the beames of Christ shines through clouds in this world and so maintains life in his members yet here lyes the gaine to be carried above the clouds and to be lodged in the bosome of the Lord of glory As the fore-named Text To be ever with the Lord there lies the gain Gods word tels us of a time when all teares shall be wiped from our eyes but it is not in this world for our Saviour tels us the world will hate us it shall be a place of tribulation It must not seeme hard or strange to those that shall reigne with Christ to suffer with him all our sufferings are in and from the world but the fulnesse of our reigne is with Christ in Heaven Thus are we made conformable to the image of Christ in this world we enjoy least of Christ and therefore must needs be a Saints worst condition That is the darkest day to a Saint in which the least of Christs presence and glory appeares therefore is the world a Saints worst state because it is not able to beare the fulnesse of the glory of Christ which shall be revealed in Heaven There will be no need to enquire for him whom our soule loves for we shall alwayes be in his presence When mortality hath put on immortality then comes in the crown of glory we may have glimpses of glory in this life but the more exceeding and eternall weight of glory is in the life to come The top of our life here is of faith we eive by the faith of the Sonne of God saith the Text. And another Scripture opening the nature of faith sayes It is the evidence of things not seen but in Heaven we know as we are known of God the eye wil then be made sutable to the object and there wil be defect no more on our part to diminish the glory So that you see if wee set aside all the sowr of the world and take a Saints sweetest morsels he hath below yet it is short of the glory shal be revealed Wherefore the observation stands very cleare That a Saints worst condition is in this world The 2d observation is this namely That a Saint hath reliefe from the worst of the world by faith waiting for the appearance of Christ as in the Text. A Saint by faith lookes upon his union with Christ as a Sonne and so satisfies it selfe with the appearance of God So the Apostle Paul in Rom. 8. the latter end he eyes there his union with Christ and so is carried above tribulation or distresse or the worst of the world Hee concludes there was nothing could separate him from Christ and therefore he is at rest as if he should say notwithstanding all these which he named before as tribulation and the rest yet Christ and I shall be one in glory and when his fulnesse of glory appeares then shall mine A Saint by faith can argue thus what-ever may seeme best at present to a carnall eye yet I know when Christ shall appeare that is the righteous Judge of quicke and dead then shall my head be lifted up for my full redemption drawes nigh When a state of good and evill for eternity comes then shall my state and condition appeare good I know whom I have trusted Christ will preserve his owne glory and mine with his my state of glory shall be that which shall accompany the appearance of Christ the best and worst of the world hath but a moment a little time to attend it but the glory of Christ hath eternity with it and this is my portion Thus hath a Saint by faith reliefe from the worst of the world waiting for the appearance of Christ A third observation Love makes the soule quicke-sighted The soule that loves Christ sees by faith his appearance though afarre off and rejoyces in it though no affliction but is grievous for the present yet by faith the soule sees the appearance of Christ though at some distance and in the joy of it is carried above the present affliction Hence it is that Saints can overcome the world even their faith sayes the Text that eyes the appearance of Christ for if they saw nothing but the world the world would overcome them but it is a higher glory that carries them above the world The believing soule sayes he that shall come will come and will not tary and so quickens Christs appearance to the reliefe of his owne soule A fourth observation A Saint values himselfe according to his interest in God and what reliefe comes in by that interest hee eyes it though afarre off and satisfies himselfe with it Let the world value me at as low a rate as they will sayes a Saint yet I will value my selfe according to my interest in God If they say my wisdome is folly yet I will say Christ is my wisdome and so I have true wisdome If they say I shall want bread to eate I can say by experience I have food to feed on which they know not of and when they shall want their huskes I shall finde bread enough in my Fatâ—ers house and love enough in my Fathers heart to satisfie and till my eternall soule I blesse the Lord sayes such a soule I value this above tenne thousand worlds my union with Christ and know there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus and that nothing shall be able to separate mee from this glorious interest Rom. 8. I can value this I am thâ—ough free grâ—ce a childe of God an heire of glory and that which the worâ—d adores I in the Spirit of Christ can trample upon I know God hath freely given me Christ and with him all things the world is an addition and over plus Christ and glory is my portion and when the worldling gluts himselfe with this present dying world I can rejoyce in my interest in the living God and eye my gâ—ory as a sonne of God and an heire wiâ—h Christ as â—t shall be revealed at the great and glorious appearance of the Lord Jesus My soule shall be satisfied with its interest in God when the world and worldlings shall be confounded in their own glory My life is hid with Christ in God and when Christ who is my life shall appeare then I know I shall appeare with him in glory Through as it is hâ—d in God the world cannot see it yet through the Spirit of God I can see it and rejoyce in it and thus a gracious soule filled with the Spirit values it self according to â—ts interest in God and Christ The fifth observation is this namely That a gracious soule relieves it selfe in bâ—holding Gods love in the originall and the glory of it Hee lookes upon Gods love as it elected and chose him to be a sonne and he lookes on the glory of that love as it shall be manifested at the glorious appearance of Christ In a cloudy day such a soule goes to the Sonne of Righteousnesse for
work in the light of his countenance and the gâ—ory of his love let me goe whether he wil and into what worke he pleaseth my strength to performe all is himselfe therefore my will shall be his his love is my life in his worke therefore I love only to live in doing his worke and whether his worke for mee be to live or dye God shall choose for me not I for my selfe because hee hath given mee the joyes of his love in which I am able not to be bound only but to dye for the name of the Lord Jesus So the same Apostle 2 Cor. 4.7 to the end tels us of the troubles persecutions and afflictions that himselfe and the other Disciples with him suffered daily for owning and preaching Christ yeâ—â—n vers 16. We faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inner man is renewed day by day For these are light afflictions and but for a moment but the Spirit of God through them carries up our spirits to live upon a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory As if he had said in all this hard and suffering worke for God we have more comes in from God then we lay out wee have a full supply of joyes in God so that it is no hard thing to dye day by day in the outward man for the inward man is borne up by a more exceeding and eternall weight of glory So in Rom. 8. latter end What shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword No sayes hee this cannot doe it for we suffer all this for the name of Christ Nayin all these things wee are more then Conquerours through him that loved us If we consult with flesh and blood this will be found very hard work for to give up our wills to Gods will-ing but when in the spirit we come as the Apostle to understand the love of God and to live in it to understand aright the tribulations of the World we shall finde that in Gods love wee are more then Conquerors we have more strength then worke we have love enough from God to overcome more tribulation then the world hath and not all these tribulations distresses persecutions famines nakednesses perills and swords nor death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. So that God by his love gives into the soules of his people greater and fuller joyes then they part with in the World when they give up their wils to this will In Phil. 3. the Apostle tels us what value and esteeme he put