glory that rested upon him and expressed himselfe to be the servant of God He that takes away from our good report if we be good he addeth to our reward Our Saviour Christ saith as much Blessed are you when you be ill spoken of for great is your reward THE Seventh Sermon ISAIAH 25. 8. And the rebukes of his people shall he take away from all the earth For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it THis is a great promise and I pray you be comforted with it For of all grief that Gods people suffer in the world there is none greater than reproach disgrace and contumely Movemur contumeliis plus quam injuriis We are more moved with reproaches than injuries Injuries come from severall causes but disgrace from abundance of slighting No man but thinks himselfe worthy of respect from some or other Now slanders come from abundance of malice or else abundance of contempt and therefore nothing stickes so much as reproaches specially by reason of opinion and fancy that raiseth them over high Our Saviour Christ endured the Crosse and despised the shame That shame that vaine people cast upon Religion and the best things they despise that and make that a matter of patience They knew the Crosse would not be shaken off Persecution and Troubles must be endured and therefore they endured the Crosse and despised the shame Now to bear Crosses take the counsell of the Holy Apostles look up to him consider Christ and whatsoever disgrace in words or carriage wee shall endure we are sure though wee shall never know it till wee feele it by experience The spirit of glory shall rest upon us and rebuke shall be taken away Ere long there will be no glory in heaven and earth but the glory of Christ and of his Spouse for all the rest shall be in their owne place as it was said of Judas that he went to his place Their proper place is not to domineere but to be in hell and ere long they shall bee there Heaven is the proper element of the Saints that is the place of Christ the head And where should the body be but with the head where the Spouse but with the Husband I say this shall come to passe that all the wicked shall be in their place and all the godly in theirs with Christ and then shall the rebukes of Gods people be taken away A great matter and therefore it is sealed with a great confirmation The Lord Jehovah hath spoken it therfore it must and will be so The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it This is not in vaine added for the Lord knoweth well enough we need it to believe so great things that there is such a Feast provided And that there is such a victory over death our last enemy and that there will be such glory that all the glory shall bee Christs and his Spouses that the wicked that are now so insolent shall be cast into their proper place with the Devill by whose Spirit they are led They bee great matters and there is great disproportion between the present condition and that condition in heaven and infidelity being in the soule its hard to fasten such things on the soule that so great things should be done but they are no greater than God hath said and hee is able to make good his Word The Lord hath said it and when God hath said it heaven and earth cannot unsay it when heaven hath concluded it earth and hell cannot disanull it The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it That is truth it selfe hath spoken it that cannot lye A man may lye and be a man and an honest man too he may sometimes speak an untruth it taketh not away his nature But God who is pure truth unchangable truth truth it selfe cannot lye When we heare of great matters as matters of Christianity be great matters they be as large as the capacity of the soule and larger too And yet the soule is large in the understanding and affection too When wee heare of such large matters wee need a great faith to believe them Great faith needeth great grounds and therefore its good to have all the helps we can When we heare of great things promised great deliverances great glory to strengthen our faith remember God hath spoken them He knoweth our weaknesse our infirmity and therefore helps us with this prop The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Let us therefore remember those great things are promised in the word of God in the word of Jehovah that can make them all good that gives a being to all his promises He is being it selfe and gives being to whatsoever he saith he is able to doe it Set God and his power against all opposition whatsoever from the creature and all doubts that may arise from our owne unbeleeving hearts The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it But yee will say the Prophet Esay saith it whose words they were I answer Isaiah was the Pen-man God the mouth the head dictateth the hand writeth Christ the head dictates and his servant writeth So that holy men write as they were inspired by the holy Ghost a better spirit than their owne Why doe yee look on me saith Isaiah thinke not it is I that say it I am but a man like your selves but the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it VVee should not regard men nor the Ministerie of men but consider who speaks by men who sendeth them with what commission doe they come Ambassadors are not regarded for themselves but for them that send them And therefore Cornelius said well We are here in the presence of God to heare what thou wilt speake in the name of God Acts 10. 33. And so people should come with that reverend expression VVee are come in the presence of God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost in the presence of the blessed Angells to heare what thou shalt say in the Name of God by the Spirit of God VVe are not to deal with men but with God And therefore he saith The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Hence may this question be easily answered VVhence hath the Scripture authority VVhy from it selfe it is the Word it carryeth its owne Letters testimoniall with it Shall God borrow Authority from men No the Authority the Word hath is from it selfe It hath a supreame authority from its selfe And wee may answer that question about the Judge of all controversies What is the supreame Judge the Word the Spirit of God in the Scriptures And who is above God It is a shamelesse ridiculous impudency of men that will take upon them to be Judges of Scripture as if man would get upon the Throne and as a Judge there Judge The Scriptures must judge all ere long yea that great Antichrist Now an ignorant man a simple man that perhaps never read Scriptures must judge of
promiseth forgivenesse and opens the conscience to cry out of sinne I but Luthers rule is exceeding good in this case Summaars the greatest art of a Christian is credere credibilia c. sperare dilata to hope for things a long time and to beleeve God when he seemeth contrary to himselfe in his promise But though God doth deferre yet in that day he doth performe it is set downe indefinitely for it is not fit we should not be acquainted with the particular time And therefore he saith in that day he sets not downe a particular time but in that day wherein he meaneth to be glorious in the performance of his promise There is a time and a set time and there is a short time too in regard of God and a fit time If the time were shorter then God hath appointed then it were too short if longer too long My times saith David are in thy hands If they were in the enemies hands we should never be out If in our owne we would never enter If in our friends their good will would be more then their ability But my times he saith not my time but my times are in thy hands that is my times of trouble and times of waiting And it is well they be in Gods hands for he hath a day and a certaine day and a fit day to answer the waiting of all his people And when that day is come you see how their hearts are inlarged they will say This is the Lord we have waited for him When God meaneth to performe his promise either in this world or in the world to come the world to come specially when there shall be consummation of all promises God shall inlarge the hearts of his people This is the Lord we have waited for him This is the Lord he repeats it againe and againe Our soule is very capable being a spirituall substance and then God shall fill the soule and make it comprehend misery or