God speaks good to souls now and gives in somewhat of love but 't is here a little and there a little now and then a drop to keep their hearts open but in heaven God comunicates all at once here he gives out what he gives in degrees according to Saints capacity to receive but in heaven the whole shall be posses'd that God hath in store for them that love him they shall have perfect holines compleat happines and pure spirituality Animorum summa puritas stupenda corporum charita c. There natures shall be spotless and there actions blamelesse an orient splendour and matchlesse brightness of resplendent light shall cover the whole man as a garment Oh what an infinite unconceiveable and unparallel'd gladnes throughout the soul spirit whloe man wil this occasion Saints here desire much and have somewhat of heavens excellency but their desires are not fully satisfied Quicquid desiderare poterunt electi illic invenient quia coram a facie ad faciem intuentur eum qui est omnia and in heaven they shal have their ful insomuch that desires shal cease not longing after more for God shal communicate himselfe fully and at once to Saints there Saints have now some beauty some comlines they are in part sanctified but in heaven they shal be fully sanctified all glorious this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality and then conceptions of evil shall not be in souls there shal be no unsoundnes of judgment nor taints of error no impuritie nor imbecillity of affections in glory Saints love to Christ shal not be cold weak and feeble but it shall be hot strong perfect they shal be without any imperfection Nothing in them or what is done by them shal be blame-worthy Similes erimus ipsi Deo benedicto in seculum they shal be like the blessed God for ever Is not this a word of comfort now wil it not be much more a precious soul-rejoycing to enjoy this purity this samctity this holinesse of being made a excellent beautiful like Angels Angelis sibi ipsi nos similes reddit yea like God himself There shal be nothing amisse in the soul it shal be all glorious no blindnesse lamenesse deafnesse nor crookednesse nor infirmity shal be on the body the bodies of Saints in glory that be handsome faire comely beautiful yea like unto the glorious body of Christ Phil. 3.21 yea and which is more they shal in the whole body be like unto his glorious body Eadem corpora quae hic cum Christo crucifixa sunt una cum Christo in caelesti beatitudine glorificantur These very bodies of Saints that suffer now with and for Christ shal with Christ in heavenly blisse be glorified with him yea they shal have such glory as he hath This Souls I shal leave to you to admire I cannot sufficiently and to the ful in words discover it to you 'T is a wonder to thinke that they that are gracious and so like Christ here should be in heaven as handsome bodied as Christ is Gloria nulla lingua satis explicari potest and have as comely a person and feature as he himself has whom the Father loves dearly that their bodies shal be in all places like to Christs body Beloved may not this incourage us in trouble to venture life and limb for God rather then that God should lose his glory seeing that he can make up all again and supply all wants and wil make every one perfect at last and also not to be troubled as concerning Death with any discomfortable thoughts of worms eating and destroying the flesh with rottennesse seising upon the body and the like knowing that Christ at last wil restore all perfect 2. Saints you have now some wisdome and knowledge you shal have more abundant you shal have more wisdome Isa Dei sapientia seipsam eis ostendet c. you shal have clearer knowledge in the things of God and Christ and of heaven surely knowledge is an exellent thing especially Divine and Heavenly knowledge knowledge in the mystery of salvation What is it that some would not give for knowledge now in Arts and Tongues and in Scripture-truths yea to know God rightly In heaven Saints you shall have an exquisite and perfect knowledge of God ye shal see him not only mentally and contemplatively but also with the bodies eyes corporally so Job Job 19.25 26. I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God Whome I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another This Christians I conceive may make your longings to be eager after heaven and exceedingly rejoyce to thinke you shal see God to see God as he is in himself and as he Is in you And all this in a spiritual manner for all knowledge in heaven shal be spiritual I might enlarge my self more on this but I forbear according to what of God is given in to you such is your knowledge already and as God shal be reveal'd knowledge shal encrease and at last you shal in glory know as you are known 3. Saints shal in heaven have a ful fruition of Christ a ful sight of their sweet Saviour Chridum videre superabit omniagaudia Superabit omnia cordis nostoi desideria such a sight that shal give in unspeakable joy such enjoyment that shal bring more joy then heart can wish no tongue can express no heart can conceive what consolation they have that shal enjoy Christ and dwel