Three choice and profitable sermons upon severall texts of Scripture viz. Jer. 30. 17, John 14. 3, Heb. 8. 5 : the first of them being the last sermon which he preached at the court of election at Boston, the second was the last which he preached on the Lords-Day, the third was the last which he preached on his weekly-lecture-day : wherein (beside many other excellent and seasonable truths) is shewed, the Lords soveraignty over, and care for his church and people, in order to both their militant and triumphant condition, and their fidelity and good affection towards himself / by that reverend servant of Christ, Mr. John Norton ...

THE BELIEVERS CONSOLATION, In the Remembrance of his Heavenly Mansion prepared for him by CHRIST.

BEING THE SECOND SERMON: AND Preached on the LORDS-DAY, MARCH XXIX. 1663.

John 14.3.

And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to my self, that where I am, there you may be also.

THis Verse, and the former, holds forth a double Con∣solation, to support the Disciples against the suffering which they were to conflict with, either In the way of Truth, or For the way of Truth. This Verse holds forth the second Argument of Consolation; the former you have in the second Verse: it is taken from the Place they were to be taken to after Death. And this Argument in this Verse is taken from the Company they shall have in that place; and that is his Personal Presence, his full and clear Presence: Where I am, there you shall be also.

Now this Argument of Consolation is described, 1. From the Scope of Christ in preparing such a place for them; and it was, that he and they might be there together: I go to prepare a

place for you, that where I am, there you may be also. 2. It is de∣clared from the Time when they must expect their being taken to Christ; and that is, when he comes again: I will come again, and receive you to my self. 3. It is declared from the Efficient of it, the Undertaker of this; and that is Himself: I will come again, and receive you to my self.

To open the words thus resolved.

• 1. Touching the Presence of Christ and Believers together [That where I am, there you may be also] you must understand this (of his Presence emphatically so called) of his Presence in the place of Blessedness: In thy Presence is fulness of joy, Psal. 16.11. There is a double Presence of Christ, but he means here his Presence in Glory, where we shall see him as he is, 1 Joh. 3.2. I said, this Argument of their Consolation was declared from the Scope of it; I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am, there you may be also: it was one great end of his being a Fore-runner. Secondly, he should fail of his Fidelity and Ability, if there should be a disappointment.
• 2. From the Time [When I come again] Christs coming is either his last Coming or his coming by Death. Of his last coming you reade 1 Thess. 4.18. Of his coming by Death, you reade Luke 23.43. To day thou shalt be with me in Paradice. Now the Soul goes to Christ, when He comes to us by Death: at his last coming both Soul and Body shall be together with him.
• 3. This Argument of Consolation is described by the Efficient of it, or Undertaker, [I will receive you to my self] We may doubt how our Souls, when we dye, shall come to Heaven: why, saith Christ, I will come, and receive you to my self. They therefore say properly, when they dye, that say, Into thy hands I commend my Spirit, Psal. 31.5. it is a proper saying so to speaks, Acts 7.59. Lord Jesus receive my Spirit. It is a blessed thing to commit our Souls by Faith to Christ, when they go out of the Body. He comes by the ministry of his Angels, or otherwise as he please: I will come again, and receive you to my self. You may remember the words of Steven, he dying, called upon God, and said, Lord

• Jesus receive my Spirit: we receive Christ, and we receive the Spi∣rit of Christ; Now to as many as received him, to them gave he power, &c. Joh. 1.12. Christ receives our Spirits (then:) If we receive his Spirit now, he will receive our Spirits then; I will receive you to my self.

Doct. That the effectual Remembrance, that at Death Christ will receive our Souls unto Himself, is a Soveraign Preservative to quiet our Souls throughout all the Sufferings we meet with, either In the way of Truth, and For the way of Truth, during this life.

You shall finde in Iob 19.25. saith he, I know that my Re∣deemer liveth: He might say, I know my Estate is gone, and I see that my Friends are gone, and my Children be gone, and my Health and Strength is gone, and the Grave is ready for me; but what stayes Iobs heart now? I know that my Redeemer lives. This is a living truth for a dying man; I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he shall stand in the latter day upon the earth, and I shall see him, &c. This was now In the way of Truth, for you cannot say that Iob was persecuted For the way of Truth. But you shall finde in a way of suffering for the way of Truth, Phil. 1.23. I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ: Having passed through many troubles, I would be out of the body, and freed from the body of death; I desire to depart, and to be with Christ. 2 Cor. 5.8. We are confident, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and present with the Lord. You must either be absent from the body, or absent from the Lord; it is an hard thing to be absent from the body, but not comparatively: We desire rather to be ab∣sent from the body, and present with the Lord: We shall meet the Lord, and shall ever be with the Lord. What is the use of this, 1 Thess. 4 18. Comfort one another with these words? what are these Comforts? They are nothing but Promises; Promises rightly applied, these are the Comforts of the holy Ghost: they hold forth more good, then the affliction doth evil. If you would comfort one another, bring out the Promise, that is comfortable and seasonable. Comfort

one another: with what? with these words; for in them the Com∣forter doth come and apply comfort.

