Selected quad for the lemma: glory_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
glory_n	face_n	moses_n	shine_v	2,681	5	9.0852	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25250	Ultima, = the last things in reference to the first and middle things: or certain meditations on life, death, judgement, hell, right purgatory, and heaven: delivered by Isaac Ambrose, minister of the Gospel at Preston in Amoundernes in Lancashire.; Prima, media, & ultima. Ultima.	Ambrose, Isaac, 1604-1664.	1650 (1650)	Wing A2970; ESTC R27187	201,728	236

which he calls the third heaven 2. Cor. 12.2 1. Cor. 12.2 4 and that Paradise in my Text must be understood of Heaven this resemblance confirms the first Adam sinned against God and was presently cast out of that Paradise on earth the second Adam made satisfaction for sinne and so must presently enter into this Paradise of heaven because of the sinn of the first Adam both he and all his posterity were thrust out of Eden because of the sufferings of the second Adam both he and we this Thief and all believers are to go into heaven So then this Paradise whither Christ is gone and this Thief went with him what is it but as Paul calls it the third heaven or as the Thief himself styled it in his prayer to our Saviour Remember me where in thy Kingdome And if this be it we call Paradise what can we say of it It is not for us saith Bernard in these earthly bodies to mount into the Clouds Bern. super Cant. serm 38. to pierce this fulnesse of light to break into this bottomlesse depth of glory this is reserved to the last day when Christ Iesus shall present us glorious and pure to his Father without spot or wrinkle And yet because God in his Word doth here give us a taste of heaven by comparing it with the most precious things that are on earth let us follow him so far as he hath revealed it and no further In the midst of Paradise is a Tree of Life Rev. 2.7 Revel 2.7 and this Tree bears twelve manner of fruits yielding her fruit every Moneth Rev. 22.2 Rev. 22.2 What more pleasant then life and what life better then where is variety of pleasure here is a tree of life and the life of the tree a Tree of life that renews life to the eaters and the life of the tree bearing fruit every moneth and as many moneths so many fruits such are the varieties of heavens joyes where youth flourisheth that never waxeth old change of delights and choise too entreth that never knoweth end But look we a little further Iohn that calls this place Paradise Revel 2. calls this Paradise a City Rev. 21. Rev. 21. from the 10 verse to 24. and hereof he gives us the quantitie and quality the bignesse and beauty first for the greatnesse of it An Angel with a golden Reed mea●ures it and and he finds the length and the breadth and the height of it are equall Secondly for the beautie of it The Walls saith he are of Iasper and the foundation of the Walls garnished with all manner of precious stones the twelve gates are of pearls and the streets paved with pure gold there is no need of Sun or Moon for the glory of God lightens it and the Lamb Christ Iesus is the light thereof See here the excellency of this City on which words to give you a short Comment Wee 'l begin first with the Greatness of it The Angel sets it down twelve hundred Furlongs vers 16. Yet that we may know this certain number it is but figuratively taken you may ghesse at the measurable magnitude of this Citie by those many Mansions spoken of by Christ John 14.2 John 14.2 In my Fathers house are many Mansions How many so many saith one as would suffice infinitis mundis Rolloc in Joh cap. 14. a thousand worlds of men and though all the men in this one world attain not to it it is not for want of room but of will They believe not in him who hath prepared these seats for them And ghesse it you may by that incredible distance betwixt Heaven and Earth Some Astronomers compute that betwixt us onely and the starrie Frmament there is no lesse then seventy four Millions Casman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seven hundred three thousand one hundred eighty miles and if the Empyreall Heaven as many say be two or three Orbs above the Starrie firmament how many more miles is it then beyond and the further it is distant we all know well enough the heavens being Orb-wise and one comprehending another that which is furthest or highest must needs be the greatest hence is it that Scriptures compare the height of Heaven and consequently the magnitude to the perfection of God past finding out Canst thou by searching find out God it is as high as heaven what canst thou do Job 11.8 Job 11.8 Secondly If such be the immensity what think you is the beauty It is a most glorious Citie whose walls are of Iasper whose building is of gold whose gates are of pearls whose foundation of precious stones and if such be the gates and streets what then are the inner rooms what are the dining Chambers what are the lodging rooms O how unspeakable is the glory of this Citie Kings shall throw down their Crowns before it and count all their pomp and glory but as dust in comparison and well they may for what is an earthly Kingdome to this heavenly Paradise where is mirth without sadness health without sorrow life without labour light without darknesse where every Saint is a King adorned with light as with a garment and clad in the richest robes that God bestows upon a creature But that which more especially