N29704:245
Meditations on the glory of the heavenly world. I. On the happiness of the…
Meditations on the glory of the heavenly world. I. On the happiness of the soul of believers, at the instant of their separation from their bodies. II. On the glory of the bodies of God's children, in the resurrection world, when they shall be as the angels of heaven. III. On the glory of both soul and body in the heaven of heavens, after the Day of Judgment, to all eternity. / By Increase Mather, D.D. ; [Six lines of quotations]
Boston in N.E. printed: : Sold by Timothy Green in Middle Street., 1711
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The Great Congregation of the Righteous, the General Assembly and Church of the First-born will be there, maintaining a Blessed and Sinless Communion, and declaring the great things which God has done for them. There is very little spoken in the Scripture, concerning the Providences of God towards the Long-lived Patriarchs, who Lived before the Flood. Without doubt, they had marvellous Experiences of the Goodness of God, and his wonderful Works towards them. It is the Observation of an Eminent Divine, that the Story of those things is reserved for Heaven; and there they will have time enough to Declare them; and to Praise the Lord in the Great Congregation. And it is hence Evident, that the Saints in Heaven shall Know one another: Otherwise there would be little comfort in their Communion. They who are Strangers to one another, ⟨p. 228⟩cannot have an intimacy of Communion; as in Heaven the Saints shall have. Such as knew them in this world, and have got to heaven before them, will be glad to see them come thither after them; and will give them a Joyful Reception; and in a special manner if they were their Benefactors on Earth. Wherefore CHRIST Exhorting his Disciples unto acts of Charity to the poor Servants of God, says, When you fail, i. e. when you die, and cease to be in this world, and all things here shall fail and be of no advantage to you, they shall receive you into everlasting habitations, Luk. 16.9. They unto whom you have been Charitable, will receive you with great Joy. As if a man gone into a Far Country, shall see his Friend who has been Kind to him come thither after him, he Receives him with Joy. Heaven is a Far Country: Our Friends to whom we have been Beneficial, who are arrived there before us, will be glad to Receive us into their Communion there. Especially such as unto whom GOD has made us Spiritual Benefactors. ⟨p. 229⟩When a Faithful Minister of Christ shall come to heaven, the Souls there who have been Converted or Edified by his Ministry, will greatly Rejoice to see him. I have showed from another Scripture, that the Servants of God shall Know one another in the Resurrection World: Yea, such as were not known to them in this world; Nay, Ungodly men shall then know those holy Servants of God who died and went to heaven long before they themselves had a being,