comprehend happinesse when every corner of the soule shall be filled and then having bodies too it is fit they should have a part so the whole man shall expresse forth the justice or mercy of God For the nature of the thing it cannot be otherwise every member of the body shall be fit to glorifie God What the Psalmist saith of his tongue Awake my glory he may say of every member doe thy office in glorifying the Lord and rejoycing in the Lord Pectus facit disertos The heart makes a man eloquent and full so the performance of any promise fils the heart so full of affections the affections are so inlarged and therefore we must not have affections to a Court-kind of expressions as they in old time and the like Court-eloquence when men might not speake fully But when joy possesseth the heart to the full there be full expressions This is the Lord this is the Lord let us rejoyce in him And therefore there seemeth so many tautologies in the Psalmes though they be no tautologies but meere exuberancies of a sanctified affection Oh beloved what a blessed time will that be when this large heart of ours shall have that that will fill it When the best parts of us our understanding will and affections shall be carried to that which is better and larger then it selfe and shall be as it were swallowed up in the fulnesse of God! And that is the reason of the repetition of the word This is the Lord this is the Lord. And it followeth We will rejoyce and be glad in his salvation When a gracious heart is full of joy how doth he expresse that joy A wicked heart when it is full of joy is like a dirty river that runs over the banks and carrieth a deale of filth with it dirty expressions But when a gracious heart expresseth it selfe being full of joy it expresseth it selfe in thanks and praises in stirring up of others Loe this is our God we will rejoyce and be glad in his salvation Is any merry saith the Apostle Saint James Let him sing God hath affections for any condition Is a man in misery let him pray This is a time of mourning Doth God performe any promise and so give cause of joy let him sing there is action for every affection affection for every condition And this may stirre us up to begin the imployment in heaven on earth here We shall say so in heaven Loe this is the Lord we have waited for him For every performance of promises be much in thankfulnesse Our conversation is in heaven saith the Apostle And what is the greatest part of a Christians conversation but in all things to give thankes Here the Holy Church saith their matter of praise was too big for their soule and therefore they brake out in this manner And so oftentimes a child of God his heart is so full that it is too big for his body in the expression of matter of praise But it is his comfort that in heaven he shall have a large heart answerable to the large occasion of praise I will not inlarge my self in the common place of thanks-giveing In this condition we can never be miserable for it springs from joy and joy disposeth a man to thankfulnesse and upon thankfulnesse there is peace and can we be miserable in peace of consceince Therefore saith the Apostle in all things give thanks and let your requests be made knowne to God and what will follow upon that when I have made knowne my requests and paid my tribute of thanks then the peace of God which passeth understanding shall guide your minde When we have paid to God the tribute we can pay him then the soule as having discharged a debt is at peace I have prayed to God I have laid my petition in his bosome I am not in arrerages for former favours therefore the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keepe your hearts and mindes Hanna had prayed once went not away but prayed againe the happinesse of heaven followeth the actions of heaven praisings being the maine imployment of heaven the happinesse and comfort of heaven followeth And howsoever these promises be fulfilled in heaven yet they have a graduall performance on earth For he speaks certainly of the state of the Jewes yet to come wherein there shall be accomplishment of all these promises We have waited for him he will save us Experience of Gods performance stirs them up still to waite for him and rejoyce in his salvation Experience stirs up hope The begining of a Christian and midst is to hope for the end and surely our beginning should helpe the latter end all a Christians life should helpe the end all former things should come in and helpe his latter Beloved we are too backward that way to treasure up the benefit of experience there be few of yeares but might make stories of Gods gratious dealings with them if all were kept the comforts past
peculiar to the Church to know the greatest good and greatest evill 4 Obs Where the vaile is taken away there is spirituall joy and feasting Reason The same Spirit is a Spirit of Revelation and consolation Use 1. To labour to have this vaile taken off Meanes For this wee must attend on Ordinances Smile 3. Fashion not our selves after the times 4. Be carefull to practise what we know Quest Answ 5 Love what we know Use 2. Make our studies and closets Oratories for the getting of knowledge We can shut but not open our hearts to divine truths Quest How shall we know that we have heavenly light Answ 1. By a marvelling at the things of faith and the goodnesse of God in revealing them to us 2. By being carried with desire to know more and more 3. When the vaile is taken off by sanctified meanes which we can justifie by our owne experience of them Fourthly When our knowledge worketh upon us Application of this to the Sacrament Death is the great King of Kings Death spares none Death hath continued from the beginning let in by sin Sin armeth Death Hel the attendant of death Christ swallows up death in victory for himselfe and his Reas Because hee hath satisfied for sin A double kingdome of Christ 1. A kingdom of patience 2. A kingdom of power Christ conquereth for us and in us Death was conquered by Christ when he had given way to be under the power of it Use 1. First we see God gives way to his enemies for a time when he will give glorious victory Death is already swallowed up to faith Vse 2. Labour to be one with Christ crucified Vse 3. Be thankfull to God for this victory in Christ The benefits of death to a person that is in Christ Vse 4. Let those that are in Christ be ashamed of the feare of death Death terrible to the wicked They are fools that in a carnall bravery contemn death before disarmed in Christ Of Duellist Vs Of consolation to those that are in Christ Death is not only subdued but made a friend It s profitable to some to fal Satan hath advantage by our fearing death The worst the world can doe is to take away life and in that they doe the godly a pleasure Christ will draw his mysticall body to him into heaven Our comfort by Christ should make us fruitfull to Christ It s better to dye in the Lord than for the Lord. Prepare for death by getting into Christ Sin hath no Law in us to rule by * Good men easie to weepe Christ in heaven not without compassion * Psa 119. 136 * Phil. 3. 18 We have cause to weepe for the sinnes of others 1. From our love to God 2. From love to the Church and our brethren Simile Vse To condemne Stoicisme * Isa 1. 5. The best men aptest to grieve Vse 2. It s good wee doe grieve Avoid what hnders sensiblenesse The life of a Christian is a mixture of joy and sorrow Uses of joy in Christians We should picke matter of comfort out of griefe All causes of sorrow shall be removed The more teares here the more joy hereafter The Order First shed teares and then have them wiped away Reason 1. Our own necessity Simile Reason 2. For the increase of our comfort Simile Use 1. Take notice of the tender mercy of God in this that he will wipe away teares Judge not by sight for the godly here mourn most * 1 Cor. 15. 19. Be not discouraged for our own or Churches causes of griefe * Mat. 5. 4. Christians have more cause of joy than griefe and they ought to eye both This is comfortable while we live and when we die A carnall man is all joy or all sorrow The godly have a mixt condition and should have a mixt disposition Wayes are to be esteemed by their end Mat. 11. 19. Man since the fall subject to sorrow No sorrow in Paradise nor shall any be in heaven The greatest cause of the godlies mourning sin within him Rom. 7. 