sawest there was none to deliver that there was no Intercessour therefore thine own arme brought salvation and thy righteousnesse it sustained thee Isa 59. 16. Here here was an object fit only for the wisdome power and goodnesse of an infinite God to shew it selfe and in a way and means suitable to the otherwise helplesse condition of such a wretched creature who shall therefore have a wonderfull deliverer but yet his misery at present shall not altogether be taken away but he shall yet continue in that world wherein he first had sinned that shall be to him the place of his prison where he committed his first his late most hainous offence and that the more remarkably in that his former happy Palace is now by his sin become a stinking Dungeon to him his Paradise of pleasure formerly is now become a very Bridewell for his correction his painlesse exercise before is now exchanged for painfull toyle manifest by the sweat of his browes instead of his successfull labour without wearinesse he shall be vexed with much lost labour and wearinesse therewith Aethiopem lavabit magno conatu magnas nugas aget he shall often endeavour to no purpose and greatly endeavour to no purpose and greatly endeavour to small purpose but yet worse than this in his prison he shall have a Jaylour too but the worst of creatures by defection and his own worst enemy his hatefull and first murtherer at least in his hopes and purposes had not God then in such a case speedily graciously and unexpectedly stept in for his rescue or reprieve But before such deliverance particularly can come home by reason this cursed Jaylour having man in some sort in his custody endeavours to make him his perpetual vassal and when in this he finds he doth prevaile sometime such shall have the priviledge of his prison-house but only for this most wretched end to make them the more sworne slaves to himselfe to others he will not vouchsafe the like libertie of their prison but holds them fast in hard bondage and because he would the more harden them for hell-torments hereafter he begins to plague them with an hell upon earth but not as men sometimes put in Bedlam by their friends to regaine their wits but to make them spiritually the more mad and eternally the more miserable any way to engage them the most temporally to his vassallage and eternally to his torments and the rather because that enviously and spitefully he yet surely knowes there is a yeare of Jubile proclaimed from the most Soveraigne and Almightie King and that there is a Deliverer Come by whose appointment Heralds at Armes or rather Embassadours of peace are sent abroad to publish the same with the conditions thereof upon abundant testimony under his hand and seales with sufficient authoritie and most certain evidence for mans securitie therein but yet I say upon his own tearmes alone But how doth the Devil their Jaylour now play his pranks to disappoint the purpose of such published grace and to keep his prisoners either from hearing if possible the sound of this good newes by stopping it from their eares or if he cannot doe that to stop their eares against it by many diversions of hopes or ease or pleasure or profit or else by prejudice or danger or reproach or feare or persecution or any thing or all if it may be to hinder the same that they may not come neare to hearken to those commissionated Heralds at Armes or Embassadours of peace but if they must needs be within the hearing of them he will disparage their termes as too hard impossible not sure not warrantable or too damnifying or the like he will tell them false tales of golden apples and sweet and pleasant grapes which are growing for them in his Garden when they are indeed but apples of Sodome and grapes of Gomorrha ashie apples and bitter grapes he will tell them much of great treasures and pleasures with him to be had when they are but as men say of Witches feasts in the caves of the earth only phantasticall but nothing reall he will tell them of golden mountaines they shall have by his service when there is nothing but fire and flames of brimstone in the bowells thereof belching forth continually before-hand their noysome stench with flames and smoake and ashes of Gods wrathfull displeasure against them Yet all the Devills prisoners will hearken more to his lyes than unto Gods Embassadours or his truth all the while they are in his bondage and knowing nothing better than what they at present conceive they find they will not be perswaded that there is any thing better than what they think they know Neither will they believe that they shall finde any thing worse hereafter than what they at present feele and so what with his charmes and baits on the one