of our redemption the comforter of our souls the teacher of all our sound wisdome and knowledge the guider and orderer and preserver of our whole spirits soules and bodies in the way of truth peace and glory unto the appearing of Christ and from thence their preserver in and unto eternal life 1 Thes 3. 13. So that since grace is of such neer consanguinity yea of such Identitie and oneness of the same essence and nature with glory hereafter and glory being not only the perfecting and consummation of grace but the result recompence and reward of it too it is no wonder it is here dignified with the most excellent title of Glory in the text and that as proceeding from the most excellent author and fountain of it the Lord the glory of the Lord the greatest glory he hath manifested in this world or greater then to all other Creatures in the world save his true Church therein at least in that inward spiritual efficacious manner to their transformation into the same Image and even greater then to his true Church under the old Testament though transformed likewise yet in these gospel times it is more clear more excellent as we formerly declared and therefore such as now with those primative Saints spoken of in the Text behold it after the like manner must needs happily behold the glory of the Lord though but as in a glass yet with open face And thus much briefly of this particular likewise The Fifth Demonstration is from the consideration that it will be the everlasting fountain and never failing spring continually affording matter of the perpetual Halelujahs blessings and prayses of the glorified Saints and Angels unto the Lord God Almighty unto the Lambe and unto the Lord the Spirit for ever and ever In that perfect Estate of their happiness all the greatness of this glory in the particulars we formerly set before you besides what ever else may most display it I say the greatness of it above all others will then be most clearly unfolded most largely discerned most perfectly manifest unto them to the infinite praise and glory of the Author worker and dispenser of all grace and glory and their own happiness and glory will be so much the more inlarged as they know and feel and canperform this most glorious work of praise and as there are such multitudes of such exexcellent companions and consorts in this soule-satisfying celestial divine and perfectly happy harmony the profound depth the misterious secrecy the otherwise then by an infinite God insuperable difficulties the most certain sureness and most settled security of the laying of that foundation how will it be known and admired to the honour of him that from eternity had so laid it How will the glorious nature matter and forme thereof be in like manner displayed improved by them How will all that they shall observe or discern of the time durance and manner of raysing such a glorious structure be celebrated by them with their due praise How will then the infinite wisdome mercy grace compassion and riches of goodness with the power truth holyness justice and all the excellencies of God so gloriously shining out in the face of Jesus Christ chap. 4. 6. and by the holy spirit discovered before unto the Saints be continually in an happy measure obvious to the vision How will the knowledge of such poor yet suitable instrumental means that had such treasure in earthen vessels to convey such glorious grace unto such mean and unsutable objects as men in their lost Estate so wonderfully powerfully and graciously throughout all generations in the world spring out unto them with matter of continued renewed melodie in that most blessed and glorious heavenly harmony How will the uses then observed and improved by them to the uttermost be compleated How will the blessed operations and effects of this glory then be fully known noted declared celebrated by them with all due honor to the worker of them to all eternity Here Gods Saints according to their discoveries in such contemplations may adore and admire in some poor measure and by the eye of faith discerne such things as God hath both so wrought revealed and conferred in and by the Gospel of his Son But the most happy inlargements beatifical vision and perfect fruition of these things both for their own most secure and satisfying happiness and the infinite and eternal praise of the Almighty One will be then the everlasting imployment of all such glorified Saints and Angels to all eternity then will the unspeakable excellencies of this glorious grace fully appear unto such O that men would therefore labour above all things to get their part in it here that they may have their portion in that happy society hereafter everlastingly by these means to praise God with them and in so doing to be perfectly blessed with them And thus we have done with the proofe and illustration of this glorious truth Proceed we now to add some further improvements then what we have formerly touched upon and so to draw on to a conclusion of the point Vse First Let men above all turne their eyes I meane the eyes of their souls and minds to the beholding of Gospel glory glorious things are delightful things to every discerning faculty provided there be suitableness in a due proportion thereunto First For the senses it is a pleasant thing for the eyes to behold the Sun saith Solomon Ec. 11. 7. Secondly For Reason The contemplation of Moral Natural and Metaphysical objects and subjects was so pleasing unto the ancient Phylosophers and Sages amongst the Heathen that they were so inwardly ravished with the excellency thereof that they conceived happiness consisted therein but that soul that by the eye of faith and by the efficacious grace of the Spirit of God comes once to behold in any good measure this Gospel glory finds by this a dim shade cast upon all seeming glories in the world besides as the sun shining in his glory at noon day upon the light of many small candles burning in the bright beams thereof Qu. But thou wilt say how shall I do this Blind men cannot see pleasing objects and deaf men cannot here delightful musick the Scripture tells me I am such by nature Ans And doest thou beleeve that is true If many others did so too they would be much neerer the cure and so art thou like to be for thou couldest not rightly have acknowledged that but by the holy Ghost But to help the good work forward and to point out unto others what course they should take give me leave to set down a few directions First Go to Christ the true Physitian of souls for his Collyrium his spiritual eye salve which he makes proclamation of Rev. 3. 18. and buy it of him by prayer by faith by the use of all his means Secondly To cure thy deafness let him put his fingers into thine eares and say Mar. 7. 33 34.