24. 1. A case about teares Psa 56. 8. God hath no bottle for some teares Marks of good teares 1. When their spring is the love of God 2. When wee weepe for our own sins and sins of others Truth of grace appeares more in grieving for others sins then our own 3. When our teares are shed in secret Jer. 13. 17. 4. When they tend to reformation of what they are shed for 2. Case How can a Christian joy and grieve together Phil. 4. 4. Gods people here are under rebuke and reproach Psal 137. Psal 22. 78. This text points at the conversion of the Jewes Reas There be two seeds in the world 1. Of the Serpent 2. Of the woman Carnall men would have all men thought of alike Men put a false vaile both on godlinesse and wickednesse Use 1. Take heed of laying scandal on religion Use 2. To study to be wise that wee be not misled by the misrepresentation of things The devill a lyar that he may be a murtherer Why it s the course of the world to slander Things shall be known to be as they arâ— Reason From Gods justice Revel 11. Use 1. To direct what course to take under disgrace and scandall 1. Labour to be innocent 2. To be patient 3. To be couragious 4 To be sincere 2 Cor. 5. 13. 14 2 Sam. 6. 20. 21. 5. Commend our credits to God by prayer Comfort your selfe in your own true worth 1 Cor. 4. 3. 1 Pet. 4 14. God putteth a glory upon his children under disgrace Mat. 5. 11. 12. Vse 2. For comfort to the godly their rebukes shall bee taken away God is the author of promises Use Consider God in the Promises to helpe our faith Quest How is it the the word of God sith Isaiah spake it Answ He did but write God did dictate Wee should not so much look on the Ministers as from whom they speak Quest 2. Whence hath the Scripture authority Answ From its selfe The Spirit of God in Scriptures Judge of all controversies Quest 3. How may wee know it is the Word of God but by the Chuâ—ch Answ As wee know a Letter from a friend Simile The word knowne to be of â—od 1. By its Majesty 2. Mysteriousnesse 3. Witnesse of the Spirit 4. Divine efficacy 1. In warming 2. Comforting 3. Changing 4. Casting down the soul Acts 16. 31. Adam nearest damnation 5. Searching b 1 Cor. 14 25. c Heb 4. 12. 5. The word proved to be of God from our experience 6. By reason Object The word may bee corrupted Answ The Jews lookt to the Old Testament Hereticks over the new Use 1. Let us regard heare Scriptures as the word of God Use 2. Know 1. God will make every part good Every threatning in it is ratified in heaven Use 3. Let us take shame to our selves for our infidelity in the promises Meanes To regard the word labour 〈◊〉 spirit that indited them Relishing the word makes a man a Christian indeed The points considerable Promises of God flow from Gods goodnesse Promises free and full Use Let us count promises our best treasure God taketh a long day for performance of promises Reas 1. To exercise our faith Reas 2. To waine from the creature Reas 3. To indear the things promised Reas 4. To fit us for injoyment Simile Simile A condition of waiting is a mixt condition of imperfection and perfection Wee have a taste here of what we shall have hereafter to support us Waiting is a grace whereby God sits us for an imperfect condition Waiting carrieth with it all graces 1. Patience 2. Long suffering 3. Contentment 4. Silence from murmuring 5. Watchfulnesse 6. Fruitfulnes Want of waiting the cause of wickednes Many rubs between us and heaven We are of unsetled dispositions It s hard to overcome tediousnesse of time All to be overcome by waiting God will performe promises to them that wait God keeps times and seasons in his own power There is a glorious day yet for Christians There be particular dayes of performance in this life Good to observe what dayes of performance God gives in A sight of God comparative here Absolute in heaven There 's an influence from the thing hoped for to uphold graces in waiting Simile Wee should look to the last end to fit us for it God will have us continue in a state of waiting Reas 1. It s his pleasure we should live by faith not by sight Reas 2. We are not yet fitted for sight of Glory Reas 3. Because God would have us enjoy the best at last Waiting not an empty thing Simile God fits heaven for us and us for heaven As there is a time of waiting so there will be a time of performing 1 Reas God is Jehovah Reas 2. God is faithfull Reas 3. He hath bowels of compassion towards his people Reas 4. Because the grace we have is but an earnest of what we shall have Our faith should answer Gods dealing Waiting the character of Gods people Directions to help waiting 1 Gods time is the best time 2 God will effect things though by contraries Times are in Gods hands There 's suitable action for every affection In performance of promises be much in thankfulnesse Experience of Gods performances should stir up waiting We ought to treasure up experiences God an inexhaust fountain Gods carriage towards his children is salvation Our joy and happinesse is in the enjoyment of God The joy of a Christian ends in glorying Begin to glory in God here Interest in God Christ is the ground of all rejoycing Therefore we are to make good that interest whilst we are here 1 By Union 2 By acquaintance with him The Church cannot be without Christ nor Christ without the Church In heaven nothing but in its admirable 1 Be not offended at the meanenesse of the Church 2 Nor offended with Religion for there 's a glory to come 3 Be not afraid to dye for heaven is our rest and center 4 Neither rest in any measure of grace or comfort here 5 Be not overmuch dejected for the desolation of the Church The fore taste of heaven is better than all worldly happinesse
the end of a promise is to support the soule till the performance God doth not onely reserve great things for us in another vvorld but to comfort us in the vvay doth reach out to us Promises to comfort us till vvee come thither There is a time when he will performe them and not onely a time but there are likewise promises of performance at that time the promises of these great things shall be performed The next thing is that God will stirre up in his Children a disposition suitable That is the Grace of waiting As great things were promised before so the soule hath a grace fit for it Wee have waited for thee And as they wait for them while they are in performing so they shall enjoy them Wee have wayted for thee and wee will bee glad in thy salvation We shall so enjoy them that we shall joy in them Good things when they be enjoyed they bee joyed in Againe wee shall rejoyce in our salvation wee shall glory in our God After they bee a while exercised in waiting then commeth performance then they bee enjoyed and they bee enjoyed with joy in glorying in God For that is the issue of a Christian when hee hath what hee would enjoy when hee enjoyeth it with joy when the fruit of it is that God hath his glory and therefore the heart can rejoyce in his salvation Then there is a day as for the exercising of his people here by waiting So there is a day of performing promises In that day That is a day of all dayes When that day commeth then all Prophecies and Promises shall be accomplished to the uttermost But before that great day there is an intermediate performance of Promises assisted by waiting to drop comfort to us by degrees He reserveth not all to that day there be lesser dayes before that great day As at the first comming of Christ So at the overthrow of Antichrist the Conversion of the Jewes there will be much joy but that is not that day these dayes make way for that day VVhensoever Prophecies shall end in Performances then shall bee a day of joying and glorying in the God of our salvation for ever And therefore in the Revelations where this Scripture is cited Revelations 21. 