fall by death into utter darknesse than to come to this light of life so that such as put this light from themselves or such as hinder and cloud it or hide it from others they must needs fall into a sad condemnation was there not only invincible ignorance but obstinacy prevalent upon the souls of men did they not willingly upon their own hearts and consciences Callum inducere draw such a brawnish hardnesse even to stand against the batteries which God many wayes makes against the strong holds of Satan therein so that they are not only Gospel-proofe but Law-proofe too so that neither the Boanerges or Barnabae the sons of thunder or the sons of consolation that are sent unto them can either pierce them or melt them bow them or break them but they will doe as they have done if they have made cakes for the Queene of heaven they will doe so still if they have served God out of custome more than conscience they will doe so still if they have added drunkennesse to thirst they will doe so still if they sacrificed upon the mountaines they will doe so still if they have hated such as beare the image of God upon them they will doe so still yea though the greatest and forciblest of Gods Ordinances play upon the Forts of their Hell-hardened Consciences they remaine impenetrable What cleare light hath shined long in this Nation above all her neighbours how hath God poured his Spirit remarkably upon many persons eminent amongst us for Divine endowments being greatly inlarged with the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit and as willing as able to improve their talents to their Masters advantage and the salvation of the soules of all sorts of people But if they come neere the soares of their soules how doe men kick and spurne against them then they are their enemies because they tell them the truth if they would take away the vaile of ignorance from before their eyes they will answer with the Pharisees those blind leaders of the blind that they see already and therefore as our Saviour told them so such likewise might be told therefore your sin remaineth if they would make them sencible of their lost estate they have good hearts and meanings and make many prayers and it may be if they were tryed through the whole Law of God as Christ tryed the young man in the Gospel they would be ready to plead for themselves not guiltie all these have we kept from our youth when their plea is as false as mistaken by them If Gospel grace be never so much discovered to them if the termes thereof be never so often and urgently pressed upon them they heare them not they receive them not they observe them not if Satan or men will offer any thing else vaine or foolish sencelesse or frivolous a little countenance from men a little ingagement in the world will prevaile for their seducement when Divine truth hath been little regarded for a long time in reference to their conversion as our Saviour told the Jewes when they would not regard his heavenly counsel If any shall come to them in his owne name him they would heare Joh 5. 43. And hath not Satan varieties of designes and agents to Eclypse or cloud or hide or even to guish if possible Gospel-glory now for many yeares brightly shining amongst us holding out varieties of strong and strange delusions sometimes really grosse and despicable to ordinary capacities sometimes more refined and seemingly more spirituall and appearing more neere to perfection and yet still wandering from the way of truth yea sometime to set up iniquirie by Law and to obstruct the most efficacious wayes and meanes to promote the advancement of Gospel glory Have there not been sad experiments of these things in our former and later Popish persecutions And let all reall and sound Christians earnestly pray there may not be any the like againe amongst us for shall we Question it That whilst with Capernaum we are lifted up unto heaven in Christs speciall approaches and intercourses amongst us so much neglected and opposed too by the generalities almost of men and women that we shall not be equally with her cast downe into Hell Let not any persons deceive themselves God is not mocked but as each man sowes so let him look to reape at his hands Mat 6. 7. If men weave the Spiders webs and hatch the Cockatrice eggs may they not justly expect that their webs should faile to become garments and that their eggs break forth into Vipers to sting or destroy themselves or others Isa 59. 5 6. Thirdly To admonish all good Christians as they desire to have much glory in heaven to labour much to behold the Gospel glory of the Lord in his Church upon earth and so to behold it as to be still more and more transformed into the same image yea in being so exercised heaven will more come down unto them and enter into their soules there will be such a glory as will make their souls truly delightfull comfortable happie such as they would not exchange or part with for the whole world let them be much taken up with the contemplation and admiration of such Gospel grace and glory and let their hearts and mouthes be filled with the high praises of God for it in all respects of the shining glory of it oh to what an height of divine excellency will it raise their spirits what large possession will it give the Lord the Spirit of their soules what earnest longings will it cause after more of the same grace what rejoycings and triumphings will it cause in the Lord of glory what resistance will it afford against worldly discouragements intanglements ingagements and all obstructions and oppositions whatsoever against it how will it sweeten troubles season every condition and administer unto them the oyle of joy even with the garments of heavinesse oh who would not drinke well of the wine of such sweet consolation to make them in â— good measure to forget their sorrow