and then put together the words to know the sence of what they from time to time may reade in any or all the books of God in this world set forth for their learning wherin God sets before all sorts of men new lessons of all kinds if they would not be such dullards and trewants that they will not take them out look then upon the letters of Gods great folioes in the world the Creation the upholding the disposeing and ordering of it and all things in it Look first to the motions illuminations and influences of the heavens look upon the successions of times dayes and nights winter and summer seed time and harvest but thou wilt say how shall I put these together and make sillables and sentences of them look unto the 19 Psalme and there the word of God shall be thy schoole-master herein it tells thee the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmaments sheweth his handy-work and day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth language that is they hold out matter for thy understanding knowledge or experience to work upon such works of God to his praise and glory so again Gen. 8. 22. Gods word instructs us that seed time and harvest cold and heat summer and winter day and night shall not cease which is another syllable to spell the truth of God by in such things how that he hath ever since the destruction of the old world fulfilled that his promise in times of plenty the Psalmist shewes how he crowns the earth with his goodness Ps 65. 11 when all sorts of Creatures are full of rejoycing and comfort the Scriptures informs us to spell out thereby Ps 145. 16. That God openeth his hand and satisfieth the desire of every living thing and so to come to thy own particular case and condition in outward things thou mayest spell out words and sentences by the help of many instructers which God allows thee as thy Reason if rightly regulated thy own and others experience observations examples of others Gods judgements providences mercies and all sorts of outward Dispensations of God whereby thy capacity may be raised up toward the attainment of higher learning by degrees upon thy well using thy first rudiments of Divine knowledge for they should all discover God unto thee and so thou mayest by degrees come to attain a good measure of skill in the truly liberal sciences in the schoole of spiritual and heavenly grace or glory if the use of the former bring thee not neerer to God they will make thee go further from him as it was with the Gentiles Ro. 1. 21. Because when they knew God by his outward works they glorified him not as God neither were thankful therefore he gave them up if such works of God discover him not more unto thee they will cause him the more to hide his face from thee as is observed of some skilful experienced Physitians they know and see so much of the secret operations of Nature that by that means they become more Atheistical forgetting and neglecting the God of Nature they pore so much upon the excellencies of the Creatures which they think they know and make use of by their own skill industry for their temporall advantage that they therefore forget and neglect the Creator and the glory therefore due unto him and doth not this Atheisme grow upon men for the want of spelling the words and sentences of Gods ordinary Books in the world by the teaching of his Word whilest men would chuse rather to be thought great Naturalists and Politicians in the world by others when without that teaching they become meere naturalls fooles and Ideots rather than soundly judicious persons in that which mainly ought to be knowne observed and acknowledged by them to the glory of the all-working God Secondly Let this direct such men as have learned to spell out Gods names in his outward works by the help of his Word then to set themselves better to reade him in his word of grace let them know the principles of his Religion and know the maine foundations of his divine truth especially let them take notice of these two maine principles of such excellent knowledge First That all glory is to be rendred unto God as the only true Originall of all good And Secondly That all emptinesse is ever to be ascribed to the creature in it selfe further than God makes it any way capable of goodnesse and puts such goodnesse into it or makes it communicative of that goodnesse unto others or of further enlargement or longer injoyment of goodnesse from himselfe even as he pleaseth unto whom the praise thereof is ever therefore to be ascribed and if thou wilt but then take up that teaching word and use those meanes which God thereby directs thee to improve them and continue therein he will then more and more discover himselfe unto thee yea when once thou art set in such a serious seeking of him this way it is evident thou wert sought of him before and he hath begun already to make himselfe knowne unto thee and so thou dost and wilt seek him still and shalt finde him more and more in that way wherein thou shalt behold his glorious grace which is the sure way for thee to become acceptable unto him and shalt be truly blessed by him Thirdly But for others who have these glorious discoveries in any good measure already made unto them Let them hence learne with the most inlarged apprehensions that may be to behold them and with the most earnest bent of their affections to entertaine them and with the highest and fullest expressions of joy in their inward and with their outward man to mainfest and declare them to the everlasting praise of the Author of them let them improve them to his glory and the good of others let them more be transformed into the image of them that they may have the greater measure of true comfort and glory by them Againe Let men wisely