with him for ever To see Christ to dwel and be with Christ brings to soules wounderful happines This makes souls cry out how long Lord Jesus is it ere thou wilt bring us to glory where we may have beauty presented to our sight sweetnes to our taste amongst men Pulchritudo erit visui mel gustui cithara auditui balsanum olfactui flos actui musick to our eare what is odoriferous to our smelling and delightful to be touch'd and handled the soul also fil'd with light and comfort every faculty having what is pleasant to it given out freely and fully O blessed condition O sweet life O happy being to be brought into the Court of the glorious God to the society of Saints Jesu Christe sponse animaemeae suavissime into the bosome of sweet and blessed Jesus the loving and ever-glorious husband to blessed souls Love is abundantly shown on earth by Christ to those that are Christs in their affaires to direct them in their troubles to help them in their dangers to deliver them in bestowing divers and excellent benefits both of grace and nature and of creature-things likewise in disappointing the dangerous devices of enemies in frustrating the subtile and crafty plottings of Satan in beating downe the power of
God or man he acts right that bids his enemy be judge of his doings if any spy faults enemies will Saints are for pleasing God that 's their aime they are company for such whose journey is heaven-ward Christ is gone before they follow after He goes fastest to heaven that goes on most speedily in Gods worke that as it tends to Gods glory so to the actors glory A soul will soone be glorified it selfe that glorifies God they that are for God shall be with God heavenly work is recompens'd with good wayes Christ did his work is entred into his joy doe yours and enter also like doers shall have like pay 5. Christ is for fellowship and communion with his people Mat. 18.20 where two or three are gathered together in his name there he is in the midst of them so Saints the friends of Christ desire fellowship with those that are Christs christians this Lesson hath not been well learn'd of late outward appearances like our selves t is feard have drawne us many times more then Christ in Spirit dwelling in souls That part of Arethmeticke division hath beene in use too much at least Numeration too little we should be more like Christ were we more for society I meane with Saints Davids Spirit was gratious and was much affected with such company if like Christ sociable but 't is with Saints 6. Christ delights to see men holy embracing truth in this Saints are like Christ Saint John rejoyced greatly that he found the children of the Elect Lady walking in truth Epist Ioh. 2.4 so this exercise was pleasing to Paul Col. 1.3 4. We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ praying alwayes for you since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus of the love which ye have to all the Saints As he rejoyced to see this amongst the Colossians for it pleased him to see others followers of the Lord 1 Thes 1.6 and embracing that truth which the churches of God embraced 1 Thes 1.14 to the exceeding growth of faith and the abounding of charity each towards others 2 Thes 1.3 They that were holy amongst the Jews rejoyced at the Gentiles conversion And at this day there is no greater joy to Saints then to hear of others turning to the truth and living holily That which makes carnal men displeas'd which is newnesse of life pleaseth those that have received of the same life Ezech. 33 7. Jesus Christ hates sin in every one yet no mans person he pitties their persons Why will you die O house of Israel He loath'd Jerusalems sin yet he wept over the city as pittying the people sorrowing through foreseeing of the misery that was coming towards them ' and did afterwards befal them They that are like Christ are thus qualified they hate sin in all men yet hate not the persons of any no not of their deadly enemies but with Stephen they can desire eternal life for those that will not let them enjoy a temporal life a crown for their enemies that hale them to the crosse There 's much of the image of Christ in those that to the utmost do good to the men whose sins they hate And though they seek the death of their sin yet desire life the life of Christ for their souls Christ shewed man most mercy when he shewed sinne none he kill'd sin and quickn'd man A man may be merciful to his neighbour yet strive to be a slaughter-man to his sin They must needs be like Christ that from a gratious pitty are helpful to others and omit no meanes to do them any kindnesse furthering the salvation of their souls and good of their bodies helping them in any thing or way but what is sinful 'T is the calling of Saints to do good yea to all you have none of a more free spirit then they they go up and down on this imployment 't is the errand that Christ sends them on Like Master like Servants all good and their actions like themselves The master cannot erre the servants may but they shall be set right again These are no cheats that do good to all as much as possible they may harm none no not enemies render to none evill