home before you to see all things set in a readiness for your Entertainment So great a necessity is there for my leaving you now Christus non abit nos deserere sed ut lautisimum convivium nobis praeparct Christ doth not mean to leave us but He goes to make provision for us Christ seeing them troubled seemed to neglect himself that He might hearten them against the fear of his Crucifixion It is not unlikely but that the minds of the Disciples might be filled with such troublesome thoughts as these Alass in what hole shall we hide our heads from a melitious Devil â— persecuting World now that our Champion is taken from us Where can We be secure if He suffer Can We think to escape if He be put to Death What Crosses must we look for if Innocency it self be Crucified If they deal thus barbarously with our Lord what will they do or what will they not do rather against his Servants when He is gone What will become of us when the light of our eyes is departed yea the very breath of our Nostrils If the Shepheard be smitten what will become of the timorous Sheep Against all these carnal fears Christ opposeth a greater cause of Hope Against all this matter of trouble He seasonably opposeth a surer cause of Spiritual Joy Tranquility of mind Bear my absence patiently for it shall redound to your eternal advantage I go to prepare a place for you This Text will not admit of such a Methodical Division as other Texts of Scripture do The first words are Christs Consolatory Reason why the Disciples should not be troubled at his absence In my Fathers House are many Mansions The former words may be added to confirm that assertion If it were not so I would have told you and that you may be sure it is so I go to prepare â— place for you In these word is observable 1. An Act Go. 2. An Agent I go 3. An End To prepare a place Lastly The Person for whom For you Explication In my Fathers house Heaven is called Gods House Because there God dwelleth and there Saints and blessed Spirits shall dwell with God for ever Christ calls it His Fathers House for our greater consolation to shew us that He hath much power there who is the only begotten Son and Heir of all things He is the Dominus Fac totum Heaven is a place where I have Power to make you welcom For it is my Fathers House No Son and Heir can have so much priviledge at home to bid his friends freely welcom as I have to make you my friends welcom in my Fathers House are many Manâ—ions There are Mansions not Tabernacles to denote the unchangeableness of the condition of Saints in Heaven here on Earth you can have but moveable Tents but in Heaven you shall have a settled condition a Mansion-house even in our English phrase signifies that House where we live most of our time Great Men may have several Houses and yet but one of them is called their Mansion-house that is to say the place of their most constant abode where they dwell the most part of the year It is but a short time that we spend on Earth but we shall dwell for ever in Heavenly Mansions Christians are here spoken of as being Great Persons being made Honourable by Christ who though they may have Earthly Tabernacles yet have but one Mansion-house and that is Heaven Many Mansions There is not only room for Me but for all my Members also Though there may be so many thousands of glorious Inhabitants in Heaven already yet there is still room for every Saint too In Scripture God is represented to us as a great Housholder and the Saints are called Gods Houshold or Family Every wise man provides a House according to the largeness of his Family Aretius says that the word Mansions is a word of diminution where little is spoken of the greatest matter as if we would call the vast Ocean a great Pond We must not imagine that Heaven is divided as the Earth is into several Habitations but Heaven is fitly called a Mansion because there is a fulness of glory and happiness however Men live in their flitting-houses as I may call them where they stay but a night or two yet in their Mansion-houses they will farâ— plentifully every Saint in Heaven shall have a fulness of Glory and happiness 2. In Heaven there is a permanencie and therefore called a Mansion for the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latine word Mansiones and the English word Mansions do all imply the eternity of the Glory and happiness in Heaven 3. Heaven is called a Mansion-house in respect of the different degrees of Glory in Heaven In a Kings Court there are several Offices but all are contented for all are Courtiers In Heaven the House is the same and the happiness is the same but there are different degrees of Glory But the Saints in Heaven shall be as free from envy as the Stars in the Firmament are one Star differs from another in Glory yet they do not quarrel about their different degrees of Light and Lustre no more shall the Saints in Gods House If it were not so I would not have told you I would not delude you or feed you with vain hopes promising that which I cannot perform When you come to Heaven you shall find much more than what you are able now to understand of the happiness you shall inherit there I go to prepare a place for you The great end of Christs ascending into Heaven is to prepare a place for his Elect to make way for their coming thither take notice of our Saviours Consolations He doth not say Let not your hearts be troubled for ere long I will make you earthly Princes and