commends the beauty of this Citie is the lustre of it There is saith Iohn no need of Sun or Moon it is verus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholly light it self Zanch. de Coelo beatorum cap. 4. not like the starrie firmament bespangled here and there with glittering spots It is all as it were one great one glorious Sun from every point it pours out abundantly whole rivers of purest light and then what a light is this Nor is this all for the glorie of God lightens it and the Lamb is the light thereof besides the native lustre there is the glorie of God the glory of all glories this is it for which Moses prayed O Lord I beseech thee shew me thy glory to whom God answered thou canst not see my face and live but I will put thee in a cleft of the rock Exod. 33.18 20 21 22 23. and will cover thee with my hand while my glory passeth by then will I take away my hand and thou shalt see my back parts but my face shall not be seen And if Moses face shone so bright with seeing Gods back-parts that the Israelites were afraid to come nigh him and that he was fain to cover his face with a veil while he spake unto them Exod. 34.30 33. how bright then is Paradise not onely lightened with the back-parts of God but with his own divine glory From the majestie of God saith a modern there goes out a created light Zanch. de Coelo beat l. 1. c. 4. that makes the whole Citie glitter and this being communicated to the Saints God thereby causeth that they see him fully face to face Again The glory of God and the Lambe of God

both give their lights that Lambe that was slain from the beginning of the world that body of his once crucified now brighter then ten thousand Suns O how infinitely glorious doth it make this Paradise this Citie of God His countenance is as the Sun that shineth in his strength saith Iohn Revel 1.16 Revel 1.16 But what starres are those in his hands and his feet Where the nayls pierced now it sparkleth where the spear entred now it glittereth gloriously if we look all over him Ibid. v. 14 15. his head and his hairs are as white as snow his eyes are as a flame of fire his feet like unto fine brasse as if they burned in a furnace no wonder then if such beams come from this Sun the Sun of righteousnesse that all heaven shines with it from the one end to the other And yet again the Lambe and the Saints all give their lights for we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him 1. Joh. 3.2 1. John 3.2 how like why he shall change our vile bodies that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body Phil. 3.21 Phil. 3.21 In what like even in this very quality for they that be wise shall shine Dan. 12.3 Dan. 12.3 How shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament nay more as the starres saith Daniel nay more as the Sun saith our Saviour nay yet more saith Chrysostome howsoever the righteous in heaven Heaven are compared to the Sun Matth. 13.43 Matth. 13.43 Chrysost in Matth. Hom. 6 It is not because they shall not surpasse the brightnesse of it but the Sun being the most glittering thing in this world he takes a resemblance thence onely towards the expressing of their glory Now then what a masse of light will arise in Paradise where so many millions of Sunns appear all at once If one Sunne make the morning sky so glorious what a bright shining and glorious day is there where 's not a body but 't is a Sunn Sure it is Revel 21.23 There shall be no night there no need of candle no need of Sunne or Moon or Star O that this clay of ours should be partakers of such glory what am I O Lord that being a worm on earth thou wilt make me a Saint in heaven this body of earth and dust shall shine in heaven like those glorious spangles in the firmament this body that shall rot in dust and fall more vile then a Carrion shall arise in glory and shine like the glorious body of our Saviour in the mount of Tabor To come neer my Text See here a Saint-Thief shining gloriously he that was crucified with our Saviour at whose death the Sun hid her face with a veil now he reigns in glory without need of Sunn for he is a Sunn himself shining more clearly then the Sun at noon he that one day was fastened to a Crosse now walks at liberty through the streets of Paradise and all the joyes all the riches all the glory that can be is poured upon him What else He is in Paradise and what is Paradise but a place of pleasure where sorrow is never felt complaint is never heard matter of sadness is never seen evil success is never feared but in stead thereof there is all good without any evil life that never endeth beauty that never fadeth love that never cooleth health that never impaireth joy that never ceaseth what more could this penitent wish then to hear him speak that promised Paradise and per●●●●●ed his promise To day thou shalt 〈…〉 with me in Paradise And thus in a Map have I 〈…〉 Paradise for quantitie great for quality glor●●●● 〈…〉 better when you shall walk through the 〈◊〉 observe the towers fully contemplate the glory 〈◊〉 that you may not w●●● of application before I 〈◊〉 Vse 1 Meditate then with what sweet delight every●●● servant of God may bath himself before hand even in this valley of tears Did we but think on this glori●●● place 〈…〉 ●hose heavenly mansions prepared for us did we spend many thoughts upon it and ever and anon sigh and seek after it until we came to the fingering and possession of it O how would these heavenly