Reas. 1. Because hereby we are made fit for this rest, fit to be with Christ; that is, by our trouble, & by this remembrance. Mixing this remembrance with our trouble, doth fit us for this place. 2 Cor. 5.5. He that worketh us to the self-same thing, is God: For what thing? for our heavenly house, our house not made with hands: he that fits us for these things, is God. And thus doth he fit us by trouble, by these matters of groaning that do pass over us from day to day. This should be a great incouragement; There is a place prepared for you, but remember you must be fit for your place: you are not fit for your place, in that you are meerly Regenerate, but you must pass through such a measure of Obedience both active and passive that is appointed for you, that by this means you may be meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light. The place is fit for us already, but we are not fit for it as soon as we are Regenerate: 2 Cor. 5. he doth there instance in the troubles of the body, the grief of the outward man: we are burthened with our body, but all this while a fitting for our place. If you belong to God, he is working you to the self-same thing; be your trouble this or that (the Cholick, Palsie, Stone, or whatever) he is working us for the self-same thing: This is a great matter in our troubles, to consider that God by them is fitting us for our place in Heaven.

Reas. 2. From the Quality of the Undertaker, that hath un∣dertaken the reception of our Souls to himself; I will come, and receive you to my self. If it be so, let us that suffer according to the will of God (1 Pet. 4.19.) commit the keeping of our Souls to him: you may boldly do it, he sends a fiery Chariot for Elijah; likely it was an Angel, He makes his Angels spirits, his Ministers a flame of fire, Heb. 1.7. Christ hath his way to carry your Souls to Hea∣ven: you do not believe what a condition your Souls will be in, as soon as ever they are out of the body: do but think what a meet∣ing here is; but we believe not these things. As Christ, when he sent to his Disciples to comfort them, (Luke 24.11.) they thought they were tale tales: so when we hear of these things; we look at them but as idle tale; but, saith Christ, I will come, and receive you to my self.

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Reas. 3. Taken from the Person we shall be with, namely, Christ. Phil. 1.23. You shall be with Christ, which is best of all, or which is farre better: There is no better House then this Mansion, there is no better Presence then his Presence; therefore well might he say, It is best of all, or farre better.

Instruction 1. Learn from hence, that the most and the greatest Communion that we have with Christ in this life, still leaves us in a condition of absence from Christ, compared with that Commu∣nion we shall have with him after death: So faith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 5.8. We are willing to be absent from the body, and present with the Lord; ver. 6. for while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: It is a place of absence from the Lord, that is, compared with what we shall have after death. If you think of Paul, Who did enjoy Christ more then Paul did? Did not Paul enjoy Church-communion? Yes; but notwithstanding this was a place of absence from the Lord, compared with the society that by death he should be in. Was not Paul acquainted with any godly men? you know what he saith of Timothy; but yet (saith he) I am absent from mine own people. The word that is here translated [Absent] signifies Absence from his own people: he loved Timothy well, but he thinks the Spirits of just men made per∣fect, exceed the Spirit of Timothy: Here is no Companion that is like the Company there; here is no Communion will satisfie here. Where most of Christ is, it is best, but yet it is absence compara∣tively; We are absent from the Lord.