hence observe the divine excellency of a truly gracious spirit when once a transfiguration is made in it what an excellent yea heavenly frame is put uponit what glorious discoveries are made unto it what celestiall Joyes are put into it what everlasting happinesle is prepared for it O that these things were setled upon mens souls and that they could with such divine meditations and spirituall Soliloquies by the assistance of the Lord the Spirit so rivet them into their own hearts and keep them there that they might still soar higher and higher in such heavenly contemplations till they attaine to the top of most glorious eternitie to receive in fullnesse what here in their measure only they can but taste of Againe Let them hence learne to be thankfull above all things in this world for such gracious discoveries in any measure or degree by their good God vouchsafed unto them Let them be humbled in the sence of their unworthinesse thereof as great as manifold
from the heavens send forth her tender sprouts and pleasant fruits for the use of creatures inhabiting upon it Doe not the Valleys standing thick vvith Corne laugh and sing as the Psalmist speaketh Psal 65. 13. And doe not all living creatures under the materiall heavens when God opens his hand and fills them with his goodnesse sing and rejoyce and all of them materially praise the Lord as shewing forth unto man such ample matter of his praise and glory in all such respects continually due unto his divine Majestie from Men and Angells which either doe or ought to learne that great lesson from them But then above all when that inward secret divine grace and spirituall glory hidden from the eyes of all creatures which none else attaine to know but those to whom such inward spirituall discovery is made and none know their own but they that have it from whence there is gladnesse put into the hearts of such as have this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prerogative to become the children of God Joh 1. 12. To be borne from above Joh 3. 3. yea to be borne of God ver 8. Being effectually changed into the same image as in the Text by the Lord the Spirit not only above that when mens corne and wine and oyle inoreaseth as Psal 4. 7. But as the Apostle speaketh with joy unspeak able and full of glory and indeed when the glory of God hath once filled their souls it is no wonder if they triumph in the God of all glory O how should this true sight of the spirituall heavenly Canaan upon the top of Mount Nebo at some distance make them with Moses to be willing to leave a Wildernesse-worldly condition and gladly to goe unto that God whose glittering beames of glory have not only shined upon their countenance as visibly once on Moses but into their soules so seasoning sanctifying sweetning supporting comforting them answerably to all that his most soveraigne divine all-guiding and ordering providence shall dispence unto them That neither life nor death Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heighth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate them from his love which is in Christ Jesus their Lord Rom 8. 38 39. or it from them Yea upon this advantage God Christ spirituall and eternall joy is really and truly here and perpetually and perfectly hereafter shall most infallibly be conveyed into and for ever be continued unto their souls and their whole man to all eternitie O then know thy worth O sanctified soule that thou mayst here in some measure suitably praise thy God which as such thou canst not but desire freely to doe now and shalt most certainly and most happily performe hereafter incessantly unweariedly and most delightfully Let thy name whereby thou mayest remarkably be knowne in the world be Barachiah blesse or praise the Lord let his praise be ever in thy mouth ever in thy heart ever endeavoured after and aimed at in thy life so will thy name be truly glorious so will thy end be truly blessed but thy portion perfect beatitude everlasting felicitie Fifthly and lastly Let none content themselves with an outward profession of Christs Religion unlesse with the regenerate and truly sanctified souls they in some good measure likewise so behold the glory of the Lord as to be therewithall changed into the same image without which men may long enough beare the name of Christ and yet never be owned by Christ they may eate and drinke often in his presence and have him preached often in their streets and yet notwithstanding heare him say unto them Depart from me ye cursed I never knew you I never approved of you nor your seeming service yea some also may preach Christ unto others and that in many respects well too and yet they themselves be meer cast-awayes if they do not aright behold this glory of the Lord. Were such truths well considered owned believed applyed Christians would be lesse in seeming more in substance lesse in formalitie more in realitie lesse in shews and more in truth Satan could delude lesse grace would prevaile more the Devil should have fewer slaves Christ would have more servants sin would have fewer Subjects grace would have more favourites hell would have fewer everlastingly condemned prisoners heaven would have more eternally enfranchized Citizens to possesse or inhabite them Now for the better promoting of this great worke let me offer unto thee these ensuing Considerations amongst many others which might be added First Consider that the obtaining of this Burgesship or being so free-borne unto it is the first thing that ought humbly faithfully and constantly to be sought for by every Wise Virgin and none but the foolish neglect it It is to be sought for first in order by the direction of our best Teacher by the injunction of the best and infinitely greatest King First seeke the Kingdome of heaven and the righteousnesse thereof Math 6. 