, it was to come every ten thouſand years, and take one drop of water out of the ſea, what a while would it be before it could empty the Ocean! but after all this thou ſhouldſt have as long to continue in thy joy and delights, as at thy firſt entring into heaven.
If thou ſhouldſt have but one glimpſe of God, as he was paſſing by thee (as Moſes had) it were an happineſs, beyond all that this world can give thee, but thou ſhalt there not have a tranſient view, but a permanent viſion of God; thy God would not paſſe by, but ſtand ſtill, that thou ſhouldſt never loſe the ſight of him. When the object would be ſo lovely, and the act ſo laſting, would not thy ſpirit be chearful and lively! As the damned ſhall be without all hope ever to be releaſed of their pains; ſo thou ſhouldſt be without all fear ever to be deprived of thy pleaſures. O who would not ſerve ſuch a Maſter, that giveth after poor imperfect works done for him, ſuch infinite eternal rewards! 'Tis bottomleſs love indeed which giveth ſuch a boundles life.
Thus Reader, I have given thee a taſte of that, of which thou (if regenerated) ſhouldſt have a full draught. Whilſt thou continueſt in this world, thou ſhouldſt be a bleſſed ſoul, bleſſed in thy body, in thy ſoul, in thy calling, eſtate, relations, children and name. All the providences of God ſhould be profitable to thee; in all thy performances, thou ſhouldſt be acceptable to God, all the ordinances of God ſhould further thy good; The precious promiſes (one of which excels the whole world) ſhould all be thy portion. When thou entereſt into the other world, thou ſhouldſt be a glorious Saint; Thou ſhouldſt be perfectly holy, and infinitely happy in the knowledg of the bleſſed God, in finding the incomparable fruits of Chriſts blood, and in experiencing the extent, and certainty of Gods promiſes, and thou ſhouldſt enjoy all this not for a year, or an age, or for a million of ages, but for ever, ever, ever. Now what ſaiſt thou to this ſubject of conſideration? haſt thou not unſpeakable cauſe, by an hearty marriage, to cloſe with the Son of God, and accept him for thy Lord and husband, when he offereth ſuch matchleſs priviledges here, and ſuch an heavenly joynture hereafter! Good Lord, is it poſſible for man to be ſuch an enemy to his ſoul, as to neglect ſuch great Salvation! What an hard ſtone is the heart of man, that neither miſery nor mercy can move it. Ah, Friend thou art bewitched indeed, if neither the wonderful woe of the unregenerate, nor the unheard of weal of the regenerate can prevail with thee.
But before thou readeſt farther, make a pauſe, and conſider what is included in theſe two ſubjects of conſideration. The Heathen tell us, that ſuch as cannot be perſwaded by profit or diſprofit, are unperſwadable. Think of it, here is the greateſt advantage imaginable, if thou wilt turn to Chriſt. Here is the greateſt damage conceivable, if thou continueſt in thine ungodly courſe; ſurely thou art reſolved upon thine eternal ruine, or ſuch reaſons as theſe are, will reforme thee.
Ponder this ſeriouſly; if thou refuſeſt the Lord Jeſus as thy Saviour, and Sovereign, thou art a curſed damned ſinner; if thou accepteſt him thou art a bleſſed, ſaved creature; in the one ſcale there is hell, in the other ſcale there is heaven; upon the turning of either is the turning of thy precious ſoul, its making or marring for ever; if thou wilt not embrace Chriſt upon his own conditions, thy ſoul is loſt; O the loſs of a ſoul! thy God, thy Heaven is loſt; O the loſs of a God! no eye ever ſaw greater loſſes; all other loſſes are nothing to theſe; If thou doſt, thy ſoul is ſaved; how ſweet is that word Saved! Thy God, thy Heaven is gained; O the gain of a God! how ſavoury is that ſentence? read it again, If thou take… Chriſt, thy God is gained. Doſt thou know what is included in the gain of a God? no, nor all the men on earth, nor all the Saints and Angels in heaven; there never was ſuch a gain before it, nor ever ſhall be after it; Ah, who would not wade through thick and thin for ſuch a gain! What ſayſt thou? ſhall not things of ſuch concernment as theſe are ſtir thee?
