Those unmixed joys, those pure joys, that are full of themselves, and have no tincture in heaven, are understood by those joys we feel on earth, the joy of the holy Ghost, which is after conflict with temptations, or after afflictions, or after hearing, and meditating on good things: the ⟨p. 77⟩heavenly joys that flow into the soul, they give us a taste of that full joy that we shall have at the right hand of God for evermore. That comfort that we shall have in heaven, in the presence of God, and of Christ, and his holy Angels, is understood in some little way by the comfortable presence of God to the soul of a Christian, when he finds the Spirit of God raising him, and cheering him up,1 and witnessing his presence: as oft-times to the comfort of Gods people, the holy Ghost witnesseth a presence, that now the soul can say, God is present with me, he smiles on me, and strengtheneth me, and leads me along. This comfortable ⟨p. 78⟩way Gods children have to understand the things of heaven, by the first fruits they have here: for God is so far in love with his children here on earth, and so tender over them, that he purposes not to reserve all for another world; but gives them some taste before hand, to make them better in love with the things there; and better to bear the troubles of this world. But alas, what is it to that that they shall know? as it is 1 Joh. 3. Now we are the sons of God, but it appears not what we shall be: 2That shall be so great in comparison of that we are, that it is said not to appear at all: it appears in the first fruits in a ⟨p. 79⟩little beginnings; but alas, what is that to that glory that shall be? Our life is hid with Christ in God. It is hid, there is no man knows it in regard of the full manifestation: because here it is covered with so many infirmities, & afflictions, and so many scorns of the world are cast upon the beauty of a Christian life: it is hid in our head Christ. It is not altogether hid: for there is a life that comes from the root, from the head Christ to the members, that quickens them; but in regard of the glory that shall be, it is a hidden life.
Those unmixed joyes, those pure joyes, that are full of themselves, and have no tincture in heaven, are understood by those joyes we feele on earth, the joy of the holy Ghost, which is after conflict with temptations, or after afflictions, or after hearing, and meditating on good things: the ⟨p. 77⟩heavenly joyes that flow into the soule, they give us a taste of that full joy that we shall have at the right hand of God for evermore. That comfort that we shall have in heaven, in the presence of God, and of Christ, and his holy Angels, is understood in some little way by the comfortable presence of God to the soule of a Christian, when hee findes the Spirit of God raising him, and chearing him up,1 and witnessing his presence: as oft-times to the comfort of Gods people, the holy Ghost witnesseth a presence, that now the soule can say, God is present with me, he smiles on me, and strengtheneth mee, and leads mee along. This comfortable ⟨p. 78⟩way Gods children have to understand the things of heaven, by the first fruits they have here: for God is so farre in love with his children here on earth, and so tender over them, that hee purposes not to reserve all for another world; but gives them some taste before hand, to make them better in love with the things there; and better to beare the troubles of this world. But alas, what is it to that that they shall know? as it is 1 Ioh. 3. Now wee are the sonnes of God, but it appeares not what we shall bee: 2That shall bee so great in comparison of that we are, that it is sayd not to appeare at all: it appeares in the first fruits in a ⟨p. 79⟩little beginnings; but alas, what is that to that glory that shall bee? Our life is hid with Christ in God. It is hid, there is no man knowes it in regard of the full manifestation: because here it is covered with so many infirmities, & afflictions, and so many scornes of the world are cast upon the beautie of a Christian life: it is hid in our head Christ. It is not altogether hid: for there is a life that comes from the root, from the head Christ to the members, that quickens them; but in regard of the glory that shall be, it is a hidden life.
- 1Heaven on earth.
- 21 Joh. 3.1 Ioh. 3.