hand and what with his gyves manacles and chaines on the other hand their eares are either stopped like the deafe Adders that refuse to heare or else bored through at his doore like voluntary slaves readily agreeing with him for their own perpetuall bondage But here the wonder-working God againe appeares who having sealed some to the day of Redemption and having given those unto the Redeemer whom likewise the Redeemer hath particularly and fully ransomed even those he will rescue out of that bondage yea out of that death of sin and Satan unto them are his Embassadours specially sent but they likewise will not heare and therefore while he sends many times and often for a long continuance it may be and importunately by them in his own name beseecheth them to be reconciled to him for their own good though happily they may be roused a little sometimes yet they are not raised from that sleep and death till God the Father and God the Redeemer by the Allmightie power of the Lord the Spirit speaks home to their souls what outwardly and only outwardly they had heard before with their eares many times perhaps only but not regarded to retaine till he himselfe comes in and sets on the impression of his grace-revealing truth upon their hearts with a secret quickening spirituall life Upon discovery or feare whereof in any of Satans prisoners their former Jaylour attempts with speed to hinder if he can if not to consent yet to divert or reâ—ard but if he cannot doe that he will still endeavour to make them drive on as heavily as may be that if at all they will receive the offers of peace yet they may doe it as late as may be that they may have the lesse comfort others the lesse benefit and their spirituall blessed Lord and Soveraigne the lesse honour or advantage thereby But if they will when once marked for Christs sheep be departing from his Wolves and Goats range and walk he will help them to as much bread and water of affliction if he can while they are passing on in their journey to their new Master as may last them
time after was it in any suitable manner taken notice of or displayed in publique till the Spirit of God in a four-fold witnesse gave testimony of all these things when after that by doctrine by holinesse by miracles by sufferings by death and a powerfull raising of himselfe to life having slaine all enmitie thereby he was powerfully declared to be the Sonne of God yea so was the light of his appearing eclypsed in the worlds eye that after Ages could not finde out the time or season when that his birthglory did first shine out and therefore the Fathers vid Jerome Cyprian upon severall grounds have anciently argued for different seasons as likewise later times have differed therein divine Oracles being particularly silent as if of old God by the buriall of Moses body by him would prevent the Israelites adoring of his sepulchre so as some conceive he would conceale the season of his nativity neither doe we reade in Scripture any like celebration but that of Herod de porcorum grege Epicurus Nor is the day of a Conquerors taking up Armes celebrated as glorious but the day of his victory and conquest nor was the first day of the Creation appointed by God to be observed at first for his Sabbath but the day when his work was finished and by the same Law upon Greater enforcement is the day of the Lord his Resurrection day as the day of his victory conquest and triumph over sin death and hell with all the powers of darknesse by himselfe substituted as his own for a continuall Christian Sabbath to be observed and celebrated in his Universall Church for the honour and glory of such their wonderfull deliverance then accomplished by him throughout all Ages from Sabbath to Sabbath so long as the Sunne and Moone shall endure and herein is the glorious mysterie of God so accomplished to be admired that the bleer-eyed world is not able to behold the divine brightnesse of it and so it hath been since in the Apostles and after Ages as the mysterie of God hath been in fulfilling the great things of Christ have been hid from their eyes Christ crusified hath been to the Jewes a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishnesse while to them that believe it is the power of God to salvation The Apostles were mean in the eyes of the Great ones of the world when they went on Christs Embassie into the world yet they went conquering and to conquer by preaching praying improvement of all spirituall grace even in suffering and dying after the example of their great Soveraigne they greatly prevailed over the powers of the world over the strength and subtiltie of sin and Satan And have not the two Witnesses the contemporaries of Antichristian