33. First in intention with the converted Jaylour What must I doe to be saved First in value and worth incomparable What will it profit a man saith our Saviour and he knowes best that it profits nothing for a man to gaine the whole world were it possible as it is not and to loose his own soule Mark 8. 36. First in necessitie For except saith Christ a man be borne againe or borne from above he cannot see the kingdome of God he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Joh 3. 3 5. First In dignity or excellency for it is incomparably more to be borne of God as all his Saints are then to be borne of bloods or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man Jo. 1. 13. First In truly comfortable fruition without which the soule is like the needle in the marriners compasse till it be this way pointed at God for its rest will alwayes be in disturbed motion It was not only more truly honorable for David that he was the truly faithful servant of the Lord and the sweet singer of Israel the man after Gods own heart then that he was the King of Israel the renowned Conqueror of Gods and his own enemies but it was more true comfort sound satisfaction unspeakeable and glorious joy over and above all the rest that he was or did or possessed in the world Secondly Consider that this is only the really true and the only heaven upon earth whereas all others supposed heavens without this are but Phantastical conceits vanishing delusions sweet poysons putative pleasures but intoxicating and killing rejoycings Thirdly Consider what a great advancement it is in the world yea above the world and that in respect both of her frownes and her favours First Saith the Apostle yea are come unto the Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the heavenly Hierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first born which are written in
for all both Ministers and people that have this discovery made unto them which I conceive more consonant to the Text for these reasons for it is of many concernments in the Text. First all those that are said to behold the glory of the Lord are said to be changed into the same image which is a benefit ad omnes fideles Christianos pertinens licet non for san aequaliter ac ad Ministros Evangelii equally belonging to all faithfull Christians as well as Ministers of the Gospel though not alwayes in the like way manner or degree equally Secondly because it is in both respects said to be the work of the Lord the Spirit Thirdly because the Apostle in the beginning of this Chapter speaks of the Corinthians as having such a work of the Spirit wrought upon them concerning which he said ver 4 he had such trust through Christ to God-ward as Divines understand those words and that being granted it is then proprium quarto modo essentially belonging to all faithfull regenerate Christians as such being both illuminated and sanctified by the efficacious grace of the Lord the Spirit and therefore the note of Universalitie in the word all was necessary to be annexed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with open face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a face uncovered Whereas in Moses Ministery his face was covered ver 13 14. so that the Children of Israel could not look unto the end of those things which are abolished Now in Gospel times the vaile is so taken away in Christ that the wonderfull grace of God is manifest and evident unto his people c. yet in reference to the metaphor something might be observable in reference to the severall Opticall uses of severall forts of Glasses as a Prospective to see the things of God a farre off and small things great or great things small as a Multiplying Glasse shewing the manifold wisdome of God as a Burning Glasse to kindle holy fire in the soule as a Spectacle or Reading Glasse to help our weak fight in discerning spirituall things as a Cylinder Glasse gathering and uniting the scattered beames of glory in the Creatures into Christ their proper Center But yet with some restraint for though with open face yet they behold it but as in a glasse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seemes to denote with some obscuritie with some mistinesse or as the Apostle 1 Cor 13. 12. But now we see as through a glasse darkly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a ridle not perfectly and fully now as we shall hereafter as follows in the same verse For then we shall know eve◠as we are knowne 1 Cor 13. 12. The glory of the Lord not the essentiall glory of God as Exod 33. 18. which no mortall man can see and live ver 20. Not the glorious excellency of Christs person only revealed or discovered in mans nature though that fundamentally of which the Evangelist John speaks so gloriously Chap 1. The Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us and we beheld his Glory as the Glory of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth Whence he is called Heb 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The brightnesse of his glory and the expresse image of his person But secondly more especially in respect of the glorious grace of God manifest through Christ of which our Apostle in the following Chapter shews ver 6. that by the Gospel God gives the light of his own glory in the face of Jesus Christ shewing by him his infinite wisdome power mercy truth justice holinesse goodnesse c. But this beholding of the glory of the Lord doth not only containe Gratiam gratis datam but also thirdly gratiam gratos facientem as the Schooles distinguish not only grace freely given but which makes effectually the receivers of it acceptable unto God And not only all these but in the fourth place there must be likewise added to make up this true and right Gospel discovery of this Divine glory spoken of in the Text The certaine knowledge and sence of our particular interest and participation of that wonderfull Gospel grace which God one time or other in one good measure or other usually vouchsafes to all true believers in this life So that we are to understand this object of the discovery complexive and extensive to the largest and utmost dimensions as it containes First the free and rich grace of God in himselfe towards his Church Secondly his wonderfull most glorious grace through Christ Jesus his only begotten Son revealed in the Gospel as Chap 4. 