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in Point of Practice, contrary to it. Who ever fought for that, which he knew not he had loft? They that be whole need not a Physician, but they that are fick (b). -The Influence of a Juperior moving Caufe is alfo fuppofed; elfe we fhall all stand still, and not move toward our Reft. If God move us not, we cannot move. It is a moft neceflary Part of our Chriftian Wifdom, to keep our Subordination to God, and Dependance on him. We are not fufficient of our felves to think any Thing as of our felves, but our Sufficiency is of God (c). Without me, fays Chrift, ye can do nothing (d).

It is next fuppofed, that they, who seek this Reft, have an inward Principle of Spiritual Life. God does not move Men like Stones, but he endows them with Life, not to enable them to move without him, but in Subordination to himself the firft Mover.-And farther, this Reft fuppofes fuch an actual Tendency of Soul towards it, as is regular and conftant, earnest and laborious. He that hides his Talent, fhall receive the Wages of a flothful Servant. Chrift is the Door, the only Way to this Reft. But frait is the Gate, and narrow is the Way (e); and we must strive, if we will; enter, for many will feek to enter in, and shall not be able (f); which implies, that the Kingdom of Heaven · Juffereth Violence (g). Nor will it bring us to the End of the Saints, if we begin in the Spirit, and end in the Fief (h). He only that endureth to the End Jhall be faved (i). And never did a Soul obtain Reft with God, whofe Defire was not set upon him above all Things elf in the World. Where your Treafure is, there will your Heart be alfo (k). The Remainder of our old Nature will much weaken and interrupt thefe Defires, but never overcome them. And, confiderB 3 ing

(b) Matt, ix, 12, (e) Matt. yii. 13. (h) Cal. iii, 3.

(c) 2 Cor. iii. 5.

f) Luke xiii. 24. (i) Matt, xxiv. 13.

(d) John xv. 5.
(g) Matt. xi. 12.
() Matt. vi. 21.

ing the Oppofition to our Defires, from the contrary Principles in our Nature, and from the Weakness of our Graces, together with our continued Distance from the End, our Tendency to that End must be laborious, and with all our Might.-All thefe Things are prefuppofed, in order to a Chriftian's obtaining an Intereft in heavenly Reft.

§4. Now we have afcended thefe Steps into the outward Court, may we look within the Vail? May we fnew what this Reft contains, as well as what it prefuppofes? Alas, how little know I of that Glory! The Glimpfe which Paul had, contained what could not, or muft not, be uttered. Had he fpoke the Things of Heaven in the Language of Heaven, and none underflood that Language, what the better? The Lord reveal to me what I may reveal to you! The Lord open some Light, and flew both you and me our Inheritance! Not as to Balaam only, whose Eyes were opened to fee the Goodlinefs of Jacob's Tents, and Ifrael's Tabernacles, where he had no Portion, and from whence muft come his own Deftruction! Not as to Mofes, who had only a Difcovery, inftead of Poffeffion, and faw the Land which he never entered! But as the Pearl was revealed to the Merchant in the Gospel, who refted not till he had fold all he had, and bought it! And as Heaven was opened to bleffed Stephen, which he was fhortly to enter, and the Glory fhewed him, which should. be his own Poffeffion!-The Things contained in heavenly Reft are fuch as thefe;-a ceafing from Means of Grace--a perfect Freedom from all Evils;-the big cft Degree of the Saint's perfonal Perfection, both of Body and Soul-the nearest Enjoyment of God the chief Good;

and a fivect and conftant Action of all the Powers of Body and Soul in this Enjoyment of God.

$5.

$5. (1) ONE Thing contained in heavenly Reft is, the ceafing from Means of Grace. When we have obtained the Haven, we have done failing. When the Workman receives his Wages, it is implied he has done his Work. When we are at our Journey's End, we have done with the Way. Whether Prophecies, they fhall fail; whether Tongues, they hall cease, whether Knowledge, it alfo, fo far as it had the Nature of Means, fhall vanish away (1). There fhall be no more Prayer, becaufe no more Neceffity, but the full Enjoyment of what we prayed for: Neither fhall we need to faft and weep, and watch any more, being out of the Reach of Sin and Temptations. Preaching is done; the Miniftry of Man ceafeth; Sacraments become ufelefs; the Labourers are called in, because the Harvet is gathered, the Tares burned, and the Work finished; the Unregenerate past Hope, and the Saints paft Fear, for eyer.