meditations ravish our souls as if Heaven 〈…〉 before we entred into Heaven Consider of this in what ●●se soever we are whether we are vexed or injured or oppressed or persecuted for the name of Christ there is nothing so imbittered that a thought of heaven will not sweeten Yet I say not that w● are onely to think of it withall let us strive and strain to get into this golden Citie where stre●●● 〈◊〉 ●●te● ●nd all is gold and pearl nay where pearl 〈…〉 no●hing worth in comparison of those things which shall be revealed unto 〈◊〉 faithfull soul Vse 2 On the other side Consider with your selves what fools are they who deprive themselves willingly of this endlesse glory who bereave themselves of a room in this City of Pearl for a few carnall pleasures what Bedlams and humane beasts are they who shut themselves out of Paradise for 〈…〉 rie pelf What sots and senselesse wretches are they who wittingly and wilfully bar themselves out of this Palace for the short fruition of wordly trash and 〈◊〉 As for you of whom I hope better things let me advise you for the love of God for the love of Christ for the love that you b●●● to your own soule that you will settle your affections or things above and not on things beneath and then you shall find o●● l●y the comfort of it when leaving this world the Spirit of G●●st shall whisper to your souls this happy tidings To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Here is an end Shall I now cast up the accounts of what I have delivered you The Total is this Every sinner that repents and believes shall be saved you need no other instance then this Thief on the Crosse at one hearty tear one penitent prayer Lord remember me in thy Kingdome the Lord gives him his desire see here the fiat thou shalt be the expedition to day his admission with me the place whither he is inducted it is into Paradise and there now he officiates doing service to God without ceasing world without end O Lord give me grace so to repent and believe that whensoever I go hence that day I may be with thee in Paradise AMEN SO●● DEO ●L● Printed for Nath. Webb and William Grantham at the Grey-hound in Pauls Church-yard MDCL

done so we must be sentenced for then he shall reward every man according to his works Thus you have heard the sentence of the just and wicked and now is the Judge rising from his glorious seat the Saints that were invited guard him along and the sentenced prisoners are delivered to the Jaylers to be bound in burning Steel and Iron the reward of Execution The sentence being past in all prescribed order the Execution must needs follow but as there is a double sentence so a double retribution first for the wicked who immediately after the sentence shall be chased into hell the Execution being speedily and fearfully done upon them with all horrour and haste by the Angels O what a scriech of horrour will be heard what woes and lamentations will be uttered when Devils and Reprobates and all the damned crew of hell shall be driven into hell whereunto they shall be thrust with violence never to return again How desperate is their case when none will comfort them the Saints deride them Angels mock them their own friends scoffe them devils hate them the earth groans under them and hell will swallow them Down they go howling and shrieking and gnashing their teeth the effect of a most impatient fury The world leavs them the earth forsakes them hell entertains them there must they live and die and yet not live nor die but dying live and living die death in life life in death miserable ever If the drowning of the old world swallowing up of Korah and his complices burning up of Sodom with brimstone were attended with such terrours and hideous out-cryes how infinitely transcendent to all possibilitie of conceit expression or belief will the confusions and tremblings of that red-dread-fiery day be It is not a few but many nor many onely but all the wicked of the earth being many millions of men shall be dragged down with all the Devils of hell to torments without end or ease or past imagination then to speak it again that I may the deeper imprint it in your minds and memories sure there was horrible shrieking when those five filthy Cities first felt fire and brimstone drop down upon their heads when those Rebels saw the ground cleave asunder and themselves and all theirs Go down quick into the pit Num. 16.33 when all the sonnes and daughters of Adam found the floud rising and ready to over-flow them all at once But the most horrid cry that ever was heard or ever shall be heard in Heaven or in Earth in this world or in the world to come will be then when all the forlorn condemned reprobates upon sentence given shall be violently and unresistably haled down to hel neither shall any tears or prayers or promises or suits or cryes or yellings or calling upon Rocks and Mountains or wishes never to have been or now to be made nothing be then heard or prevail in their behalf nay yet more to encrease their torments there is not one in Earth or Heaven that will speak one word in their behalf but without mercy without stay without any farewell at all they shall be immediately and irrecoverably cast down into the bottomless pit of easeless endless and remediless torments Oh! what then will be the gnawings of the never-dying worm what rage of guilty consciences what furious despair what horrour of mind what distractions and fears what tearing their hair and gnashing of teeth In a word what wailing weeping roaring yelling filling heaven and earth and hell O miserable Caitiffs catcht and wrapt in the snares of Sathan What need we more this is the Judges charge the Sheriffs Commission Matth. 