Instr. 2. The New man (the Believer) is never at rest till he is with Christ in his Mansion-house. If you never finde any such thing in you, but that, if you might have your desire, you would be here alwayes, believe it you have not this New man in you: this New man never is at rest, till it comes to Christ. It is true, there is weakness in the best, and unbelief-may prevail too-too much, but I speak of this new Nature that is in these, and reigns in these that are Regenerate. You know how it is with those that love one another: after that Jacob knew what was become of Joseph, there was no staying of Jacob; Let me go and see him before I dye, Gen. 45.28. What was the reason of it? there was

an intire love one unto another. You know how it is with those that do indeed love one another, that have been long absent one from another, they cannot rest until they meet: Was there any did ever love another, as the New man loves Christ? The New man loves him with a divine love, the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame, Cant. 8.6. There are some on earth that do long after Christ; there are those on earth that do desire after Heaven: and do any love another, as Jesus Christ loves the New man? There must be a meeting between these two Lovers; I will come, and receive you to my self. Mark how John concludes the Revelations, Chap. 22. ver. 21. Behold I come, saith Christ: He that-testifieth of these things, saith, I come; Amen, even so come Lord Iesus. Here is a longing to be with Christ. In any of your quaeries concerning Christ, you are never at rest rill you come to Heaven: it is the proper Being of the Sun to be in motion; this New man is a divine man, and his motion is still unto, and after Christ.

Instruction 3. The death of the Believer, it is a reception of the Soul by Christ Jesus. Christ receiving of our Soules at Death, is an incouragement to strengthen us against the fear of Death. Are you affraid of going to your Mansion house? are you affraid of going to Christ? Mark what the Apostle saith, Phil. 1.23. I desire to depart, and to be with Christ. The Greek word is a Marriners Phrase, and signifies as much as to set sayle from the shore: I desire my time were come to be loosed; that I might go to my Mansion. There are three Cords or Bonds that do Intangle us, the loosing from which doth sweeten Death to us: 1. The Bond of the Cross; I desire to be dissolved, and loosed from the afflictions and miseries of this present life: This is in it's place a lawful thing to desire in Gods time. 2. There is a Bond of Corruption, the body of Death; this I desire to be loosed from: O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this Death! Rom. 7.24. There are pangs in the Best; But if you have the new man in you, you cannot bear them: There is Vain-glory there, and there is Impatience there, and there is Envy there, and Unspiritualness, which the Believer cannot

bear; I desire therefore to be loosed from the Body. It is said of one, that he would bind a dead Corpse to a living man, and so he would torture them. This new man is boudn to a dead Corps: there is no part of the Understanding, Will, or Affections, throughout the whole man, but this dead Corpse is there. 3. There is the Cord of our absence from Christ: that he ex∣presseth, as if it did in an especial manner move with him to be with Corist, which is the best of all. Simeon speaking of death, Lord, now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace, Luk. 2.29. as if he should say, Give me my dismission (as we use to speak, from one Church to another: so here) from a Society Militant, to a Society Triumphant: So you see here he calls it but a dismission; it came to pass when the time was come that he should be received up, Luk. 9.51. relating to his death: if you did but think that this were the great business when you dye, namely, the receiving of your Soules, you would not be troubled: you cannot give up your Soules into better hands. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 5.24. you shall there finde it is called a passage from one Room to another, he is passed from death to life: it is like a passing from one room into another. Look at death as in the Curse, and what more terrible? But look at it in the Promise, and it hath another kind of aspect. 1 Cor. 15.43. you see there it is compared to sowing; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. This is now with relation to the body, it is but sowing of it, it shall rise again, and that with ad∣vantage: you are not affraid of sowing your seed, that will bring a glad harvest. It is a going from those that are not our own people to those that are our own people, 2 Cor. 5.6, 8. it may be you have a friend here, but it is not an ordinary thing to meet with a Jonathan here. It is but a going from them who are not our people, whom we cannot so fully close with; nay you cannot close with your own souls fully, while here; but you are going from those who are not your people, to those who are your people, where you shall find perfect closing with this new man; you are come to the spirits of just men made perfect. Would you see what Peter saith concern∣ing death, 2 Pet. 1.14. I must put off my tabernacle: it is a strange Phrase, he makes no more of it, then for Elijah to put off his

mantle. What a thing was it for Elijah to let his mantle fall, he gets him up into his Chariot and lets go his mantle: I speak this, that you may see what expressions the Scripture gives concerning death: O let my last end be like his! I tell you it is a lovely thing, Let me dye the death of the Righteous, let my last end be like his: I tell you there is another good in their last end, that the unbeleiver is not aware of. It is but a going out of one place to another. I have done with this, when I have minded you of that place, 1 Thes. 4.14. They sleep, and they sleep in Jesus: They also that sleep in Jesus shall God bring with him: you see two bodies lye by the wall and they look both alike, but (believe it) they are not both alike in the Promise; if one be a Believer, and the other an Unbeliever, one is gone to this Mansion place, the other not.

