as of an earthly cross. We complain the world troubles us; then what do we there? Why get, we not up, in our spirits, into the quieter region? What trouble would the thoughts of future glory be to us? How are thoughts and wits set on work for this flesh! But we would have our souls flourish as the lilies, without any thing of their own care. Yea, we make them toil for torture, and not for joy, revolve an affliction a thousand times before and after it comes, and have never done with it, when eternal blessedness gains not a thought. 6. Plead earnestly with God for his Spirit. This is joy in the Holy Ghost; or whereof he is the author. Many Christians (as they must be called) are such strangers to this work of imploring and calling in the blessed Spirit, as if they were capable of adopting these words, We have not so much as heard whether there be a Holy Ghost. That name is with them as an empty sound. How hardly are we convinced of our necessary dependance on that free Spirit, as to all our truly spiritual operations! The Spirit is the very earnest of our inheritance. The foretastes and first-fruits we have here of the future blessedness, the joy and pleasure, the complacential relishes we have of it beforehand, are by the gracious vouchsafement and work of this blessed Spirit. The things that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man, are revealed by this Spirit. Therefore doth the apostle direct his prayer on the behalf of the Ephesians, to the Father of this glory,f that he would give them this Spirit of wisdom and revelation,to enlighten the eyes of their understanding, that they might know the hope of his calling, and the riches of the glory of his inheritance in (or among) the saints. And its revelation is such as begets an impression; in respect whereof, 'tis said also, to seal up to the day of redemption. Therefore, pray earnestly for this Spirit; not in idle, dreaming words of course, but as being really apprehensive of the necessity of prevailing; and give not over till thou find that sacred fire diffusing itself through thy mind and heart, to enlighten the one and refine the other, and so prepossess both of this glory, that thy soul may be all turned into joy and praise. And then let me add here, (without the formality of a distinct head,) that it concerns thee to take heed of quenching that Spirit, by either resisting or neglecting its holy dictates, or, as the same precept f Eph. i. is otherwise given, of grieving the Spirit: he is by name and office the Comforter. The primitive Christians, 'tis said, walked in the fear of God, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost. Is it equal dealing, to grieve him whose business it is to comfort thee? Or canst thou expect joy where thou causest grief? Walk in the Spirit: adore its power. Let thy soul do it homage within thee. Wait for its holy influences, and yield thyself to its ducture and guidance; so wilt thou go as the redeemed of the Lord, with everlasting joy upon thy head, till thou enter that presence where is fulness of joy, and pleasures for ever more. Nor do thou think it improper or strange, that thou shouldst be called upon to rejoice in what thou dost not yet possess. Thy hope is instead of fruition; 'tis an anticipated enjoyment. We are commanded tog rejoice in hope; and saints have professed to do so, toh rejoice even in the hope of the glory of God. Nor is it unreasonable that should be thy present highest joy. For though yet it be a distant thing, and distinctly revealed, the excellency of the object makes compensation for both, with an abundant surplusage. As any one would much more rejoice to be assured by a great person of ample possessions he would make him his heir to, (though he knew not distinctly what they should be,) than to see a shilling already his own, with his own eyes. CHAPTER XX. The addition of two rules, that more specially respect the yet future season of this blessedness, after this life; viz., Rule 7. That we patiently wait for it until death. Rule 8. That we fove not too much this present life. THERE are yet two more rules to be superadded, that respect the season of this blessedness,-when we awake,i. e. not till we go out of time into eternity, not till we pass out of the drowsy darkness of our present state, till the night be over with us, and the vigorous light of the everlasting day do shine upon us. Hence therefore it will be further necessary, Rule 7. That while the appointed proper season of this blessedness is not yet come, (i. e. till God shall vouchsafe to translate us from our present earthly state,) we compose our spirits to a patient expectation of it. Upon a twofold account, the exercise of patience is very requisite in the present case, viz. both in respect of this very expectation itself, and also in respect of the concomitant miseries of this expecting state. In the former respect, an absent good is the matter of our patience; in the latter, present, and incumbent evil. It falls more directly in our way, to speak to the exercise of patience upon the former account, yet as to the latter, (though it be more collateral as to our present purpose,) it cannot be unseasonable briefly to consider that also. First, therefore, The very expectation itself of this blessedness, renders patience very requisite to our present state. Patience hath as proper and necessary an exercise in expecting the good we want and desire, as in enduring the evil that is actually upon us. The direction, (it must be remembered,) intends such only as apprehend and desire this blessedness as their greatest good, whose souls are transported with earnest longings fully to enjoy what they have foretasted. I am apprehensive enough, that others need it not. There is no use of patience in expecting what we desire not. But as to those who desire it most, and who therefore are most concerned in this advice, it may possibly become a doubt, how since there is sin in our present ignorance of God