when by faith in the depth of sorrow they shall so see Christ a Saviour for them sitting gloriously and triumphantly at the right hand of God as Stephen did wonderfully while he was in stoning to death Acts 7. Fourthly Let this incite and stirre up all such as have any true spirituall discoveries of Gospel glory made unto their soules hence to learne spiritually to exult and triumph in the name of the Lord and in the power of his might and in the evidence of his divine grace for as our Saviour said unto his Disciples in another case the like may be said unto such Flesh and blood bath not revealed this unto their soules but the Lord the Spirit who is from heaven Doe not the Starres standing in the cleare aspect of the Sunne send forth their cleare and bright shining rayes in the view of the world Doth not the earth when it receives its seasonable and sweet showers and influences
from the heavens send forth her tender sprouts and pleasant fruits for the use of creatures inhabiting upon it Doe not the Valleys standing thick vvith Corne laugh and sing as the Psalmist speaketh Psal 65. 13. And doe not all living creatures under the materiall heavens when God opens his hand and fills them with his goodnesse sing and rejoyce and all of them materially praise the Lord as shewing forth unto man such ample matter of his praise and glory in all such respects continually due unto his divine Majestie from Men and Angells which either doe or ought to learne that great lesson from them But then above all when that inward secret divine grace and spirituall glory hidden from the eyes of all creatures which none else attaine to know but those to whom such inward spirituall discovery is made and none know their own but they that have it from whence there is gladnesse put into the hearts of such as have this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prerogative to become the children of God Joh 1. 12. To be borne from above Joh 3. 3. yea to be borne of God ver 8. Being effectually changed into the same image as in the Text by the Lord the Spirit not only above that when mens corne and wine and oyle inoreaseth as Psal 4. 7. But as the Apostle speaketh with joy unspeak able and full of glory and indeed when the glory of God hath once filled their souls it is no wonder if they triumph in the God of all glory O how should this true sight of the spirituall heavenly Canaan upon the top of Mount Nebo at some distance make them with Moses to be willing to leave a Wildernesse-worldly condition and gladly to goe unto that God whose glittering beames of glory have not only shined upon their countenance as visibly once on Moses but into their soules so seasoning sanctifying sweetning supporting comforting them answerably to all that his most soveraigne divine all-guiding and ordering providence shall dispence unto them That neither life nor death Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heighth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate them from his love which is in Christ Jesus their Lord Rom 8. 38 39. or it from them Yea upon this advantage God Christ spirituall and eternall joy is really and truly here and perpetually and perfectly hereafter shall most infallibly be conveyed into and for ever be continued unto their souls and their whole man to all eternitie O then know thy worth O sanctified soule that thou mayst here in some measure suitably praise thy God which as such thou canst not but desire freely to doe now and shalt most certainly and most happily performe hereafter incessantly unweariedly and most delightfully Let thy name whereby thou mayest remarkably be knowne in the world be Barachiah blesse or praise the Lord let his praise be ever in thy mouth ever in thy heart ever endeavoured after and aimed at in thy life so will thy name be truly glorious so will thy end be truly blessed but thy portion perfect beatitude everlasting felicitie Fifthly and lastly Let none content themselves with an outward profession of Christs Religion unlesse with the regenerate and truly sanctified souls they in some good measure likewise so behold the glory of the Lord as to be therewithall changed into the same image without which men may long enough beare the name of Christ and yet never be owned by Christ they may eate and drinke often in his presence and have him preached often in their streets and yet notwithstanding heare him say unto them Depart from me ye cursed I never knew you I never approved of you nor your seeming service yea some also may preach Christ unto others and that in many respects well too and yet they themselves be meer cast-awayes if they do not aright behold this glory of the Lord. Were such truths well considered owned believed applyed Christians would be lesse in seeming more in substance lesse in formalitie more in realitie lesse in shews and more in truth Satan could delude lesse grace would prevaile more the Devil should have fewer slaves Christ would have more servants sin would have fewer Subjects grace would have more favourites hell would have fewer everlastingly condemned prisoners heaven would have more eternally enfranchized Citizens to possesse or inhabite them Now for the better promoting of this great worke let me offer unto thee these ensuing Considerations amongst many others which might be added First Consider that the obtaining of this Burgesship or being so free-borne unto it is the first thing that ought humbly faithfully and constantly to be sought for by every Wise Virgin and none but the foolish neglect it It is to be sought for first in order by the direction of our best Teacher by the injunction of the best and infinitely greatest King First seeke the Kingdome of heaven and the righteousnesse thereof Math 6. 