to him by the grand Sophies of the Epicureans and Stoicks then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sower of words a babler Act. 17. 18. Would it not seem a strange opinion if one should assert that he who lackies it before the chariot is a better man then he that rides in it that he who lives in a Wildernesse meanly clad and faring hardly is more happy then they that are in Kings houses and weare soft raiment that he who is poore and is bid to sit at the footstoole is more worthy then he that hath the chiefest place given unto him in the Assembly And can it sound lesse strange in the eares of the world that the most despicable condition of a believer is far above the happiness of him that hath all the honors and delights that the earth can yield flowing in upon him and meeting in him as so many lines in one point I shall therfore endeavour to clear the truth of this inference so fully as that it may serve to support and comfort afflicted Christians under all their pressures so as not to complain because they are in their extremities more happy then the best worlding in his delights And that it may likewise provoke those who have made it their designe to be rather great then good to bethink themselves of their folly and to acknowledge that there is no tenure like an interest in the Covenant and promises and that there is no happinesse like to the happinesse of a beleever which hath its foundation laid in grace and not in greatnesse To this end let us in a few particulars compare or weigh as in a balance the worst of a beleevers estate with the best of a worldly but yet a wicked mans estate and we shall quickly see that the advantage will lie on that part of the skale in which the beleever stands and not on the other SECT 1. First a believer haply is in the world in no better condition then a stranger that hath little or no interest in its enfranchisements priviledges and immunities which others daily finde the sweet of in the many benefits that they enjoy He is frowned upon when others are courted and smiled upon by those that have honour s and preferments in their power to bestow He lives like Israel in Egypt under hard pressures when others rule and reigne as Lords He is friendlesse and findes none either to pity his wrongs or to do him the least right To his words to his sighs he finds a deaf and regardlesse ear continually turned when others have the Law open where they may implead their adversaries and have friends that are willing to countenance them and ready to help them Can he then that wants all these things be more happy then he who enjoyes them Yes for though a believer be a stranger here below yet he is a Citizen of the new Jerusalem which is above to which every worldly man is a forreigner Ephes 2. 12. And from thence he that bends his brow upon the wicked beholds him with love Ps 11. 7. Though he be the worlds bond-man yet he is the Lords free-man 1 Cor. 7. 22. Though here he be friendlesse yet what near and familiar relations have the whole blessed Trinity been pleased to take upon them and to make known themselves by unto him God as a Father Christ as a Brother and the holy Spirit as a Comforter All whom the men of the world can call by no such titles Though here his supplications and his tears avail not yet in heaven his prayers are registred and his teares are botled SECT 2. Secondly a Believer as he is a stranger so also may he be afflicted with want having little or nothing in possession to relieve his necessities He may want cloathing for his back and food for his belly He may have onely torum itr amineum cibos graminoes straw for his bed grasse and herbs for his meat when others sleep upon soft down and â—are doliciously every day He haply hath scarce water to quench his thirst when others have variety of choice wines to please and delight their palates All this and much more is acknowledged to be the lot and portion of many Christians such of whom the world is not worthy But yet let us view their condition so as to compare it with the men of the world whose bellies are filled with hid treasure and we shall quickly see that a true judgement and estimate being made of both that the thornes of the one will smell sweeter then the roses of the other his necessities will be more desirable then their fulnesse because wants sanctified are better then unsanctified enjoyments All their morsels are rolled up in the filth of their sin and in the bitternesse of Gods malediction and all his wants are both sweetened and supplied with the comforts of Gods promises Though he hath nothing for the present yet he is rich in hopes Though he have nothing in possession yet he hath an inheritance a Kingdome a Crown in reversion They have all their good things in this life and he hath his reserved for the other Though he have no food for his body yet he hath Manna for his soul He hath an hungry body and they a starved soul Though he have here scarce a place to lay his head on yet is there roome reserved for him in Abraham's bosome where he shall for ever dwell in joy when others lie down in sorrow Isa 50. 10. Though his body be as a parched wildernesse for thirst yet his soul is as a watred garden Out of his belly flow rivers of living water John 7. 