tyranny done so too and shall they not more prevaile still and maugre all vaine imaginations of any men or counsells taken by them against Christ Yet will not God set his King upon his holy hill of Sion Yea will it not be both the honour and happinesse of the Greatest Potentates upon earth to kisse the Sonne and give the glory of their Scepters unto him that as they reigne by him so they may reigne for him and in his good time may likewise reigne with him in endlesse glory But what is this Historical hint as it may be called of this mystical manner of gradual fulfilling of gospel Glory somewhat observable indeed in the eyes of the Saints but little in the eyes of Men of the world But if we come to speak of the inward glory of true gospel Grace spiritually glorious in the soules of Gods faithful people for the Kings daughter is all glorious within We may say of this as the Queen of Sheba after she had heard in her own Country the same of King Solomons wisdome and magnificence when she came to his Court to heare and see the truth of both that she confessed the half thereof was not formerly shewed unto her So much more may it be said of inward Divine glorious Grace shining from Christ into the souls of his servants in his spiritual manifestations of himself unto them the injoyment of which soule-chearing solace is incomparably beyond what any Historical narration thereof can represent it to be and not to go about to speak of that consummate glory belonging to them reserved for another world here not to be conceived much less competently decyphered but only to touch upon that incoate glory here transmitted by the holy Spirit into the souls of the faithful as that which is more particularly intended in our Text the subject now in hand which is so great that it may well appear to be the design of God to Glorifie himself eminently by this in his Church in this life For should I speak but of those resemblances in Scripture which the Spirit of God sheweth but to shaddow out unto our weak sight the radiant beams of spiritual Gospel glory the expressions will appear much below the matter though in themselves they be very high as namely the hidden Manna The water of life for food yea the fat things and pleasures of Gods house the marrow and fatness there and wines on the lees well refined Isa 25. 6. for their feasting eye salve for medicine to make them see Rev. 3. 18. App'es and Flaggons to keep them from sounding Balme and Physitians from Gilead Gold tried in the fire to make them rich garments of needlework and wrought gold with jewels to adorn them white rayment to make them pure the white stone with the new name written in it that none can read but they that have it to secure their interest Rev. 2. 17. with others of the like nature which are spoken to the capacity of other men but what the inward efficacy and glory of these things is is only rightly and really known to such as have them by this inward work of God upon mens Souls a truly glorious change is wrought in them of Bond-slaves under Sin and children of Satan they are made free indeed and the children of Abraham yea the Image of God is restored in them and they are partakers of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. Their Souls are made Temples of the holy One where God the Father vouchsafes his presence Christ holds his Soveraignty and the Holy Ghost his Residence and hereby they have Communion with the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost by which means great discoveries great consolations and great security unto such poor Souls upon all good occasions from time to time are happily administred untill from strength to strength in grace here they be by the Almighty power and grace of God their heavenly Father brought into possession of the fulness of glory with himself in the highest heavens there with all the Celestial Angels and perfected Saints sing forth their Halelujahs to the eternall praise of his infinitely great and glorious name But Secondly we have seen it hath been the design of God by Gospel grace