for evil but contrariwise blessing 8. Saints are very much like Christ in that they are couragious souls couragious in what is good not bad some men have too much courage in an evil way but to what is good they have no heart 'T is not so with the children of God they die rather then yield to any basenesse shall such a one as I flie a gallant speech of a noble soul Neh. 6.11 of one that believed God had given commandment to save him Psa 71.3 Salvum me facias ab inimicis meis Daniel would not omit his duty though he knew the Lions den was to be his punishment God should have his honour whatsoever he suffered The three children feared not the wrath of the King nor the fiery Furnace God should not be dishonoured by them they would die rather Tyrants may kill Saints but not conquer them Christ was slaine but not overcome so it may be with those are Christs That 's good mettal will endure the fire a good Ship that holds sound and firm in all storms good cloth that shrinks not in wetting wel-grounded colours that fade not brave souls that nothing can daunt discourage or turn from the truth one of these is better then a thousand that have great words but when hardship comes to be undergone prove low and weake he 's a friend that owns a man in need and in a strait he 's a Saint that from inward grace is made so couragious that nothing shall separate him as from the love of Christ 2 Tim. 1.7 so from the worke of Christ The Mettall of a souldier is tried in the Battel the spirit of a Christian in times of opposition 9. Christ is all for drawing souls to himself Joh. 12.32 if he be lifted up from the earth he will draw men to him he is not a scatterer but a gatherer I mean of souls His businesse is to seeke and to save to find and preserve he woes and willing he is to marry soules that they might be his for ever christians in this are spirited like Christ they endeavour to drive a trade for Christs gain they are for their masters profit they love Christ find exceeding benefit by him and they think others should love him also Pretious Christ is pretious to them and faine would they have him so to others They have an enlarg'd heart and an open mouth crying to souls oh love the Lord all ye people turne in hither souls come buy wine and milke without noney and without price we have found Excellent entertainment from Christ come he will shew you kindnesse good soules will not conceale the bountifull mercy of the Lord 2 Chro. 7.9 if they neglect to publish
them make a famous structure build his Church Isa 54.12 13. whose foundations shal be laid with saphires whose windowes shal be made of agates and gates of carbuncles al her borders of pleasant stones This points out the excellency of Saints and also what a comly thing it is to see them joyn'd together in a right order by the wisdome of God God hath a holy City to build which is admirably describ'd Revelations 21. My brethren I need not tel you how Satan the world flesh and many enemies have labour'd to root out in all ages those that clearly and readily appear'd for God yet God hath preserv'd some to shine as lights and to hold out his name and enemies could never so prevaile as to raze out all the Saints nor to take away truth wholly but stil the Lord continued some precious ones some holy and excellent soules to shine out as lights in a darke place a seed was left though covered with clods that the Lord hath nourished and which through his blessings hath sprung up and brought forth fruit so that some peecious souls have stil appear'd We have seen bad times and bad times are and 't is likly wil be yet all you that have any knowledge in rhe things of Christ cannot but say some holy souls there were in those bad times some there are in these evil daies and some precious ones shal be as long as the Sun and Moon endureth as long as there are any people in the world there shal be some good you that live now meet with some precious souls up and downe here and there you or they that shal live hereafter wil finde that God hath a sprinkling some a few I shal speak to what is present to what is in hand there are some precious souls in the world Reas 1 There are some in the world that are like Christ they have such a life such graces such excellency there life is Christ within ' it s Christ living in them their wisedome is Christ their righteousnes Christ their justification sanctification is Christ Christ to such is all Believers are translated into Christ they are one with Christ they are nothing in themselves selfe is past away they have a new selfe Christ is their selfe they have an intire being in Christ yea God himselfe is within such and from union with God is there likenes to God and their preciousnes is from enjoying God God makes that precious that is precious precious souls are Gods workmanship Look upon Saints after the flesh and in outward appearances you cannot it may be say they are so precious but consider them as in Christ and Christ in them Look upon Christ alone in them and boubtles Christ wil in them be precious Magna quidem in Ecclesia Dei excellentia sect ea non sunt omnibus obvia many see not this excellency