38. We may truly say of a beleever what Paul speaks of himself though he was poor yet he had enough to make many rich though he had nothing yet he possessed all things Fideli homini totus mundus divitiarum est infideli autem nec obolus To a Christian all the world is his riches to an unbeliever not a doit of it saith Prosper There is no creature which doth not owe an homage unto him and shall certainly pay it if his necessities do require it The heavens shall heare the earth and the earth shall hear the corne and the wine and the oyle in answer to Jezreel ' s prayers Hos 2. 21 22. What is at further distance then the heavens and so more unlikely to hear then heavens What creature more dull then earth and so more unmeet to be affected and moved with a cry And yet both the heavens and the earth shall not be deaf to Jezreel's prayers but shall fulfill their desires and supply their wants SECT 3. Thirdly a beleever is not onely exercised with the pressing evils of want poverty but he oftentimes lies under the sore burthen of reproach and obloquie which to an ingenuous spirit is more bitter then death itself He is the common mark to which all the sharp arrows of mens tongues are directed He is the onely person
not prescribe and limit any in their choise but leave them to the free use of such Scriptures and promises as themselves by experience have found to be full of life and sweetnesse yet it will not be amisse to recommend the use of some few eminent promises of divers kinds out of the full store-house of the Word which may serve as so many meet cordials to revive the spirit of drooping Christians amidst the several kindes of necessities that may afflict them Are any burthened with the guilt of sinne so as that their soule draweth nigh unto the pit of despaire What more joyful tidings can ever their eares heare then a proclamation of free mercy made by the Lord himselfe unto beleeving and repenting sinners What more glorious and blessed sight can their eyes ever behold then the Name of God written in sundry of his choice attributes as in so many golden letters for them to read The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sinne Exod. 34. 6 7. He is the Lord who only hath jus vitae necis the absolute power of life and death in his hands but he is the Lord God merciful who far more willingly scattereth his pardons in forgiving then executeth his justice in condemning like the Bee that gathers honey with delight but stings not once unless she be much provoked He is gracious not incited to mercy by deserts in the object but moved by goodnesse in himself his love springs not from delight in our beauty but from pitty to our deformity He is long-suffering bearing with patience renued and often repeated injuries which he might by power revenge upon him who is the doer He is abundant in goodnesse grace overfloweth more in him then sinne can do in any Sin in the creature is but a vicious quality but goodnesse in him is his nature He is abundant in truth as he is good in making the promises so is he true in performing them when men deale unfaithfully with him he breaks not his Covenant with them He keeps mercy for thousands former ages have not exhausted the treasures of his mercy so as that succeeding generations can finde none there are still fresh reserves of mercy and that not for a few but for thousands He forgives iniquity transgression and sinne not pence but talents are forgiven by him not sinnes of the least sise are onely pardoned but sinnes of the greatest dimensions And as this promise in which the Name of God is so richly described doth fully answer the hesitancies doubts and perplexities of such who fear their iniquities for number to be so many for aggravation to be so great as that sometimes they question Can God pardon sometimes Will he ever shew mercy to such a wretched Prodigal So likewise may that blessed promise made unto beleevers Hos 14. 5 6 7. exceedingly support such who mourne under their want of holinesse and complaine of the weaknesse of their grace fearing that the little which they have attained unto goes rather backwards then forwards God himself having promised that he will be as a dew unto them which shall make them to put forth in all kindes of growth They shall grow as the lilly and cast forth their roots as Lebanon their branches shall spread and their beauty shall be as the Olive-tree they shall revive as the corne and grow as the vine What more comprehensive summary can there be either of Gods goodnesse or of a beleevers desires then there is in this one promise wherin he hath promised to make them grow in beauty like the lilly in stability like the Cedar in usefulnesse like the Olive whose fruit serves both for light and nourishment in spreading like the vine and in their encrease like the corne God himselfe being both the planter and waterer of all their graces To them who are full of fears through the approach of dangers which they have no hope to avoid or power to overcome How full of encouragement and comfort is that promise of protection and safety When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee Isa 43. 