with that much more excellent discovery of Gospel glory though a truly regenerate and sanctified soul sees such beauty such loveliness such joy and sollace yea true happiness in those Gospel gracious discoveries that they not only like it and commend it but as some Ancients concerning some amorous persons were wont to phrase it perdite amant alias they love others to the looseing of themselves so it may be said of their loving of Gospel grace but in a good and necessary sence as our Saviour speaks Mat. 10. 5. If any love Father or Mother Wife or Children more then me he is not worthy of me perdite amant gloriam Evangelicam they destructively love Gospel glory that they will rather loose friends and credit ease and possessions liberty life and all then to suffer a divorce between that and their own soules But for all other men or any other man to desire it to pursue it upon a true Gospel account as beleeving or seeing it to be so excellent and glorious or upon such termes to pursue or retain it by purchasing or suffering for it the heathen Sages might much more easily have prevailed with any such beasts in the shapes of men then any sanctified soul or Embassador of Christ can prevaile with any to take right notice of or much less to be so enamoured of that most excellent object of soul sollacing grace untill they come to be transformed into the same image by the spirit of God Fourthly But this will yet further appear in the next demonstration namely In that such Gospel grace in the souls of the Saints differs not in nature from their heavenly glory but only in degrees A man that is in any good measure in heaven in his spiritual part here upon earth shall certainly inherite the kingdome of Heaven hereafter and such within whom as our Saviour speaks Luk. â—7 â—1 the kingdome of heaven is really here seated by Gospel grace they shall infallibly obtain a Crown of glory which will never fade to all eternity and indeed heaven would not be heaven unto them then when they should come to possess it if that kingdom of heaven had not taken possession of their souls before to fit them for it a blind man may as soon be affected with the meer placeing of pleasant sights before him or a deaf man delighted with the sound of any musick which he cannot heare as men or women truly rejoyce in the glorified Saints and Angels happiness hereafter if they have not here their Celestial frame of spirit wrought upon their souls yea the very society of glorified Saints would be a kind of hell to wicked men remaining such if they had no other hell to suffer for as it cannot be expected the wolfe should lye down with the Lambe untill Gospel grace have wrought the change of nature here as the spirit of God hath foretold Is 11. 6 7. 8. so until that nature be changed yea a contrary put into the soule of a man the Saints perpetual songs of prayse to God and the Lambe and the Lord the Spirit would not only be unsutable and unpleasant but a senceless subject to such a soule that never had followed Christ in the regeneration nor seen nor felt nor rightly known before-hand the Divine power of Gospel grace the mistery of the gospel then the matter of the Saints everlasting rejoycing would be such an hidden sealed mistery that such unbeleeving and disobedient souls would not understand it saving only so far as to have convinced and self-condemned consciences thereby little understanding what they may sometime seem to pray or hope for here concerning the kingdom of heaven who in their dispositions and depraved nature doe toto caelo deferre stand at the greatest distance from it but when that nature is once changed that Lions are at peace with the Lambes and the hurtful creatures lye down with the harmeless Is 11. 7. then grace shall appear glorious unto such and as their measure thereof shall be greater the more it will appear so and the more they grow in such grace the more they will delight in it and the greater measure they shall obtain of it the more heavenly glory hereafter will be allotted to them It is true indeed our heaven upon earth will have a mixture of vanity and corruption and weakness together with it till that which is perfect be come then that which is imperfect shall be done away 1 Cor. 13. 10. I shall not stand here to inlarge upon the many considerations which might to this purpose be produced in regard of the souls incapacity of glory till it be changed and of its unsutableness unto such glory besides the sence of the want of any right title or interest in such glorified Saints happiness with their own self condemnation upon it and the apprehension of that intollerable eternal infinite divine displeasure against them as also the utter detestation that perfected Saints with Angels will have of the hateful qualities of all devils and unsanctified souls of men or women and even the very heavens natural repugnancy and antipathy against them to the utter expulsion of all such as poyson out of them since into them no unclean thing shall enter Rev. 21 27. As Christal glasses rather then hold poyson will break asunder even so the most pure Chrystaline heavens would rather break then any devil or unsanotified persons should abide or inhabite in them Here indeed the Hony Bee and the toad or spider have both their places and imployments and their injoyments too together the one to gather up its hony the other to suck up their poyson the one to lurke in the nastie corrupted or noysome corners of the earth the other in their sweet and pleasant hives and hony the one inrich themselves or feed upon their own destructive poyson the other inrich themselves with and feed upon their own pleasant wholsome healing and strengthning hony which they have by diligent labour acquir'd But when that woofull poysonous destructive nature of such men is in any good measure subdued by the prevalent power of Gospel grace O how sweet will the spiritual kingdome of heaven be unto such souls how will the true Citizens of the spiritual Zion be owned and imbraced by them How will their portion their delicates be desired above all others How will grace and glory be then longed for sought for by them above other things yet these passibus aequis as we may say in their due proportions when they are in their right frame not glory more then grace but grace as the right promoter of glory and indeed that which is only truly glorious in its own nature and which will meet with glory as the consequent the result the reward of it by grace we have the first fruits Ro. 8. 33. the earnest penny Eph. 1. 14. of glory and happiness in the injoyment of that we injoy the sanctifying spirits residence the witness of our peace the sealer