make you â—read on the necks of your enemies Buâ— he gives them comfort of another kind I am preparing Glory for you Let not your hearts be troubled When by my Death and Resurrection I have fitted all things for your entertainment I will come again and receive you unto my self It was the manner of Bride-grooms when they had made all things ready to come themselves and fetch home their Brides to their Fathers houses I go to prepare and I will come again and fetch you unto my self O the wonderful tenderness and infinite condescention of Divine Love Christ will do all himself He came once from Heaven already to make himseâ—f known unto us but his love engageth him to make one journey more to fetch us and take us up unto himself then he came to prepare us for Heaven He is now gone to prepare Heaven for us I go to prepare a place for you These may allude to Travailers as Musculus notes where many travail together in a company they choose out some one to ride before and provide Lodgings and a Supper for them Our Saviour attempereth his Speech to our understandings the
incomprehensible things of Heaven are painted out in these humane colours because we are much taken with these things and partly because the Disciples did yet dream that Christ would establish a worldly Kingdom and would have ruled some time as an Earthly Monarch Christ therefore in a sweet and friendly manner works them off from expecting any such thing here by telling them what he is going to prepare for hereafter your expectations shall not be altogether disappointed you shall have honour and happiness but it shall be in a better place in Heavenâ— for thither I go to prepare for youâ— the Providence of God sent Ioseph secretly before-hand to provide a place for his unnatural Brethren Christ the truth of Iosepâ— is gone into Heaven to prepare a place for all his Brethren though by our sins we both sold him and crucified him Hebr. 6. v. 20 Christ is called the Saints fore-runner implying that the Saints shall follow him into heaven Before Christ ascended he said Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am Iohn 17. ver 24. Therefore he is gone before to prepare a place for them Heaven is prepared already but our Sins had shut it against us Christ is gone to provide admission for us The Doctrine I shall offer is That Christians must look on Heaven as their dwelling place Reasons of the Doctrine are 1. Because God designeth heaven as our Dwelling-place A Christian hath a Body and a Soul an earthly and an heavenly part A Body formed of the Earth and a Soul infused from heaven This Earth was made for the delight of the Body here is beauty to delight the Eye and sweetness for the Taste and variety to delight the outward Sences But Heaven was made for the Soul In the Body we resemble the Beasts on Earth in the Soul we resemble the Angels in heaven The Body is contented with the things of the Earth and thinks it good to be here but the Soul finds nothing able to satisfy it here on earth And therefore is always mounting up to heaven by contemplation and desirous to be dissolved from its earthly clay God made Man looking upwards towards heaven and the Beasts bowing downward towards the earth to shew us that the Earth is the proper place for brute Beasts but heaveâ— is the place whither Man should aspire 2 Reason why Christians should look on heaven as their Dwelling-place lyeth in the Text Because Christ prepares it for them and where can he better provide a place than in his and our Fathers house I asseâ—d to my Father and your Father Joh. 20. ver 17. My Father by Nature your Father by Grace as S. Austin interprets it Where can he better prepare a place for his Elect than in his own Kingdom It 's the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. chap. 1. ver 11. Where can Christ better prepare a pâ—ace for them than in that Kingdom which God the Father hath freely bestowed on them Luke 12. ver 32. Fear not little Flock for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdom fear not want or trouble here but look on your selves as Heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven Where can he prepare a place better than in that Kingdom which Christ also appointed for them Luk. 22. ver 29 30. And I appoint unto you a Kingdom that ye may eat and drink at my Table and sit on Thrones â—udgeing the twelve Tribes of Israel And therefore you may be sure that this is meant of heaven For here on Earth Saints do not sit on Thrones but rather on Dunghils as Iob and Lazarus did they do not Judge here but rather are judged and hardly censured 3 Reason why Christians must look on Heaven as their Dwelling-place is because the word of God directs us so to do To sâ—t our affection on things above and to seek those things to look on the world but as our Inne but on Heaven as our home 4 Reason Because experience doth shew that on Earth Christians have no certain Dwelling-place 1 Cor. 4. ver 11. here we travail and meet with troubles here we sojourne here we suffer here we have no continuing City but we seek one to come Heb. 13. ver 14. Indeed neither Believer nor Unbeliever have any settled condition on Earth But it is more especially appropriated to Believers 1. Because of the Worlds ill dealing with them they are always driving them from Post to Pillar as we say from place to place Moses was much longer a stranger in Madian then a Courtier in Egypt 2. Because Believers do look