4. is meant the Conversion of the Jewes and the glorious estate they shall enjoy before the end of the world We have waited for our God and now we enjoy him I but what saith the Church there Come Lord Iesus come quickly there is yet another come Lord till wee be in heaven So that though intermediate promises bee performed here yet there is another great day of the Lord to be performed which is specially meant here The last thing considerable in the words is the manner of expression They are expressed full of life and with repetition to make them sure and more certaine In that day it shall be said this is our God wee have waited for him he shall save us He bringeth them in speaking these words of affection Indeed when wee come to enjoy the performance of Gods gracious promises if we should live to see the fulnesse of the Gentiles come and Jewes called wee should speake of it againe and againe Affections are large and few expressions will not serve for large affections It will be no tautology to say This is our God wee have waited for him Beloved times are yet to come which may much affect the hearts of the Children of God Howsoever we may not live to see the performance of these things yet wee shall all live to see that day of Judgement and then we shall say This is our God wee have waited for him VVee now see God in the Promises and then wee shall see him face to face whom wee have waited for in the Promises and we shall see him in heaven for ever Loe this is our God we have waited for him VVhile we live here we are in state of waiting wee are under Promises and a condition under promises is a waiting condition a condition of performance is an enjoying condition VVe are in a waiting condition till our bodies be raised out of the grave for when vve dye vvee vvait for the resurrection of our bodies VVe may say as Jacob vvhen he vvas dying I have waited for thy salvation VVe are in a vvaiting condition till body and soule bee joyned together at the day of judgement for ever And therefore vve should labour to have those graces that are suitable for this condition The things vve vvait for are of so transcending excellency as glory to come that they cannot bee vvaited for but the spirit by the things vvaited for fitteth us to vvaite for them A man cannot vvait for glory of soule and body but the Spirit that raiseth up faith to believe and hope to vvait vvill purge and fit and prepare him for that glorious condition He that hath this hope purifieth himselfe as hee is pure Oh it is a quickning waiting and a purging waiting it is efficacious by the Spirit to fit and purifie his soule suitable to that glorious condition hee waits for Where that is not it is but a conceit a very slender apprehension of the glory to come will make men better He that hath hope of heaven and happinesse under glory it will make him suitable to the place hee looketh for THE Eighth Sermon ISAIAH 25. 8. He shall swallow up death in victory and the Lord God will wipe away teares from off all faces and the rebukes of his people shall he take away from off all the earth for the Lord hath spoken it And it shall be said in that day loe this is our God wee have waited for him and be will save us this is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation TO come closer to the particulars It shall be said in that day loe this is our God The mouth of the Lord hath spoken gracious things before hath promised a Feast and an excellent Feast Gods manner is first of all to give promises to his Church why his goodnesse commeth from his goodnesse his goodnesse of grace commeth from his goodnesse of nature He is good and doth good Now the same goodnesse of disposition which we call bounty that reserveth heaven and happinesse for us in another world the same goodnesse will not suffer us to be without all comfort in this world Because the knowledge and revelation of the glory to come hath much comfort in it Therefore in mercy he not only intendeth performance of glory but out of the same fountaine of goodnesse he intendeth to reveale whatsoever is good for his Church in the way to glory So that promises of good come from the same goodnesse of God by which he intendeth heaven For what moved God to come out of that hidden light that no man can come into and discover himselfe in his sonne The word in his promises to reveale his
great day and of all the miseries that shall then be removed So there is a day when the Jewes shall be converted and the fulnesse of the Gentiles brought in and the man of sinne discovered and consumed by the breath of Christ And when the Church of God seeth them they may say Loe we have waited for the Lord and loe hee is come that we looked for is now fulfilled So that God reserveth not the fulfilling of all the promises to the great day of all dayes but even in this life hee will have a that day And it were very good for Christians in the passages of their lives to see how God answereth their prayers and delivereth them Let them doe as the Saints in the Old Testament that gave names to places where they saw God As Penuell hee shall see God and Abraham God will be seen in the Mount So Sampson and others they gave names to places where they had deliverance that they might be moved to bee thankfull A Christian taketh in all the comforts of this life to believe the things of the last great day Loe we have waited for him That shall be a time of sight and fruition of full power and full joy which is reserved for heaven then we shall say Loe behold this is the Lord. The more we see God here the more wee shall see him hereafter There be many wayes of seeing so as to say Loe this is the Lord. We may say from the poorest creature Loe this is the Lord here are beams of his Majesty in the works of his Justice and Mercy Loe here is the Lord. The Lord hath brought mighty things to passe the Lord is marvailous loving to this Children Behold and see the salvation of the Lord. We may say Loe here and see something of God in every creature no creature but hath something of God The things that have but meere being have something of God but the things that have life have more of God And so in some there is more in some lesse of God But in the Church of God specially wee may see his going in the Sanctuary Loe this God hath done for his Church And in the Sacraments we may say I have seen the Lord and felt the Lord in his Ordinance by his holy Spirit Wee doe all this before we come to see him in heaven but that is not meant specially We shall say Loe this is the Lord when we shall see him in heaven all sight here leadeth to that sight Faith hath a sight here but it is in the Word and Sacrament and so imperfect but the sight in heaven is immediate and perfect and therefore opposed to faith VVee live by faith and not by sight in heaven we shall live by sight not that we live not by sight here in some degree for the lesser sight leadeth to the greater sight But in comparison of sight in heaven there is no sight The Scripture speaketh of sight of God comparatively Moses saw God that is more than any other And Jacob saw God that is comparatively more than before but not fully and wholly VVee can apprehend him but not comprehend him as they say wee may see something of it but not wholly but in heaven we shall have another sight of God and then wee shall say Loe this is the God we have waited for wee shall see Christ face to face Beloved that is the sight indeed And if yee will aske me whether wee shall see God then or no Consider what I said before this is the God wee have waited for in obedience and fruitfully If we shall be ravished with the sight of God surely if we see him here we may see him there VVe see him with the eye of faith we see him in the Ordinance wee have some sight of God that the world hath not God discovereth himselfe to his children more than to the world And therefore they say thou revealest thy self to us not unto the world A Christian wonders that God should reveale his love and mercy and goodnesse to him more than to others And therefore if wee belong to God and shall see him hereafter wee must see him now as we may see him we must have some knowledge of him And if wee see God any way all things in the world will be thought of no request in comparison of the Communion of God in Christ As Isaiah 14. We have seen the Lord and what have wee to doe with Idols The soule that hath seene Christ growes in detestation of sinne and loatheth all things in comparison And then againe if we shall ever see God in glory in this glorious and triumphing manner This is the Lord This sight is a changing sight There is no sight of God but it changeth and alters to the likenesse of God When he calls to look up to him and he looks on us in favour and mercy The best fruit of his favour is grace of peace and joy for these be beames that issue from him grace as beames from the sunne But where-ever God lookes with any favour