upon all his externall endowments and enjoyments after God had made known his love to him in Christ he tels us Hee had as much in the flesh to glory in as any other and shews in what circumciz'd the eight day and so forward but in vers 7. What I counted gaine I now count losse for Christ yea doubtlesse and I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of CHrist Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and doe count them but dung that I may winne Christ and be found in him Observe it and we shall find this clearly in the Text that an enjoyment of Christ makes a low esteeme of all things below Christ all his legall righteousnesse hee counts it dung and desires never to be found in it but for ever to be found in Christ It proves the thing in hand that when God makes known himselfe to a soule in Christ and by that brings over its will to his owne will in that God doth not bereave the soule of joyes and contentments but gives in more in giving himselfe then he takes the soule from in taking it out of the world and it selfe and this wee see the Saints acknowledge As Paul here after hee had knowne Christ all but Christ was drosse and dung with him When God gives to his people he gives to them as he requires of them hee gives in the Spirit Gal. 5.22 The fruits of the Spirit is love joy The spirit reveales the love of God to his people and seales them up to that love and this makes joy in God so that all his ways are pleasant and his paths sweet to such soules it is not kâ—lling work to the soule when God comes to winne over the will to himselfe Doubtlesse Abraham had more joyes in God then in his Fathers house otherwise hee would never have left his Fathers house to haue followed God nor have given up his will to the will of God that hee might lead him where hee pleased nor would he have slaine his sonne Isaac the sonne of his love at Gods command if he had not lived in a higher region the bosome of Gods love and if Gods love had not been in his bosome if he had not found more joy and love in God then in Isaac he would never have slaine Isaac to have pleased God No man will crucifie his highest joy therefore it is till Christ come into a soule the World is never crucified because till then the world is the chiefe and highest joy the soule hath so that if Abraham had not had a higher joy then Isaac he could never have beene willing to offer up his will in his sonne Isaac to the will of God It is the union of better and higher joyes that makes a soule forsake its lower joyes and give up it selfe and its will to God The three Childrens choise in chusing Nebuchadnezars fiery furnace rather then to worship his golden Image speaks the truth of this thing for if they had not had a better life in God then in the world they would not have chosen God rather then the world Nay they had so much joy and life in God that they believed the flames of fire could not destroy it therefore they were not carefull to answer the King all their care was to keepe close to God in whom doubtlesse they had a more exceeding and eternall weight of joy and glory otherwise they could never have given up their wills to the will of God in the flames of a fiery furnace So likewise Paul and Silas after they had endured many stripes and were cast into prison and their feete fast in the stockes Acts 16.23 24 25. yet for all this Paul and Silas prayed and sang prayses unto God What doth this speake but that the joyes of God in the soules of his people doe exceede all their sufferings and that though God in conforming the will of his people to his owne will doth bring them into sufferings yet hee giveth greater incomes of his love by his spirit then the affliction needeth that they are not only able to beare them all but to joy in God
for us we are free from all wrath and condemnation And thus are we freed and delivered from a first part of the state of nature the wrath of God Christ satisfies God justifies as the Apostle expresseth it in Rom. 8. latter end Who shall condemn sayes he Christ hath dyed and is risen and God justifies So that there he makes a challenge Who shall condemne He saw this his compleatnesse in Christ and glories in it The second thing in a state of nature is vassalage to Sathan to which in opposition I proposed our sanctification by Christ as a second part of our compleatnesse in him For proofe of this take that known place where the holy Ghost sayes Christ is made unto us wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption where Christ is made by God our satisfaction he is filled for us and we filled of his fulnesse as that oyntment which fell from Aarons head down to the skirts of his garment so doth the spirit of God descend from Christ to us dwelling plentifully in us and so becomes our sanctification As in that 14th of John's Gospel The Spirit shall lead into all truth not only discover truth but lead into truth So the 6th and 7th verses of Coloss 2. rooted built up and walking in Christ The Apostle in another place acknowledging his owne insufficiency to any good worke yet sayes he through Christ that strengthens me I can doe all things Coloss 1.10 11. There is fruitfulness in every good work as we are strengthned according to the mighty power of Christ Christ the Vine and we the branches a Saint bears fruit as he is in Christ Without me you can doe nothing sayes Christ A Saint hath life to live up to the will of God only as hee lyes in the bosome of Christ and suckes life from him as being one with Christ so as the branches doe from the Vine Col. 3.3 A dead man cannot walk no more can any man out of Christ walke in the wayes of God but the Saints life is hid with Christ in God and therefore sayes the Apostle It is not I that live but Christ in mee I might abundantly enlarge in this but I forbeare for I well know that the Spirit of God in our soules is more then ten thousand witnesses besides Thus is Christ the Saints compleatnesse in point of sanctification the which I hold out in opposition to that vassalage that a natural man lyes in under Sathan The third thing that makes up the naturall mans bondage is be is dead in sins and trespasses To which I hold forth as our compleatnesse in Christ the Saints life and that a life of glory to prove this looke into Col. 3.4 there is Christ held out plainly as our life saith the Text at his appearing we shall appeare with him in glory There is life in Christ and glory in Christ Christ our life and his glory our glory which agrees with that of our Saviour because I live you shall live also and where I am you shall be As if the Lord had said my beloved Saints you are as safe as I am our lives and our glory bound up in one I laid downe my life to take up yours and now I have laid up your life as sure as my owne both in my father and your fathers bosome I in the Father and you in me My love my faire one my undefiled you are where I am this truth sealed on Pauls spirit by the spirit of Christ made him triumph in this glorious inheritance and trample upon all glory below it 2 Cor. 5.1 He knew his interest in an eternall house a building of God in heaven and in another place the same Apostle Hence forth is laid up for me a more exceeding and eternall weight of glory Rom. 8.30 There is all these three branches proved and this glory in the end of all but it selfe without end etarnall glory This point needeth no more proofe it is so cleare a truth both in word and spirit proving this I conceive the other is proved also That as a Saint is in Christ so he stands compleate before God I shall now give you some reasons of that which is gone before First were there any compleatnesse for a believing soule but in Christ and not a full compleatnes for a believing soul in Christ then God could not be a just God which is blasphemy to imagine for God having made Christ to beare our sins and wounded him that we might be healed this being the decree of God if there were any redemption but in Christ God could not be just to Christ And Secondly if in his bloud there were not a full Râ—demption God could not be just either to Christ that suffered or us for whome he suffered I come to doe thy will O Father saith Christ Now Christ having performed every tittle of his Fathers will God in justice must make all redemption to come through him and to be to us a compleate redemption A Third Reason If it were not thus then grace were not free-grace nor full grace If there be any compleatnesse out of Christ then it must be our own than grace is not free-grace and if that we have in Christ be not compleat and doth not make us compleat before God then Grace is not full now truly a hard thought of God in either of these must run against the whole