and to my present more soundly intelligent or tractable hearers at my Lecture at Baldock grace truth and glory from God the Father through his Beloved Sonne and by the Lord the Spirit now and for ever CHristian Reader who ever thou art I wish thee a no less affecting discovery of Gospel glorie unto thy Soul in the reading of these Sermans then I have found in the preaching and transcribing of them for these are the times foretold Isa 11. 9. When the earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea though men are such High-landers they care not for comming near the bankes of such waters nor the margins of such books which as Conduite pipes would convey those waters to them As unthankefull Israel of old they loath Gods heavenly Manna though Angels foode falling neer their tents be it never so strengthning wholsome or pleasant their pallats being distempered they are not pleased with it but they will have quailes though they have a plague to boote with them for while the meate was in their mouthes the wrath of God came upon them and slew the fattest of them Psal 78. 30 31. If men loath Gods delicates and begin to surfeit of their own superfluities it may be expected that he come to them as a skilfull Physitian and give them a strong purge and make the chosen or young men of Israel to bowe as the words signifie and well will it be with them on whom it workes a cure to rectifie their taste and affect their soules with the bread of life I offer thee here but a small demensum or cantling of this bread thou art not like to surfeit by it and if thy taste agree with mine I think thou wilt not loath it it was cordiall to my own soule as made of the kidneys of Gods own wheate his glorious grace being the subject of it And for you my well beloved and worthy friends who formerly had by my weak hand the substance of these delighting and inlightening truths pointed out in some sort unto you happilie they were not by meanes of the craft of Satan then so much regarded or since considered by you and I am conscious to my self that they were neither then so largely or perspicuously set before you as here you may have them if God give them enterance into your soules I hope you may say with me you discearne them better then you did before And you my more late and more soundly intelligent hearers supposing you to be such as thirst after true grace and upon that account desire your share in the discovery of gospel Glory I must acknowledge there hath been a threesold obstacle thereof in my Late preaching of this and other subjects to you namely a dark pulpet a dim sight and a weake memory though all graciously supplied both then and now by the assistance of a good God to which I may add a fourth perhaps the ground too of all the former to wit the great imbeeilitie and weakness of my animal spirits and declining state of body by years and labours with much variety of afflictions troubles and vanities of this present world much decayed and wasted were not my defects frequently supplyed in my service by my almighty and heavenly father so that I might say with our Apostle 2 Cor. 12. 10. That when I am weake then am I strong namely through my God for otherwise I have unspeakeably more cause with him to say though I be nothing vers 11. sutable to an observation of an old disciple declared in my hearing in the presence of many grave learned and religious persons as found most remarkeable from all his long experience namely that God was all and he was nothing which excellent lesson who so rightly learn though they be nothing yet they both are and shall be the better in Gods account because they so know this and acknowledge it for if God be no loser at their hands they may be sure they shall be no loser at his hands who delights to put his most precious treasure in empty vessels filling the hungry with good things Luke I. whilest many wise in their own eyes are meer fools in Gods whilst many rich in their own conceit are found by Christ as the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3. to be poore naked and miserable But to you my more weak but teachable hearers let me say a word to prevent your prejudice perhaps you may stumble at some passages exprest in unknown tongues to you first let me tell you sometimes such expressions by such as understand them I doubt not but will be acknowledged as observable or of special force again some are more pertinent and occasionally delivered the Apostle Paul disdained not to quote Heathen Authors recorded in the sacred Scripture in their own language but more especially let me informe you if you be indeed teachable that I have indeavoured to prevent your disadvantage thereby by explaning usually after them the words or sence in your native language so that you need but pass by those unknown expressions and still you have the sence and then they will be in effect to you as if they had not been at all and so with my prayers for you and all other right Christian readers of this my weak outward indeavour to promote the discovery of gospel Glory unto you unto him who undertakes this work effectually by blessing his own meanes even the Lord the Spirit as in the Text that you and all they may have all the good thereby which is intended unto those upon whose souls God is pleased to set home such truths for their spiritual advantag and godly edifying by reducing them from error convincing them of truth inciting them to good reclaiming them from sin for the better information of their understandings inflaming their affections with what is spiritually good conforming their wills to his revealed will reforming their whole conversations according to his appointment and with and above all such a transformation of their souls into the same Image as in the Text that in the end that real transformation in the state of Grace in such soules may in Gods good time be perfected in the consummation of glory with him in his everlasting kingdome there to be rendring to him that glory which is his due to all eternity which will be the perfection of their happiness there so prayes Your soules weake yet desirous to be their faithful Servant in the things of the Lord. W. Sherwin COurteous Reader be pleased to take notice that this small Treatise being about to come forth divers moneths agoe was stopped by the sudden death of the first undertaker of the publishing thereof by which meanes those into whose hands the Copy thereof did fall not having the directions left by the Author with the deceased party and another reverend and judicious friend that had promised the oversight of the press who upon either the omission or mistake of some
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
time after was it in any suitable manner taken notice of or displayed in publique till the Spirit of God in a four-fold witnesse gave testimony of all these things when after that by doctrine by holinesse by miracles by sufferings by death and a powerfull raising of himselfe to life having slaine all enmitie thereby he was powerfully declared to be the Sonne of God yea so was the light of his appearing eclypsed in the worlds eye that after Ages could not finde out the time or season when that his birthglory did first shine out and therefore the Fathers vid Jerome Cyprian upon severall grounds have anciently argued for different seasons as likewise later times have differed therein divine Oracles being particularly silent as if of old God by the buriall of Moses body by him would prevent the Israelites adoring of his sepulchre so as some conceive he would conceale the season of his nativity neither doe we reade in Scripture any like celebration but that of Herod de porcorum grege Epicurus Nor is the day of a Conquerors taking up Armes celebrated as glorious but the day of his victory and conquest nor was the first day of the Creation appointed by God to be observed at first for his Sabbath but the day when his work was finished and by the same Law upon Greater enforcement is the day of the Lord his Resurrection day as the day of his victory conquest and triumph over sin death and hell with all the powers of darknesse by himselfe substituted as his own for a continuall Christian Sabbath to be observed and celebrated in his Universall Church for the honour and glory of such their wonderfull deliverance then accomplished by him throughout all Ages from Sabbath to Sabbath so long as the Sunne and Moone shall endure and herein is the glorious mysterie of God so accomplished to be admired that the bleer-eyed world is not able to behold the divine brightnesse of it and so it hath been since in the Apostles and after Ages as the mysterie of God hath been in fulfilling the great things of Christ have been hid from their eyes