22.13 the sinners execution Take them away cast them into utter darknesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth A darknesse indeed that must ever be debarred from the sight of heaven no sunne-shine ever peeps within those Walls no light no fire no candle alas nothing is there but Clouds and darknesse thick smoak and fierie sulphure and such is the portion of sinners the Reward of the wicked Vse What faith or fear have the wicked that go dancing and leaping to this fire as it were to a Banquet or like Solomons fool that runneth and swiftly runneth to the stocks Prov. 7.22 is this our pleasure to sinne a while and burn for ever for one small spark of silly joy to suffer universall and perpetuall pains Who buyes at so dear a rate Fear and the pit and the snare are upon thee O inhabitant of the Earth and he that fleeth from the noyse of the fear shall fall into the pit and he that cometh up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare for the windows from an high are open and the foundations of the earth do shake the earth is utterly broken down the earth is clean dissolved the earth is moved exceedingly the earth shall reel to and fro like a drunken man and shall be removed like a Tent and the iniquity thereof shall be heavy upon it so that it shall fall and rise no more Esay 24.17 Esay 24.17 18 19 20 22. O miserable fear to the wicked If the Earth fall how shall the sinners stand Nay They shall be gathered together as prisoners in the pit and they shall be shut up in the prison never more to be visited released or comforted Be forewarn'd then beloved least you also come into this place of torment Luke 16.28 It is a fearfull prison and God give us grace so to arraigne judge cast and condemne our selves here that we may escape this execution of the damned hereafter I have no will to end with terrour Then to sweeten your thoughts with the joy of Saints look upwards and you may see a blessed company After the wicked are cast down into hell Christ and the blessed Saints ascend into heaven From the Tribunall Seat of Judgement Christ shall arise and with all the glorious companie of Heaven march towards the Heaven of Heavens O what comely march is this what songs of triumph are here sung and warbled The voice of thy Watchmen shall be heard they shall lift up their voice and shout together for they shall see eie to eie when the Lord shall bring again Zion Esay 52.8 Esay 52.8 Here is a victorie indeed the souldiers in arrayed order both Marching and Triumphing Christ leads the way the Cherubims attend the Seraphims burn in love Angels Archangels Principalities Powers Patriarchs Prophets Priests Evangelists Martyrs Professours and Confessours of Gods Law and Gospel following attend the Judge and King of glory singing with melody as never ear hath heard shining with Majestie as never eye hath seen rejoycing without measure as never heart conceived O blessed train of souldiers goodly troop of Captains each one doth bear a palm of victory in his hands each one must wear a Crown of glory on his head the Church Militant is now Triumphant with a finall overthrow have they conquered Devills and now must

of this sin it is mine yours Ours every ones What is it but Sin which our Saviour purged this is that ill humour derived from our Parents inherent in our selves imputed to our Saviour and therefore saith the Prophet he bare the sins of many Esay 53.12 Esay 53.12 to who● agrees the Apostle that he his own self bare our sins in his own body 1 Pet. 2.24 1 Pet. 2.24 What a load then lay on his shoulders when all our sins the sins of all the world were fastened upon him one mans sin is enough to sink him into hell and had not our Saviour intervened every one of us had known by a wofull experience how heavy sin would have been upon the soul of each man but O happie we the snare is broken and we are delivered To prevent sins effect Christ Jesus hath purged and washed it away And is this all the matter wherefore our Saviour suffered was sinne all the disease of which he laboured when he had by himself purged yes it was all and if we consider it rightly we may think it enough to cause sufferings in him when merely for its sake God was so wroth against us O loathsome sinne more ugly in the sight of God then is the foulest Creature in the sight of man he cannot away with it nor so righteous are his wayes could he save his own Elect because of it but by killing his own sonne Imagine then what a sicknesse is sinne when nothing but the bloud of the sonne of God could cure it imagine what a poyson is sin when nothing but a spirituall Methridate compounded and confected of the best bloud that ever the world had could heal it we need not any further to consider its nature but onely to think of it how hatefull it was to God how hurtfull to his Sonne how damnable to men Vse And was it Sinne he purged this may teach us how hatefull sinne is that put him thus to his Purge Every sinne is a nail a thorn a spear and every sinner a Jew a Judas a Pilate howsoever then we may seek to shift it on others yet are we found the principall in this act our selves you know it is not the Executioner that properly kils the man sin onely is