in Saints because 't is hidden Christ in them is hidden from many but where Christ appeares the souls of such according to what of Christ is seen appear precious There are some that are lov'd as Reas 2 Christ lov'd with the same love the same pure free intire love that Christ hath given out from the Father they have given out to them running into them shining upon them these are precious Love is that which doth beautifie soules souls are faire as lov'd excellent as lov'd glorious as lov'd There is exceeding bravery and beauty in a soule that hath much of love what made Christ so priz'd so highly esteem'd the chiefest of Ten thousand but the abundance of heavenly love that was in him the more there is of heavenly love the more excellent 'T is not Noblenes of birth beauty of face greatnes of parts much learning that makes men precious but 't is being borne of God endued with grace partaking of spirituall things and what is heavenly that makes one precious Tantus quisque est quantus est apud Deum As one saith of the worth of a man he is so much worth as he is worth in Gods account so I may say he is so far precious as partaking in love as enjoying that which the world doth not A precious stone is a stone that hath a vertue excellency which the common ordinary stones have not so t is with precious rare excellent soules they have somewhat the men of the world have not that is love Rev. 2.17 the same love that is given out to Christ The worth of this love none knowes but they that enjoy it There are some in whom the Lord dwels some in this word that are his temple palace throne these are excellent ones Gods dwelling place the dwelling of his glory is a precious place they are precious soules soules bravely adorned soules excellently trim'd that are the court of the great God Princes houses are richly furnished so are the soules of Saints Gods houses There are some that put out all their might strength power abilities advantages for Christs cause for what concernes him and what is his These are precious souls Paul was a predious soul it appear'd in his appearing so much for Christ that he was not deter'd by labours stripes imprisonments 2 Cor. 11 tedious Journes perils of waters perils of robbers perils by his own countrymen perils by strangers perils in the city perils in the wildernesse perils in the sea perils amongst false brethren wearinesse painfulnesse much watchings hunger thirst fasting cold nakednessed Rom. 8. Omnia praesentia futura terrena caelestia inferna supercaelestia omnia mihil parva pro nihilo erant c. buc Act. 15. all could not stop this champion of truth Let death life Angels principalities powers height depth any thing oppose he for Christ in the strength of Christ durst stand against all So also the curch of Jerusalem giving answer to the people and church of Antioch concerning what had been proposed unto them tels them in their letters that they had sent it by men that had hazarded their lives for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ Such as these are precious men souls worthy the name of Christians because valiant for Christ I have read of one Romanus that was nobly born yet so resolute and stout was he for Christ that sufferings could not fright him nor dismay him when his persecutors whipt him with a whip made of cords that had leads fastned at the ends so that with whipping his flesh was torne yea and so much torne that his very bowells were seen yet he cryed out to his tormentors that he desired not to be spar'd neither did he wish his tormentors to give over Christum diligit seipsum oâ—…it he was wiling to suffer to the utmost in the cause and for the truth of Christ It is reported of one Same 's a noble man who had and maintained a thousand servants of his own yet was deprived of al his estate by the King of Persia and was
was imputed that all believers may be reputed before God by vertue of Christs righteousnesse holy and perfect as righteousnesse it selfe Thus you see how souls may be said to be sinners take them as in themselves and in the flesh so sinners take them as reconcil'd to God as having Christs righteousnesse imputed to them and beheld of God in that so without sin without guile no sinners but holy pure undefiled beloved of God blessed Saints 3. They are precious souls precious in this filthy ungodly sinful wicked world that from grace coming in act in wayes of grace and holines without that let the inhabitants of the world be wicked follow their Prince the Devil yet they wil walke in holines following the Lord Jesus Christ the Prince of peace and King of righteousnesse God in all ages hath some to witnesse to his glorious truths so in this age some that are taught of the Spirit led of the Spirit that minde the things of the Spirit that have the Spirit of God dwelling in them and by the power of that Spirit in dwelling doe mortifie the deeds of the body and are raised up and quickned by the Spirit of God within to walke in righteousness true holines to serve God and own his cause though the world with them that dwel therein oppose they are excellent souls that appear for God in bad times in the worst of