2. Water and fire are two evils in which none can be with their nearest friends without perishing with them Who can save a Jonah when cast into a boisterous sea but God And who can walk in the fiery furnace with the three children and not be consumed but the Son of God In the prison one friend may be with another in banishment he may accompany him in the battel he may stand by him and assist him but in the swelling waters and in the devouring flames none can be a reliefe to any but God and he hath promised to beleevers to be with them in the midst of both these that so in the greatest extremities which can befall them they may fully rest assured that nothing can separate God from them but that he will either give them deliverance from troubles or support them under troubles Martyres non â—ripuit sed nunquid descruit saith Austin He did not take the Martyrs out of the flames but did he forsake them in the flames Lastly to them the meannesse of whose condition may seeme to expose them above others to hunger cold nakednesse evils that make life it self far more bitter then death how full of divine sweetnesse is that blessed promise of provision The young lions do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing Psal 34. 10. The Septuagint renders it the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great wealthy men of the earth who like beasts of prey live upon spoile and rapine who think that in the hardest times that can come they shall be eaten up last they shall be bitten with hunger and perish by famine when they who fear the Lord shall be in want of nothing The widows little barrel of meale in the famine yielded a better supply then Ahab his storehouse and granary her cruse had oile in it when his Olive-yards had none Oh! how securely and contentedly then may a beleever who acts his faith in such promises lay himself down in the bosome of the Almighty in the worst of all his extremities not much unlike the infant that sleeps in the armes of his tender mother with the breast in his mouth from which as soon as ever it wakes it draws a fresh supply that satisfies its hunger and prevents its unquietnesse SECT 3. Rule 8. Consider of the examples to whom promises have been fulfilled The eighth direction is in the making use of any promise to parallel our condition with such examples which may be unto us as so many clear instances of the goodnesse and faithfulnesse of God in his giving unto others the same or
like milk in the breast of the Nurse that hath received a concoction and is thereby made a more facil and pure nourishment to the childe that partakes of it Thirdly let thankfulnesse for the precious promises be expressed in a most affectionate blessing of God for the Lord Jesus Christ by whom all that is wrapt up in them is given unto us He is the first matter as it were out of which God hath framed all our good He is the receptacle in which all blessings are laid up and the Well-head from whence they all flow By his blood the promises are purchased for us and by his most powerful intercession they are made good unto us Alas how little efficacy would all our prayers have if they were not presented to God the Father by his hand How small acceptance would our persons finde if God did not look upon us in him How uncertaine would all our comforts be if the root of them were not in him if he were not as the tree of life upon which they grow Yea how quickly should we spie an hell that might amaze us between heaven and any other ground of confidence that could possibly be imagined by us out of Christ When therefore we do at any time make a thankful recognition of Gods goodnesse to us in the particular mercies of the promises of the Gospel let us be sure to put the Name of Christ to all When we blesse God for blotting out our iniquities for pardoning freely all our sins let us set this crown upon the head of the mercy that he hath done it in Christ When we blesse him for sanctifying of us let us ever adde for his sanctifying us in Christ When we praise him for our Adoption and Sonship let us blesse him for doing of it in Christ When we honour him for the assured hopes of life and glory in heaven let us say as the Apostle doth Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Ephes 1. 3. Fourthly Let thankfulnesse for the promises appear in strong desires and vehement pantings after the plenary possession and perfect enjoyment of all that felicity of which they are the earnests and pledges given us by God In this life we are but as Kings in the Cradle the setting of the crowne upon our heads is reserved till we come to heaven Here we are but as espoused persons and not as the Bride in her best clothes in the other life we put on the robes of glory which shall make our bodies shine ten thousand times brighter then the Sun and our souls ten thousand times brighter then our bodies Here we are but as invited guests to the feast and supper of the great King we sit not down at his table till we come to heaven and then Christ bids us eate O friends and drink abundantly O beloved While therefore we are absent from the Lord and do by the eye of faith only peep into the things that are within the vaile and enjoy a few foretasts of glory and immortality we should shew how highly we prize the promises by longing after and wishing for the final accomplishment of all Oh! when will it be that I shall see him in whose blood I was washed by whose stripes I was healed by whose Spirit I was sanctified by whose merits such great things are prepared for me How long Lord holy and true will it be ere death shall be swallowed up in victory and mortality put on immortality Thus Bernard upon those words of our Saviour John 16. 