in prison they are forbidden to preach any more in the name of Jesus then they returne to the other Apostles tarry many dayes together working many miracles among the people insomuch that the Cities round about resorted daily to Jerusalem to have their sick and diseased healed Then againe the Apostles are put in prison and the Lord delivered them and many dayes they preach in the Temple and in every house after this came a great persecution against the Church at Jerusalem insomuch as they were all dispersed save Acts 8. 1. 14. the Apostles Then at the last after many dayes Peter is sent out of Jerusalem into Samaria where he preacheth in divers Townes about it Thus far good Reader thou seest plainly Peter is no Bishop nor yet in any speciall authoritie when as the other Apostles send him out to Acts 8. 25. preach then he returned againe to Jerusalem and this is one yeare after the death of our Saviour Christ as the Histories doe all agree in reporting the conversion which was now done as appeareth Acts 9. This is the yeare of our Lord 35. In the yeare of our Lord 38. he dwelleth in Jerusalem Gal 1. 18. Likewise in the yeare of our Lord 46. he is imprisoned at Jerusalem Acts 12. 2. Againe in the yeare of our Lord 48. he is at the Counsel holden at Jerusalem Acts 15. 7. From that day forward he giveth his faith unto Paul and Barnabas that he will be an Apostle not to the Romans but to the Jewes Gal 2. 9. which truly he accomplished even untill his death and doubtlesse never came to Rome Now Christian Reader seeing the Scripture lyeth thus that Peter's abode in Jerusalem after the conversion of Paul An. Dom. 35. is recorded three severall times and after the last time a Covenant made that he would continue amongst the Jewes If I shall prove unto thee that these severall times are rightly numbred according to the yeare of our Lord that is that the first time was the 38 yeare the second time the 46 yeare the third time the 48 yeare and then in the meane while between the 35 yeare and the 38 likewise the 38 yeare and the 46. and between the 46 yeare and the 48. that Peter was not in Rome last of all that it was true of his promise and after the 48 yeare came not at Rome then I trust thou wilt confesse with me that Peter was never 25 yeares Bishop of Rome but all Popery as it is in it selfe nothing but lyes so it is grounded wholly and altogether upon lyes First it is agreed upon by all and the thing is plaine in it self Paul was converted in the yeare of our Lord 35. then Paul himselfe Gal 1. 18. writeth thus after three yeares I came to Jerusalem to Acts 9. 26. see Peter and abode in his house 15 dayes so this was the 28 yeare of our Lord when Peter is first in Jerusalem when he was after imprisoned at Jerusalem Acts 12. 2. That it was the 46 yeare of our Lord it is proved thus the Countreys about that Acts 12. 20. is Tyre and Sidon were then nourished with the Kings provision but that provision Claudius made Suetonius in Claudio Euseb Beda in a great famine the 4th yeare of his Reigne which was the yeare of our Lord 46. Againe immediately after the Acts 12. 23. Scripture mentioneth the death of Herod but Herod was made King in the first yeare of Caligula and reigned seven yeares so he dyed in the fourth yeare of Claudius and consequently as is said the 46 yeare of our Lord Peter being now in prison at Jerusalem And thus the second time that Peter is mentioned to be in Jerusalem is the 46 yeare Others number these 14 yeares from his first going to Jerusalem and so this Counsell is holden An 51. of Christ afterwards when the Apostles held the Counsell in Jerusalem that it was the 48 yeare of our Lord it is proved by St Paul who after he had mentioned his conversion and his first going to Jerusalem whereof we spake before he saith thus Then after 14 yeares I went up againe to Jerusalem so it was the 48 yeare of our Lord this being 14 yeares after his conversion and he converted in the 35 yeare of our Lord Thus it is proved that in the yeares of our Lord 35 38 46 48 Peter was in Jerusalem Now it resteth to prove that in the meane space Peter came not to Rome that he was not at Rome between 35 38 yeares I have this proofe In the yeare of our Lord 37. Pilate wrote his Letters unto Tiberius the Emperour of Christ and of his doctrine and how the Jewes accounted him a God whereby the Emperour was so moved that he would needs make Christ a God in Rome If Peter had been in Rome Pilate's Letters had not been necessary the Emperour should have had better instruction Thus in these three yeares Peter was not in Rome between the 38 yeare and the 46 yeare they say such is their impudency that Peter was Bishop all the while in Antioch If it be so then by their own confession he was not at Rome but the Scripture is plaine he was neither at Antioch nor yet at Rome and how these seven yeares are passed mark and thou shalt see In the beginning of these seven Acts 9. 32 33. 35. years Peter goeth forth a preaching first into all Jewry Galilee and Samaria which would require some continuance afterwards Acts 9. 39. 43. he goeth up to the Saints at Lydda and there tarrieth from thence he goeth to Joppa and there tarrieth dies multos a long while from thence he goeth to Cesarea and there converteth Cornelius the first Acts 10 24. Gentile that ever he converted as is plain by the Scriptures Then he abideth certain dayes at Cesarea all this well nigh 400. Acts 12. 