Instr. 4. The presence of Jesus is the place of blessedness: So saith Christ here, I will take you to my self, and you shall be where I am. We shall see him, we shall be inlightned by him, we shall be satisfied in him, and blessed with him.

• 1. We shall see him: 1 Ioh. 3.2. We shall see him as he is.
• 2. We shall see him, so as to be inligtned by him. Psal. 36.9. In thy Light we shall see light: They are marvellous Lights, that are in the place of Blessedness.
• 3. We shall be satisfied in him. Psal. 17.15. As for me, when I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likeness. A satisfaction there will be at our Dissolution, though more fully at the Resur∣rection.
• 4. We shall be Blessed with him. Blessed are the pure in heart, (Mat. 5.8.) for they shall see God. Then you that hear me, look to your hearts, for it is not whether you are rich or poor; but, Bles∣sed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. But what is it to see God? I shall see my Redeemer, saith Iob: and that is true, the eyes of our bodies may see the body of Christ; but you shall see God, you shall see him face to face, you shall see him as he it. I tell you the soul of man is never at rest till it sees God. Some shall never see God & therfore never be at rest; There is no peace, no rest to the wicked, Isa. 57.21. saith my God. But now the soul it rests when it comes to see God:

• He is such an Object, as nothing without him will satisfie our Souls: may be they may be pleased, as children with a Rattle, for a while here, but not satisfied without him; therefore know it, these Souls of ours are more worth then we are apt to think of, prize them how you will.

Unto the seeing of God (to speak plainly) there are three things that are required:

• 1. There is required an Object.
• 2. There is required the Purifying and Perfecting of the Ʋnder∣standing.
• 3. There is required the Light of Glory, which may enable the Soul to see that Object. Now

• 1. The Object is God, we shall see him: I shall see God, Job 19.26. not onely see his Redeemer, but I shall see God: what∣ever might be the meaning of Iob, yet we shall see him as he is, 1 Job. 3.2. We shall see him face to face, 1 Cor. 13.12. It is true, we cannot see infinitely, our capacities cannot be made infinite; yet we may see him that is Infinite, we may see him apprehensive∣ly, though not comprehensively; yet we shall see him so as to fill the Soul, though not see him so as to comprehend him, but we shall apprehend so much of him as we are capable.
• 2. There is the Perfecting and Purifying of the Ʋnderstanding: that must be purified from all Ignorance, Sin, and Darkness, and Mistake.
• 3. There is the Light which God doth communicate of Glory: As we have here the Light of Grace, so there is the Light of Glory, which enables a Soul to see him according to the Vision of Glory. But what do we see in the seeing of God? We see his Being, or Essence; as the Object is united to the Faculty rela∣tively, not formally. We shall see the Attributes of God, they which are in Heaven, you shall see what they are making mention of, Rev. 4. Holiness, Almightiness, Eternity: You know not what Omnipotency is now, but then you shall know it more; you know not Perfect Holiness now, but then you shall know it more: and we shall see the Trinity; He that hath seen me, (Iohn 14.9.) hath seen the Father: And we shall see Christ, that Person that is

• God and Man. And for the Counsell of God, we shall see it: it shall be an open Book, so far as concerns our happiness. Now when the Soul comes to this, you will have no further need of en∣quiry, [What God is?] or [What Christ is?] you will never be satisfied till then, you will never love God perfectly till then, and you will never rest in him here, as you will then: you shall come to understand that then [Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.]

Exhort. 1. It is abundantly to incourage every Christian to constancy in the profession of the truth, notwithstanding all the suffering we may meet with, either in the way of truth, or for the way of truth. This is that which John makes use of, 1 Iohn 3.2. We shall see him as he is; and, He that hath this hope to see God, purifieth himself, even as he is pure, ver. 3. Do you say you have hope to see God? this is a very purifying meditation. Can you endure any impurity, and yet maintain this hope in you to see Christ? Acts 24.15, 16. mark there how it did work with him; And have hope towards God, which themselves also allow: I have hope that I shall see God, and that there is such a truth as the resurrection; here∣in do I exercise my self, to have alwayes a Conscience void of offence, both towards God and towards Man: they that are false to his truth, they shall not see him, that dye without Repentance of it: herein do I labour to keep alwayes a Conscience clear both towards God and man, that this may not hinder me from a sight of this Mansion: 2 Cor. 5.8, 9. speaking to the same purpose, We desire to be with the Lord: wherefore we labour, that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. Thus you see what this meditation doth call for: this makes a man or woman of a labouring spirit, it calls for adherence to the truth: And more particularly, consider then what it is to be a Christian in earnest, to be such a Christian as walks in that way, wherein they walk that have the Promise to go to Christ, when their Soules go out of the body; these are such as the eleven were, not such as Iudas was; he went the other way, he went to his own place. You must be such Christians as the Apostles were, that is, such as do continue with Christ in the profession of his truth, that you, may

be Conquerours in holding on in your Profession.