It is reported of Adrianus an Officer under Maximinianus the Tyrant, Laurent. Sur. in vit.that beholding the conſtancy of the Martyrs he was earneſt to know what it was which carried them through with ſo much courage. One of them (there being two and twenty at that time under the tormentors hands) anſwered, Eye hath not ſeen, ear hath not heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive, what God hath prepared for them that love him: 1 Cor. 2.9. Upon the hearing of which words Adrian was converted, and ſealed the truth with his blood. Thou haſt heard much more concerning the happineſs of the Saints in the other world then one verſe of Scripture; how art thou taken with it? Doth the joy there nothing affect thine heart, nor enlarge it in ſalleys out after it? O that that joy, that glory, that houſe, that eternal heaven were mine! Doth it nothing reſolve thee againſt ſin, and for Chriſt? anſwer God in thy conſcience.
Some write that forty one of Alexanders friends drunk themſelves dead for a crown of gold of One hundred and eighty pound weight which the King had provided for them which drank moſt; God offereth thee a crown of glory, not corruptible as ſilver and gold are, but eternal; art not thou aſhamed that thoſe ſwaggerers ſhould curſedly loſe their lives and ſouls for a fading crown, when thou wilt not leave thy luſts, thy ſins for an ever-flouriſhing crown of glory!
O man bethink thy ſelf whilſt thou haſt time; and do not as prophane Eſau prefer thy meſs of pottage before theſe ſpiritual priviledges, and the eternal purchaſe. Cleopatra the Egyptian Princeſs told Marcus Antonius (when ſhe ſaw him-ſpending his time vainly and meanly much below the quality of a Prince) It is not for you to fiſh for Gudgeons or Trouts, but for Towns, and Cities, and Caſtles, and Kingdoms: So ſay I to thee, It is not for the to lie ſpending thy time, and ſtrength, and beating thine head and heart for an hoard of duſt or an heap of earth (which ſhall ſhortly take its eternal leave of thee) but for ſpiritual riches, for durable riches and righteouſneſs; it's not for thee to buſie thy ſelf about toyes and trifles, but about the image of God, the blood of Chriſt, the Covenant of Grace, the Kingdom … Heaven, the eternal weight of Glory; O theſe are worthy of all thy thoughts, and words, and actions, of all thy time, and ſtrength, and health, of all thy name, and eſtate, and intereſt whatſoever.
If thou att a rational creature, Swinham Court of Wards and Liv.let reaſon prevail with thee, and ſhew thy ſelf a man of underſtanding. It was the cuſtom formerly in England to try one that was beg'd for a fool in this manner; an apple or a counter, with a piece of gold was ſet before him; if he take the apple or the counter, he is caſt for a fool in the judgement of the Court, as one that knoweth not the true value of things, or how to make choyce of what was beſt for him. Truly thus it is with thee; God ſetteth before thee the counters and carnal comforts of this world, the true gold and unutterable happineſs of the other world; nay, he layeth before thee the eternal pains of hell, and the eternal pleaſures of Heaven, to try which thou wilt take: now if thou wilt take a poor portion below, and leave the purchaſed poſſeſſion above; if thou wilt (to abide in thy ſenſual luſts) chuſe the torments of hell, and refuſe (by not ſubmitting to the rule of Chriſt) the joys of heaven, art thou not a fool in grain? ſurely the Devil will beg thee for a fool for ever; therefore ſhew thy ſelf wiſe by chuſing that which is of greateſt worth. I call heaven and earth to record this day againſt thee, that I have ſet before thee life and death, bleſſing and curſing; therefore chuſe life, that both thou and thy ſeed may live, Deut. 30.19.