2. miles from Antioch And now for proof he makes no hast to Antioch he comes home again to Jerusalem where he is again joyned to the Apostles and now the Apostles hear word that certain Gentiles at Antioch are converted not by Peter Acts 11. 20 22. but by certain Disciples that fled when Stephen was stoned Acts. 7. 60. 8. 1. Well did the holy Ghost here name them that preached this while at Antioch or else here had been some colour for Peters Bishoprick But marke further when the Apostles heare this to confirme the Gentiles they send to Antioch But whom send they Peter surely they would have done had he been their Bishop But Peter abideth still in Jerusalem and Barnabas is sent to Antioch where he abideth afterward goeth into Tarsus to Acts 11. 26. Paul from thence they come again both to Antioch and there tarrieth afterward one whole yeare about this time saith Acts 12. 2. 4. the Scripture Peter was put in prison which was is proved the year of our Lord 46. and that he
soarce any understanding of Christ they may beleeve it that needs will be deceived Two years after this untill Acts. 28. 30. the year of our Lord 60. the 4. of Nero Paul abideth in Rome All which while undoubtedly Peter came not once there as may plainly appear if you read the Epistles which Paul wrote in Rome To the Galathians he speaketh Gal. 2. much of Peter as of his conversation with him about 20. years past but of his present being at Rome not one word and yet he speaketh of him to this purpose to get the more credit unto himself Why then doth he not name him as now present with him In like case writing to the Phil. 1. 1. Philippians he begins his Epistle thus Paul and Timothy why could he not here have begun Paul and Peter Nay what folly was it to bring Peters testimony Gal. 2. 9. many yeares past which now might be doubted of when he might have had his present and most certain witnesse with subscription of his own hand to confirme his doctrine Againe he writeth thus unto the Philippians Phil. 1. 14. That many brethren in the Lord were boldened through his bands and durst frankly speak the word If bands would have made them faithfull no doubt Peter had long before confirmed them surely he would not have shrunk neither for chaines nor prisons It is his own doctrine that hereunto 2 Pet. 2. 21. we are called he could not so soone have forgotten his own Phil. 2. 20. good counsell Againe Paul Haymo saith that when Paul sent that Epistle he had none of the perfecter sort but him Vide Theop. in illum locum writeth he had no man like minded as Timothy was how could this have been if Peter had been there Againe He writeth he had only * Col. 4. 10 11. Aristarchus his prison-fellow sure Peter would have been in prison too if he had been in Rome Againe Marke Aristarchus Phiiem 23 24. Demas and Luke are only my fellow-workers And shall we think that Peter was now Bishop yet would not help Great indignity to pretermit St Peter or else a loud lye that Peter was then at Rome Primate Ambros in Col. 4. Quibus solis testimoniuÌ„ prohibet qui ex circumcisione adjutorio fuevint Circa finem vitae Theodor. Dialog 2. p 9. 7. 2 Tim. 4. 11. Paul in preaching Reade over all Pauls Epistles written in Rome and if the Spirit of truth be within thee thou wilt say Peter was not in Rome Yet now he should have been even in the flower of his Bishoprick Now are there left only ten yeares behind in which likewise it shall appeare whether Peter was in Rome At the latter end of this ten yeares Anno Dom. 70. Neronis 14. Paul cometh again to Rome and is again imprisoned where he writeth his 2 Epistle to Timothy as Jerome and Eusebius and divers others doe thinke Then Peter is not in Rome Only Luke is with me saith St Paul if this be true where then was Peter Shall we thinke he would not once see Paul 2 Tim. 16. a prisoner Againe at my first answering no man assisted me Peter was not now dead therefore he must sustaine the blot of the perfidious defection or else loose his title of being the Bishop of Rome Theoph. in 2 Tim. 4. 9. Solus relictus opus habeo praesentia tua 2 Tim. 4. 