16. A little while and ye shall not see me and again a little while and ye shall see me passionately expresseth himself Pie Domine modicum illud vocas in quo te non videam O modicum modicum longum Good Lord dost thou call that a little while in which I shall not see thee O long long little Such desires as these are true evidences of a thankful heart CHAP. XXI Motives to act fath in the Promises THE fifth and last application is to stir up Believers to act precious faith as the Apostle calls it 2 Pet. 1. 1. upon the precious promises without which what are the promises in the Word but as sugar in the wine that lying unstired doth not sweeten but as full breasts undrawn that do not nourish but as beds of spices that being unblown upon do not lend forth their fragrant and delightful odours It is the exercise and skill of faith that fetcheth out the vertue and sweetnesse which lies hâ—d in them as it is the industry of the Bee that extracts the honey from the flowers The Bee would starve notwithstanding all the flowery meadows if it did not labour and so would a Christian languish and pine away notwithstanding all the precious promises if faith should be idle and unactive O then that I might prevaile with Believers to cast aside every weight that hindereth and to set on work this noble and divine grace of faith whose glory and worth is not to be seene in the habit but in the acts of it What doth Samson differ from another man while he sleeps in the lap of Dalilah But when he awakes out of his sleep and breaks the wit hs and cords that bound him as a thread of towe when it toucheth the fire and carries away the beam and the web in which his locks are fastened then his strength appears in its greatnesse to be matchlesse And so in what is a Believer distinguished from another man while the habit of faith lies asleep in his bosome and is not actuated on the promises But when it stirs and rouseth up it self to take hold of God and Christ in his Word how apparent is the strength of the one and the weaknesse of the other made to every eye What burthens doth the one stand under and carry away upon his shoulders under which the other sinks what temptations doth the one overcome unto which the other without resistance yields What viper doth the one shake off his hand into the fire without the least hurt which fasten upon the other and sting him unto death It is faith which makes us to rejoyce in tribulations Rom. 5. 3. It is faith which maketh us to possesse our souls in patience infiery trials Heb. 10. 36. It is faith which makes us resolute in desertions Ionah 2. 4. It is faith which makes every condition of life comfortable Hab. 2. 4. But that I may yet more fully prosecute this exhortation which hitherto is as a vessel upon the wheel of the Potter that hath not received it perfect shape I shall propound some particular arguments and considerations that may animat Believers to live the life of faith which stands chiefly in two things First in a knowledge of and a familiar acquaintance with the Word so as to have it in readinesse for direction Secondly in a right improvement and exercise of faith
earth of which it makes a concoction and then sends forth a digested nourishment unto the several branches and fruit that hangs upon the tree so doth the radical grace of faith distribute to other graces that strength and life which it is partaker of from Christ and his promises And as the concoction that faith makes is more or lesse perfect so are the operations of every grace the more or lesse vigorous Faith is a kinde of mediatour between Christ and all our graces as Christ is between us and God As we have nothing from God but we receive by and through Christ So no grace is partaker of any vertue and influence from Christ but by the mediation and intervention of faith SECT 3. The things promised precious Thirdly the promises are exceeding great and precious in respect of the remarkable worth and value of those things in which they interest beleevers and give them a right unto by an unquestionable claime and title It is a full and weighty observation of which Grotius hath afforded two parts that there are three things which do clearly demonstrate and highly also commend the doctrine of the Gospel above any other Religion whatever The certainty of principles of trust the sanctity of precepts and the transcendency of rewards What religion is there amongst that multiplicity which have found entertainment in the world wherein God is represented to the soul so meet and fit an object of trust as in the Gospel Majesty being there made accessible by the condescention of goodnesse and God and man who were at a distance so neerely united together in one as that it is impossible to be determined whether be the greater wonder the mystery or the mercy Where are there in any religion such exact precepts of holinesse enjoyned as in the Gospel which lay a law upon every motion of the soul and become either a rule to guide it or a Judge to censure it Or where by search do we finde such ample and full rewards as may match and parallel the rewards of the Gospel to beleevers There we read of the bread of life for food of the waters of life for pleasure and delight of a crown of life for honour of an inheritance in life for riches of a weight of glory for cloathing and beauty All which are not mentioned in the Word as in a bare and naked declaratory which conveighs nothing of title or interest and speaks rather the perfection of heaven then the happinesse of beleevers but are set down and specified in the promises which as they declare a goodnesse and excellency in things do also give a right and propriety unto persons in them they being in the matters of God as deeds and evidences are in the matters of men which when they are signed sealed witnessed and delivered do invest men in a just and legal right of whatever is mentioned and contained in them All that a beleever hath to plead or to shew for that estate of glory of which he is an heir is the promise Eternal life is by promise 1 John 2. 