Christ crusified hath been to the Jewes a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishnesse while to them that believe it is the power of God to salvation The Apostles were mean in the eyes of the Great ones of the world when they went on Christs Embassie into the world yet they went conquering and to conquer by preaching praying improvement of all spirituall grace even in suffering and dying after the example of their great Soveraigne they greatly prevailed over the powers of the world over the strength and subtiltie of sin and Satan And have not the two Witnesses the contemporaries of Antichristian tyranny done so too and shall they not more prevaile still and maugre all vaine imaginations of any men or counsells taken by them against Christ Yet will not God set his King upon his holy hill of Sion Yea will it not be both the honour and happinesse of the Greatest Potentates upon earth to kisse the Sonne and give the glory of their Scepters unto him that as they reigne by him so they may reigne for him and in his good time may likewise reigne with him in endlesse glory But what is this Historical hint as it may be called of this mystical manner of gradual fulfilling of gospel Glory somewhat observable indeed in the eyes of the Saints but little in the eyes of Men of the world But if we come to speak of the inward glory of true gospel Grace spiritually glorious in the soules of Gods faithful people for the Kings daughter is all glorious within We may say of this as the Queen of Sheba after she had heard in her own Country the same of King Solomons wisdome and magnificence when she came to his Court to heare and see the truth of both that she confessed the half thereof was not formerly shewed unto her So much more may it be said of inward Divine glorious Grace shining from Christ into the souls of his servants in his spiritual manifestations of himself unto them the injoyment of which soule-chearing solace is incomparably beyond what any Historical narration thereof can represent it to be and not to go about to speak of that consummate glory belonging to them reserved for another world here not to be conceived much less competently decyphered but only to touch upon that incoate glory here transmitted by the holy Spirit into the souls of the faithful as that which is more particularly intended in our Text the subject now in hand which is so great that it may well appear to be the design of God to Glorifie himself eminently by this in his Church in this life For should I speak but of those resemblances in Scripture which the Spirit of God sheweth but to shaddow out unto our weak sight the radiant beams of spiritual Gospel glory the expressions will appear much below the matter though in themselves they be very high as namely the hidden Manna The water of life for food yea the fat things and pleasures of Gods house the marrow and fatness there and wines on the lees well refined Isa 25. 6. for their feasting eye salve for medicine to make them see Rev. 3. 18. App'es and Flaggons to keep them from sounding Balme and Physitians from Gilead Gold tried in the fire to make them rich garments of needlework and wrought gold with jewels to adorn them white rayment to make them pure the white stone with the new name written in it that none can read but they that have it to secure their interest Rev. 2. 17. with others of the like nature which are spoken to the capacity of other men but what the inward efficacy and glory of these things is is only rightly and really known to such as have them by this inward work of God upon mens Souls a truly glorious change is wrought in them of Bond-slaves under Sin and children of Satan they are made free indeed and the children of Abraham yea the Image of God is restored in them and they are partakers of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. Their Souls are made Temples of the holy One where God the Father vouchsafes his presence Christ holds his Soveraignty and the Holy Ghost his Residence and hereby they have Communion with the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost by which means great discoveries great consolations and great security unto such poor Souls upon all good occasions from time to time are happily administred untill from strength to strength in grace here they be by the Almighty power and grace of God their heavenly Father brought into possession of the fulness of glory with himself in the highest heavens there with all the Celestial Angels and perfected Saints sing forth their Halelujahs to the eternall praise of his infinitely great and glorious name But Secondly we have seen it hath been the design of God by Gospel grace
man to appease thereby his Fathers wrath against him and restore him into a State of grace And that such his goodness might not be cast away as that before conferred by Creation upon him was God the Father and the Son will send the holy Spirit who proceeds from both by whose all-powerful efficacious grace that most glorious manifestation of God the Fathers incomprehensible goodness towards lost man and that most gracious manifestation of God the sons most tender love and compassion towards lost man this work of salvation should be irresistably and most effectually carried on by informing the mind reforming the will conforming his heart and soul to the will of God and confirming the whole man in his reformed condition and all this by bringing home this gospel discovery of the Glory of the Lord spoken of in the Text and by that his peculiar work and undertaking as we shall endeavour by the assistance of the said Lord the spirit in due time to shew from the last words of the Text. Now according to this three-fold manifestation of the glory of the Lord from the beginning have all the most glorious dispensations of the grace of God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost ever since been derived revealed communicated applyed preserved conserved rewarded in the souls and persons of all Gods faithfull servants in all Ages and so will be to the end of the world and was but mens Religion setled upon this foundation of Gods own laying and steered in a right course to his own end that as all grace is from himselfe so the glory thereof might be given to him alone how might the Church of God be setled in truth and peace But let us a little view the most radiant beames of this incomprehensible love this supernatural grace this divine Glory of God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost as from time to time they are darted out of Heaven and powerfully sent home into the souls of poore sinners upon earth together with the reflexions of those radiant beames in and upon those poor sinners souls for I speak not here of those close stopped bottles that will suffer no good liquor to fall into them though much fall upon them yea though cast into a sea of water yet none can enter because they are close stopt up or such dark Lanthorns that receive no light though they be set in the bright Sun-shine at noon-day but of such as like burning or looking glasies in the beholding of this glory as in the Text receive from the Sunne of Righteousnesse that shines most gloriously in their Hemisphere only as the light of old did in Goshen when thick darknesse was in Egypt receive I say from him both light and heate and brightnesse and are transformed into the same Image Where should I begin to speak of the glory of their transfiguration or when should I make an end Look upon their birth it is celestiall it is divine it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is from above it is from God so they are not only a truly noble or Royall which the vaine world is apt too much to prize alone but they are also a reall divine Race 2 Pet. 1. 