current of the word of God and the experience of the Saints In the Spirit Saints may improve these truths by way of direction if God by his Spirit shew us our owne naturall deformity O then flie to Gods owne treasury for perfection and compleatnesse Namely to Christ In whom is all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily and to this very end that Saints might be compleat in him it is Satan's light that leads us to our duties for compleatnesse for the Holy Chost leaves it upon record that compleatnesse is only in Christ and surely if that lead the soule it shall be led to Christ for compleatnesse Did we believe this Scripture we must needes believe in Gods compleatnesse namely Jesus Christ The Apostle deâ—â—res to know nothing but Christ and him crucified for he saw compleatnesse in him never to want compleatnesse in the eyes of God is to goe to him in that compleatnesse that is God Namely Christ for he is our compleatnesse as the fulnesse of the God-head is in him Secondly having pirched on Christ for our compleatnesse let us beleeve strongly be established fully in him not doubting in the least for our compleatnesse is a compleat God God makes us compleat in himselfe God must be displeased with his owne peâ—â—â—â—tion if with a Saint in Christ for a Saints perfection is Christ and Christ is the sulnesse of the God-head If we summon in Satan Law Divine justice Conscience remainder of the old Adam within us and what ever can be thought on yet here is a full answer to all Christ is ascended into Heaven
the law of God though with the flesh the law of sinne The Lord Christ he ruled and governed in the mind of Paul and he doth acknowledge it for he thankes God through Jesus Christ he served the law of God with his minde and so beares witnesse to this truth that where Christ commands and governes there Gods law is obeyed And the same Apostle in the next chapter Rom. 8.2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death As if he had said I was in bondage under the law of sin in the condemning and the reigning power of it till Christ came to command in my soule by his Spirit and then I found deliverance so that now I can say It is not I but Christ that lives in mee The olde man the law of sinne was in command till Christ came but now we that were sometimes darkenesse are made light in the Lord and that light is the light of life and the love of Christ shed abroad in our hearts is both roote strength to a new life So the same Apostle I can doe all things through Christ that strengthens me Though the new creature be a worke too hard for my flesh yet it is not too hard for Christ in the Spirit Nay it is the certaine and the constant worke of the Lord Jesus to make the new creature Hee is made to us of God Sanctification as truly as Redemption so this is an undeniable truth That if any man be in Christ he is a new creature In this meditation there is much to informe us exceeding usefull for a christians knowledge As first it informes all of the holinesse and purity of God that though his grace call pitty and pardon the worst of sinners yet his purity will imbosome no soule but in Christ and in Christ he makes them new creatures The Lord Christ himselfe tels us in one Text That no man commeth to the Father but by him And this Text tels us That if any man be in Christ he is a new creature So that such souls as come and lye downe in the bosome of God come through Christ in whom they are made new creatures as God in himselfe is that perfection to whom there can be no addition so he is that perfect purity which cannot have communion with any impure thing God is that light which discovers all darkenesse and that fire which burneth up all drosse so that if filth approach his presence his light discovers it it cannot be hid from him all thoughts and things are alwayes naked before his presence and his fire consumes it for God out of Christ is a consuming fire truly he knows not God which saith in his heart that God and Belial may live together Our God is a God of glory and the glorious God he is not a God which hath eyes and seeth not eares and heareth not hands and handleth not exclude sinne and then there is nothing he is not he is the all of all the first the fountaine and the fulnesse of all but sinne so that God is so infinitely pure that he is all but what is impure hee is pure in the fountaine and the fountaine of purity Purity flowes only from God and that only returnes to God nothing but purity can dwell in God for God is pure And if thus then secondly this informes us of the riches of Gods free-grace which hath not only given us a justifying but also a sanctifying Jesus That Christ should not only deliver his Elect from the condemning power but also from the reigning power of sin not only deliver from the justice of God in satisfying Justice for them but so carrying them in his owne righteousnesse into the bosom of God where he biddeth them all eate my beloved feed abundantly and be satisfied A Saints life is bound up in God his blessednesse is to have communion with God Now considering the purity of God and the impurity of fallen man if free-grace had not made Christ our way and our Sanctification as our Redemption we could never have been blessed in communion with God If the bosome of God be a place of rest If the love of God be the foode of eternall life If that glory at Gods right hand be more exceeding and eternall weight of glory Oh then what riches is that riches of free-grace which hath given all this freely and Jesus Christ in whom wee have these and all the fulnesse of glory not only freely but full and that to all eternity If this be the fruit of grace then surely it must be rich glorious grace the fountaine must needs be precious the streames are so full of glory If we be saved sanctified and glorified meerely by grace then it must be rich grace that gives forth so richly to all eternity Thirdly this informes us of the sad and miserable condition of prophane carnal wretches the fruit of such lives tels us plainly that Christ is none of their roote The fruits of darknesse are discovered by the light but cannot be the proceeding or issue of the light The flesh hath workes as proper to it and floweth as naturally from it as any the Spirit hath And the Apostle Paul in Rom. 8.5 6 7 8. Ephes 5.8 9. Gal. 5.17 to the end doth discover both the rootes and the fruits of flesh and Spirit which are as clearely to be distinguished between as light and darknesse and is in no nearer union then the seede of the Serpent and the seede of the woman If any man be in Christ he is a new creature olde things are passed away behold all things are become new Truly this is but sad tidings for such poore soules that are yet old creatures not yet renewed in the spirit of their minds It speaks very loud and plainly to them that they are not yet united to Christ for were they in him he would soon make them new creatures The Apostle Paul in Ephes 4.17 18 19. speaking of the Gentiles Walking in the vanity of their minds having their understandings darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance and blindnesse of their hearts who being past feeling had given themselves over unto all lasciviousnesse to worke all uncleannesse with greedinesse In vers 20. But ye have not so learned Christ As if hee had said such a life as that is the proper fruit of a naturall condition a man out of Christ for Christ he teacheth no such things but on the contrary as in verse 22 23 24. of that Chapter Christ he teacheth To put off concerning the former conversation the olde man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts and to be renewed in the spirit of our minds and to put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse It is sad indeed for poor soules to gather that which sinne and Sathan is the roote and to please it selfe