17. De ore Leonis Neronem intelligit Clarius ibid. Seneca Orosius lib 7. cap 7. but all forsooke me Unthankfull wretches and deserving ill of Peter that would now think Peter were Bishop But here are now nine yeares in the meane season in which it is soone proved Peter could be no Bishop Paul rejoyced that he had escaped out of the hands of Nero but what needed he if that Peter could sit quietly Bishop Seneca writeth secretly Epistles unto Paul but never a word of Peter Nero made a Proclamation that no man should speak either to Christian or to Jew and how then could Peter be Bishop When Nero had set the City on fire in the ninth yeare of his Reigne to avoyde the envie of so great a mischief he laid all the fault upon the Christians whereof Tacitus that wicked Cornâ—l Tacitus lib 15. Heathen writeth thus Repressa in prasens exitiabilis superstitio rursus erumpebat that wicked superstition that was now well repressed sprang up again But is it like if Peter had been then Bishop that Charity should have been so quenched that no man did scarce remember it but be it that all this were true that let Peter become unfaithfull let him forget to professe Christ and feed his flock were he never so unthankful yet surely he could not be then Bishop of Rome for in the tenth year of his Reign Nero made such great persecution of all Christians that in no place they could be sure but every where were drawn forth unto most shameful deaths and this persecution continued four years without intermission and how was Peter then a Bishop they had Beast skins put upon them and then were worried with doggs they laid them on heapes and burnt them to give light in the night time they hung them quick upon gibbets they practised all kind of exquisite cruelty against them and yet for all this shall we think that Peter was Bishop I leave here to speak 2 Pet. 1. 14. of Peters own Epistles the last written a little before his death what time this persecution should have been in the greatest rage yet Peter doth not so much as once mention any such thing the former was written Euseb lib. â— c. 15. about the twelfth year of Claud. and by express words dated from Babybon which thing because it is an evident token that Peter was then no Bishop of Rome therefore they make this glosse upon it from Babylon that is from Rome So Rhemists in Appe 17. 5. as it was the Seat of the Emperor not of Peter and what a miserable shift is this in defence of Peters Bishoprick to confess Rome to be Sol. John Prophesieth not only of the terrene State of the City but of the false Prophet and Antichrist that is the Pope Apoc. 1â— 16. 17. 1. â— Eusebius Hieronimus Egyptus Babylon but Rome as it is it shall be Babylon and their Religion as it is shall be the purple whore and the Pope as he is shall be Antechrist rather then they wil loose this succession of Peter and here to make the fable perfect they shut it up with two especial lies the one that Paul and Peter both died in one day The second Ambrose lib. 5. â—d Auxentium F. Causterus understandeth Babylon in Egypt Euchirid pag. 1. 5. 9. Acts 7. 58. that Christ met Peter flying away and bad him go back and suffer death as touching the first we read of Paul when he was converted he was a young man and when he went
Christ shews wonders among the dead as himselfe so strongly asserteth Joh 5. 25. Verily verily I say unto you the houre is coming and now is that the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare shall live Hereby Christ gaines a soveraigntie above all that is called God as the Father promised Psal 2. 8. He hath the heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession neither can he be deprived of his Subjects the gates of Hell shall not prevaile against them no not of the weakest by the strongest none shall be able to pull any one sheep from his fold for hereby the soul of a converted sinner is inseparably united unto him By this Gospel grace the taste and discerning of divine and spiritual things is made truly cordial and comfortable unto believing souls Hereby God is set up in the highest place in the soul in all he reveals himselfe to be Hereby he is sought unto for all acknowledged in all what ever means or instruments he useth believed in all he saith honoured in all he doth in prosperitie or adversitie in particular or in general to themselves or others praise returned unto him for all mercies how or what way so ever conferred feared above all rejoyced in and delighted in above all that can be conceived of creatures incomparably This makes them measure all Glory by Gods Standard and weigh all comfort in Gods Ballance and try all treasure by Gods Touchstone and none of these will be approved by them but what hath his allowance Hereby God overcomes darknesse with light corruption with sanctification trouble with comfort disquiet with peace sorrow with joy opposition with support weaknesse with strength assaults with victory danger with securitie sufferings with rescue death with life and this not only once but often not sometime only but at all times not in some respects only but in all not against some evills only but against all not for some continuance only but unto the end for though every way many be the troubles of the righteous yet the Lord delivereth them out of them all Psal 34. 