4. But this glory of theirs being that of the Queens Daughter is mainly within this spirituall life of theirs is hid with Christ in God Col. With this new birth and life is conveyed a divine and spiritual illumination into their souls with this is inseparably conjoyned a particular spiritual application of every sacred truth by that illumination discovered out of the word of God by any means whereby God sets it before them from this application proceedeth love which labours to manifest it selfe in an affectionate constant endeavour of all due thankfulnesse and obedience to his divine Majestie in the improvement of all grace received and all gracious dispositions and affections and in the performance of all duties toward God and man and so when the holy Spirit hath taken possession Christ sits regent in all their souls where he hath a spiritual and invincible Kingdome of which there shall be no end whose Subjects shall never be traytors nor revolters from his Divine Majestie bribes shall not allure them terrours shall not fray them they are sworne feodaries to him and will approve themselves his liedg Subjects their Rule and Law is Gods word their Strength is his grace and joy their Teacher and counseller and comforter is his sacred Spirit their Tower of defence and rock is the rock of Ages their Guard the holy Angells their Annuitie or portion the good of the earth the ayre the Seas here in their non-age their present inheritance the grace of God the favour of God the peculiar providence of God the promises of God the Covenant of God with all the benefits of redemption purchased for them by that infinite ransome of the blood of Christ needfull for them in their pilgrimage here on earth till they enter the possession of the heavenly and eternal Kingdome of Glory And this constant course of glorious Gospel grace God the Father Sonne and holy Spirit have manifested and magnified themselves by to the true and invisible Church throughout all generations to this very day though in different manners and degrees and still will doe so to the end of the world and this glory of the Lord is so great in the eyes of true believers that if all the excellency of temporal glory not only of the Kings and Kingdoms of the world but the Glory of the Sunne Moone and Starres were united into one it would seeme to them obscure and contemptible in comparison of this and so full of sound comfort is their interest in this glorious grace that were they offered the wealth the pleasure the honour the favour of men the confluence of all the seeming worth of the world without this they would in their right temper refuse and reject them all as an incompetent offer yea faithfull Moses and all the Martyrs in their times would rather chuse to suffer affliction with the people of God to injoy this than to have the pleasures of sin for a season for oh the pearless worth of their secret but certain injoyment of the favour of God their secured interest in Christ the guidance the teaching the comfort of the holy Ghost his life-giving grace his grace-working Ordinances the spiritual pleasures of his house their communion with himselfe the satisfaction the securitie the soul-ravishments of his love with the reflections thereof their love againe to his Divine Majestie that twofold righteousnesse of Christs imputed and theirs endeavoured that peace of conscience that passeth understanding that joy in the holy Ghost unspeakeable and glorious in which the Kingdome of Heaven doth consist as the Apostle witnesseth Rom 14. 17. The Glory indeed of this Kingdome is not discerned but by the spiritual eye of faith the happinesle thereof is not injoyed but in the particular application of a truly believing soul herein
sawest there was none to deliver that there was no Intercessour therefore thine own arme brought salvation and thy righteousnesse it sustained thee Isa 59. 16. Here here was an object fit only for the wisdome power and goodnesse of an infinite God to shew it selfe and in a way and means suitable to the otherwise helplesse condition of such a wretched creature who shall therefore have a wonderfull deliverer but yet his misery at present shall not altogether be taken away but he shall yet continue in that world wherein he first had sinned that shall be to him the place of his prison where he committed his first his late most hainous offence and that the more remarkably in that his former happy Palace is now by his sin become a stinking Dungeon to him his Paradise of pleasure formerly is now become a very Bridewell for his correction his painlesse exercise before is now exchanged for painfull toyle manifest by the sweat of his browes instead of his successfull labour without wearinesse he shall be vexed with much lost labour and wearinesse therewith Aethiopem lavabit magno conatu magnas nugas aget he shall often endeavour to no purpose and greatly endeavour to no purpose and greatly endeavour to small purpose but yet worse than this in his prison he shall have a Jaylour too but the worst of creatures by defection and his own worst enemy his hatefull and first murtherer at least in his hopes and purposes had not God then in such a case speedily graciously and unexpectedly stept in for his rescue or reprieve But before such deliverance particularly can come home by reason this cursed Jaylour having man in some sort in his custody endeavours to make him his perpetual vassal and when in this he finds he doth prevaile sometime such shall have the priviledge of his prison-house but only for this most wretched end to make them the more sworne slaves to himselfe to others he will not vouchsafe the like libertie of their prison but holds them fast in hard bondage and because he would the more harden them for hell-torments hereafter he begins to plague them with an hell upon earth but not as men sometimes put in Bedlam by their friends to regaine their wits but to make them spiritually the more mad and eternally the more miserable any way to engage them the most temporally to his vassallage and eternally to his torments and the rather because that enviously and spitefully he yet surely knowes there is a yeare of Jubile proclaimed from the most Soveraigne and Almightie King and that there is a Deliverer Come by whose appointment Heralds at Armes or rather Embassadours of peace are sent abroad to publish the same with the conditions thereof upon abundant testimony under his hand and seales with sufficient authoritie and most certain evidence for mans securitie therein but yet I say upon his own tearmes alone But how doth the Devil their Jaylour now play his pranks to disappoint the purpose of such published grace and to keep his prisoners either from hearing if possible the sound of this good newes by stopping it from their eares or if he cannot doe that to stop their eares against it by many diversions of hopes or ease or pleasure or profit or else by prejudice or danger or reproach or feare or persecution or any thing or all if it may be to hinder the same that they may not come neare to hearken to those commissionated Heralds at Armes or Embassadours of peace but if they must needs be within the hearing of them he will disparage their termes as too hard impossible not sure not warrantable or too damnifying or the like he will tell them false tales of golden apples and sweet and pleasant grapes which are growing for them in his Garden when they are indeed but apples of Sodome and grapes of Gomorrha ashie apples and bitter grapes he will tell them much of great treasures and pleasures with him to be had when they are but as men say of Witches feasts in the caves of the