sayes the weake man to the strong I thought if I could have stood upon your legges I might have stood strongly but now I find that strength is weaknesse and the worm of vanity is at the roote of that tree which knowes it till it dies Aske the rich man if a pillow stuffed with gold could make him sleep nay doth not his bags of gold keepe him awake Aske the great man whether all his greatnesse could satisfie his spirit nay is not the spirit of Haman there which is restlesse if Mordecay bow not his knee aske him that hath conquered all the World what hee wantt and he will tell you he wants more worlds to conquer After asking let us come to offering set dainty and delicious food in the abundance of it before a ficke and a lost stomack and bid it eate to satisfie he will tell you hee is best satisfied for in stead of loving he loaths it Then set it before a strong and healthy stomach and bid him eate and be satisfied he eates to satisfie till he destroyes both health and stomach so that he which eates not is not satisfied with emptinesse nor he which doth eate made glad by his fulnesse for both conditions are under the Sun and there is vanity in them man lives not by bread alone nor by any thing below God for all things under the Sun are vanity Offer a man that gaspeth for breath goodly buildings and glorious apparell no sayes he my coffin and my winding-sheet is of nearest relation to my conduion they must be my apparrel and my dwelling your offer is vanity I now finde the world to be such but vanity will not satisfie my living soule which is now bidding adieu to my dying bodie the worlds vanities may dazell and deceive a man that lives in pleasure but they can never please nor satisfie the eye heart that is going to sleep the sleep of death and lie downe in the bed of the grave the whele world is but a world of vanity and therefore to all that rest upon it must first or last prove vexation of spirit the proofs of this truth are a cloud of witnesses Every moment of our passing through this wildernesse of the World brings forth sinne Now because what is written for our instruction it will be wisdome in all to make use of this truth which the Wise man holds out to us upon his owne experience and which all Saints in their experience must and do beare witnesse to And first we may improve it thus It giveth us a discovery of the fruitlesse labours and contentions of all those that labour and cond contend meerely for the World in part or in whole For if this be truth that all things under the Sunne be vanity then it must needs be fruitlesse labour and contention which if it attain what it seekes yet findeth nothing but varity and in it vexation of spirit If this were truly set home upon our spirits by the Spirit of God Sathan would have fewer to worship him upon that temptation which he assaulted our Saviour with in shewing him the World in all its glory As wee come more to know God in the spirit so that we by that spirit know the world in its vanity and emptinesse then shall we labour and contend lesse for the vanities of the World and the World of vanities then shall we see the vanity of our laborious contending for that which is but vanity till then wee shall be laying out our money for that which is not bread and our spirits for that which profits not for till God gather up our spirits by his Spirit to himselfe the World will hold us and all that while wee are but wrapt up in the armes of vanity and dandled upon the knees of death for all things under the Sunne are vanity all that is below God is too low for a Saint to labour after or contend for This truth not only concernes those worldlings that are buried alive in the world but it may make Saints blush yea the best of Saints to consider how they have stretched forth their hands to graspe the wind and opened their hearts to let in vanity and upon this regard have been ready to conclude 't is good to be here let us build Tabernacles And so have labored to blow up this bladder of vanity with these pleasing imaginations to our flesh of honour profits pleasures of this world till God prick the bladder and let out this wind so that then wee see it vanity But truly so much of this old man as is in Saints makes a very uncomely sight that heirs of glory joynt-heirs with Christ in glory such as have a more exceeding and eternall weight of glory prepared for them waits to swallow them up to all eternity should be pursuing after vanity it best becomes Saints to be always upon the wing of faith for heaven above those vanities there is no footing in the World for a Saint the World is an ocean of uncertain waves that goeth one way the other way as the wind drives them so that the Dove can have no rest for the sole of her foote till she comes to the Arke from whence she went out a Saint shall find rest in nothing but in God his originall it is vanity in all to pursue vanity but especially in Saints for their lives are hid with Christ in God It is great folly for an empty stomacke to sucke in the winde for its satisfaction and this title wee may give to the wisedome of the wisest worldling which makes the Prodigals choise to feede on huskes if he could have had enough of them this winde may fill but it can never satisfie but sure this is exceeding folly in Saints who have bread enough in their Fathers house and their treasure in Heaven to have their hearts any where but in Heaven where their treasure is And it is much to the dishonour of God who is the glorious and satisfying interest of his people that they should be running to empty Cisterns when hee himselfe is an eternall fountaine of love life and exceeding glory to them and doubtless Saints in truth are very tender of the glory of God these children of love are much in love with their Fathers glory it grieves their spirits to see prophane wretches dishonour him but it doth exceedingly wound them if they be found actors in such a worke themselves and if so then wee should be very watchfull lest wee be under the fruitlesse labour and contentions of those that labour contend for the World in part or in whole If this truth were spiritually understood surely Saints would be more carelesse of the worlds frownes and lesse solicitous for their smiles and favours their best gifts and their sowrest lookes are all comprehended under this terme vanity and hee that hath their smiles hath no less of vanity then he that hath their frowns for they are vanity themselves and
discerne nor savour the things of God Thirdly when God brings in the wil of his people to his own will there he changes the objects and the affections of such soules so that the will chuseth God and his will as its centre to rest in That which the Apostle in the third to the Colossians begin exhorts to God by his Spirit works in and enables the soule to it is That such as are risen with Christ should seek those things that are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God that our affections should be there because Christ that is our life is there Now when Gods Spirit commeth and possesseth any soule it sets upon this work immediatly carries the soule upward above the world shewes it God and Christ the love of God in Christ shewes it its glorious union with God and Christ here and in glory to all eternity darkens all the world by revealing but one glimpse of this more exceeding and eternall weight of glory and in changing the object the affections soon alter This more exceeding glory carries away the soules love from the world of perishing glory When the Prodigall but considered the fulnesse of bread in his fathers house he soon resolved to leave his empty Trough of Huskes and his swinish company but surely when hee had been embraced in his Fathers Armes and tasted the love in his Fathers bosome when hee had possession of what hee longed for and was in the vision of his Fathers kindnesse and glory hee then quite forgot the Swine and the huskes his affections and wishes did not then runne to obtain enough of them no the object was changed and the affections with it and having been taken up into his Fathers glory he doth not chuse to goe backe and feed with swine any more now he chuseth to centre in God Thus doth God bring in all his prodigals when they have tasted the worlds perishing love then by his Spirit hee makes known his eternall love to them when they have tryed trusted and looked upon the world so long till they finde it empty then he by his Spirit shews them his own fulnesse when they have had the pleasure of sinne for a season and the bitternesse of sinne hath seased upon them with the visage of eternity then God by the same Spirit makes known himself to be a God of grace that pardons freely nothing to move him but his own love and how great that love it he makes manifest by a crucified JESUS and now sayes the soule I know where to centre where to sit downe where to give up my self even into the bosome of Gods love This is Gods way of conquering the soules and wils of his people He alters the object that alters the affections and centres the will in God the object is according to the eye if the eye bee flesh it discernes no object but in the flesh so if the eye be spirituall it spiritualizes every object the Spirit of God enquires for God in all it sees and where God is made the onely object there he is sure to gain the affections for he hath all love and lovelinesse in himselfe and the affections being taken the will goes where ever they go he that lives in love hath his wil in that he loves not in himselfe so the