2. Consider what you must expect while you are in your way; you must expect such troubles, as nothing will quiet you, but the exercise of Faith in Chirst Jesus. Your hearts they will be as∣saulted, but let not your hearts be troubled: the Truth it will cause trouble to you, though you think of carrying of it never so in∣offensively, and amiably among men. Christ, by all his good carriage, could not reconcile those that hated the truth: Hence those that profess the truth, let them not think strange if they meet with trouble. Then (Acts 9.31.) had the Churches rest: Other places have rest very frequently; but for the Churches, those that profess the Truth to have rest, is a special favour of God.

3. Your troubles here, while you carry it with a Christian Spirit, they shall fit you for this blessed estate; as it is said 2 Cor. 5.5. [He that worketh us to the self-same thing.] You may think God means evil to you, when you meet with affliction and trouble; but, provided you are In the way of Truth, or be it For the way of Truth, that which God ayms at, is to fit you for your Mansion-place. Christ would fit us to be in the body, and he would fit us to go out of the body; He works us to the self-same thing. If you have a strong body, he would fit you for that bo∣dy to walk with him in that body. Saith Caleb, Josh. 14.11. I have as strong a body, as in the day that Moses sent me. Now as it is a great matter to have such a body, so it is a great matter to walk with God in such a body: if you have an healthful body, he would sit you to walk with him in that body, that you may know how to possess your vessel in sanctification and honour: not that your body should be the slave of filthy lusts. Suppose you have a sickly body, 2 Cor. 4.16. Our outward man decayes, but our inward man is renewed day by day: and he worketh us to the self-same thing, by fitting us to go out of the body; Acts 20.24. that I may finish my course with joy, and the Ministry that I have received.

4. Concurre with God in this scope of his Providence to you; he is fitting of you to walk with God. If he fit you to go

out of the body, or to be in the body, close with him, as the Patient closeth with the Physician; interpret the Changes that are upon you, of one nature or of another, interpret them as dispensations whereby God works to fit you to be with him in the body, or to go to him when you go out of the body. Let us work together with him; I did it to humble them, Deut. 8.16. then close with him, and say, This is his end; and for that end joyn with him. You shall finde more trouble then rest, while you are In the way, you shall finde more rest then trouble, when you are at the end of your way. You that are lovers of truth, more then of the pleasures of Sin, you shall finde more trouble then rest while you are in the way; but when you are out of the body, you shall have full rest without any trouble: you shall have Truth enough, and Peace enough. That which is hard to gain now, is Union in the Truth; but then you shall have Union enough, and Truth enough: you shall finde Christ making good that truth to you, that He will come, and receive you to himself. When Noah put forth his hand, and received the Dove into the Ark, it was a welcome ease: so will it be to your Souls when they have been wearied with so many troubles, and Christ Jesus shall come, and receive you to himself, when your Souls go out of the body; for otherwise the Devil will be ready to receive them, and to carry them to Hell. Whither went Dives Soul when it went out of his body? you that are now in Pleasures, whither went Dives Soul? it is not said he was an Adulterer, or a Drunkard; but he was a man of Pleasures, [In thy life time thou hadst thy good things, Luke 16.25.] But what became of his Soul when it went out of the body? And being in Hell, he lift up his eyes in torments, &c. ver. 23. Gen. 46. when Joseph received Jacob, and his Brethren, after so long an absence, judge what a contentment there was: Jacob fell upon Josephs neck, and Joseph fell upon Iacobs neck: but their embraces are not to be mentioned with the embraces of Christ and the Soul. Do good, that when you dye, the good you have done may receive you into everlasting habitations. Your works shall follow you. It was the

speech of one, I have not so lived, as that I am ashamed to live any longer; nor am I afraid to dye. Labour so to live, as you may be useful in the body, and so as you may not be ashamed to go out of the body, but may say as Iohn did, who was an old man, and a Disciple, I come quickly: Even so, come Lord Iesus, come quickly.

Notes

• Mezentius.
• Ambrose.