earth only phantasticall but nothing reall he will tell them of golden mountaines they shall have by his service when there is nothing but fire and flames of brimstone in the bowells thereof belching forth continually before-hand their noysome stench with flames and smoake and ashes of Gods wrathfull displeasure against them Yet all the Devills prisoners will hearken more to his lyes than unto Gods Embassadours or his truth all the while they are in his bondage and knowing nothing better than what they at present conceive they find they will not be perswaded that there is any thing better than what they think they know Neither will they believe that they shall finde any thing worse hereafter than what they at present feele and so what with his charmes and baits on the one hand and what with his gyves manacles and chaines on the other hand their eares are either stopped like the deafe Adders that refuse to heare or else bored through at his doore like voluntary slaves readily agreeing with him for their own perpetuall bondage But here the wonder-working God againe appeares who having sealed some to the day of Redemption and having given those unto the Redeemer whom likewise the Redeemer hath particularly and fully ransomed even those he will rescue out of that bondage yea out of that death of sin and Satan unto them are his Embassadours specially sent but they likewise will not heare and therefore while he sends many times and often for a long continuance it may be and importunately by them in his own name beseecheth them to be reconciled to him for their own good though happily they may be roused a little sometimes yet they are not raised from that sleep and death till God the Father and God the Redeemer by the Allmightie power of the Lord the Spirit speaks home to their souls what outwardly and only outwardly they had heard before with their eares many times perhaps only but not regarded to retaine till he himselfe comes in and sets on the impression of his grace-revealing truth upon their hearts with a secret quickening spirituall life Upon discovery or feare whereof in any of Satans prisoners their former Jaylour attempts with speed to hinder if he can if not to consent yet to divert or reâ—ard but if he cannot doe that he will still endeavour to make them drive on as heavily as may be that if at all they will receive the offers of peace yet they may doe it as late as may be that they may have the lesse comfort others the lesse benefit and their spirituall blessed Lord and Soveraigne the lesse honour or advantage thereby But if they will when once marked for Christs sheep be departing from his Wolves and Goats range and walk he will help them to as much bread and water of affliction if he can while they are passing on in their journey to their new Master as may last them
all the way thither And what mischiefe he is kept any way from doing against them he will send Heards of his gracelesse Wolves and of his filthy Goats and Swine to doe for him and against Christs sheep to destroy or defile them or rend them for their pearles or like his wild Boares out of the Woods to destroy them But whilst they are passing a painfull pilgrimage and often fall into a Wildered condition in this world the great Shepheard of his sheep that will loose none of them that are of his fould he readily seeks them out not so much for the place where for his eye is alwayes toward them and upon them as for the condition wherein and the fit season of grace to be used for their advantage they shall not then want needfull comfort or needfull support or necessary supply oft they have all these largely allowed them and if they have not at present they have a store-house a full treasure of all good to goe unto at need and in their worst times they have two good friends at hand that will not fail them then to wit a good Conscience and the holy Ghost who hath taken possession of their soules and these are strong helpers against the fierce and fiery assaults of Men and Devils yea they have hereby more help with them and for them than they many times themselves discerne Their God is a God at hand and not a farre off Christ Jesus stands by them being the grand Captain of their salvation the Author and Finisher of their faith and patience the holy Angells oft have a charge to keep them in all their wayes Psal 91. 11. The Saints on earth assist them by their prayers direct them by their counsells excite them by their examples and encourage them by their confidence And though sometime they must needs forgoe much endure hard onsets and combate long yet this encouragement is inwardly given them they shall have the victory infallibly in the issue and so they come by degrees to know there are more with them than with their enemies and that therefore they shall have more strength to overcome because their God is the Lord of Hosts and commands when he pleaseth the Armies of their Adversaries yea when they least think of it he then no lesse doth it and when it seemes the most unlikely he makes them know it the most infallibly But if from the Worlds wildernesse Christ at any time calls any of his servants particularly for the exercise of any eminent grace he hath sent as a love-token into their soules with Peter to walk towards Christ when he calls them upon a Sea of troubles where there is no sooting but what faith finds if at any time their foote of faith should slip or strength of grace begin to stagger Christ is alwayes neere at hand to stay them to hold them up if they be weak he will give them strength if sick he will be their Physitian if they mistake their way or know it not well he will shew it he will teach them if they labour of any want he will supply it if they are liable to any danger fall or hurt he will support them he will deliver them if they be any wayes hardly bestead in their woâ—â— estate he will rescue them and never forsake them even all the while he is bringing them through a red Sea of adversitie unto their everlasting celestiall Canaan but sometime likewise he dryes up those waters and when their implacable enemies pursue them most furiously and confidently he makes those appearing raging Seas of troubles to become water-walls for their defence whilst they speedily and safely passe through them unto a place of rest and makes them inevitable executioners of their enemies ruine In such tryed tracts of Grace Christ walks on secretly but securely with the Lot of his own inheritance with the Camp of all his true Israel that fight under his Banner as with a pillar of a cloud to guide them by day and a pillar of fire to enlighten their Camp in the might all the time they are passing from Egypt to Canaan from Babylonian bondage to be made free Denizens of the New Jerusalem Now for such an object in such a condition so to receive such mercy from such an holy and glorious Creator so dishonoured so disobeyed so provoked in such a manner by such a deliverer so applyed so made effectuall and that against such opposition otherwise invincible and otherwise inevitably sinking into desperate misery never to be ended eased or remedied and this in a setled certain course continued and made effectuall through all successions of Ages may well be the wonder of mercy to all the world and matter of admirable thanksgiving and praise to all glorified Saints and Angels through all eternitie to render unto his great name no object therefore of goodnesse like this to be found in all Gods other works as man so wretchedly miserable so gloriously delivered Ninthly For the ends wherefore it is contrived carried on raised and to be perfected in reference both to God and man First The chiefe end is glory to the God of all glory the originall fountaine of it the end and intendment of it the dispencer and bestower of it the primary and perpetuall owner of it which whatsoever Creature assumes without his allowance is therein an highly sacrilegious robber of God for no man hath any thing but what he hath received from him 1 Cor 4. 