4. But also thirdly his most efficacious grace where by the Holy Spirit the Lord as followes in the Text both First illuminateth Secondly sanctifieth and Thirdly comforteth according to his owne free and gracious dispensation to every faithfull soul it s own measure and proportion to make up the fullnesse of the body of Christ as the Apostle excellently sets forth the resemblance Col 2. 19. Eph 4. 16. Are changed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are metamorphosed or transformed as men and women of old feigned to be into beasts so contrarily by this men and women from worse to better from Wolves and Tygars to Lambs and Doves yea from a depraved polluted devilish nature into an holy gracious Divine nature after the same image of the glorious Gospel and of Christ Jesus as the next words import From glory to glory glory put for grace as we shall shew afterward being the effect or necessary consequent or fruit of true Gospel grace and so though some seeme to understand it from the glory of Moses to the glory of Christ or as others from glory inchoate to glory consummate or from grace to glory yet modern Divines more soundly of the successive growth of the knowledge and conformity of the image of God in such as are truly sanctified from one degree and measure of grace to another not as celestiall glory all at once but by degrees even as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non similitudinem significat sed congruentiam saith Beza Identitatem saith another that is this even as here is to note the same thing namely that it is the Spirit of God that works all this in the like manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh 1. 14. As the glory of the only begotten of the father that is being indeed the glory of the only begotten of the father Lastly By the Spirit of the Lord or as Learned Beza more emphatically 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Lord the Spirit which Tremelius excellently renders a Spiritu Dominatore denoting remarkably God the holy Ghost the third person of the blessed Trinitie in the Unitie of essence who only wholly efficaciously inwardly and spiritually changeth all his Saints truly sanctified by himselfe into that same image fore-mentioned in the Text. And thus briefly for Explication Now for Observation not to involve our selves too much with those many foldings
and Revelations as a more plausible way with some under the New Testament and among some by denying the lawful comfortable use of outward good things as meats and decent apparel and civil respect with too much insisting upon trivial matters scruples in some things where God makes none though of some things it may haply be said as our Saviour spake of the tything of Mint Annise and Cummin These things ye ought to doe and not to leave the other undone while cleare and manifest truths and duties are rejected and neglected Proceed we now to the Text it selfe the maine subject where of is that glorious Gospel grace so excellently many wayes deciphered therein and first by that excellent title the Spirit of God here ascribeth to it The glory of the Lord whence after some short explication of the words premised our First Observation was Obs 1. That Gospel grace is the greatest Glory of God manifest to his true Church upon earth Which first is to be understood of revealed glory not his essentiall glory which no man can here behold and live yet this revealed glory is to be understood complexive and extensive containing all the rich free wonderfull grace of God through Christ communicated unto his Church by the holy Ghost Et grat is data et gratos faciens as the Schools speak both given freely and making men acceptable Proceed we then to the proofe and illustration of the poynt which First may appeare that the excellent title of Glory is so often ascribed in holy Scripture to the grace of God that they are often put one for another as by comparing this Text with others may be evident in 40 Chap of Isa ver 5. The Prophet having foretold ver 3. of the coming of John Baptist whose voyce should cry in the Wildernesse prepare the way of the Lord he adds in this 5. ver concerning this Gospel grace That the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together which though it was in a great degree fulfilled in Christs coming in our flesh whose glory was the glory of the only begotten of the Father though as being full of grace and truth Joh 1. 14. yet that that was not all the meaning may be evident from the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now what this seeing this Gospel glory is our Saviour teacheth Joh 3. 3. Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God not have true faith or grace or be in a state of salvation Againe all flesh shall see it together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it namely that the Gentiles together as well as the Jewes should come together to see this glory at his revealing of his grace to them Thus our Apostle calls the Riches of Gods grace the riches of his glory Rom 9. 