33. First in intention with the converted Jaylour What must I doe to be saved First in value and worth incomparable What will it profit a man saith our Saviour and he knowes best that it profits nothing for a man to gaine the whole world were it possible as it is not and to loose his own soule Mark 8. 36. First in necessitie For except saith Christ a man be borne againe or borne from above he cannot see the kingdome of God he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Joh 3. 3 5. First In dignity or excellency for it is incomparably more to be borne of God as all his Saints are then to be borne of bloods or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man Jo. 1. 13. First In truly comfortable fruition without which the soule is like the needle in the marriners compasse till it be this way pointed at God for its rest will alwayes be in disturbed motion It was not only more truly honorable for David that he was the truly faithful servant of the Lord and the sweet singer of Israel the man after Gods own heart then that he was the King of Israel the renowned Conqueror of Gods and his own enemies but it was more true comfort sound satisfaction unspeakeable and glorious joy over and above all the rest that he was or did or possessed in the world Secondly Consider that this is only the really true and the only heaven upon earth whereas all others supposed heavens without this are but Phantastical conceits vanishing delusions sweet poysons putative pleasures but intoxicating and killing rejoycings Thirdly Consider what a great advancement it is in the world yea above the world and that in respect both of her frownes and her favours First Saith the Apostle yea are come unto the Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the heavenly Hierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first born which are written in
time after was it in any suitable manner taken notice of or displayed in publique till the Spirit of God in a four-fold witnesse gave testimony of all these things when after that by doctrine by holinesse by miracles by sufferings by death and a powerfull raising of himselfe to life having slaine all enmitie thereby he was powerfully declared to be the Sonne of God yea so was the light of his appearing eclypsed in the worlds eye that after Ages could not finde out the time or season when that his birthglory did first shine out and therefore the Fathers vid Jerome Cyprian upon severall grounds have anciently argued for different seasons as likewise later times have differed therein divine Oracles being particularly silent as if of old God by the buriall of Moses body by him would prevent the Israelites adoring of his sepulchre so as some conceive he would conceale the season of his nativity neither doe we reade in Scripture any like celebration but that of Herod de porcorum grege Epicurus Nor is the day of a Conquerors taking up Armes celebrated as glorious but the day of his victory and conquest nor was the first day of the Creation appointed by God to be observed at first for his Sabbath but the day when his work was finished and by the same Law upon Greater enforcement is the day of the Lord his Resurrection day as the day of his victory conquest and triumph over sin death and hell with all the powers of darknesse by himselfe substituted as his own for a continuall Christian Sabbath to be observed and celebrated in his Universall Church for the honour and glory of such their wonderfull deliverance then accomplished by him throughout all Ages from Sabbath to Sabbath so long as the Sunne and Moone shall endure and herein is the glorious mysterie of God so accomplished to be admired that the bleer-eyed world is not able to behold the divine brightnesse of it and so it hath been since in the Apostles and after Ages as the mysterie of God hath been in fulfilling the great things of Christ have been hid from their eyes Christ crusified hath been to the Jewes a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishnesse while to them that believe it is the power of God to salvation The Apostles were mean in the eyes of the Great ones of the world when they went on Christs Embassie into the world yet they went conquering and to conquer by preaching praying improvement of all spirituall grace even in suffering and dying after the example of their great Soveraigne they greatly prevailed over the powers of the world over the strength and subtiltie of sin and Satan And have not the two Witnesses the contemporaries of Antichristian tyranny done so too and shall they not more prevaile still and maugre all vaine imaginations of any men or counsells taken by them against Christ Yet will not God set his King upon his holy hill of Sion Yea will it not be both the honour and happinesse of the Greatest Potentates upon earth to kisse the Sonne and give the glory of their Scepters unto him that as they reigne by him so they may reigne for him and in his good time may likewise reigne with him in endlesse glory But what is this Historical hint as it may be called of this mystical manner of gradual fulfilling of gospel Glory somewhat observable indeed in the eyes of the Saints but little in the eyes of Men of the world But if we come to speak of the inward glory of true gospel Grace spiritually glorious in the soules of Gods faithful people for the Kings daughter is all glorious within We may say of this as the Queen of Sheba after she had heard in her own Country the same of King Solomons wisdome and magnificence when she came to his Court to heare and see the truth of both that she confessed the half thereof was not formerly shewed unto her So much more may it be said of inward Divine glorious Grace shining from Christ into the souls of his servants in his spiritual manifestations of himself unto them the injoyment of which soule-chearing solace is incomparably beyond what any Historical narration