19. And all this grace in all the varietie of the glorious manifestations thereof is in the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ Chap 4. ver 4. And in the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ v 6. And now in the third place for the further illustration of this greatest glory of the Lord manifest to his Church in this world let us come to those respective considerations wherein it will be yet more evident that this Gospel glory is the greatest glory of all that in the world God hath or doth or will manifest yea or any living in it can behold Now for manifestation of the many more glorious excellencies of Gospel grace above all the other glorious works of the most blessed God wherein he hath discovered his wonderfull excellencies in and for his true Church upon earth as revealed carried on to be accomplished here and fully perfected in heaven We shall further endeavour by his most gracious assistance to display the transcendent glory of this work above all the other in these ensuing particulars First In respect of the more glorious nature of the work Secondly In respect of the more glorious matter of the work Thirdly In respect of the many wayes considerably more excellent foundation of the work Fourthly In respect of the most glorious structure forme and frame of the work Fifthly In regard of the long continued time for the raising of the work Sixthly In regard of the way of the raising of this work by the constant shining out of the wonderfull glory of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost all the time it is in raising Seventhly In respect of the subordinate means of raising up this work Eighthly In respect of the object for which and in reference to whom it is immediately contrived and raised Ninthly In regard of the ends wherefore it is contrived carried on raised and to be perfected in reference both to God and Man Tenthly In respect of the many excellent uses to be made by all men here of the contriving carrying on and raising of this work and what will be made of it by glorified Saints and Angells hereafter in heaven Eleventhly In respect of the effect of all that concerns the manifestation of all the gloriousnesse of this work to good and bad men and Angells here and hereafter And if the Lord the Spirit shall be graciously pleased to carry us along in any competent manner but to hint or point out unto any Arts of men the manifold transcendent glory of this Gospel glory of the Lord I hope some men by his blessing may have the transforming glory thereof if not altogether wrought yet in some measure increased in them by the same Spirit by whose guidance as we endeavour to doe it so we shall endeavour to pray unto him for it First therefore of the first viz. the respective consideration of the more glorious nature of the work above the nature of the works of Creation Sustentation and Gubernation or Providence which though they be the Works of the All-glorious God in their kinde and degree suitable to the Author yet is this more excellent worke of his in its own nature eminently many wayes much more glorious and particularly in these Considerations following First In that the Creation Sustentation Gubernation of the world are of corruptible principles and materialls in continuall transmutations and changes generations and irruptions increases and decreases all in successions nothing in continuance or stability excepting Angells and the souls of men which though they be in the world yet they are not of the world as Christ said his Kingdome was not of which in great part they are but the great work of Gospel grace is of a spiritual and incorruptible nature suitable to the Author of it and as the nature of a thing is neerer to him the more perfect it is Secondly All the former great works of God respect inferiour creatures and the outward beeing and well-fare of man and directly reach no further but this respects the inward and spiritual well-fare of man and tends directly to the advancing of that now as the use and improvement of a thing is more excellent and glorious much more is that which is the cause of it Thirdly As the first works consisted of corruptible principles so their continuance and use will be but for a time and shall have their periods and cessations but this divine Gospel grace is of an eternall being and will remaine in its use and excellency to all eternitie Secondly And as in respect of the nature of the work so this Gospel grace is more glorious than all the other in respect of the matter of the work Base and mean materialls doe obscure and not illustrate the glory of a work Who can bring a