the murtherer yea our sinnes onely are the crucifyers of the Lord of glory yea if you will please to hear me I will yet say more our sinnes onely did not crucifie him but do crucifie him afresh Heb. 6.6 Heb. 6.6 and herein how farre do we exceed the crueltie of the Jews then his body was passible and mortall but now it is glorified and immortall they knew not what they did 1 Cor. 2.8 for had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of glory but we know well enough what we do and say too they buried Christ in the earth and the third day he rose again from the dead but we through sinne so bury him in oblivion that not once in three dayes three weeks he ariseth or shineth in our hearts O shame of Christians to forget so great a mercie O sinne past shame to crucifie afresh the Sonne of God! Think of it beloved sin is the death of Christ and would you not hate him that kills your brother your father your Master your King your God beware then of sinne that does it all at a blow and if you are tempted to it suppose with your selves that you saw Christ Jesus coming towards you wrapt in linnens bound with a kercher and crying after you in this gastly manner beware take heed what you do once have your sinnes most vilely murthered me but now seeing my wounds are whole again do not I beseech you rub and revive them with your multiplyed sinnes pity pity me your Jesus save me your Saviour once have I dyed and had not that one death been sufficient I would have dyed a thousand deaths more to have saved your souls why then do you sin again to renew my sufferings O my Saviour who will not leave to sinne that but hears thy voice in the gardens Cant. 7.13 lo the companions hearken unto thy voice cause me to hear it it is I that have sinned and if this be the fruit of it let me rather be torn of beasts be devoured of Worms be violently pulled or haled with racks then wittingly or wilfully commit a sinne Secondly he purged sinne whose but our sinne and this tels us of the universality of this gracious benefit together with its limitation First of the universality he tasted of death for every man Heb. 2.9 Heb. 2.9 and he gave himself a ransome for all men 1 Tim. 2.6 1 Tim. 2.6 and he purged our sinnes saith my Text what ours onely no saith the Apostle he is the propitiation not for our sinnes onely but for the sinnes of the whole world 1 John 2.2 1 John 2.2 You will say all do not actually receive the fruit of his death you say indeed truly but I wonder through whose default Our blessed Saviour what is he but like a Royall Prince who having many of his subjects in captivity of thraldome under a Forrein enemie pays a full ransome for every one of them and then sending forth his Embassadours he woes them to return to their home and to enjoy their libertie some there are that reject the offer they will rather serve the enemy then return to the freedome of their Lord and are these all the thanks they give their Redeemer O sweet Saviour he made upon the crosse a full perfect and sufficient sacrifice oblation and satisfaction for the sinnes of the world but not all receive the benefit because many by their own demerit have made themselves unworthy and yet howsoever some despise liberty Num. 11.23 is the arm of the Lord shortned no see his arms spread on the Crosse to embrace all and here is the universality of this gracious benefit Vse The use hereof is full of comfort if any man any sinner will now come in with a truly penitent soul thirsting heartily for Christ Jesus and resolve unfeignedly to take his yoke upon him there is no number or notoriousnesse of sinne that can possibly hinder his gracious enterment at Gods mercy seat O then how heinously do they offend who refuse to take Christ Jesus offered thus universally if you ask who are they I answer they are offenders on both hands First those that too much despair secondly those that too much presume to begin with the latter Some there are that howsoever Christ and heaven and salvation be offered unto them yet so close do they stick and adhere to their sinnes that they are loath to leave them and they hope God is so mercifull that they can have Christ and their sinnes too Alas deceive not your selves though the dearnesse and sweetnesse and freenesse and generality of Christs offers be a doctrine most true we propound it unto you as a

and blessed is this penitent Thief no sooner entred he into the gates of Heaven but there meets him with musick and dancing Luke 15.25 all the quire of Heaven and Lord what a joy entred into his soul when his soul entred into his masters joy Tell me could I speak with thee that dwellest in the Heavens what a day was that when stepping from the Crosse and conducted to Paradise thou wast there received with all honourable companies and troops above there did the Patriarchs meet thee and the Prophets hug thee and the Martyrs struck up their Harps to bid thee welcome to the Tabernacle of Heaven Such honour have all his Saints that attain the fellowship of the Saints in glory But more then so thou shalt be with me and therefore with my Angels Lo here a blessed companie indeed these are the heavenly Choristers eternally singing Jehovahs praise The Seraphims cry aloud Esay 6.3 Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts an Army answer to the antheme Glory to God on high The whole Quire of heaven add the burthen Revel 4.11 Thou art wortby O Lord to receive honour and glory