And yet again, the Scripture tells us, the poor Saints on earth shall know their rich benefactors when they come to heaven, how else can they receive them (in what sense soever) into everlasting habitations! shall the Saints know one another upon the account of a temporal alms, and shall they not know one another upon the account of spiritual offices performed one for another. Lo here is probability if not demonstration for the stating of the Question! the fruit of it (certainly) is as sweet, as the truth it self is probable; ⟨p. 11⟩a mighty spur it is to holy and heavenly converse here on earth, to converse with one another in grace, so that we may promote our mutual converse in glory—Ministers so to preach, so to live, Parents and Governors so to educate and govern their children and families, as that they may mutually rejoice one in another, and for another in heaven— It cannot but add much to their blessedness and joy in heaven, and be matter of praise and glory to God to all eternity, especially over such, as to whom God hath made us instrumental, either to their conversion or to their edification; whiles in this vale of tears, here we mourned and wept bitterly, when we kissed their pale lips and cold cheeks, when we follow the corps to the grave and laid them down in their cold beds of dust; but there will be joy and glory with infinite compensation, when we shall see and say, 1oh here is my spiritual father who begot me to Christ, under whose Ministry I drew my first spiritual breath; how sweet are such acknowledgements here? Certainly they are the richest rewards of Gods despised and persecuted Servants and Ambassadors here on earth; oh what will it be in heaven! when grace shall be seen what it is, when grace shall have put on its royal apparel? Oh what a joy to Parents (by nature or by trust) to see the dear Child, that got into heaven, as it were, before its time! and the Child to embrace the Parent, oh this is my Father, my Mother, my Grandfather, my Grandmother, that travelled with me the second time, till they saw Christ form in my heart, oh blessed be God that ever I saw their faces on earth, and now shall see them for ever in heaven! and so for friends, oh this was my soul-friend, this was a brother, that a kinsman, who loved me with a spiritual love, an heavenly love, that loved me into Christ, to heaven, to this glory I now possess!
And yet again, the Scripture tells us, the poor Saints on earth shall know their rich benefactors when they come to heaven, how else can they receive them (in what sense soever) into everlasting habitations! shall the Saints know one another upon the account of a temporal alms, and shall they not know one another upon the account of spiritual offices performed one for another. Lo here is probability if not demonstration for the stating of the Question! the fruit of it (certainly) is as sweet, as the truth it self is probable; ⟨p. 11⟩a mighty spur it is to holy and heavenly converse here on earth, to converse with one another in grace, so that we may promote our mutual converse in glory—Ministers so to preach, so to live, Parents and Governours so to educate and govern their children and families, as that they may mutually rejoyce one in another, and for another in heaven— It cannot but add much to their blessedness and joy in heaven, and be matter of praise and glory to God to all eternity, especially over such, as to whom God hath made us instrumental, either to their conversion or to their edification; whiles in this vale of tears, here we mourned and wept bitterly, when we kissed their pale lips and cold cheeks, when we follow the corps to the grave and laid them down in their cold beds of dust; but there will be joy and glory with infinite compensation, when we shall see and say, 1oh here is my spiritual father who begot me to Christ, under whose Ministry I drew my first spiritual breath; how sweet are such acknowledgments here? Certainly they are the richest rewards of Gods despised and persecuted Servants and Ambassadours here on earth; oh what will it be in heaven! when grace shall be seen what it is, when grace shall have put on its royal apparel? Oh what a joy to Parents (by nature or by trust) to see the dear Child, that got into heaven, as it were, before its time! and the Child to embrace the Parent, oh this is my Father, my Mother, my Grandfather, my Grandmother, that travelled with me the second time, till they saw Christ form in my heart, oh blessed be God that ever I saw their faces on earth, and now shall see them for ever in heaven! and so for friends, oh this was my soul-friend, this was a brother, that a kinsman, who loved me with a spiritual love, an heavenly love, that loved me into Christ, to heaven, to this glory I now possess!
- 1The more unthankful are they, that having received so infinite a mercy from God, by their ministry would never in their live• open their mouths to acknowledge it to their ministers for their encouragement.