25. This is the promise that he hath promised us even eternal life The crown is by promise Jam. 1. 12. He shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him The kingdome where for love all shall be sonnes for birthright heirs for dignity Kings is onely by promise Jam. 2. 5. God hath chosen the poore of this world rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdome which he hath promised to them that love him The bounty laid up and the bounty laid out the good that a beleever expects and the good that he enjoyes both flow from the promise without which no present thing could be sweet nor no future thing would be certain which by the stability of the promise are now made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gifts without repentance Rom. 11. 29. Or as Austin expoundeth it dona sine mutatione stabiliter fixa gifts firmly fixed without change Every promise being ratified by Gods oath then which nothing is more immutable sealed by the blood of Christ then which nothing is more precious testified by the Spirit then whom nothing is more true delivered by the hand of mercy then which nothing is more free and received by the hand of faith then which nothing is more sure CHAP. IV. In which is discovered the noble effect of the Promises FOurthly the promises of the Gospel are exceeding great and precious in regard of that high and noble effect which they work in beleevers who by the energie and powerful operation of the promises are raised to the utmost pitch both of perfection and blessednesse in their being and estate being by them made partakers of the divine nature as the Apostle tells us Not by having a share and partnership in the substance and essence of God and thereby to become drops beames particles of the Deity as some have most fondly dreamed But by a participation of divine qualities and excellencies whereby beleevers are made conformable unto God having those perfections which are in the holy nature of God and Christ by way of eminency to be formally or secundùm modum creaturae imprinted and stamped on their souls so farre as the image of his infinite holinesse is expressible in a limited and restrained being As the wax when it doth receive an impression from the seale doth not participate of the essence of the seale but only receives a signature and stamp made upon it so when God leaves a character and print of his holinesse or other excellencies upon the soule he doth not communicate any thing of his substance or essence but effecteth only a resemblance in the creature of those perfections that are truly in himselfe which being originally and totally derived from him may in some sort be said to be the divine nature In the Painters table that is called a face or hand which is onely the lively image or representation of such things to the eye and so those divine lineaments of beauty and holinesse which are drawn by the finger of God upon the soul of believers may be called the divine nature as they are shadowy representations of his own glorious being but not as they are any particles or traduction of it The highest honour that any creature can attaine unto is to be a living picture of God to shew forth as the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 2. 9. the vertues of God and Christ and he that raiseth it any higher must have swelling and lofty thoughts of the creature and low and dishonourable thoughts of God Now this likenesse to God or this Deiformitas Christiformitas as the pious Ancients were wont to style it is wrought by the promises SECT 1. The Promises the Word of life First as they are the words of Spirit and life John 6. 63. As they are the immortal seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. whereby a man is begotten again and made partaker of a second birth in
which he beares the image of the second Adam the Lord from heaven as in the other he did beare the similitude of the first Adam who was of the earth earthy 1 Cor. 15. 47. The promises they have in them a vim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a formative vertue and power to mould and fashion the heart to holinesse and to introduce the Image of Christ into it in regard of that native purity which dwels in them and is above gold that hath been seven times tried in the fire Psal 12. 6. therefore our Saviour tells his Disciples that they were cleane through the Word that he had spoken unto them John 15. 3. and when he prayed unto God to sanctifie them his prayer is Sanctifie them through thy truth thy Word is truth Joh. 17. 