23. that is his grace freely given and in like manner he speaks of his grace viz. that makes them acceptable Eph 3. 16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man And so the othe◠side we finde grace put for glory as 1 Pet. 3. 7. As heires together of the grace of life that is heires of life by grace a phrase somewhat like to which he likewise hath Chap 1. 7. That the tryall of your faith might be found to glory Hence likewise it is observable that the gracious manifestations of God both in Old and New Testament are stiled his glory Whence the Arke is called the glory 1 Sam 4. 22. So Rom 9. 4. To whom belonged the adoption and the glory The like of the Tabernacle in the Kingly Prophet Davids dayes Psal 26. 8. Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house and as in the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the place of the Tabernacle of thy glory the manifestation of his grace being there So againe Psal 63. 2. To see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary Thus the gracious manifestation of God in the Temple in Solomons time though it was but by a cloud is called the glory of the Lord 1 Kings 8. 11. So that the Priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord yet in the very next words before it was said the cloud filled the house of the Lord so in that the cloud was a manifestation of Gods gracious presence and acceptance it was therefore the glory of the Lord and hence the pillar of the cloud by day as well as the pillar of fire by night were equally the glory of the Lord before the Camp of Israel in the wildernesse because they were both manifestations of his gracious presence with them Now further to demonstrate and illustrate this soul-satisfying truth in its wayfairing condition First We shall endeavour to shew that it hath been the great designe of God to glorifie himselfe by Gospel grace from the beginning of the world yea from all eternity unto all eternity Secondly that he hath been is and will be more glorious in the eyes of all his faithfull people by this then by any other or all other his glorious workes besides whereby he hath any wayes discovered his glory in the world Thirdly that by means of this only men are made capable of glory and true glory made truly glorious in their eyes Fourthly that Gospel grace and celestiall glory differ not in nature but in degrees and the first shall be perfected in the other when grace shall be swallowed up of glory .. Lastly that from this Gospel grace shall be infinite cause for all glorified Saints and Angels to celebrate the glory of the Lord to all eternitie all which being done I hope it may sufficiently appeare how emphatically Gospel grace in the Text is stiled the glory of the Lord. First that it hath been the great designe of God by such Gospel grace to glorifie himselfe from all eternity is not only cleare from all such Scriptures as speak any thing in reference to that grace as eternall a parte ante for what is past as that Christs blood was shed and that he offered himselfe unto God through the eternall Spirit Heb 9. 14. and that the Gospel is called the everlasting Gospel Rev 14. 6. But we have a full declaration of Gods great designe herein from all eternity plainly set down by the holy Apostle Paul Eph 3. who having minded them in the former part of the Chapter that the mystery of the Gospel was by revelation made knowne to him and that he should be the Minister thereof to the Gentiles and as ver 9. that they might see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world had been hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ who is the beginning of the creation of God Rev 3. 18. But
shining forth of Gods most free and infinite grace unto men and Angels here and hereafter which as our Saviours expression is to all single-eyed beholders is obvious to be discerned yea there is no part of the foundation or fabrick of the whole work wherein it doth not wonderfully shine out to such soules in their better temper at least which if it do not unto any at least when they are themselves it is because they are not as in the Text transformed into the same Image if the glory shining in the work of the Creation when that was finished was the reason then wherefore the Lord blessed the seaventh Day Sabbath and hallowed it that his people might have a weekly opportunity to worship and celebrate his praise for the innumerable benefits conferred on them by Creation then how much more may the glory shining much more brightly when Christ Jesus our Lord having finished the whole work of redemption by his resurrection gloriously triumphed over all adverse powers of darkness occasion him the Lord of the Sabbath to put it over to the first day and is justly therefore by his holy spirit intitled to himself the Lords day our Christian Sabbath Rev. 1. 