upon Earth as an uncertain place where they cannot set up their rest they look on the world as a Camp where they wall meet with opposition rather then as a City where they should expect safety and quiet The Christian expects his resting place to be in that City which Abraham looked for Hebr. 11. v. 10. A City that hath Foundations whose Builder Maker is God All the Cities on Earth are so easily removed as if they had no Foundations Heaven only is an immoveable City Last Reason why Christians must look upon Heaven as their dwelling place is to move them to a Heavenly Conversation such as our hopes is such will our Conversation be if your hope be only in this life then your trade and dealing your thoughts and actions shall be to get worldly things your Conversation will be earthly the prevailing degree of love in all you do will be for earthly things or as the Scripture doth phrase it you will mind earthly things Philip. 3. ver 19. All our aims actions and endeavours will be but to get Money to buy Land to build Houses to settle your rest on Earth your discourses will be about dividing the Inheritance like theirs Luk. 12. ver 13. or about making more room for your worldly store like the fool in the Gospel but if your hope be in Heaven your Conversation will be Heavenly Hope is a deep dye that casts a tincture and leaves its colour in the whole Conversation of a Christian. He that looks on the world as his Pilgrimage or place of Travel will provide only as for a Traveller But he that looks on the Earth as his dwelling place will be providing as for an Inhabitant one Room will suffice a Traveller but an Inhabitant wanteth a whole house a few things will suffice a man in his Journey but an Inhabitant needs a great deal of Furniture and therefore the Scripture alwayes puts a difference between a man in the World and a man of the world Iohn 15. ver 19. By our feet we walk on earth but by our heart we dwell in heaven Application 1. For Information To teach us what thoughts we must have of earth and heaven We must look on the earth as David did to be but the house of his Pilgrimage Psalm 119. ver 54. But we must look on heaven
as our Mansion-house as the Text doth represent it a place prepared for us to dwell in for ever And what a glorious place must heaven needs be which the Bridegroom of our Souls hath now been 16 hundred years preparing for his Bride We must look upon heaven as our home our Fathers house If you ask what ground a Christian hath for this confidence I answer the Text telleth us Christ is gone thither to prepare a place for them Christ entred into heaven as a common person in the name of his Elect and so is gone to take possession in their right as a Guardian takes possession of a house and Land in the right of his Ward but Christ entred in his own right and ours both as he is our Guardian The high-Priest under the Law entred into the holy of holies with the names of the twelve Tribes on his Brest-plate to shew that he acted there for them whose names were there written Christ our great high Priest is entred into heaven whereof the holy of holies was but a Type thither hath he carryed the names of his Elect for whom he is to provide Mansions and therefore Christians are said to have an Inheritancereserved in Heaven for them 1 Pet. chap. 1. ver 4. how should this make us high in our hopes and lowly in our hearts heaven is ours in Reversion Great hopes or hopes of great things beget great Spirits and keep Men from doing any base or sordid things which are below what they hope for a Christians hope keeps up his heart and hinders him from doing any thing unbeseeming his hope The Eagle scorns to catch at Flies A Christias is that true Eagle that soareth above these petty things below the hope of Heavenly Mansions should should lift us above the Earth 2. It should make us lowly in our hearts not to strive and fight for places here but to be contented with any place remembring that while we are in this world we are out of our proper place Those that are neglectful to look after Heavenly Mansions are most quarrelling for places on Earth a christian may call all the things of this world Esek and Sitnah as Isaack named those 2 Wells about which the Philistines strove with him Gen. 26. 20 21. If God give House or Land to a christian it doth but make the Men of the world strive with him and hate him for it as the Philistines did envy Isaack's Flocks Herds Gen. 26. 14. But a Christian may call Heaven Rehoboth by the name of Isaack's Well which they strove not for Now God hath made room for me says Isaack a christian hath one place which ugodly men will not strive for namely Heaven what an Argument therefore is this to remove our desires from earthly Houses and to fix them on our Heavenly Mansions in Earthly Houses we are always either wanting room or furniture or food or peace in eating it or assurance of continuing but our Heavenly Mansions have all these properties Heaven is a good place for it is of Christ's own preparing Heaven is a large place there is many Mansions room enough and provision enough of all things to make a Saint happy Abraham's Servant asked Rebeckah iâ— there room in thy Fathers house for us to lodge in She answered we have both Straw and Provinder enough and room to lodge in Gen. 24 ver 23 25. A Christian need not make such an inquiry concerning Heaven there is room enough and provision enough God prepared the world for