soule that hath his affections drawne into God by his love made known unto it in the Spirit hath no will in it selfe but in God in whom it lives by love Thus God doth sweetly gain and win into himselfe the will of his people by revealing the glory of his grace and love to them in the Spirit till by that Spirit they make choyce of God to give up their wills unto and say as Christ their head Not my will but thy will be done Fourthly God when he gathers in the will of his people to his owne will he gives in higher and fuller joyes and contentments into their soules then ever they had at any time or in all times and things before The Prophet David in Psalm 4. latter end given in light in these truths vers 6. There be many sayes he that say Who will shew us any good Now mark his answer in the same vers Lord list thou up the light of thy countenance upon us As if hee had said doe they enquire for any good Lord doe thou but smile upon us looke graciously on us and there is all good in that nay in vers 7. he tels us his experience of it Thou hast put gladnesse in my heart more then in the time that their corne and their wine encreased This speakes to the very thing here is a time of more fuller joy and gladnesse in the heart of Gods people then under the enjoyments of the World for I judge the termes of Corne and Wine comprehends the whole but observe when is that time why when the Lord lifts up the light of his countenance when God by his Spirit makes knowne himselfe to be their Father in Christ then is the soule filled with gladnesse but in the last verse observe the effects of this upon Davids soule I will lay me downe in peace for thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety As if he had said I will now resigne all up to thee and take my peace in thee and expect my safety from thee thou hast so filled my soule with thy joyes that I cannot leave thee but leave my selfe with thee continue but to lift up the light of thy countenance upon me and then leade me where thou wilt and doe with mee what thou wilt for I will lay all downe before thee my will and my wayes thou shalt be my peace and my safety Observe the working of the Spirit of God in the Apostle Paul's spirit when God had brought over Paul's will to his to goe upon hard and suffering work such a work as he was told he should meete with sufferings in Acts 21. When hee would needs goe to Jerusalem Agabus the Prophetesse prophesies to him that the Jewes should binde him and deliver him to the hands of the Gentiles And in vers 10 11 12. The people besought him not to goe up to Jerusalem but in vers 13. he answers them what meane you to weepe and to breake my heart for I am not only ready to be bound but also to dye at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus As if he had said you only with a fleshly eye looke at the difficulty of the worke you know not the inwaâ—d supply of joy in God that I have to doe this and the whole wâ—ll work of God doe you thinke God is a hard task-master to command bricke and give no straw Doe you thinke the work God gives is more then the strength he gives If so you are mistaken for I am supplyed with joyes and in comes of God not only to goe through binding worke but also dying worke for Christ I goe in Gods strength to doe his
that glories glory in this That he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord which exercise loving kindnesse judgement and righteousnesse in the earth This Scripture is a full proofe to the thing in hand both in the Negative and in the Affirmative First in the Negative not to glory in any thing out of God or besides God not in Wisdome Power Riches or any other thing of that nature any thing below God himself is too low for the people of God to glory in if you will glory here is a subject fit for your glory namely God to understand and know him to bee the Lord which exercises loving kindnesse judgement and righteousnesse in the earth he that truly knowes God may glory in God who is the onely fit object of glory God is so glorious that hee makes the foolish things of the world to confound the wise weak things the mighty and despised things to bring to naught things that are Therefore wisdome power riches nobility in the world are not proper subjects for a Saint to glory in no God is the onely and single vubject of his peoples glory and when you finde them glorying it is in the Lord as in the 30. verse of this chapter the Apostle glories in this that through the freegrace of God Christ is made to his people wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption his glory is in God and Christ Christ as the gift and God as the giver Christ made of God and so forth This is my glory Gods wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Christ is all this to Saints of the free grace of God Therefore be that glories let him glory in the Lord. His selfe is nothing but Christ as the gift of God his All and his Glory So the same Apostle in Galat. 6.15 God forhid that I should glory save in the crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ Hee tels them there be such which make a fair shew in the flesh that would have them to be circumcised that they might not suffer persecution But sayes the Apostle tell not me of these poore low shifts or glory for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision not uncircumcision availeth any thing but a new creature And in another place Christ in us the hope of glory I can glory in none of these empty outsides and shadowes of things it is the new Creature Christ in me the crosse of Christ the redemption of free grace the eternall love of God that I can glory in or make the subject of my glory as in that most remarkable place Eph. 2.8 9. For by grace are yee saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast Mark it and we shall find here is a sure provision to keep all the glory upon Gods head so that who ever glories must glory in God Why because the whole matter of salvation comes of by and from the free grace of God yea even faith the hand that layes hold of the free grace of God is also the gift of Gods free grace worke selfe is wholly excluded because God will have no flesh to boast or glory in his sight or in any thing but himselfe Therefore God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he hath loved us even when we were dead in sinnes hath quickned us together with Christ therefore it is by grace that we are saved He loved us when we lay in our blood when no eye pitied us his love is first to us and from hence he makes a covenant of free grace to be our God and that we shall be his people that he will put his law in our hearts and teach his people by his own Spirit What doth all this prove but thus much That God alone is and ought to be the onely subject of his peoples glory and we shall find the Apostle Paul in this first of the Ephesians not onely in the precept but in the practice of this thing blessing of God and glorying in God in the third verse Blessed be the Lord God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ Observe it he blesses and glories in God he mentions nothing to glory in but God in Christ God in himselfe when he speaketh of chusing electing love and glory he doth it in Christ verse 4. Chosen us in him before the foundation of the world and so forward in the fifth verse Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will verse 6. to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us acceptable in the beloved And in the seventh verse according to the riches of his grace verse 8. wherein he hath abounded towards us in all wisdome and prudence Thus the Apostle spends the whole chapter in declaring the glory of the full love and free grace of God to his in Christ he is in a very glorious frame of spirit full of glory and blessing but God is the subject of all his glory and blessing So we may find him in his triumphing Chariot That Rom. 8. verse 1. No condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus and walk after the Spirit in which there is freedome from the law of sinne and death 33. Nothing to be laid to the charge of Gods elect which God justifies and that nothing can separate from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Gods love is the subject the Apostle glories in it was the love of God and so everlasting unchangeable love it was justification by the free grace of God therefore above condemnation Mark it God is the subject of his glory God justifies and God loves So in Rom. 11. latter end O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out For of him and to hins and through him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen The Apostle finds all to be in God and God the onely subject for him to glory in and give glory to What ever God doth himselfe is the glory of all his workes and God is a depth of riches wisdome and knowledge he is unsearchable in his judgements and his wayes are so full of glory that man cannot trace them he is so pure a glory that he can bee discerned by no light but his own 2 Cor. 2.14 But the naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned God is so greaâ— a glory that he darkens all glory besides himselfe so that nothing but himselfe can be a discovery of himselfe and this the Apostle declares as the glory of God he is an unsearchable and more exceeding and eternall weight of glory Therefore sayes hee