10. even when in the highest raptures he communicated so divinely to that beloved Disciple the great things to be accomplished in reference to the Church and her enemies to the end of the world now as the perfected glory of the Saints hereafter shall swallow up the inchoate glory here or as the glory of the Lord our redeemer seems to ecclypse the lustre of the glory of the Lord our Creator as the shining light of the sun doth the brightness of the Moon when they appear both together in our hemisphere even so is the glorious forme and beauty of this work transcendently above the other Fifthly The largeness of the time or continuance allotted for this work above all the other excellent illustrations of it First Creatio fit in instanti so the Learned Creation is done in an instant the whole work was finished and celebrated in a weeks space at first sustentation is the continuance of that for a limited time and Gubernation here is but while this course of nature or Creatures or rather supportation in their rankes from God is so variously disposed of in such wonderful manner after the good pleasure of his will but the time allotted for the contriving effecting applying confirming carrying on and perfecting this most glorious work of Gospel grace is not only a long time but all time and not only time but eternity too yea all eternity in reference to the eternal and coequal Trinity of persons in the unity of the divine nature Now this illustration of the length of time for raysing a work may more clearly appear from a threefold evidence First of nature the baser sort of creatures soon come to their height of stature as is observable in varieties of sorts of plants and beasts and fowls Secondly in Reason the more excellent the nature of a work and the more accurately it is to be wrought the longer time is required to provide for it to accomplish it Thirdly in experience both of Nature Art by all which the long continuance for the raysing of this work may be manifest above all the rest which is an other of its excellencies unto which let us now adde the Sixt Namely in regard of the way and manner of the raysing of this work by the constant shining out of the wonderful glory of the Father Son and Holy ghost all the time it is in raysing Oh the unspeakeable splendor of the wisdome and power of the grace and goodness of the mercy and truth in reference to all the holy persons in that undivided Trinity made evident therein from the beginning of the world and shall be to the end thereof in such glorious mnnifestations continually breaking forth through all successions of Ages as can never be sufficiently admired nor much less celebrated with praises both from men and Angels in all things that concern the way and manner of the revealing exhibiting as will be of the perfecting of that most precious grace from and by those sacred persons derived Whether we respect the sufficiency the sureness the efficacy the happiness in such way and manner continually held out and communicated unto the world First sufficient to make up all the Creatures wants to answer all their doubts Secondly Sure to remove all their fears settle all desirable security to them Thirdly Effectually to carry on against all obstacles and to accomplish all and more then they could hope for or desire Fourthly To administer what ever good they are capable of receiving to make them perfectly blessed let your thoughts be inlarged upon these particulars I must leave them as the dry bones in Ezekiels Prophesie till the Spirit causeth flesh to come upon them to cover them for I feare to be tedious even in a subject so precious and pleasant to such as have interest in it but therefore not pleasant unto others because they find not any to themselves yea they know it not and therefore they desire it not yea they are not willing to know it least they must loose those Idols wherein they take more pleasure But thus much at presenâ— of Gods own undertaking in the most sutable manner to all his own most blessed purposes respecting both himself and his creatures according to his own good pleasure as we shall indeavour afterwards to shew and is evident from all passages to this purpose in holy writ unspeakeably above what is to be found in any other his great and glorious works here being a way for the magnifying of the riches of his free grace only revealed in his word which is therefore magnifyed above all his name as the Psalmist saith remarkably Ps 138. in such a concurrence of all Divine excellencies as is no where else to be found since there and there only we have the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. Seaventhly In regard of the subordinate meanes of raising up this work not here to speak of the chief the holy Spirit as proceeding from the Father and the Son for we shall have occasion to speak of him afterwards as the Lord the Spirit the prime efficient cause of the efficaciousness of all other meanes but only of his inferior means such as Angels men extraordinarily inspired ordinarily qualified ordinances sanctified and providences and many other means oâ— Creatures sometime at his pleasure blessed to be in some sort instrumental in this work For sometimes to use Angels in it was an honour to it but to have used them alwayes would have been terrible to weak and fraile Creatures besides otherwise incommodious to them when as to use mans ministry is natural familiar affecting as being of the same nature and lyable to the same miserie capable of the same happiness
Christ which they by a gracious inward operation upon their souls are not only inabled to think well of and to observe favourable aspects of Divine grace in such seeming dark times but much to rejoyce many times and triumph in assurance of victory afore-hand yea to esteeme it their great honour that they are counted by him worthy so to doe him service and suffer for his name yea to esteeme it a peculiar favour and sometime to finde such strange support and sometime to have such inlargement of comfort to the stupifying as it were the sence of paine as some of the Martyrs in their sufferings acknowledged and sometime by the strong piercing sight of the eye of faith through the greatest and heaviest Crosse of Christ to discover the Crowne and strangely to beholders to seeme to neglect their contempt and with their Saviour Heb. 12. 2. to despise their shame and even to forget their sorrows yea and sometime with Stephen Acts 7. to behold high and heavenly visions of glory in the lowest ebbe of their temporal sufferings and all this many times not only to the astonishment but even to the confusion of the face of persecuting enemies according to that promise of our Saviour Luk. 21. 