7. Now there is no way wherein God hath manifested himselfe unto the world or in any kinde in the world comparably glorious unto this and therefore this most excellent supreame end of his must necessarily in the same proportion be advanced therein to wit in an higher degree by that work than by any or all others besides Secondly That the revealing and exhibiting the excellency and goodnesse of this work unto intelligible creatures in this way might afford them alway matter and occasion and the greatest inforcement to set forth his praise suitably to what is discovered to them or received by them and because the discoveries here are sometimes so great and wonderfull unto the Saints they are therefore strangely carried on with divine and spirituall ravishment of soul to magnifie the soul-quickening sanctifying and saving grace of their most good God and mercifull Father and that many times upon renewed returnes of his favours after not only their troubles and afflictions but after their manifold failings and sins yea sometimes after their hainous offences to others in the increase of spirituall indowments experiences gracious incomes of Spirit heavenly communion and manifestations of Gospel glory to their souls to the great dimming and obscuring of the lustre of all worldly glory in their eyes and the beautifying of a very afflicted outward condition in any way of the faithfull service of their great and good God and even in their very sufferings for their most blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus
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
as continuall if Divine grace manifest towards them did not otherwise order them some way or other as is discernable in any others who have hearts all alike as face in water answers to face Pro 27. 19. And there is no difference but what God himselfe makes in these wayes of his grace for who makes thee to differ from another 1 Cor 4. 7. Let them walk in the light and comfort of such discoveries which amongst many Christians is often received in varieties of measures and ought to be improved to varieties of purposes Let them long more after them than any other things desireable as the Spouse in Cant 1. 2. Kisse me with the kisses of thy Mouth thy love is better than wine Let them pursue after them more earnestly resolvedly indefatigably than for all things here besides and with the due use of all other good meanes besides â—ith humble faithfull and importunate prayer before the throne of the heavenly grace for them and ever to render the more glory and praise unto his divine Majestie in the obtaining of such their request Again Let it be a strong Argument at all times in our spiritual approaches unto God in the due sense and sight of such gracious discoveries which we have received to worship him in a manner suitable theâ—eunto As Moses when he had been with God upon the Mount the glory of God appeared very bright upon him so in such duties let the glory of those discoveries more eminently appear the heavenly flames kindled in a soule set on fire from those divine graces of true faith and fervent love when they are blown up as it were by taking up the bellowes of such discoveries will much promote the sweet odours of spiritual insence ascending up to heaven and be a special means whereby all the soul oblations sacrifices and services in those wayes offered unto God become very acceptible to him in his beloved Son as being sweetly perfumed with his spiritual grace upon his own special dispensations which he would not have neglected at any time yea which he would have improved at all times but then especially in his Divine worship when the Soule is chiefly to make her returns to God for such incomes from him How free then should the soule be in such service which is so various in all mens souls and so forcing and prevalent in many mens souls and the chief part of acceptable service to God consisting much therein yea and he requires thereby to be sanctified as he instructed Moses upon a like occasion Lev. 10. 3. But lastly in respect of glorified Saints and Angels in the world to come First for glorified Saints how will they by and from this glory be fully transformed into the same Image How shall they then be filled with the fruition of all that goodness of God which in such wayes of his towards them in the world before in some sort he had discovered himself unto them by And how triumphantly will they rejoyce and glory in Gospel grace in the fulness of that fruition as being that great current whereby the fulness of that fruition is conveyed and continued yea perpetuated unto them so largely as no soule can sufficiently conceive of nor all glorified Saints shall ever be able fully to comprehend How shall such glorified Saints to the uttermost then apply themselves yet most delightfully and happily to sound forth his praise upon this most blessed advantage to all eternity and that the more emergently when they come thither in that regard then all former mysteries and dark proceedings of God in the world before will be clearly unâ—oulded all difficulties resolved all obstacles removed all evill of sin or punishment or misery with all the feare thereof utterly abolished all mists and darkness dispelled all interruptions abandoned all hoped for injoyments perfected and most securely possessed And what then by glorified Saints will be done to their best ability will be more amply accomplished by the glorious Angels who never sinned who are of far higher and greater excellency higher in degree and therefore more eminent instruments of Gods praise they have larger capacities and therefore fit to receive greater discoveries of his glory they are faithful and ancient though secret Ministers of the Almighty in all such willing and active service as he hath at any time assigned them unto even from the beginning through the carrying on and perfecting of his Gospel glory they are of long experience and throughout all times have had exceeding excellent discoveries thereof upon all which considerations they may then in many respects be happily helpful to saved Saints to afford them their better assistance and their more eminent examples in doing that which is all their happiness of which this is but the brief comprisal All Glory to the God of Glory and to the Lambe that was slain sitting upon the Throne and to the most holy Lord the Spirit for ever and ever But what we can but now dimly hint at in this Gospel glofirying grace beleeving souls shal in their season fully and perfectly find by most happy experience accomplished we come therefore to the last respective consideration and that is Eleventhly The blessed effects thereof above all other his works which how great how various how many how admirable how strong how glorious how invincible how comfortable how delightfull how satisfying even in this present pilgrimage where nothing else is either sure or satisfying how truly and really good in it selfe where nothing is besides it or without it how largely it extends its force how infallibly it will shew forth its vertue how prevalently it will carry on against all opposition how most certainly it will attaine its end because the power of God the wisdome of God the holy Spirit of God is alwayes in the wheels of its motion as in Ezekiels Vision Chap 1. 20. So that time would faile me strength would faile me opportunitie would faile me and much more able Heralds of the renowne of this glorious grace in any competent measure to display the same I shall only advise all sorts of Christians at present by the due uses or the like even now in some measure pointed out unto them to labour to finde in themselves such effects which by such due improvement they may through grace in their times and seasons discover or obtaine Concerning which the holy Prophet of old and our Apostle here 1 Cor 2. 9. tells us Eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man not only what God hath prepared and will conferre in another life but what he hath prepared and doth conferre in this life too according to the good pleasure of his own holy will and likewise to the praise of his present so excellent Gospel grace manifest in all his Saints in all such varieties of the happy and glorious effects thereof And so without any further inlargement at present in this so vast a field of