Adams use before he sent him to be there God built the House and ready furnished it and then raised up Man God our Redeemer is gone to prepare Heaven before he carry his Members thither Heaven is also a safe place where God dwelleth there can be no fear of enemies to molest us Israel in the earthly Canaan had plenty but not safety the Cananites continually were invading them Heaven only is the place of Peace The Heavenly Ierusalem is described to have a great wall and high and 12 Gates and 12 Angels watching at the Gates and the City to be built upon a great and high Mountain Revel 20. ver 10 12. Namely all things that may import safety Heaven is too high for danger to climb up to it it is so immured that there can be no scaling it the Gates are so strong that there is no breaking them open and the Watchers so watchful that there can be no fear of surprize And in Heaven also is suitable company there we shall dwell with God the Holy Trinity with Holy Angels aud Saints here on Earth unsuitable company may make us weary of our Habitations Lot chose the Plain of Sodom to dwell in but what an uncomfortable place did it prove to that righteous man by reason of the wicked company of those beastly Sodomites no doubt had he known their evil manners before nothing could have tempted him to have thought of dwelling there Christians that know and see this Earth to be a Sodom must not choose it for their dwelling place Lastly Heaven is a place that abideth for ever Worldly Cities have no firm Foundations but the Wall of Heaven is described to have twelve Foundations Rev. 21. ver 14. Earthly Houses may be burned or beat down either by accident or design as we see a woful instance in London that City most famed throughout the world but you know that the World it self is reserved for the general Conflagration will you make that your Dwelling-place which you know must be destroyed We linger like Lot and are loath to come out of this Sodow but the Lord is merciful by sending us many crosses pulleth us hence This sheweth us further how we come to neglect Heavenly Mansions We over-value Earthly Tabernacles and that makes us undervalue heavenly Mansions Earthly Houses are visible their Gardens and Orchards Parks and Forrests Fish-ponds and Motes Arbors and Banquetting-houses but Heavenly Mansions and what Provision is made there is only known to Faith 1. Cor. chap. 2. ver 9. as it is written Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred the heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him which if it be true of those things prepared in the Gospel it is more true of those things prepared in Heaven This consideration of Heavenly Mansions may much quiet and comâ—ort those that either are not born to House and Land or that are driven from House and home by any sad Providence your Tents may be removed but your Mansions endure for ever 2. Use of Exhortation to all that hope for Heavenly Mansions 1. Search the Land where you hope â—o dwell for ever Israel â—ent spies to â—earch for Canaan but theâ—r spies were of two sorts Some brought an evil â—eport on Canaan saying there were Gyants and yet brought of the good fruits of the Land but Caleb Ioshus told them the truth If the Lord delight in us he will
bring us into this Land Numb 14. ve 8. Hearken unto Caleb and Ioshua unto the faithful spies and true Ministers which declare from the word of God what place Heaven is and hearken not unto any that endeavour to bring an evil report on this good Land where only is fulness of Ioy and pleasures for evermore Indeed there are some difficulties will meet us in our way thitther but no impossibilities Say with Caleb the Lord is with us we are able to overcome them Numb 13. compared with Numâ— 14. ver 9. 2. Pray against earthly mindedness The young man that seemed so earnest to get to Heaven as is set out by his postures of running and kneeling and asking what to do yet his great earthly Possessions hindred him from being prevailed with by the promise of Heavenly treasure Mark 10. ver 2â— Reuben and Gad had so much Cattle that they are not eager to dwell in Canaan Iacob's Flocks and Herds made him drive slowly homewards Gen. 33. v. 14. though I grant his fear of Esau might be a great cause also Those Christians are in most danger of neglecting Heavenly Mansions that are well seated in Earthly places haec sunt quae faciunt invitos mori these things make us unwilling to die Let us use the Earth as the Birds do the Air is their proper place and they care not to descend on the Earth but only for their times of Feeding so long as they keep aloft they are secure but when they come to settle on the Ground there are Nets or Guns or some Snare to endanger them So long as Christians keep their thoughts on Heaven and the thing above they are â—afe from Temptation but when they â—et them hover too long upon Earth and the things â—â—low Satan is ready to shoot at them or hath one Snare or other to catch them though your daily Bread grows on Earth yet look on Heaven as your home and send your thoughts desires thither again that it may appear though you Table here you expect to dwell in Heaven A few words more and then I shall conclude 1. Be content though God alloâ— you but a low place or no place in this world seeing Christ is preparing a place for you in a better world 2. Get your affections more weaned from earthly Houses you that have them and fix your thoughts more on