there is a conformity to Christ a gracious humble pittifull mercifull obedient disposition which is an earnest of the Spirit of Christ And there is a study of purity of a refined disposition from the pollutions of the world The pure in heart shall see God they that hope to see God for ever in heaven will study that purity that may dispose and fit them for heaven And there is such a gracious influence in it that they that hope for heaven the very hope must needs helpe to purifie them As there is grace suitable to waiting so there is an influence from the things hoped for to give vigor to all grace As all the graces of a Christian fit and inable him for heaven so hope of heaven yields life to all grace There is a mutuall influence into these things God vouchsafeth discovery of these glorious things to helpe us to wait to be patient and fruitfull and abundant in the work of the Lord. And the more wee wait fruitfully and patiently and silently the more wee see of heaven So that as in nature the seed bringeth the tree and the tree the seed so in the things of God one thing breeds another and that breeds that againe so that waiting and grace fit us for heaven and the thought of heaven puts life and vigor into all the graces that fit us for heaven What is our faith to those glorious things we shall see hereafter what is patience but for consideration of that what is hope but for the excellency of the object of hope And what were induring of troubles if something were not in heaven to make amends for all They help us to come to glory and the lively hopefull thoughts of those things animate and enliven all the graces that fit for heaven If ever we shall hereafter possesse heaven and say Loe this is he we have waited
for wee must see him here so as to undervalue all things to see him with a changing sight for the object of glory cannot bee revealed but it will stirre up a disposition suitable to glory if this bee not never hope for a sight of him in heaven And therefore let mee intreat and beseech you with the Apostle Paul to look to the end look to the maine chance that can come in this world and that shall come hereafter It is wisedome to looke to the end A man that buildeth an house will thinke of the end that is dwelling and habitation that he propoundeth We are for everlasting communion with God we are to be perfect as in grace so in glory Heaven is our element we rest not till then we are in motion till then that being our station Then thinke often of this never to rest in any intermediate Condition because we are in waiting till we come to that condition Let us so carry our selves that we may say this we waited for it is the glory wee expected It is our wisdome often to have the end of our lives in our eyes that wee may bee helped to waite patiently cheerefully and comfortably till the consummation come when all promises shall end in performance when all that is ill and imperfectly good shall bee removed a consumption of ill and a consummation of all good Oh have that day in our eyes that day of all dayes and the very thoughts of it will fit us for the day The thoughts of our end will fit and stirre us up to all meanes tending to that end Physicke is good if it tend to health The very thoughts of that prescribes order and meanes Wee read Seek the Kingdome of Heaven first and all other things shall bee added to you The thought of the end prescribes order to all meanes and it prescribes measure How to use the World as though I used it not for the thoughts of my end stirre mee up to use all courses suitable to that end And therefore the best wisedome in Christians is often to prefixe the end and to bee content in no grace nor comfort as it is in a way of imperfection but to look upon every grace every comfort every good as it tends to perfection David desired not to dwell in the House of God for ever because hee would terminate his desire in the house of God here but hee aimeth at Heaven And so when the Saints of God bound and terminate their desires and contentment it is with reference to the last day the rest of a Christian beyond which they cannot goe even communion with God himselfe THE Ninth Sermon ISAIAH 25. 9. And it shall be said in that day loe this is our God wee have waited for him and he will save us this is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation IN the worst age of the Church that the Church may not be swallowed up with fear in the worst times God doth prepare promises for his people It was the case of our blessed Saviour himself to his poore Disciples that they might not be overwhelmed with sorrow Therefore hee addeth Sacraments to Passeover and the New Testament to the Old and all to confirme faith knowing that our hearts are very subject to be danted The Lord promiseth here a feast of fat things and all things pertaining to a Feast the best of the best and removall of all that may hinder joy as taking away the vaile which hinders them from the sight of it And then death is swallowed up in victory as it is already in our head who is gloriously triumphing in heaven And then all teares shall be wiped from all faces There is a vicissitude of things they are now in a valley of teares but it will not be alwayes thus time shall come when all teares shall be wiped away and the cause of all teares are sorrow The rebukes of his people shall be taken away the scandall that lyeth upon the best things shall be taken away The worst things goe under a better representation and the best things under a vaile but one day as things are they shall be The God of truth will have truth to be cleare enough And all this is sealed up with the highest Authority that admits of no contradiction The Lord of Hosts hath spoken it We came the last day to these words Loe this is our God c. Wherein we may consider first of all That God hath left to his Church rich and precious promises such as is spoken of before A feast and removall of all hinderances whatsoever He not only vouchsafeth heaven when we dye and eternall happinesse but in this world in our way he vouchsafes precious promises to support our faith that we may begin heaven upon earth What these promises are we shewed the last day The second observation was in that Gods people are here in a state of expectation It shall be said loe we have waited for him We are in a condition of waiting while we live in this world because we are not at home our state requires waiting heaven requires setlednesse and rest There all appetites all desires shall be satiated to the full Our estate here is a passage to a better estate and waiting is a disposition fit for such a condition And in this there is good and imperfection good that we have something to wait for imperfection that we are to wait for it that we have it not in fruition and till we be in heaven we are in a state of waiting In the Revelations Come Lord Jesus come quickly there is a glorious state of a Church set forth but while all is done it hath not what it would have We cannot be in such a state in the world but there is place for a desire namely immediate and eternall communion with Christ in heaven And therefore it shall be said in that day loe this is our God we have waited for him I will adde a little to this state of waiting before I goe farther God will not have our condition presently perfect but have us continue in a state of waiting First of all it is his pleasure that we should live by faith and not by sight We have sence and feeling of many things he reserveth not all for heaven how many sweet refreshments have we in the way but the tenor of our life is by faith and not by sight God will have us in such a condition Again we are not fitted for sight of the glory to come here our vessels are not capable of that glory A few drops of that happinesse so overcame Peter in the transfiguration that he knew not himselfe God is so good to us that he would have us enjoy the best at the last the sweeter is heaven by how much the more difficult our way thither is Heaven is heaven and happinesse is happinesse after a long time