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6. (2) THERE is in heavenly Reft a perfect Freedom from all Evils. All the Evils that accompa nied us through our Courfe, and which neceffarily follow our Absence from the chief Good: Belides our Freedom from thofe eternal Flames, and reftleis Miferies, which the Neglecters of Chrift and Grace muft remedilefsly endure; a woeful Inheritance, which, both by Birth and actual Merit, was due to us, as well as to them! In Heaven there is nothing that defileth, or is unclean: All that remains without (m): And doubtlefs there is not fuch a Thing as Grief and Sorrow known there: Nor is there fuch a Thing as a pale Face, a languid Body, feeble Joints, unable Infancy, decrepit Age, peccant Humours, painful or pining Sickness, griping Fears, confuming Cares, nor whatfoever deferves the Name of Evil. We did weep and lament, when the World did rejoice; but our Sorrow

(1) x Cor. xiii. 8.

r

B 4
(m) Rev, xxi. 27. xxii. 15.

Sorrow is turned into Joy, and our foy, shall no Man take from us (n).

$7. (3) ANOTHER Ingredient of this Reft is, the ligheft Degree of the Saint's perfonal Perfection, both of Body and Soul. Were the Glory ever fo great, and themselves not made capable of it, by a perfonal Perfection fuitable thereto, it would be little to them. Eye hath not feen, nor Ear heard, neither have entered into the Heart of Man, the Things which God hath prepared for them that love him (o). For the Eye of Flesh is not capable of feeing them, nor this Ear of hearing them, nor this Heart of understanding them: But there the Eye, and Ear, and Heart, are made capable; elfe how do they enjoy them? The more perfect the Sight is, the more delightful the beautiful Object. The more perfect the Appetite, the sweeter the Food. The more mufical the Ear, the more pleafant the Melody. The more perfect the Soul, the more joyous thofe Joys, and the more glorious to us is that Glory.

8. (4) THE principal Part of this Reft, is our nearest Enjoyment of God the chief Good. And here, Reader, wonder not if I be at a Lofs; and if my. Apprehenfions receive but little of that which is in my Expreffions. If it did not appear, to the beloved Difciple, what we shall be, but only in general, that when Chrift fhall appear we shall be like him (p), no Wonder if I know little. When I know fo little of God, I cannot much know what it is to enjoy him. If I know fo little of Spirits, how little of the Father of Spirits, or the State of my own Soul, when advanced to the Enjoyment of him? I ftand and look upon a Heap of Ants, and fee them all with one View; they know not me, my Being, Nature, or. Thoughts, tho' I am their Fellow-Creature; how little

(n) John xvi. 20, 22. (0) I Cor. ii. 9, (P) I John iii, 2.

little then must we know of the great Creator, tho' he with, one View clearly beholds us all? A Glimpse the Saints behold as in a Glafs (q); which makes us capable of fome poor, dark Apprehenfions of what we fhall behold in Glory. If I fhould tell a Worldling what the Holinefs and fpiritual Joys of the Saints on Earth are, he cannot know; for Grace cannot be clearly known without Grace; how much lefs could he conceive it, fhould I tell him of this Glory? But to the Saints I may be fomewhat more encouraged to fpeak; for Grace gives them a dark Knowledge and flight Tafte of Glory. If Men and Angels fhould ftudy to fpeak the Bleffedness of that State in one Word, what could they fay beyond this, that it is the nearest Enjoyment of God? O the full Joys offered to a Believer in that one Sentence of Chrift, Father, I will that those whom thou haft given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my Glory which thou haft given me (r)! Every Word full of. Life and Joy. If the Queen of Sheba had Caufe to fay of Solomon's Glory, Happy are thy Men, happy are thy Servants, which fand continually before thee, and that hear thy Vifdam (s); then fure they that ftand continually before God, and fee his Glory, and the Glory of the Lamb, are more than happy. To them will Chrift give to eat of the Tree of Life; and to eat of the hidden Manna; yea, he will make them Pillars in the Temple of God, and they fhall go no more out; and he will write upon them the Name of his God, and the Name of the City of bis God, which is new Jerufalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from his God, and he will write upon them his new Name; yea, more, if more may be, he will grant them to fit with him in bis Throne Thefe are they which came out of great Tribulation, and have washed their Robes, and made them white in the B 5 Blood (q) 2 Cor. iii. 13. (r) John xvii. 24. (s) 1 Kings x, 8.

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