and unlikeness to him, this can be the matter of any patience. We must therefore know, that as our knowledge of God, and conformity to him, are both our duty and blessedness, the matter both of our endeavour and of God's vouchsafement; so our ignorance of him, and unlikeness to him, are both our sin and our misery; which misery, though God hath graciously removed it in part, yet also he continues it upon us in part, (as our sad experience tells us,) by his just and wise dispensation, which we cannot except against. Now therefore, looking upon the defect of our knowledge of God and likeness to him, under the former notion, though we are to reflect upon ourselves with great displeasure and indignation; yet looking on them in the latter notion, we are to submit to the righteous dispensation of God with a meek, unrepining patience. By this patience, therefore, I mean not a stupid succumbency under the remaining disease and distemper of our spirits, in this our present state; a senseless indifferency and oscitant cessation from continual endeavours of further redress; but a silent and submissive veneration of Divine wisdom, and justice, and goodness, that are sweetly complicated in this procedure with us, with a quiet, peaceful expectation of the blessed issue of it. This being premised, I shall briefly show, that we have need of patience, and—that we have reason for it in this present case. 1. That we have need of it, (supposing our souls are intent upon glory, that we are in earnest in this pursuit,) will appear upon sundry accounts. First, The greatness of the thing we expect. To behold the face of God, to be satisfied with his likeness. What serious heart, apprehensive of its own concerns, can without much patience, hold out under such an expectation? How do lovers that expect the marriage-day, tell the hours, and chide the sun that it makes no more haste! But how can that soul contain itself, that expects the most intimate fruition of the Lord of glory. Again, consider the continual representation and frequent inculcations of this glory. Its vigorous, powerful beams are, by often repeated pulsations, continually beating upon such souls as are intent towards it. Life and immortality are brought to light in the Gospel; and they are obliged by command and inclination to attend its discoveries. The eye that 's once smitten, looks again and again, 'tis not satisfied with seeing; and every renewed look meets with still fresh rays of glory; they have frequent foretastes and prelibations, which still give life to new desires. To lie under the direct stroke of the powers of the world to come, this requires much patience, to sustain the burden of such an expectation. Life itself were otherwise a bitter and a wearisome thing. And the want of such foretastes, (for alas they are not constant,) makes desire sometimes more restless, and expectation more bitter and grievous. Moreover, Consider the nature and spring of these desires, that work in heavenly souls towards this glory. They are of a divine nature and original; he that hath wrought us to this self-same thing is God, 2 Cor. v. 5. Observe the tenor of this proposition; God is not the subject of predication, but the predicate. The action is not predicated of God, as it would in this form of words, God hath wrought us, &c. but God is predicated of this agent, q. d. a Canerem tibi angelica voce thronorum ; quam mirifica, semper in patria dulcedine repleamur; nisi vererer, ne forte, posthac, tantæ dulcedinis hujus comparatione, tota tibi in terris vita non solum amarissima, verum etiam amaritudo ipso penitus videatur. M. Ficin. Epist. this is the work of a Deity; none but God could be the author of such desires. That a soul should be acted towards glory by the alone power of an almighty hand! here needs a divine patience to sustain it, and make it strong and able to endure such a motion, where there is divine power to act and move it forward. The frame could not hold else, it must dissolve. The apostle, b therefore, praying for the Thessalonians, that God would direct their hearts into the love of himself, (which could not but inflame their souls with a desire of a perfect vision and enjoyment,) presently adds, and into the patient waiting for of Christ. Where we cannot by the way but reflect upon the admirable constitution and equal temper of the new creature, as to the principles that are ingredient into the composition of it, fervent desires allayed with meek submission, mighty love with strong patience. If we consider it in actu signato, or in its abstract idea, this is its temperament; and of these there is a gradual participation, wherever you find it actually existing. God hath otherwise formed a creature (the prime of his creatures) so as by its most intrinsical constituent principles to be a torment to itself. Lastly, The tiresome nature of expectation in itself, is not least considerable. It carries ('tis true) pleasure (if it be hoping expectation) with it; but not without a great admixture of pain. It brings a kind of torture to the mind, as a continued exertion or stretching forth of the neck (by which it is expressed) doth to the body. Therefore it is most significantly said by the wise man, a Hope deferred makes the heart sick. All these, I say, together discover the truth of what the apostle tells us, We have need of patience, that when we, &c. we may inherit the promise. d 2. And as we have need of it, so we have also reason for it upon many accounts. It is no piece of rigorous severity to be put upon the exercise of some patience, to be kept awhile in a waiting posture for the completion of this blessedness. For, First, The thing you expect is sure. You have not to do in this matter with one who is inconstant, or likely to change. If such a one should make us large promises, we should have some cause never to think ourselves secure, till we had them made good to us. But since we b 2 Thess. iii. 5. c 1 Rom. viii. 19. e Heb. x. 36. |