of waiting For waiting enlargeth the capacity and desires of the soule to receive more it commendeth the happinesse afterwards And therefore God keepeth the best for the last because he will never interrupt the happinesse of his children when they be in heaven there is a banishment of all cause of sorrow Hee will have a distinction between the Church-militant and Triumphant He will traine up his children here before he bringeth them to heaven he will perfume his Spouse and make her fit for an everlasting communion with him in heaven The third thing is that as there be promises and these promises are not presently fulfilled which put us in a state of waiting so God giveth grace to uphold in waiting Waiting is not an empty time to wait so long and no grace in the meane time but waiting is a fitting time for that we are to receive afterwards We see in nature In the winter which is a dull time to the spring and harvest and the times are very cold yet it ripens and mellowes the soile and fits it for the spring There is a great promotion of harvest in winter it is not a meere distance of time so between the promise and heaven it selfe it is not a meere waiting time and there is an end but it is a time which is taken up by the spirit of God in preparing the heart in subduing all base lusts and in taking us off from our selves and whatsoever is contrary to heaven The time is filled up with a great deale of that which fits us for glory in heaven The gracious God that fits us for heaven and heaven for us fits us with all graces necessary for that condition As faith to beleeve patience to wait for and to depend on that which he seeth not to be above sence a grace of hope to wait for that which he believeth to be an anchor to his soule in all conditions whatsoever And then a grace of patience to wait meekly all the while And then long-suffering patience lengthened out As the tediousnesse is long between us and heaven so there be lengthening graces We would have all presently How long Lord how long We are so short even David and others and therefore God giveth grace to hold out and lengthen our spirituall faith and hope and perseverance and constant courage to encounter with all difficulties in the way When the spirit of a man beholds heaven and happines and God it makes him constant in some sort as the things he beholdeth for the spirit transformeth him to the object Now he beholds a constant Covenant And as faith looks upon a constant God constant happinesse and constant promises it frameth the soule suitable to the excellency of the object it layeth hold upon And then the spirit of God in the way to heaven subdueth all evill murmurings and exceptions in suffering us not to put forth our hands to any iniquity though we have not what we would have he keeps us in a good and fruitfull way for to wait is not only to endure but to endure in a good course fitting us for happinesse till grace end in glory In the fourth place God will performe all his promises in time As the Church saith here This is the Lord we have waited for him Now he hath made good whatsoever he hath said To inlarge this point a little As there is a time of waiting so there will be a time when Gods people shall say Lee this is the Lord we have waited for him Why God is Jehovah a full and pregnant word a word of comfort and stay for the soule in this word Jehovah He is a God that giveth a being to all things and a being to his word and therefore what he saith he will make good He is Lord of his word Every mans word is as his nature and power and abilitie is the word of a man or the word of an honest man but being the word of a God he will make all good And then he will make all good because he is faithfull God he saith it and he will doe it you need no more reason then pitty to his people his bowels of compassion the hearts of people would faile if he should stay too long And therefore out of his bowels in his time which is the best time not only because he is faithfull but because he is loving and pittifull he will make good all his promises And then he will doe it for what is grace but an earnest of that fulnesse we shall have in heaven What is peace here but an earnest of that peace in heaven And what is joy here but an earnest of fulnesse of joy for evermore And wil God lose his earnest Therfore we shall enjoy what God hath promised and we expect because we have the earnest It is not a pledge only for a pledge may be taken away but an earnest which is never taken away but is made up in the full bargain Grace is made up in glory as beginnings are made up with perfection Where God layeth a foundation he will perfect it Where God giveth the first fruits he will give the harvest But it will be a long time before because he will exercise all grace to the uttermost You see how Abraham was brought to the last In the mountaine God provideth for a sacrifice when the knife was ready to seise on Isaacks throat We should answer with our faith Gods dealing that is if God deferre let us wait yea wait to the uttermost wait to death He is our God to death and in death and for ever If God performe his promise at the worst then till we are at the lowest we must wait And therefore one character of a child of God from others is this Give me the present saith the carnall beastly man the world but Gods people are content to wait he knoweth what he hath in promise is better then what he hath in possession The gleanings of Gods people are better then the others harvest The other cannot wait but must have present payment Gods child can wait for he liveth by faith And therefore we should learne patiently to wait for the performance of all Gods promises And to direct a little in that remember some rules which every man may gather to himselfe as Gods time is the best time Deus est optimus arbiter opportunitatis The best descerner of opportunities And in the mountain will God be seen Though he tarry long he will come and not tarry over-long and then all the strength of the enemy is with God Robur hostium apud Deum The strength of the enemy is in his hand he can suspend it when he pleaseth Then though God seemes to carry things by contrary wayes to that he promiseth which makes waiting so difficult yet he will bring things about at last He promiseth happinesse and there is nothing but misery he
and for time to come and all little enough It was Davids course thou art my God from my mothers wombe and upon thee have I hanged over since I was borne faile me not when I am old Goe along with Gods favours and use them as arguments of future blessings As former victories are helps to get the second victory Every former favour helpeth to strengthen our faith In the next God is an inexhausted fountaine and when we have to deale with an infinite God the more we take of him the more we offer him It is no good plea to say you have done courtesies therefore do them still But we cannot honour God more then from former experience to looke for great things from the great God We have have waited for him he will save us we have waited for him and we will rejoyce in his salvation That which a child of God gives thanks for rejoyces in and labors for is more more experience of his salvation We wil rejoyce in his salvation There is not a stronger word in all the Scripture nor in nature he doth not say rejoycing in this or that benefit but in his salvation that is in deliverance from all evill we will reioyce in his perservation when he hath delivered us we will reioyce in his advancement of us and we will reioyce in his salvation And therfore when the wisedome of heaven would include all in one word hee useth the word Jesus all happinesse in that word that pregnant full word a Saviour So that Gods carriage towards his children is Salvation He is the God of Salvation or a saving God And God sent his name from heaven and the Angels brought it the name of JESUS Therefore looke to the full sense of it We have a Saviour that will answer his name as he is Jesus so he will save his people from their sinnes And therefore we will reioyce in his salvation God dealt with us like a God when he delivered us from all misery from all sinnes and advanced us to all happinesse that nature is capable of As he said before he will wipe away all teares from all faces and take away the rebukes of all people He will punish the wicked with eternall destruction And if he advanceth a people he will be salvation then which he can say no more And this sheweth that the children of God rejoyce more then in any thing else in salvation because it is the salvation of God and because God is salvation it selfe Heaven were not heaven