those Heavenly Mansions Because Children know no better things they are so much in love with every painted Gew-gaw It is our ignorance of the Joys in Heaven that makes us so greatly pleased with these toyes on Earth 3. Be not immoderate in grieving for any Relations or Friends departed no though you have hâ—d them but a little while with you So long as we are in the Body we are absent from the Lord the Apostle Paul groaned earnestly in desires of enjoying his Heavenly Mansion 2 Cor. chap. 5. ver 2. and he gives us his Reason in the 1. ver Who would not go out of a thatcht Cottage to inherit a Pallace those that die in the Lord do but leave an Earthly Tabernacle to inherit an Heavenly Kingdom and will you think it too sâ—on for them to be thus happy Solon being asked who were happy tells a story of two Youths who out of affection drew their Mothers Chariot to the Temple and the Gods to recompence them caused them to die presently those are happy that can number Death among their priviledges and bid it welcom If I could offer your Wife or Children House or Land would you say no I thank you I cannot spare them yet they shall tarry with me one year longer before they go to possess it We are wiser in earthly matters why are we such fools in Heavenly matters if we did cordially believe and seriously meditate on the blessedness in Heaven we should grudge at every hour we â—arry on earth we should think the shortest life too long and like the next Heir be eagerly desirous to inherit I say nothing of the party deceased though she hath left a good name behind her because I was totally â— stranger to her FINIS PAUL The Pattern of PARDONING MERCY Being A SERMON ON 1 Tim. Chap. 1. Ver. 15. Howbeit for this cause I obtained Mercy that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all Long-suffering for a Pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting 1 Tim. 1. Chap. 16. Ver. Howbeit for this cause I obtained Mercy that in me Iesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting THis Verse referreth to the last words of the former Verse whereof I am chief howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy as if the Apostle would say Although I was so heinous a sinner yet Iesus Christ hath made me a pattern of mercy to all others As God makes some stand as fearful monuments of his wrath to fright â—hose that are impenitent like Lot's wife tuâ—ned into a Pillar of Salt to season after Ages So God is pleased to set others as Monuments of free-grace to invite all penitent Sinners the Apostle tells us what was Gods aim in pardoning him that was so great an offender to make a pattern of long suffering to encourage the greatest sinners to lay hold on his Mercy For Division of the words 1. Here is an Act mentioned Obtained 2. The thing mentioned Mercy 3. The Person mentioned I that needed long sufferings I the chief of sinners Lastly the Reason mentioned for this cause that I might be a pattern to them that shall hereafter believe that is to say that by my Example the greatest Sinners mâ—ght be encouraged to lay hold on the offer of Free Pardon seeing such a desperate opposer of Jesus Christ as I was received into favour that none might hereafter despair of Pardon but all Sinners might be encourag'd to come to God through Jesus Christ. The Doctrine will be most comfortable thus rendred That God hath set Paul as a glorious pattern of Mercy to encourage all sinners by his Example to seek for pardoning Mercy The orderly handling of this Doctrine will be 1. To see what a Pattern is 2. How Paul may be said to be a Pattern 3. Why Paul was made a Pattern Lastly What excellent â—ncouragement all Sinners hereafter may make of this glorious Pattern of Free-grace For the First What a Pattern is For on this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lyeth the stress of the whole matter A Pattern is materiâ— proposita ad imitandum something that is laid before our eyes for us to imitate when a Liâ—mner hath drawn some curious Picture in which he thinks he hath shewed much of his Art he hangs it out for all Passengers to look on to shew them what he can do every piece is not fit to be a Pattern but the most exact Piâ—ces In the converting of Paul who by his own confession was one of the greatest
sinners in the world God doth shew to all Men in this Pattern what free Grace can do how he can pardon the greatest sinners God hath made Paul fit to be a Pattern of pardoning Mercy to shew all the world how much he can forgive And this leadeth me to the next particular How Paul might be said to be a Pattern 1. Consider his own Confession what a kind of Sinner he was and that will lend some light into this Phrase 2. Conâ—ider the manner of his Conversion 3. Gods dealing with him after his Conversion 1. Let us hear his own Confession how great a sinner he was chief of sinners not only sensu humilitatu so in his own apprehension nor only salvandorum primus chief sinner of those that shall be saved but as he was a proud Pharisee that went about to set up his own righteousness in direct opposition to Christs rightouiness Surely except the unpardonable sin there cannot be a greater sin than this and in this sense Christs words may be understood that Publicans and Harlots were nearer Heaven than the self-justifying Pharisees Mat. 21. ver 31. For Publicans and Harlots did not deny that Christs imputed righteousness was the only meriting cauâ—e of our