thereof can represent it to be and not to go about to speak of that consummate glory belonging to them reserved for another world here not to be conceived much less competently decyphered but only to touch upon that incoate glory here transmitted by the holy Spirit into the souls of the faithful as that which is more particularly intended in our Text the subject now in hand which is so great that it may well appear to be the design of God to Glorifie himself eminently by this in his Church in this life For should I speak but of those resemblances in Scripture which the Spirit of God sheweth but to shaddow out unto our weak sight the radiant beams of spiritual Gospel glory the expressions will appear much below the matter though in themselves they be very high as namely the hidden Manna The water of life for food yea the fat things and pleasures of Gods house the marrow and fatness there and wines on the lees well refined Isa 25. 6. for their feasting eye salve for medicine to make them see Rev. 3. 18. App'es and Flaggons to keep them from sounding Balme and Physitians from Gilead Gold tried in the fire to make them rich garments of needlework and wrought gold with jewels to adorn them white rayment to make them pure the white stone with the new name written in it that none can read but they that have it to secure their interest Rev. 2. 17. with others of the like nature which are spoken to the capacity of other men but what the inward efficacy and glory of these things is is only rightly and really known to such as have them by this inward work of God upon mens Souls a truly glorious change is wrought in them of Bond-slaves under Sin and children of Satan they are made free indeed and the children of Abraham yea the Image of God is restored in them and they are partakers of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. Their Souls are made Temples of the holy One where God the Father vouchsafes his presence Christ holds his Soveraignty and the Holy Ghost his Residence and hereby they have Communion with the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost by which means great discoveries great consolations and great security unto such poor Souls upon all good occasions from time to time are happily administred untill from strength to strength in grace here they be by the Almighty power and grace of God their heavenly Father brought into possession of the fulness of glory with himself in the highest heavens there with all the Celestial Angels and perfected Saints sing forth their Halelujahs to the eternall praise of his infinitely great and glorious name But Secondly we have seen it hath been the design of God by Gospel grace
to glorifie himself c. So let us now consider that he hath been is and will be more glorious in the eyes of all his people by this Gospel grace then by any other or all other his glorious works besides whereby he hath any wayes discovered his glory in the world Now that we may at least represent some glimpse of this spiritual glory in some measure sutable to what it is unto mens Souls we shall by the gracious assistance of God indeavour to tender it in this ensuing method First to offer some considerations of the glorious works of God in Creation Sustentation and Gubernation of all things in the world Secondly to tender some representations of the more glorious works of his Gospel grace displayed in his Church in the world Thirdly to shew some respective considerations wherein this work is more glorious then any yea then all the other First God hath by all the three former great and glorious works preached unto lost mankind how great and how good and how powerfull he is as Ps 19. 1 2 3. The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy work Day unto day uttereth speech night unto night sheweth knowledge There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard And though that his preaching to them hath been very clear loud and constant yet usually they have lent either a deaf or a negligent ear thereunto they would either not heare or not regard it Concerning the first of Creation the Apostle Paul gives us a clear evidence Ro. 1. 20. The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead so that they viz. the Gentiles are without excuse That his power was infinite the nature of the work doth shew since only an infinite power can create that is make something any thing all things out of nothing that he could make them without pains labour or trouble and that he could with the same facility make multitudes of worlds if he pleased as well as one That his Wisdom was wonderful therein was manifest in the manner order and quality of the work so to command creatures to be so successively in their order to supply in their uses the wants of each other so to dispose of their nature qualities properties uses as in Storehouses to Treasure up all their several vertues and benefits and yet so as to have them communicable for all their several due intendments and purposes and yet this work so vast so various yea not only in the want of order in things before but in want of being of things to be ordered doth abundantly publish the wisdome of the maker and disposer of them His goodness in that work is as largely evident for they were not only good as God first made them and his word witnessed of them but even he filled as the Psalmist saith with his goodness every living thing and to make them in their several courses as so many conduit pipes of goodness to all sorts of creatures in the world and by all these wayes and in what ever respect else the world was capable to have discovered his wonderful glory unto it in a work of Creation Now Secondly for the work of Sustentation whereof the Apostle Heb. 1. 