if Jesus and God in our nature were not there And therefore the Apostle saith I desire to depart not to be dissolved and to be with Christ for that is better The sight of God specially in our nature God the second person taking our nature that we might be happy will make us happy for ever In loving God and joying in God and enjoying God makes full happinesse but that is not the cause of joy in heaven but the cause of all is Gods influence into us Here in the world happinesse is mediate in Gods revealing of himselfe to us by his holy spirit in the use of meanes in his dealings and deliverances letting us see him by his grace to see him and joy and delight in him for ever It is no good love that resteth in any blessings of God for themselves It is an harlottry affection to love the gift more then the giver So the Saints of God they doe all desire to see him as they may and to joy in God and enjoy God himselfe and to see God in our nature and to be with him for ever Before he spake of a feast and if the Feast-maker be not there what is all In a Funerall feast there is much cheere but the Feast-maker is gone In heaven there is joy but where is God where is Christ he that hath done so much suffered so much for us that hath taken possession of heaven and keepeth a place for us there What is heaven without him salvation severed from him is nothing We shall say when we are there Loe here is David Abraham Saint John here the Martyrs I but here is Christ here is God here is our Saviour the cause of all and the seeing of him in them that he will be glorious in his Saints that maketh us rejoyce We shall see all our friends in heaven there we shall see the excellency of the happinesse of Christ his love his grace his mercy The words are expressed with a kind of glorying Loe this is our God So that the joy of a Christian endeth in glory and in the highest degree of glory As you have it Rom. 5. We glory also in tribulation we glory in hope of glory nay we glory in God as ours reconciled And if we glory in him now as a God reconciled what shall we doe in heaven Can a worlding glory in his riches his greatnesse his favour from such a man as Haman did And shall not a Christian glory in his God and make his boast in his God And therefore in this world wee should learne to glory before we come to that glory in heaven specially when we be set upon by any thing that is apt to discourage us glory then in our head perhaps a Christian hath no wealth no great rents to glory in I but he hath a God to glory in let him glory in him The world may take all else from him but not his God As the Church in Cant. 5. The virgins put the Church to describe her beloved what is thy beloved more then another beloved My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest of 10000. Then she goeth on in particulars my beloved is thus and thus and if you would know what my beloved is this is my beloved So a Christian that hath a spirit of faith should glory in God here for heaven is begun here and he should glory in Christ is Saviour and should set Christ against all discouragements and oppositions if you will know what is my beloved this is my beloved the chiefe among ten thousands Psal 115. Our God is in heaven and doth whatsoever he pleaseth in heaven and earth and the deepes yea we make our boast of God saith the Psalmist when there is occasion this is the Lord this is our God we have waited for him specially in times of afflictions and what is the reason This will hold out to eternity This is our God As in the Revelations It is a plea and a glory for ever for God is our happinesse As the School-men say he is our objective happinesse and our formall happinesse he is our happinesse as he is ours And he is ours in life and death and for ever so there is alwayes ground of glory onely God doth discover himselfe to be ours by little and little as we are able to beare him he is ours in our worst times My God my God why hast thou forsaken
me yet my God still He is our God to death and hee is ours in heaven This is our God we will rejoyce in him And therefore well may we boast of God because in God is everlasting Salvation If we boasted in any thing else our boasting would determine with the thing it self but if we rejoyce in God we rejoyce in that which is of equall Continuance with our soules and goeth along with the soule to all eternity And therefore we should learne to rejoyce in God and and then we shall never be ashamed It is spoken here with a kind of exalting a kind of triumphing over all oppositions Loe this is our God Beloved this that God is our God and Christs is ours is the ground of rejoycing and of all happinesse All joy all comfort is founded upon this our interest in God and therefore we must make this good while we live here that God is our God and that we may doe so observe this Christ is called Emanuell God with us God in the second person is God-man and so God with us and the Father in Emanuell is God with us too So we are God the Fathers because we are his All things are yours saith the Apostle whether Paul or Apollo things present things to come why because you are Christs I but what if I be Christs Christ is Gods So we must be Christs and then we shall be Gods if Christ be ours God is ours for God is Emanuell in Christ Emanuell God is with us in Christ who is with us God is reconciled to us in God and man in our nature And therefore get by faith into Christ and get union and get communion by prayer open our souls to him entertaine his speeches to us by his word and spirit and blessed motions and open our spirits to him and so maintaine a blessed entercourse Make it good that God is our God by dayly acquaintance These speeches at the latter end are founded upon acquaintance before This is our God Grace and glory are knit together indissolubly If God be our God here he will be ours also in glory if not here not in glory There is a Communion with God here before communion with him in glory and therefore make it good that God be our God here first by union with him And then maintaine dayly acquaintance with him by seeing him with the eye of faith by speaking to him and hearing him speake to us by his spirit joyning in his ordinances And then he will owne us and be acquainted with us in heaven we shall say Loe this is our God We have had sweet acquaintance one with another He by his spirit with me I by my prayers with him Our Saviour Christ will not be without us in heaven we are part of his mysticall body and heaven were not heaven to Christ without us With reverence be it spoken we are the fullnesse of Christ as he is the fullnesse of his Church And if he should want us in some sort he were miserable he having fixed upon us as objects of his eternall love In what case were he if he should lose that object And therefore as we glory in him he gloryeth in us Who is this that cometh out of the wildernesse who his beloved And woman is this thy faith he admires the graces of the Church as the Church admires him This is the Lord. The Church cannot be without him nor he without the Church These words are spoken with a kind of admiration Loe this is the Lord we will rejoyce in him So I say as there is thanks and joy so their is admiration loe behold This is a God worthy beholding so he wonders at the graces of his Children Beloved there is nothing in the world worthy admiration Sapientis non est admirare It was a speech of the proud Philosopher A wise man will not admire for he knoweth the ground But in heaven the parts are lifted up so high that there is nothing but matter of admiration things that eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath entred into the heart of man to conceive of They be things beyond expression and nothing is fit for them but admiration at the great things vouchsafed to the Church And as with admiration so with invitation that is the nature of true thankfullnesse there is no envy in spirituall things no man envyeth another the light of the Scriptures but loe behold with admiration and invitation of all others This is the Lord. Let us therefore rejoyce beforehand at the glorious times to come both to our selves and to others be stiring and exciting one another to glory and rejoyce in God our salvation And therefore learne all to be stirred up from hence not to be offended with Christ or with Religion Be not