it becomes a servant not only to God but to Saints also Death is through Christ a servant to all Saints to waite on them till they have finished their worke on Earth in the will of God and then layes them to rest in the dust It waits till all the worke be done and then doth its worke in the appointment of God resting the weary body from its labours cracking the clay walls that the thirsting soule may meete its Beloved in perfection of glory so meet as never to part more but to be for ever with the Lord to behold the love of God in glory and be for ever swallowed up in the glory of that love Death which in it selfe is grim and frightfull is through Christ to a Saint welcome and pleasing because it comes without a sting and hath no other businesse but to serve Gods end in freeing both soule and body sets the foule free from the body of death and the body from a weary and toilesome life Death is but a sleep in which the body lyes till at the glorious appearance of Christ it riseth incorruptible the nature of death is through Christ but to be our Fathers messenger to bring us home that we may see his reconciled face in glory and enjoy the mansions prepared for us that wee may tast the love of his heart know him in himselfe reape the full harvest of all our hopes possessing glory above the life of faith our feasting in heaven will be fruitions not a crown of glory in promise only but in possession the joyes the hopes the desires of a gracious soule in all his life is by death brought in at once the joy of this soule is that the day drawes nigh in which the body shall be dissolved and it shall be with Christ It hopes to meete its beloved in perfect glory and never part more it desires to be absent from the body and present with the Lord and in all this death is through Christ a servant to a Saints death hath all its poyson in its sting and Christ taking away the sting from death hath quite changed the nature of it Death with its sting kils where it conquers but Death without its sting only changes the body of Saints from wormes to cold clay So Job hee waited all the dayes of his appointed time till his change came by death Saints change their place but not their company whereas before they lived in God now they live with God Saints on earth have communion with God and Christ in the Spirit and Saints in heaven have the same company but in greater glory Death changes our place of communion but not those wee have communion with Saints on Earth live upon love tokens from God and Christ sent to them by the Spirit but in Heaven upon the originall and fulnesse of all that love here by the Spirit we read the love and kindnesse of God and Christ in a Covenant of free-grace and many gracious promises but in heaven we taste of love in the fountaine in the very bosome of God and Christ to all eternity here wee glory that glory waits for us in heaven there our glory is to be swallowed up into glory and to be made glorious in the fulnesse of that glory In this Saints glory over the nature of death it doth not kill them but change them from a cloudy to a more exceeding and eternall weight of glory And as for the bodies of Saints it may be said of them as Christ did of the Rulers daughter shee is not dead but sleepeth Death changes them in this their sleep is something longer then at other times yet they are not dead but sleepe for Christ is the life of Saints And because Christ lives they live also John 14.19 Their clay is colder in this sleepe then in others and by degrees crumbles into dust here is a change indeed and it is no more for this corruptible must put on incorruptible and this mortality must put on immortality and then it will fully appeare that death is swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 53 54. The nature of Death is changed by Christs taking the sting away from being the King of terrours it becomes the messenger of glad tidings Death is now so free from terrours that it brings tidings of the greatest joy to Saints it tels the Spouse of Christ she shall goe and be for ever in her beloveds armes Your wildernesse days are accomplished in which you went many times to the Watchmen to enquire for your Beloved and you found them in the darke as well as your selfe but now you shall finde your Beloved and be filled with his love and live in the light of the Lord for ever Death tels the children of God hee is come to fetch them home to their Fathers house yea to their Fathers Kingdome in which they shall all reign with him They shall be as children under-age no longer they shall now possesse the mansions prepared from eternity to eternity not only have all teares wiped from their eyes but to live for ever in the beholding and enjoying perfection of glory Death brings glad tidings both to body and soule it tels the body head you shall ake no more stomacke you shall be sicke no more heart you shall tremble and be affraid no more flesh you shall bleed and smart no more I am come to put an end to all these feares and troubles God will looke you up in the cabinet of the earth that you may there sleep in peace till Christ raise you incorruptible and carry you into glory And to the soule sayes Death you shall have no more time for sinne and vanity perfect holinesse to eternity shall now swallow you up I come only to put an end to sinning dayes you shall now groane under sinne no more that body which held you and was subject to temptations shall now goe to sleepe in the dust till the tempter be chained up in eternall darkenesse in stead of mourning under sin you shall now for ever glory over sin your feares shall end so shall your faith for in stead of the evidence of things not seene you shall both see enjoy the heighths breadths depths and lengths of the love grace kindnesse faithfulnesse and glory of that God you have believed in Feare not me sayes Death I come from your Father so as you mâ—y be sure I have no commission to hurt you Christ your beloved Huâ—band Brother Head and Redeemer tooke care that I should not be able to hurt you for he tooke my sting from me before I should come unto you I am come without a sting to tell you God and Christ loves you but that is not all my errand they love you so well that they can suffer you no longer to be out of the full enjoyment of their love and I am sent to cracke the clay walls which is your prison that you may flye home and be at rest there your rest
answer to those Jewes which thought themselves not to be under bondage because they were Abrahams seede in the flesh our Saviour tels them this externall interest did not make them free-men For sayes hee notwithstanding this you are under sinne Vers 34. Who ever commits sinne is the servant of sinne and your fleshly interest in Abraham doth not acquit you from the bonds and servitude of sinne but if the Sonne have made you free then are you free indeed As if Christ had said Abraham could not beare your sins and the wrath of God due to them for you and therefore you are in bondage still but what the Son bears he makes them perfectly free from for whom he beares it Christ came to save those that were lost And he tels us when he gave up the ghost upon the Crosse that the worke was finished And in John 17.4 I have glorified thee on earth Joh. 17.4 I have finished the worke thou gavest mee to doe Christ tels his Father that he had lost no glory in sending him upon the worke of Redemption for says he I have finished that worke thou gavest me to doe which was to worke out a perfect Redemption for his people Isa 61.1 To give liberty to the captive and to open the prison doores Isa 61.1 If this bee a truth as doubtlesse it is that what-ever Christ hath borne for a believer that a believer is fully redeemed from then it will be worthy a Saints best serious consideration in searching the Scriptures and in the Spirit giving eare to heare and heart to consider what they say Christ hath borne for us First I finde by that 2 Cor. 5.21 that Christ hath born sinne for us For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sinne