fall by death into utter darknesse than to come to this light of life so that such as put this light from themselves or such as hinder and cloud it or hide it from others they must needs fall into a sad condemnation was there not only invincible ignorance but obstinacy prevalent upon the souls of men did they not willingly upon their own hearts and consciences Callum inducere draw such a brawnish hardnesse even to stand against the batteries which God many wayes makes against the strong holds of Satan therein so that they are not only Gospel-proofe but Law-proofe too so that neither the Boanerges or Barnabae the sons of thunder or the sons of consolation that are sent unto them can either pierce them or melt them bow them or break them but they will doe as they have done if they have made cakes for the Queene of heaven they will doe so still if they have served God out of custome more than conscience they will doe so still if they have added drunkennesse to thirst they will doe so still if they sacrificed upon the mountaines they will doe so still if they have hated such as beare the image of God upon them they will doe so still yea though the greatest and forciblest of Gods Ordinances play upon the Forts of their Hell-hardened Consciences they remaine impenetrable What cleare light hath shined long in this Nation above all her neighbours how hath God poured his Spirit remarkably upon many persons eminent amongst us for Divine endowments being greatly inlarged with the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit and as willing as able to improve their talents to their Masters advantage and the salvation of the soules of all sorts of people But if they come neere the soares of their soules how doe men kick and spurne against them then they are their enemies because they tell them the truth if they would take away the vaile of ignorance from before their eyes they will answer with the Pharisees those blind leaders of the blind that they see already and therefore as our Saviour told them so such likewise might be told therefore your sin remaineth if they would make them sencible of their lost estate they have good hearts and meanings and make many prayers and it may be if they were tryed through the whole Law of God as Christ tryed the young man in the Gospel they would be ready to plead for themselves not guiltie all these have we kept from our youth when their plea is as false as mistaken by them If Gospel grace be never so much discovered to them if the termes thereof be never so often and urgently pressed upon them they heare them not they receive them not they observe them not if Satan or men will offer any thing else vaine or foolish sencelesse or frivolous a little countenance from men a little ingagement in the world will prevaile for their seducement when Divine truth hath been little regarded for a long time in reference to their conversion as our Saviour told the Jewes when they would not regard his heavenly counsel If any shall come to them in his owne name him they would heare Joh 5. 43. And hath not Satan varieties of designes and agents to Eclypse or cloud or hide or even to guish if possible Gospel-glory now for many yeares brightly shining amongst us holding out varieties of strong and strange delusions sometimes really grosse and despicable to ordinary capacities sometimes more refined and seemingly more spirituall and appearing more neere to perfection and yet still wandering from the way of truth yea sometime to set up iniquirie by Law and to obstruct the most efficacious wayes and meanes to promote the advancement of Gospel glory Have there not been sad experiments of these things in our former and later Popish persecutions And let all reall and sound Christians earnestly pray there may not be any the like againe amongst us for shall we Question it That whilst with Capernaum we are lifted up unto heaven in Christs speciall approaches and intercourses amongst us so much neglected and opposed too by the generalities almost of men and women that we shall not be equally with her cast downe into Hell Let not any persons deceive themselves God is not mocked but as each man sowes so let him look to reape at his hands Mat 6. 7. If men weave the Spiders webs and hatch the Cockatrice eggs may they not justly expect that their webs should faile to become garments and that their eggs break forth into Vipers to sting or destroy themselves or others Isa 59. 5 6. Thirdly To admonish all good Christians as they desire to have much glory in heaven to labour much to behold the Gospel glory of the Lord in his Church upon earth and so to behold it as to be still more and more transformed into the same image yea in being so exercised heaven will more come down unto them and enter into their soules there will be such a glory as will make their souls truly delightfull comfortable happie such as they would not exchange or part with for the whole world let them be much taken up with the contemplation and admiration of such Gospel grace and glory and let their hearts and mouthes be filled with the high praises of God for it in all respects of the shining glory of it oh to what an height of divine excellency will it raise their spirits what large possession will it give the Lord the Spirit of their soules what earnest longings will it cause after more of the same grace what rejoycings and triumphings will it cause in the Lord of glory what resistance will it afford against worldly discouragements intanglements ingagements and all obstructions and oppositions whatsoever against it how will it sweeten troubles season every condition and administer unto them the oyle of joy even with the garments of heavinesse oh who would not drinke well of the wine of such sweet consolation to make them in â— good measure to forget their sorrow when by faith in the depth of sorrow they shall so see Christ a Saviour for them sitting gloriously and triumphantly at the right hand of God as Stephen did wonderfully while he was in stoning to death Acts 7. Fourthly Let this incite and stirre up all such as have any true spirituall discoveries of Gospel glory made unto their soules hence to learne spiritually to exult and triumph in the name of the Lord and in the power of his might and in the evidence of his divine grace for as our Saviour said unto his Disciples in another case the like may be said unto such Flesh and blood bath not revealed this unto their soules but the Lord the Spirit who is from heaven Doe not the Starres standing in the cleare aspect of the Sunne send forth their cleare and bright shining rayes in the view of the world Doth not the earth when it receives its seasonable and sweet showers and influences
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