3. declares he upholds all things by the word of his power that is in him no less great no less wonderful and glorious then the other All Creatures had no more power to preserve themselves of others in the State God hath made them or preserved them then they had to make themselves at first or one another did not he as well communicate a support to them in their Being comforte operations continually as well as at their first subsistance Creatures may by his order adde an accidental form to Gods matter but God by his glorious work of Sustentation by the same efficatiousness wherewith at first he made all Creatures in their kinds keeps all both their matter and essential forms together to which purpose the Apostle in that excellent discourse of his Acts. 17. 24. of all these temporal works of God brings in this forcible reason ver 28. in some sort acknowledged by very heathens in him we live and move and have our being If God should but withhold his powerful sustentation from any or all Creatures in the world they would suddenly be resolved into their first nothing For what is the order or course or strength of nature in all sorts of Creatures but what God first assigned to them and ever since at his pleasure preserveth in them but altereth when he pleaseth the Soul must needs guide and act the body as God appointeth it while it stayes therein because a natural agent but God as a free and voluntary agent can withdraw his support and actings from the Creatures or stop them as he pleaseth But now to consider that in an ordinary way of support God hath held up the whole Creation for now allmost 6000. years in the whole and all the main substantial parts of it and that in so strangly different manners and wayes The great Ball of the Earth to our understanding hangs upon nothing poysed with its own weight the Psalmist tells us that God hath founded it upon the floods Ps 24. 2. Yea but the waters and the earth are two heavy bodies that now make up one Globe and there is nothing contiguous to them but the thin adflitting penetrable ayre wherewith they are incompassed round about and yet this Globe stands so firmly that it cannot be moved Psal 93. 1. 96. 10. In both which places the Holy Spirit would have men know from this that God raigneth yet the principles moveable the parts moveable all things in it and upon it continual changeable and moveable and have been for so many thousand years and yet the foundation remains immoveable not of its own nature but at the pleasure of him that upholds it and that after all the transactings concussions successions intercourses and changings upon the earth since the first Creation of it yet those foundations are never the more shaking never the more tottering worne or decayed yet all this time the upper part of this world the material heavens are upheld in a contrary course in a strange unconceiveable seemingly violent circumvolution and turning about wonderfully continued even for the preservation use and benefit of all sorts of Creatures in the inferior Orbe which I can now only hint at being not my direct business in hand yet those heavens are as much unworn with their motion though so quick so constant so fracil as much unwearied or unweakned with their work and influence so great so efficarious so long continued as much undecayed in their beauty in their glory in their as primarie excellencie though they have been as long invected with it So that by this little touch of this matter we may see
Christ shews wonders among the dead as himselfe so strongly asserteth Joh 5. 25. Verily verily I say unto you the houre is coming and now is that the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare shall live Hereby Christ gaines a soveraigntie above all that is called God as the Father promised Psal 2. 8. He hath the heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession neither can he be deprived of his Subjects the gates of Hell shall not prevaile against them no not of the weakest by the strongest none shall be able to pull any one sheep from his fold for hereby the soul of a converted sinner is inseparably united unto him By this Gospel grace the taste and discerning of divine and spiritual things is made truly cordial and comfortable unto believing souls Hereby God is set up in the highest place in the soul in all he reveals himselfe to be Hereby he is sought unto for all acknowledged in all what ever means or instruments he useth believed in all he saith honoured in all he doth in prosperitie or adversitie in particular or in general to themselves or others praise returned unto him for all mercies how or what way so ever conferred feared above all rejoyced in and delighted in above all that can be conceived of creatures incomparably This makes them measure all Glory by Gods Standard and weigh all comfort in Gods Ballance and try all treasure by Gods Touchstone and none of these will be approved by them but what hath his allowance Hereby God overcomes darknesse with light corruption with sanctification trouble with comfort disquiet with peace sorrow with joy opposition with support weaknesse with strength assaults with victory danger with securitie sufferings with rescue death with life and this not only once but often not sometime only but at all times not in some respects only but in all not against some evills only but against all not for some continuance only but unto the end for though every way many be the troubles of the righteous yet the Lord delivereth them out of them all Psal 34. 