times yea when 't is not alone a hazarding their names to disgrace and shame but their bodies to be torne in pieces to be burnt to ashes You that are acquainted with scripture and history may see every age every yeare bring forth some such gallant spirits that were ready to lay down their lives to undergoe any cruel vile shameful death for the name of Christ and the testimony of Jesus 4. They are precious for they that are faithful and chosen that are such as Christ is continue good let all the world be bad A precious soule is an excellent Theophilus and wil appeare so let others be never so bad let them be enemies to God fighters against God Times are bad now and like for a while to be worse yet there are pretious Christans so some there wil be as long as the world continues that shal shine out as lights in the world Phil. 2.15 that wil be without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverss nation that wil run right on towards glory let whose wil run crosse that wil keep their garments white though others be soyl'd I commend such to you souls for precious Christians for precious Saints that abstaine from all appearance of evil that in heart and soul and life clear to and follow after what is good Vse 3 Love those precious souls that Christ esteemes precious nay that Christ hath made precious that are before God precious that are the dearely belov'd of his soul that are honourable ones that are borne of the wil of God that are attended on by Angels that are for a short time plac'd in the world and shal ere long be received into glory let your delight be plac'd on those excellent ones let your eyes be on them that Gods eyes are on your heart towards those that Gods heart is towards good children are apt to respect those they see their parents love if you be true children rightly descended of the Royal line of heaven you wil eye the outgoings of your fathers love and as Bees settle where the Queen settles so wil you where God upon what family or soul the Lord hangs his love you wil hang yours where God delights to be you wil delight to be all so Consider I pray who you love what sort of people it is you most affect whether it be carnal worldly unregenerate men or holy heavenly regenerate Saints Do you now desire to know Gods jewels Vse 4 to be able to discern of these precious ones to say such are Gods children such are the friends of Christ like Christ you must have the life spirit wisdome knowledge of Christ you must be taught of God to know who are Gods like God Paul persecuted the precious Saints of Christ and was a deadly foe and enemy to them til such time as he was endued with wisdome from on high til God shone upon him yea into him and then knowing Saints he associated himself with them and was no longer hurtful but helpful Many a soul is a sore and grievous enemy to the people of God I am perswaded much of their enmity ariseth from this because they know not Saints they are ignorant what glorious ones they are in what a high esteem they are with God how God wil punish them that wrong them Ignorance of Saints makes them slighted reviled defam'd accounted as the filth of the world and the off scouring of all things T is want of knowing the worth of a Jewel that makes it not prized so of a Saint that is a member of Christ a child of God The God of wisdome give you wisdome to know such that are holy that are Princes of the bloud-Royal of heaven and to give them such respect that is due and reverence as belongs to them This none can do but such as have the spirit this you wil do if the Lord give out the spirit of truth to guide you in all truth if heavenly light shine into you that light shining in wil discover and manifest to you the children of light and whosoever you can find walking heaven-ward you wil be glad of their company Ignorance had a hand in killing Christ and it hath some hand in all the wrong is done to Saints the Lord free you all from it least ye should through ignorance harme the darlings of God and bring swift damnation on your selves God hath grievous threatnings in Scripture against Saint-wrongers and there are recorded some heavy punishments that have been inflicted on them that harme the righteous God keep you from the sin and so from the suffering I might ad how beneficial 't is for you to know who are Saints and how much for your souls advantage to be acquainted with them but I omit it Happy are you that are of the number of these jewels of God of these preciout Vse 5 ones I do not know what your condition is in respect of outward things and creature-enjoyments but I can safely say you are a happy people if precious if such as Christ you shal all be laid up in glory shortly God wil not lose one of his jewels for a world Heaven and earth shal perish but no Saint never a precious soul not a jewel that belongs to the crown Royal of glory These rare souls these souls to whom Angels do service that are carried in the armes in the bosome in the heart of God that are singular souls chosen out from among thousands by royal favour sâ—ch in whom the eye of God can see nothing amisse no defect no excesse no presence of sinne no