15. I will give you a mouth and wisdome which all our adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist which is many times fulfilled by mean and contemptible instruments which being the foolish of the world God chuseth to confound the wise and the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty and base things of the world and things that are not to bring to nought things that are 1 Cor. 1. 27 28. And thus in the manifold varieties of the dispensations of God towards his people as they receive both good and evill at his hand here which they willingly with holy Job alwayes acknowledge to be from him who or whatsoever be the instruments there are continual springs and fountains flowing forth with new matter of prayse and glory from the poor despised flock of Christ in this their uncertain pilgrimage from the manifold strong discoveries of the Gospel glory of God in and towards them in all his wayes and from some comfortable apprehensions from what a foundation of Free grace all such dispensations toward them are derived and unto what ends they tend with frequent observations of Gods glorious appearances therein so that they are sometime at a stand whether they should more wonder at such Gods appearances and glorious operations or praise him for his grace therein Oh who is able to set forth the fathomless depth of Gods misterious mercy in such sort to his faithful servants in all ages that men are ordinarily capable of knowing in this kind in regard of the innumerable varieties of godly mens experiences in all times which have been matter of such glory to God in their own persons or before others through all generations in all places of all conditions upon all occasions is but the least part as we say of all knowledge of that which in this kind might be known but as the Evangelist John chap. the last v. the last speaks in those high expressions of Christs works upon earth so may we say of these the weake understandings and memories of all men upon earth are not able to reach or remember them but when those manifold foldings of Divine wisdome held out in so many great Folioes of undecyphered Characters in such his dispensations of his grace and goodness shall be and before the glorified Saints and Angels fully explained and opened and the injoyments of everlasting fulness of glory in clear vision shall not only reveale the originall spring of all such currents of flowing mercy to all sorts of men but shall hold out in clear manifestations how in all these or what ever the like or other or greater actings which have been towards themselves in the wonder of the mistery of that glorious grace revealed and exhibited in their temporal and spiritual being in the world and afterward in their eternal happiness in the Kingdome of heaven was from God the Father through God the Son and by God the holy Spirit according to the eternal Gospel given to the Saints throughout all Ages the wonderfull goodness whereof and the glorious excellencies of God therein and thereby shining out unto them in their full glory in that most blessed vision and fruition of him which all glorified creatures then shall obtain will make them break forth with continual and unexpressible praises and glory to the great God and to the lambe and to the Lord the Spirit to all eternity And herein according as they have been appointed and exercised by those soveraign dispensations in the work in the greater service they shall be glorified accordingly with the greater measure of happiness in the world to come and so much the more largely shall they discern the excellency of the glorious and gracious workings of the Father Son and Holy Ghost for the true Church through all generations and accordingly be inlarged with rejoycing therein to the everlasting praise of his incomprehensibly glorious grace displayed thereby So that Gods ends in respect of man is to have his part in this great service and to have his portion in the other great happiness and both according to the measure and proportion dispensed and conveyed in the way of Gospel glory and both and all to the eternal glory of the author thereof we will not attempt to trace out here any of the more remarkable pathes of such mercy of God least even in them we loose our selves so far as to forget that we have here much other work to do and eternal vision will better yea perfectly discover it and is allotted for it but no such excellent end of any other works saving in reference unto this and so the drift of Gods bounty is advanced higher to man hereby then otherwise it could have been for in stead of an earthly Paradise he shall now be brought to the possession of an heavenly instead of knowing God as a Creator only he shall now both know and injoy him as his Creator and Redeemer instead of an uncertain and temporal happiness he shall have a most certain and eternal happiness instead of lower matter of praise he shal have unspeakeably higher matter of praise and consequently through this free Gospel grace the more inlargement of glory therewith And hence let us pass to the 〈◊〉 Tenth Respective consideration that is in respect of the many excellent uses to be made here of by all men here but especially by Gods servants here and hereafter above all the consideration of any other of Gods glorious works in the world First For all men that heare of such a glorious Gospel discovery in the world above the rest First to admonish them to learn in the method of young Children directed by their experienced Teachers First to know the letters and sillables