19. And all this grace in all the varietie of the glorious manifestations thereof is in the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ Chap 4. ver 4. And in the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ v 6. And now in the third place for the further illustration of this greatest glory of the Lord manifest to his Church in this world let us come to those respective considerations wherein it will be yet more evident that this Gospel glory is the greatest glory of all that in the world God hath or doth or will manifest yea or any living in it can behold Now for manifestation of the many more glorious excellencies of Gospel grace above all the other glorious works of the most blessed God wherein he hath discovered his wonderfull excellencies in and for his true Church upon earth as revealed carried on to be accomplished here and fully perfected in heaven We shall further endeavour by his most gracious assistance to display the transcendent glory of this work above all the other in these ensuing particulars First In respect of the more glorious nature of the work Secondly In respect of the more glorious matter of the work Thirdly In respect of the many wayes considerably more excellent foundation of the work Fourthly In respect of the most glorious structure forme and frame of the work Fifthly In regard of the long continued time for the raising of the work Sixthly In regard of the way of the raising of this work by the constant shining out of the wonderfull glory of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost all the time it is in raising Seventhly In respect of the subordinate means of raising up this work Eighthly In respect of the object for which and in reference to whom it is immediately contrived and raised Ninthly In regard of the ends wherefore it is contrived carried on raised and to be perfected in reference both to God and Man Tenthly In respect of the many excellent uses to be made by all men here of the contriving carrying on and raising of this work and what will be made of it by glorified Saints and Angells hereafter in heaven Eleventhly In respect of the effect of all that concerns the manifestation of all the gloriousnesse of this work to good and bad men and Angells here and hereafter And if the Lord the Spirit shall be graciously pleased to carry us along in any competent manner but to hint or point out unto any Arts of men the manifold transcendent glory of this Gospel glory of the Lord I hope some men by his blessing may have the transforming glory thereof if not altogether wrought yet in some measure increased in them by the same Spirit by whose guidance as we endeavour to doe it so we shall endeavour to pray unto him for it First therefore of the first viz. the respective consideration of the more glorious nature of the work above the nature of the works of Creation Sustentation and Gubernation or Providence which though they be the Works of the All-glorious God in their kinde and degree suitable to the Author yet is this more excellent worke of his in its own nature eminently many wayes much more glorious and particularly in these Considerations following First In that the Creation Sustentation Gubernation of the world are of corruptible principles and materialls in continuall transmutations and changes generations and irruptions increases and decreases all in successions nothing in continuance or stability excepting Angells and the souls of men which though they be in the world yet they are not of the world as Christ said his Kingdome was not of which in great part they are but the great work of Gospel grace is of a spiritual and incorruptible nature suitable to the Author of it and as the nature of a thing is neerer to him the more perfect it is Secondly All the former great works of God respect inferiour creatures and the outward beeing and well-fare of man and directly reach no further but this respects the inward and spiritual well-fare of man and tends directly to the advancing of that now as the use and improvement of a thing is more excellent and glorious much more is that which is the cause of it Thirdly As the first works consisted of corruptible principles so their continuance and use will be but for a time and shall have their periods and cessations but this divine Gospel grace is of an eternall being and will remaine in its use and excellency to all eternitie Secondly And as in respect of the nature of the work so this Gospel grace is more glorious than all the other in respect of the matter of the work Base and mean materialls doe obscure and not illustrate the glory of a work Who can bring a
and then put together the words to know the sence of what they from time to time may reade in any or all the books of God in this world set forth for their learning wherin God sets before all sorts of men new lessons of all kinds if they would not be such dullards and trewants that they will not take them out look then upon the letters of Gods great folioes in the world the Creation the upholding the disposeing and ordering of it and all things in it Look first to the motions illuminations and influences of the heavens look upon the successions of times dayes and nights winter and summer seed time and harvest but thou wilt say how shall I put these together and make sillables and sentences of them look unto the 19 Psalme and there the word of God shall be thy schoole-master herein it tells thee the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmaments sheweth his handy-work and day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth language that is they hold out matter for thy understanding knowledge or experience to work upon such works of God to his praise and glory so again Gen. 8. 22. Gods word instructs us that seed time and harvest cold and heat summer and winter day and night shall not cease which is another syllable to spell the truth of God by in such things how that he hath ever since the destruction of the old world fulfilled that his promise in times of plenty the Psalmist shewes how he crowns the earth with his goodness Ps 65. 11 when all sorts of Creatures are full of rejoycing and comfort the Scriptures informs us to spell out thereby Ps 145. 