that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him The text speaks in the abstract He was made sinne for us There cannot be a fuller expression there is the act God making Christ to be sinne for us or taking all sinne off from us and laying it upon him as was typified under the law in the Scape-goate which went into the Land of Forgetfulnesse Now the issue and effect of this act followeth in the Text That we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him This expression is as full as the former the holy Ghost expresseth the sinner for whom Christ was made sinne to be as fully acquitted from sinne as Christ is made sinne Marke the words made the righteousnesse of God in him so perfectly righteous that God ownes the soule as one with himselfe righteous as being one with Christ who is the righteousnesse of God Now the soule that is thus righteous must needs be acquitted from all finne the righteousnesse of God and the condemnation for sinne is as light and darknesse which cannot be together in one soule If Christ once come into a soule and tels that soul by his Spirit that he hath borne all its sins and so makes the soule to believe in the free grace of God and to rest upon Christ as his righteousnesse that soule is as fully in the fight of God acquitted from sin as Christ was by God made sinne for it This soule stands before God compleate in Christ not having spot nor wrinckle in it All that can be said is said in this That soule for whom Christ was made sin is thereby made the righteousnesse of God in him So that Christ having borne the sinne the soule never more beares that in his owne person before God but doth alwayes stand both before the throne of justice the throne of grace as fully cloath'd with Christ his righteousnesse as Christ upon the Crosse was with his sinne Isa 53.6 The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquities of us all Iniquity is one with sin here now then read this truth with an eye and heart of faith that what Christ hath borne for us we are fully delivered from and then will the glory of free grace be lifted up and our soules made to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory in believing Secondly Christ hath fulfilled the Law and borne the curse of it for his people Gal. 4.4 5. Christ was made under the law to redeeme his people from all that in the law which was weight and burthen from the curse of the law Gal. 3.13 From the reigning and condemning power of it he hath satisfied and keeps the law fully for us In Gal. 4.5 6. there Christ hath redeemed us to the liberty of sons the spirit of adoption reigning in our consciences and conversations above the letter of the law so that in Rom. 8.2 3 4. There the Apostle tells us That by vertue of the law of the spirit of life in his union with Christ Jesus hee had freedome from the law of sin and death That law of commandement by which sinne revived and the soule dyed he was delivered from by the spirit of life in Christ Jesus For sayes he what the law could not enable the soule to doe because of the weakenesse of the flesh that did God by sending his Sonne in the flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that is condemned our sinnes and satisfied his law and justice for them all in the death of Christ So that now the righteousnesse of the law is fulfilled by Christ for us who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit The law was fulfilled and had its accomplishment in Christ that is the law in the letter and the soule now through union with Christ is taken up to live in the law of the spirit of life that is the spirit of God lives in the soule and is a law and a life to it not only teaching but leading the soule into all truth it is the law of the spirit and so the law of life it is the law of love and so the law of life Nay it is God himselfe displaying his love and reigning by his Spirit in the souls and consciences of his people and so it is the law of the spirit of life and all this to the soules of his people in Christ Jesus Gal. 5.18 But if yee be led by the Spirit yee are not under the law A soul which lives not and acts not upon Christ in the Spirit so farre as as he doth not he is under the law of sinne and death in all hee doth but it is a certaine deliverance from the law of the flesh in our conversations and the law of the letter in our consciences is to be ledde by the spirit of Christ and to walke in that spirit Ephes 5.8 9. For yee were sometimes darknesse Ephes 5.8 9. but now are yee light in the Lord walke as children of the light For the fruits of the Spirit is in all goodnesse c. They were never without the letter yet sometimes darke saith the Text but the light of the Lord in which the redeemed of Christ should walke
is no other name under heaven by which men can be saved but by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ Oh then where should poore sinning soules looke but to their interest in Christ as sons of God and co-heirs with Christ The Prophet Isaiah in Chap. 35.11 speaking in the verse before of Gods bruising and putting Christ to griefe making his soule an offering for our sins saith Hee shall see the travell of his soule and shall be satisfied God is satisfied with no other object but his sons he looks on all his people through him now wee must eye what God eyes the travell of Christ as our publique person and in that object the soule will live and sin will dye God hath lodged the glory of his grace here that all our reliefe should come in and through the Lord Christ He came from the bosome of Gods love upon this designe to be eyes to the blinde legges to the lame and to set the captive and those that are bound in fetters chains free Is not Christ then and the bosome of free-grace that gave him the only object for a sinning soule to looke on for reliefe an experienced soule in these objects will tell you that a glimpes of Gods love in the face of Christ is the only expeller of the being and the reigning of sin in it such experience as this the Apostle speaks of in 2 Cor. 5.14 15. For the love of Christ constrains us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then we were all dead And that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose againe Marke the spirit of the Apostle he eyed his interest as one with Christ in death and life and speaking of sin sayes he love constraines straines me thus to judge that I am dead to sinne and can live no longer to it because Christ is my interest This is an object indeed able to slay sinne in the soule to behold our interest in Christ that love which made this interest constraines our soules thus to judge and thus to act as being dead to sin because we are alive to Christ so that I hope it is clearely made out that a soule in a sinning condition must eye its interest in God as a Father and in Christ as a head and a husband For no other object besides this can either raise a soule fallen in sin or slay that sinne which lives in the soule Therefore the exhortation stands firm and should make its impression on our soules namely that wee should be much in beholding our interest as we are the children of God and as we are fixed with Christ in his eternall love I may safely say this is our duty as well as our priviledge to be alwayes eyeing our interest in the love of God for herein we serve the ends of God in magnifying his grace to us and shedding his love abroad in our hearts This is fully proved in that Rom. 8.14 15 16. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sonnes of God For yee have not received the spirit of bondage againe to feare but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we crie Abba Father The Spirit it it selfe bearing witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God Marke it the Spirit is given to beare witnesse of our interest and this is not a spirit of bondage but that free spirit in which we behold our interest as children and sayes the Text cry out Abba-Father If we have received the Spirit it is our duty as well as our priviledge to improve it to this end the constant beholding of our interest as the children of God and in vers 17. of Rom. 8. If children then heirs heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ Oh eye this interest as we love our lives let us eye this interest this is our living upon that life which is hid with Christ in God the perfection of which shall be a full enjoyment of God and Christ to all eternity Againe let this perswade us to prize highly and thrust heartily for this most glorious appearance of Christ If our hearts put that day farre from us wee put our highest glory farre from us for till then we are as heirs under age not in full possession for free-grace hath given more and the blood of Christ hath purchased more and heaven containes more glory for us then the world can beare to be revealed but Christ shall come and manifest it all which glory shall consume the world all corruptible things shal dye before it and then soule and body both shall be carried above corruption to be filled and crowned with immortall glory though now we are sonnes yet many times there is such clouds of corruptions and afflictions on us that it hardly appeares what we are much lesse what we shall be Our glory now as children is more then the world can see and when Christ thus appears it shal be more then the world can bear Oh let this bear up our spirits the few moments that are behinde if all in this world be not enough Christ is hard by and he wil bring enough with him Wait cheerfully as those that believe such an appearance of Christ at hand in which we shall appeare in our interest and our union with him Againe let this teach us what value to put upon the world it is too weake a foundation to beare all our glory when we come to possesse our full inheritance as co-heirs with Christ the world will be too narrow to containe it and if it be so then surely the world is not worthy of our love our joy nor our feare That soule which God loves the world is too little for its love God only can and will satisfie that love he makes us love him because he loved us first the flames of love which he kindles in our bosoms he satisfies with that fountain of love which is in his own bosome That soul which hath interest in Christ and waits for his appearance the perishing world is too low a thing for him to rejoyce in But he may always rejoyce in the Lord for there is a sutable portion and truly there is no just cause for a Saint to feare the world when Christ hath undertaken for him at the throne of grace the world must hate us because it hates him whose image wee bear but here is reliefe enough Christ that is our interest in heaven he hath overcome the world for us wee may be encouraged to goe to the Father in Christs name to be kept from the evill of the world but there is no cause why wee should feare that the world shall overcome us for Christ is able and faithfull to preserve all those the Father hath committed to his charge Were the world as little in our affections as it is in our interest we should enjoy it more
the type or the things typified yet it holds forth this that God is the glory of it God in Christ the light thereof Exceeding much may be written upon this head but I hope this little will fully satisfie all but Atheists That God is the first fulnesse and all of all glory But what advantage this is to Saints how their glory is in God is next under consideration And for this first consider the prayer of our Saviour to his Father and our Father in John 17.24 Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the World And in vers 22. The glory which thou gavest me I have given them This is truly the end for which Christ was given of the Father that in him namely Christ the people of God might be made partakers of his glory Christ prayes according to the will of God that God would perfect in his elect body the worke of his Mediatorship namely that God and his people might have full communion in that glory which Christ had with the Father before the World was vers 5. For I conceive that to be the glory which Christ cals my glory that to which he was ascending Our Saviour seemes to make these the grounds of this prayer I in them and thou in me vers 23. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them therefore let them behold my glory i. Let them be filled with thy self for thou art my glory For there is no other way of beholding God the glory of Christ but by being made partakers of God and filled with his fulnesse There is another full Text to this purpose in Rom. 8.17 And if children then heirs heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ Marke it first every childe of God is an heir 2. God himselfe is the inheritance of all his Children heirs of God but how doe Saints enjoy this their inheritance namely God the Text tels us joyntly with Christ we are joynt-heirs of God with Christ So that God communicates himselfe in his glory to Saints as to Christ Saints full of God as Christ their elder Brother is This is as full a proofe as words can make That in God there is fulnesse of glory for his people because himselfe is the inheritance of his people which Saints enjoy as fellow heirs with Christ having their lives bound up with God in Christ their glory appeares with Christ in God the experience of this made the Apostle to glory in Phil. 1.21 For to me to live is Christ and to dye is gaine The free-grace and eternall love of God in Christ is my life wherefore to dye to this body wil be my gaine for I am an heir of God with Christ my glory is with God and were I out of the body I should be fully in God so againer in glory but whether to live or dye God in Christ is all my glory And the same Apostle in Phil. 4.4 gives this exhortation Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes and againe I say rejoyce Be glad and glory in the Lord surely he had found fulnesse of glory in God otherwise he would never have given such an exhortation as this to rejoyce and rejoyce alwayes speake this that there is alwayes fulnesse of joy and glory in God for his people The Saints of olde living upon God could glory in tribulation that is in God though under tribulations as Shadrach Meshech and Abednego in the fiery Furnace Daniel in the Lions Den Paul and his fellow prisoner in the Stocks when as their stripes were sore And as the same Apostle in Rom. 8. latter end though under tribulations distresses persecutions famine nakednesse perill sword and killings all the day long yet under all these more then Conquerours through the love of God So that it appeares clearly a Saints glory is in God because when hee enjoyes God in his love he is more then a Conquerour over all afflictions more because God is his glory and that glory is greater then all the trouble of the World It must needs be great and communicable glory that can keep the head above water and the soul from being overwhelmed by that sea of afflictions which is before expressed And thus we see God is fulnesse of glory for all his people and I am confident the experiences of Gods people in these dayes can produce a numberlesse number of testimonies to this truth I shall adde no more but leave the Reader to reade the makings forth of the glory of God upon his own soule the sum of all is this that in the Lord is all glory therefore he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. But if any shall say I am not edified by this generall theame of glory in God for his people to glory in shew me the particulars of this glory in which the people of God may and doe singly glory in God To this I answer I will tell you what God hath shewed mee but it is only himselfe that can shew it you by his Spirit for his glory is too great to be beheld in any light but his owne and to such as God gives the light of his Spirit it will appeare in these particulars following wherein Saints may and doe in all their glory glory singly in the Lord. The first particular is this The originall full and eternall love of God to all his Elect in Christ A soul that glories in God upon this consideration may glory singly in God and will tell you God is the original of love for God is love he is Alpha Omega the beginning and the end Nay his love is as himselfe from all eternity without beginning and without end this soul wil tel you Gods love is full for the fulnesse of all that is lovely proceeds from it he is the first of love for he is the first in love he loved us first and his originall love is the womb of our love we love him because he loved us first It is this originall love of God which conceived and brought forth heires of love Christ the eldest Brother is the gift of this love and this originall love is so full that it makes every childe a joynt heire with Christ and this love so eternall that the inheritance is as eternall as God himselfe for God in the fulnesse of his love is his Childrens eternall inheritance this soule will tell you all I have and am to all eterninity which hath life and glory in it is the effects and workings of this original ful and eternal love of God the state of Innocency the restoration and redemption of grace the beauty of the first Adam before his fall and the perfection of the second Adam all but that proceeds of this originall love of God Ephes 2.4 5. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even