Justification but the Pharisees denyed this The Apostle confesseth how exceeding mad he was against this Doctrine so long as he was a Pharisee and persecuted all that professed to be justifyed by Faith in Jesus Christ Acts. 26. from ver 9. to ver 12. He would not yield to cast away the thoughts of his own righteousness and to relie upon the righteousness of Christ imputed and this made him persecute unto the death all such as professed a contrary way of being justified and herein he was a greater sinner than if he had been a Thief or Drunkard or any otheâ— kind of sinner those are trespasses against the commands of the Law but this is the highest Trespass against the great Command of the Gospel namely that we should embrace Christ as he is called the Lord our righteousness Ier. 23. ver 6. There is more hopes of Publicans and Harlots of Theeves and Murderers than of those that reject Christs imputed Righteousness except the Devils Damned in Hell Christ can have no greater enemies than those that cry up their own righteousness and cry down the Doctrine of his imputed Righteousness Paul before Conversion was tooth nail as we say against this Doctrine so that we may see a most elaborate piece of the work of free Grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Passor nota incisa insculpta percussione vel pulsatione facta The Chraâ—cter of Free Grace is deeply cut in this Pattern Paul a proud Pharisee was beaten down to the ground and he that before so hotly persecuted the name of Christ is now made a Preacher of it here is now the depth of humility where there was the height of Pride before Here God hath wrought a curious frame out of a rugged knotty piece of timber Here is a Lion-like nature changed into a Lamb he that before was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interpoâ—ito v that is to say unquiet like the Sea and turbulent is now Paul quiet and peaceable see what Free Grace can do here is a rare Pattern indeed For a Physician perfectly to cure one that is stark mad and bring him to his right mind this shews great skill indeed this God hath done Paul was exceeding mad persecuting all wheresoever he met them that professed to be justifyed by Faith in Christs Righteousness and yet the Grace of God hath perfectly cured him and now makes him to seek to Christ for Righteousness and count his own Righteousness but dung and to preach the same way of Justification to others If a Chyrurgeon go into an Hospital and pick out those that are most desperately sick lame and cure them is it not the greater argument of his skill so here in Paul's Conversion and Pardon God doth shew what Free Grace can do for Paul 〈◊〉 perâ—ectâ—y cured that was most 〈◊〉 sick of Pride and Self-love 2. Considâ—r the manne of his Conversion and then his name Paul may be derived from the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signisies Wonderful for the manner of his Conversion was wonderful indeed recorded Acts 9. ver 1. While he was yet breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Church he made himself accessory to the murder of Stephen by holding the Garments of them that stoned him Acts 8. ver 58. But this did whet his malice and sharpen his rage the more this did but flesh his Fury and make him more eager to persecute this was but a younger practice to what he afâ—erwards intended He seeks to get a Commission to impower him to persecute all that came in his way and being armed with authority and come nigh to Damascus which was the end of his journey God surprized him suddenly and turned a pâ—oud Saul into an humble Paul and made him a zealous Preacher of Christ who came thither out of a design to shew himself a bitter Persecutor of that name He that was prancing on Horse-back before is now fallen to the Earth He that came to punish Christs Disciples now owneth Christ as his Lord and begs now to know whâ—t he will have him do Acts 9. ver 14. He that was râ—ging before is trembling and astonished now A little light from Heaven will tame the most furious Persecutor any discovery either of thâ— glorious Majesty of Jesus Christ oâ— of our vileness will humble any sinner see here the irresistible power of Grace that can meet with a Wolâ— seeking for his Prey and can suddenly change him into a harmless Lamb. 3. Consider how graciously God dealt with him after Conversion in imploying him as a Prime Officer in the Church of Christ yea as a Master-builder and as a chief Pillar of that Church which he sought before to pull down God sent him as an honorable Embassador to bear Christs name before Kings and the Children of Israel whose great ambition before was to be the Saints common Executioner Christ intended that Paul should suffer much for his name who came to Damascus to make all them suffer that professed Christs name It is remarkable that of all the Apostles Paul only was wrapt up in the thiâ—d Heaven God dealt so graciously with him that he that was the greatest enemy to Christ before his Conversion is now used as the most indeared friend of Christ after his conversion and hath the most glorious discoveries of Christ and of the Mysteries of his Gospel of all others and now his name may be called Wonderful indeed for here is a Scene on which before Conversion corrupt Nature acted her outragious Fury and after conversion sanctifying Grace shâ—wed her sacred force and both to such an extent as few Stories can parallel In Saul was seen