16. That God openeth his hand and satisfieth the desire of every living thing and so to come to thy own particular case and condition in outward things thou mayest spell out words and sentences by the help of many instructers which God allows thee as thy Reason if rightly regulated thy own and others experience observations examples of others Gods judgements providences mercies and all sorts of outward Dispensations of God whereby thy capacity may be raised up toward the attainment of higher learning by degrees upon thy well using thy first rudiments of Divine knowledge for they should all discover God unto thee and so thou mayest by degrees come to attain a good measure of skill in the truly liberal sciences in the schoole of spiritual and heavenly grace or glory if the use of the former bring thee not neerer to God they will make thee go further from him as it was with the Gentiles Ro. 1. 21. Because when they knew God by his outward works they glorified him not as God neither were thankful therefore he gave them up if such works of God discover him not more unto thee they will cause him the more to hide his face from thee as is observed of some skilful experienced Physitians they know and see so much of the secret operations of Nature that by that means they become more Atheistical forgetting and neglecting the God of Nature they pore so much upon the excellencies of the Creatures which they think they know and make use of by their own skill industry for their temporall advantage that they therefore forget and neglect the Creator and the glory therefore due unto him and doth not this Atheisme grow upon men for the want of spelling the words and sentences of Gods ordinary Books in the world by the teaching of his Word whilest men would chuse rather to be thought great Naturalists and Politicians in the world by others when without that teaching they become meere naturalls fooles and Ideots rather than soundly judicious persons in that which mainly ought to be knowne observed and acknowledged by them to the glory of the all-working God Secondly Let this direct such men as have learned to spell out Gods names in his outward works by the help of his Word then to set themselves better to reade him in his word of grace let them know the principles of his Religion and know the maine foundations of his divine truth especially let them take notice of these two maine principles of such excellent knowledge First That all glory is to be rendred unto God as the only true Originall of all good And Secondly That all emptinesse is ever to be ascribed to the creature in it selfe further than God makes it any way capable of goodnesse and puts such goodnesse into it or makes it communicative of that goodnesse unto others or of further enlargement or longer injoyment of goodnesse from himselfe even as he pleaseth unto whom the praise thereof is ever therefore to be ascribed and if thou wilt but then take up that teaching word and use those meanes which God thereby directs thee to improve them and continue therein he will then more and more discover himselfe unto thee yea when once thou art set in such a serious seeking of him this way it is evident thou wert sought of him before and he hath begun already to make himselfe knowne unto thee and so thou dost and wilt seek him still and shalt finde him more and more in that way wherein thou shalt behold his glorious grace which is the sure way for thee to become acceptable unto him and shalt be truly blessed by him Thirdly But for others who have these glorious discoveries in any good measure already made unto them Let them hence learne with the most inlarged apprehensions that may be to behold them and with the most earnest bent of their affections to entertaine them and with the highest and fullest expressions of joy in their inward and with their outward man to mainfest and declare them to the everlasting praise of the Author of them let them improve them to his glory and the good of others let them more be transformed into the image of them that they may have the greater measure of true comfort and glory by them Againe Let men wisely hence observe the divine excellency of a truly gracious spirit when once a transfiguration is made in it what an excellent yea heavenly frame is put uponit what glorious discoveries are made unto it what celestiall Joyes are put into it what everlasting happinesle is prepared for it O that these things were setled upon mens souls and that they could with such divine meditations and spirituall Soliloquies by the assistance of the Lord the Spirit so rivet them into their own hearts and keep them there that they might still soar higher and higher in such heavenly contemplations till they attaine to the top of most glorious eternitie to receive in fullnesse what here in their measure only they can but taste of Againe Let them hence learne to be thankfull above all things in this world for such gracious discoveries in any measure or degree by their good God vouchsafed unto them Let them be humbled in the sence of their unworthinesse thereof as great as manifold
