The Glory and Happiness of the Saints in Heaven, Title page – To the reader
THE GLORY and HAPPINESS OF THE SAINTS IN HEAVEN: OR, A DISCOURSE Concerning the Bleſſed State of the Righteous after Death.
By Nathanael Ranew, late of London, Bookſeller.
London, Printed for N. R. and ſold by J. Robinſon, A. and J. Churchill, J. Taylor, and J. Wyat. 1694.
TO THE READER.
Chriſtian Reader,
I Dare not ſuppoſe thee, in an Age of ſomuch Light and Knowledge, to be ignorant of a future State and Condition, that doth abide thee and all Men after this Life; for this were to conceive of the contrary, not only to the ſentiments of all Chriſtians, but even of Heathens themſelves. Neither can I think any to be ſo far blinded and hardned, as to believe that this State, which ſhall befall all Men after Death, to be the ſame unto all Perſons, whether they be good or bad; for though the Wiſe Man tells us, in Eccleſ. 9.1, 2. That in this Life, All things come alike unto all Men, and there is one event to the Righteous and to the Wicked, to the Clean and to the Ʋnclean. So that in the way of God's common Providential dealings with Men in this World, no Man knoweth Love or Hatred by all that is before them. Yet when Death and Judgment come, a diſcriminating Sentence ſhall paſs upon all Men, According to what they have done in the Body, whether it be good or bad. And then as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, All thoſe, who have not obeyed the Truth, but have lived in Sin and Ʋnrighteouſneſs, ſhall receive Indignation and Wrath, Tribulation and Anguiſh upon every Soul of Man that hath thus done Evil; But to them, who by patient continuance in well-doing, have ſought for Glory, and Honour, and Immortality, ſhall be Eternal Life. And of this none that live under the Light of the Goſpel can be ignorant.
Now as to the former of theſe, that State of Woe and Miſery, that is to be the Portion of Sinners in Hell, it is not my deſign in the following Diſcourſe to ſay any thing: Having confined my Thoughts and Meditations therein unto the latter, and that is that State of Bliſs and Happineſs that ſhall be the Portion of Holy Souls in Heaven.
All Men now will ſay they deſire and ſeek after happineſs, but few there are that attain thereunto; not that there is no ſuch Thing or State attainable; for Holineſs always lays a ſure Foundation for Happineſs: But Man being fallen from God, and ſunk into the Creature, cannot without the help of Divine Grace, raiſe up his Soul, his Affections and Deſires towards God, towards Heaven and Heavenly things; but takes up with what is ſuitable to his Earthly and Fleſhly part; and ſo the World and the Enjoyments thereof, being adapted to the Inclinations of his preſent State and Condition here below; accordingly with the greateſt eagerneſs, he purſues the Riches, the Honours, the Pleaſures and Delights of this World; as thoſe things which when attained, he vainly fanſies will make him truly Happy; but when he comes to enjoy them, meets with Fruſtration and Diſappointment: All Men being forced ſooner or later to ſubſcribe unto what the Wiſeſt of Men faith, as a great Truth, concerning all things under the Sun, that they are but Vanity and Vexation of Spirit.
Wouldſt thou not, Christian Reader, when thou comeſt to die, be eternally deceived in thy Hopes and Expectations of Happineſs: Let not the World and the Enjoyments thereof, take up thy Thoughts and Affections now. God hath provided the good things thereof, and by his Care and Providence brings them to thee daily for thy uſe, that with this Gracious and Liberal Allowance of his; thou mayeſt ſerve him with the greater Chearfulneſs and Delight of Soul, in thy Paſſage through this World: But he never intended, thou ſhouldſt take up with them as thy Happineſs. Believe it, God hath provided better things for holy Souls in another World; he intends himſelf to be their Portion, his Heaven to be their Habitation and Dwelling place, Angels, Patriarchs, Prophets, Apoſtles, to be their Aſſociates and Companions; where they ſhall live in the light of God's Countenance, ſee his Face, behold his Glory, and be filled with his Love to all Eternity. O bleſſed State of infinite Bliſs and Happineſs, beyond what words is able to expreſs. Well may holy Souls with wonder and amazement cry out with the Apoſtle, and ſay, Eye hath not ſeen, Ear hath not heard, nor can it enter into the heart of Man to conceive what God hath provided for them that Love him.
And why mayeſt not thou who now caſteſt thine Eyes upon theſe lines, make one of that great number of holy Souls, that ſhall be thus Eternally Happy and Bleſſed? God hath not Excluded thee out of Heaven, and why ſhouldeſt thou exclude and ſhut out thy ſelf? God is now diſplaying before thee, the Excellencies and Glory of that Bleſſed State, and wherefore doth he do ſo, but to invite and draw Sinners to come and partake of this Happineſs; not that God needs us, or any thing that we can do; for he is as Happy without us, as he can poſſibly be with us: But we need him, and cannot be happy without him.
Now therefore ſince he is pleaſed to continue the offers of ſuch rich Grace and Mercy, let none be found ſlighters and contemners thereof. Diſappoint not, O Sinners, the deſign of God in ſeeking to bring Souls to Heaven. Fruſtrate not your own Expectations of Bliſs and Happineſs. Make not your ſelves Eternally miſerable, by chooſing any ſinful courſe, or walking in any allowed way of Wickedneſs: Nor yet provoke God by any ſinful delays, or any ſluggiſh and lazy deſires and endeavours in ſeeking to obtain this Everlaſting Happineſs, to deal with you as obſtinate deſpiſers and contemners thereof, and ſwear in his Wrath that you ſhall never enter into his Reſt.
If God may be Glorified, and Souls receive benefit hereby unto Eternal Life, the Author hath the deſire of his Soul, and an abundant Reward for what he hath done in the enſuing Diſcourſe; and that a Bleſſing from Heaven may make is thus Succeſsful unto all that ſhall read it, is and ſhall be the Prayer of the Publiſher.