offended saith Austin with the parvity of Religion Every thing to the eyes of the world is little in Religion A Christian is a despised person and the Church the meanest part of the world in regard of outward glory but consider with the littlenesse and basenesse and despisednesse of the Church the glory to come Time will come when we shall rejoyce and not onely see but boast with admiration to the stirring up of others Loe this is the Lord. And therefore say with our Saviour Christ happy is he that is not offended with me nor with Religion there is a time coming that will make amends for all Who in the world can say at the houre of death and day of judgment Loe this is my riches this my honours alas the greatest persons must stand naked to give account all must stand on even ground to hold up their hands at the great barre We may say to the carnall presumptuous man loe this is the man that put his confidence in his riches And none but reconciled Christians can say loe this is our God Therefore take heed of being offended with any thing in Religion Againe if time to come be so transcendently glorious let us not be affraid to dye let us not be over much cast downe for it shall end in glory And let us be in expectation still of good times waite for this blessed time to come and never be content with any condition so as to set up our rest here We may write upon every thing Hic non est requies vestra Our rest is behind these things are in passage And therefore rest content with nothing here Heaven is our centre our element our happinesse and every thing is contentedly happy and thriveth in its Element The birds in the aire the fish in in the sea beasts on the earth they rest there as in their center And that that is our place for ever it is heaven it is God The immediat injoying of God in heaven that is our rest our Element and we shall never rest till we be there And therefore he is befooled for it in the Gospell
that setteth up his rest here whosoever saith I have enough and will now take contentment in them he is a foole There is a rest for Gods people but it is not here Neither rest in any measure of grace or comfort What is faith to sight we have hope an Anchor and Helmet that keepeth up many a soule as the Cork keepeth from sinking What is this hope to the fruition of what we hope for Here we have love many love tokens from God I but what is love to union Ours is but a love of desire we are but in motion here we lye in motion onely and our desires are not accomplished what is this love to the accomplishing of the union with the thing beloved for ever Here we have Communion of Saints but what is this communion of Saints to Communion with God for ever We have infirmities here as others which breedeth jealousies and suspition I but we shall have Communion in heaven and there shall be nothing in us to distast others but everlasting friendship yea our Communion shall be with perfect soules Our Communion of Saints here is our heaven upon earth but it is Communion with unperfect soules Peace we have I but it is peace intermixt It is peace in the midst of enemies There we shall have peace without enemies Christ doth now rule in the midst of enemies In heaven he shall rule in the midst of his friends So that we can imagine no condition here though never so good but it is imperfect And therefore rest not in any thing in the world no not in any measure of grace any measure of Comfort till we be in heaven but waite for the time to come and rejoyce in hope by which we are saved Wait still and though we have not content here yet this is not our home this is a good refreshment by the way As when the Children of Israel came from Babylon they had wells by the way as in Michae they diged up wells So from Babylon to Ierusalem we have many sweet refreshments But they be refreshments far off the way God digs many wells we have brests of Consolation to comfort us I but they are but for the way And therefore let us answer all temptations and not take contentment with any thing here It is good but it is not our home Cui dulcis peregrinatio non amat patriam If we have eternity love heaven we cannot be over much taken with any thing in the way And so for the Church let us not be over much dejected for the desolation of the Church but pray for a spirit of faith which doth realize things to the soule and presents them as present to the soule seeth Babylon fallen presents things in the Scripture phrase and in the words Babylon is fallen for as much as all the enemies of the Church fall Mighty is the Lord that hath spoken and will performe it And as the Angell saith it is downe So time will come ere long when it shall be said It is downe The Church shall be gathered and then Loe this is our God It was the comfort of the beleeveing Jewes that the Gentiles should come And why should it not be the comfort of the Gentiles that there be blessed times for the ancient people of God when they shall all cry and say Loe this is our God We have waited for him long and he will save us Therefore be not over much discouraged for whatsoever present desolation the Church lyeth under If it were not for this we were of all men most miserable as Paul saith But there be times to come when we shall rejoyce and rejoyce for ever and make boast of the Lord if it were not we were of all men most miserable Howsoever happinesse is to come yet of all persons he is most happy that hath Christ and heaven The very fore-taste of happinesse is worth all the world the inward peace of conscience joy in the Holy Ghost the beginings of the Image of God and of happinesse here is worth all the injoyments of the world Aske of any Christian whether he will hang with the greatest worldling and be in his condition he would not change his place in grace for all his glory And therefore set heaven aside the very first fruits is better then all the heaivest of the world Let us therefore get the soul raised by faith to see her happinesse we need it all for till the soul get a frame raised up to see its happinesse here specially in the world to come it is not in a frame fit for any service it will not stoop to any base sinne where the affections are so possest they look upon all base courses as unworthy of their hope What I that hope to rejoyce for ever with God in heaven that am heir of heaven that have the Image of God upon me that am in Covenant with God to take any beastiall course to place my happinesse in things meaner than my selfe that have God to delight in a God in Covenant that hath taken me into Covenant with himselfe So I say in all solicitations to sinne get our selves into a frame that may stand firme and immovable In all troubles let us know we have a God in Covenant that we may joy in him here and rejoyce with him in heaven for ever hereafter FINIS AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE A. APPETITE page SPirituall Appetite how it may be gotten 16 17 18 19 B. All is of the best in Christ 8 BOUNTY Gods Bounty cause of promises 111 Wee should honour Gods Bounty 29 C. Great is the Cheare at Gospell-Feast 8 Spirituall chearefulnes 25 CHURCH The Church is an excellent society 3 Compared to a mountaine 4 Christian 's estate best 27 Holy Company 20 Comfort of the Scriptures 101 Controversies judged by Word of God 100 Scriptures are preserved from Corruption 103 God can effect things by Contraries 154 D. Spirituall Digestion 23 DEATH Death King of Feares 56 Spares none ib. is arm'd by sinne ib. attended on by Hell ib. is terrible to wicked men 64 a friend to the godly 66 Death of Christ hath conquered Death 59 60 Death is conquered though a Believer dye 63 64 Duillists their sinne and folly 65 E. Divine Efficacy of Gods Word 101 Emnity between two seeds 91 Emptinesse of soule fits for Christ 32 Of spirituall Exercise 19 Experience of Gods Word that its true 102 F. Gospell is a Feast 5 God is Founder of this Feast 6 Christ in the Jewish Festivals 15 Spirituall Famine 20 Feare of Death unbecomes a Christian 62 63 67 G. Guests invited to the Gospel-feast 7 Christs righteousnesse our wedding garment 12 H. Largenesse of heart fit for this Feast 16 In Heaven full performance of promises 122 123 124 Hopes upholds the heart in wayting 125 I. Ignorance on all men naturally 35 Infidelity shamefull 105 Interest in God cause of joy 160 161 162 Joy in God 158 159 Joy and griefe