and power for thou hast created all things and for thy sake they are and were cre●●●d O heavenly harmony consisting of ten thousand times ten thousand various sorts of Musick Revel 5.11 I heard saith John the Divine that 〈◊〉 of many Angels round about the throne and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand thousand of thousands these are the shining and singing Starres of which God told his servant Job Job 38.7 The morning starres sing together and the ser●●●●● of God shout for joy These are the winged Ch●risters of 〈◊〉 whom John the Divine heard singing their song of Hallelujah and Hosanna Revel 19.6 I heard saith he the voice of a great multitude as the voice of many waters the voice of ●any Angels singing and saying Hallelujah and again Hallelujah these are the nimble Posts of heaven Gen. 28.12 whom Jacob say● thing 〈◊〉 and down the Ladder these are the Protectours of the godly whose aid God promised the Israelites Exod. 23.20 Behold I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way and to bring thee to the place which I have prepared These are the Guardians of sucking Infants of whom our Saviour told his Disciples that in Matth. 18.10 Heaven their Angels alwayes behold the face of his Father these are the armies of God who meeting Jacob in his journey Gen. 32.2 he said this is Gods Hosts these are the Spirits and Ministers of God whom David describing by the purity of their substance and readinesse of their obedience he calls the Angels spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire Psal 104.4 They are shining and singing stars winged choristers nimble Posts of heaven Protectours of the godly guardians of children the armies of the Almighty the Spirits and Ministers of the great Jehovah What blessed companie is this we shall enjoy in heaven there is nothing in them but is amiable nothing in them but is admirable O that this clay of ours should come to dwell with th●se incorporeall spirits and yet see here a man a thief 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of men by his confession and contrition and faith in Christ is now become a companion with Angels Nor is that all thou shalt be with me not onely with my Saints and Angels but with me with my soul in Paradise His soul indeed was there though his body at that time was in the grave and if the soul be it that makes us men what a passing great joy is that when men standing amongst the Angels shall see their Lord the Lord of heaven not to be an Angel but a man Here is the solace of Saints when they shal see say who is yond that rules on the Throne of heaven who is yond that sits on the right hand of God the Father and they shal answer themselves again it is he that for us became man for the salvation it is he that of our souls hath took upon him a body soul And think now with thy self whosoever thou art that readst if thou wilt but spend thy few evil dayes in his fear so die in his favour what a comfort will it be unto thee to see that Lamb sitting on his seat of state If the wise men of the East came so far and so rejoyced to see him in the Manger what will it be to thee to see him sitting and glittering in his glory If John Baptist did leap at his presence in his mothers belly what shall his presence do in his royall and eternall Kingdome It passeth all other glories saith Austin to be admitted to the inestimable sight of Christ his face August and to receive the beams of glory from the brightnesse of his Majestie nay should we suffer torments every day or for a time the very pains of hell it self thereby to gain the sight of Christ and of his Saints it were nothing in comparison No wonder then Phil. 1.23 if Paul desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Alas who would not be so O most sweet Saviour saith one devoutly when shall this joyfull day come when shall I appear before thy face when shall I be filled with thy excellent beautie when shall I see that countenance of thine which the very Angels themselves are so desirous to behold an happie time sure will it be to each faithfull soul And thus happie was this man he parted sorrowfully with our Saviour on the Crosse but he met him joyfully in his Kingdome those sweet souls that both left the world at one time no sooner had heaven gates opened unto them but with mutuall kisses they embraced each other in unspeakable manner Nor was this all thou shalt be with me not onely with my soul but with my God-head this indeed was the height of blisse the very soul of heavens joy it self set aside this and crown a man with the Empire of all the earth the splendour of heaven the royall endowments of a glorified soul the sweetest company of Saints and Angels yet still would his soul be full of emptinesse and utterly to seek for the surest Sanctuary whereon to rest onely once admit him to the face of God and then presently and never before his infinite desire exspires in the bosome of his Maker I denie not but the other joyes in heaven are transcendent and ravishing but they are all no better then accessories to this principall drops to this Ocean glimpses to this Sunne If you ask how can our souls enjoy this God-head I answer two wayes first by the understanding secondly by the will The understanding is filled by a clear glorious sight of God 1 Cor. 12.12 called Beatificall vision we shall see him face to face saith Paul 1 Cor. 13.12 We shall see him as he is saith John 1 John 3.2 1 John