17. Secondly beleevers may be said to be partakers of the divine nature by the promises as they are the Objects of Faith and Hope Both which are graces that have in them a wonderful aptitude to cleanse and purifie the Subjects in which they dwell and to introduce true holinesse in which the lively image and resemblance of God doth chiefly consist First Faith it believes the truth of those things which God hath promised and apprehends also the worth and excellency of them to be such as that thereby it is made firme and constant in its adherence vigorous and active in its endeavours to use all means for the obtaining a conformity to God and Christ and the escaping of the corruption that is in the world through lust For till a man come to be a believer he is by the temptations of Satan and the specious promises with which they usually come attended drawn aside to the commission of the worst of sinnes in which though he weary himself to finde what first was seemingly promised yet he meets with nothing but delusions and disappointments of his expectation Balaam hath an edge set upon his spirit to curse the people of God by a promise of preferment made unto him and he tires himself in going from place to place to effect it but God hinders him from doing of the one and Balack denies the giving unto him the other So Judas by a baite that suits his covetousnesse undertakes to sell his Lord but when he hath accomplished his wickednesse and received his wages he throws it away and dares not keep what before he so earnestly thirsted after the blood of his Master makes every piece of the silver look gastly so that now he sees another image upon it then Cesars and cries out that he had sinned in betraying innocent blood Now faith it enables a beleever to discern a snare a defilement under all the gilded aldurements of Satan and the world And therefore he rejects with scorne those temptations with which others are miserably captivated resists with resolution all the courtings and solicitations of the flesh to which others yield beholding onely a stability and preciousnesse in those promises which have the oath of God to make them sure and his love to make them sweet And these only have a prevailing power with him to cause him so to order his conversation in all manner of holinesse that he may walk as it becomes an heire of heaven and an adopted sonne of the most high God to walk Secondly as Faith by beleeving the promises doth purifie the heart so also doth hope which expects the performance of what faith beleeveth work and produce the same effects He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as God is pure 1 Joh. 3. 3. The expectation which beleevers have by the promises is not a supine oscitancy whereby they look to be possessed of life and glory without any care or endeavours of theirs for to obtaine it like to callow and unfeathered birds that lie in the nest and have all their food brought to them gaping onely for to receive it But it is an expectation accompanied with diligence and industry for the fruition of what they do expect The grace of God saith Paul teacheth us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Tit. 2. 11 12. And the ground of this he subjoyneth Vers 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ He that truly expects glory earnestly pursues grace Heb. 12. 14. He that hopes to be with God in heaven useth all meanes to be like God on earth An heavenly conversation is the natural fruit of an heavenly expectation Phil. 3. 20. Our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ The Heathen could say that labour was the husband of hope There is hope the harlot and hope the wife Hope the married woman is known from hope the harlot by this that she alwayes accompanieth with her husbands labour True hope looks to enjoy nothing but what is gotten by travel and paines and therefore useth all meanes to obtaine that good which faith apprehendeth in the promise It seekes glory by grace it endeavours after communion with God in heaven by working a conformity to God in a beleever while he is on earth Thirdly beleevers are made partakers of the divine nature by the promises as they are the irreversible obsignations and declarations of God which he hath freely made unto them of his taking them unto himself in an everlasting communion of life and glory Heaven is as Prosper calls it Regio beatitudinis the onely climate where blessednesse dwells in its perfection While we are here below we are but as Kings in the cradle the throne on which we must sit the robes with which we must be clothed the crown which must be set upon our heads are all reserved for heaven In this life there is onely a taste of celestial delights and in the other there is a perpetual feast Here we see through a glasse darkly but then face to face 1 Cor. 13. 12. Grace doth as Cameron expresseth it adsignificare infirmitatem connotate a weaknesse and imperfection and glory that signifies an abolition and doing away whatsoever is weak or imperfect But all this absolute perfection of happinesse which is laid up in heaven for beleevers is ratified and made sure unto them in the promises and therefore they are said to be heires of the promise Heb. 6. 17. Yea by the promises they have the pledges and first-fruits of all that happinesse which they shall enjoy in heaven given unto them in this life We are now the sonnes of God saith the Apostle though it doth not yet appeare what we shall be 1 John 3. 2. That is we now beare his image and likenesse though in a more dark and imperfect character Our knowledge our grace our comforts are all incompleat But when he shall appeare we shall be like him That is when Christ shall come to receive us unto himself we shall beare upon us his