with that much more excellent discovery of Gospel glory though a truly regenerate and sanctified soul sees such beauty such loveliness such joy and sollace yea true happiness in those Gospel gracious discoveries that they not only like it and commend it but as some Ancients concerning some amorous persons were wont to phrase it perdite amant alias they love others to the looseing of themselves so it may be said of their loving of Gospel grace but in a good and necessary sence as our Saviour speaks Mat. 10. 5. If any love Father or Mother Wife or Children more then me he is not worthy of me perdite amant gloriam Evangelicam they destructively love Gospel glory that they will rather loose friends and credit ease and possessions liberty life and all then to suffer a divorce between that and their own soules But for all other men or any other man to desire it to pursue it upon a true Gospel account as beleeving or seeing it to be so excellent and glorious or upon such termes to pursue or retain it by purchasing or suffering for it the heathen Sages might much more easily have prevailed with any such beasts in the shapes of men then any sanctified soul or Embassador of Christ can prevaile with any to take right notice of or much less to be so enamoured of that most excellent object of soul sollacing grace untill they come to be transformed into the same image by the spirit of God Fourthly But this will yet further appear in the next demonstration namely In that such Gospel grace in the souls of the Saints differs not in nature from their heavenly glory but only in degrees A man that is in any good measure in heaven in his spiritual part here upon earth shall certainly inherite the kingdome of Heaven hereafter and such within whom as our Saviour speaks Luk. â—7 â—1 the kingdome of heaven is really here seated by Gospel grace they shall infallibly obtain a Crown of glory which will never fade to all eternity and indeed heaven would not be heaven unto them then when they should come to possess it if that kingdom of heaven had not taken possession of their souls before to fit them for it a blind man may as soon be affected with the meer placeing of pleasant sights before him or a deaf man delighted with the sound of any musick which he cannot heare as men or women truly rejoyce in the glorified Saints and Angels happiness hereafter if they have not here their Celestial frame of spirit wrought upon their souls yea the very society of glorified Saints would be a kind of hell to wicked men remaining such if they had no other hell to suffer for as it cannot be expected the wolfe should lye down with the Lambe untill Gospel grace have wrought the change of nature here as the spirit of God hath foretold Is 11. 6 7. 8. so until that nature be changed yea a contrary put into the soule of a man the Saints perpetual songs of prayse to God and the Lambe and the Lord the Spirit would not only be unsutable and unpleasant but a senceless subject to such a soule that never had followed Christ in the regeneration nor seen nor felt nor rightly known before-hand the Divine power of Gospel grace the mistery of the gospel then the matter of the Saints everlasting rejoycing would be such an hidden sealed mistery that such unbeleeving and disobedient souls would not understand it saving only so far as to have convinced and self-condemned consciences thereby little understanding what they may sometime seem to pray or hope for here concerning the kingdom of heaven who in their dispositions and depraved nature doe toto caelo deferre stand at the greatest distance from it but when that nature is once changed that Lions are at peace with the Lambes and the hurtful creatures lye down with the harmeless Is 11. 7. then grace shall appear glorious unto such and as their measure thereof shall be greater the more it will appear so and the more they grow in such grace the more they will delight in it and the greater measure they shall obtain of it the more heavenly glory hereafter will be allotted to them It is true indeed our heaven upon earth will have a mixture of vanity and corruption and weakness together with it till that which is perfect be come then that which is imperfect shall be done away 1 Cor. 13. 10. I shall not stand here to inlarge upon the many considerations which might to this purpose be produced in regard of the souls incapacity of glory till it be changed and of its unsutableness unto such glory besides the sence of the want of any right title or interest in such glorified Saints happiness with their own self condemnation upon it and the apprehension of that intollerable eternal infinite divine displeasure against them as also the utter detestation that perfected Saints with Angels will have of the hateful qualities of all devils and unsanctified souls of men or women and even the very heavens natural repugnancy and antipathy against them to the utter expulsion of all such as poyson out of them since into them no unclean thing shall enter Rev. 21 27. As Christal glasses rather then hold poyson will break asunder even so the most pure Chrystaline heavens would rather break then any devil or unsanotified persons should abide or inhabite in them Here indeed the Hony Bee and the toad or spider have both their places and imployments and their injoyments too together the one to gather up its hony the other to suck up their poyson the one to lurke in the nastie corrupted or noysome corners of the earth the other in their sweet and pleasant hives and hony the one inrich themselves or feed upon their own destructive poyson the other inrich themselves with and feed upon their own pleasant wholsome healing and strengthning hony which they have by diligent labour acquir'd But when that woofull poysonous destructive nature of such men is in any good measure subdued by the prevalent power of Gospel grace O how sweet will the spiritual kingdome of heaven be unto such souls how will the true Citizens of the spiritual Zion be owned and imbraced by them How will their portion their delicates be desired above all others How will grace and glory be then longed for sought for by them above other things yet these passibus aequis as we may say in their due proportions when they are in their right frame not glory more then grace but grace as the right promoter of glory and indeed that which is only truly glorious in its own nature and which will meet with glory as the consequent the result the reward of it by grace we have the first fruits Ro. 8. 33. the earnest penny Eph. 1. 14. of glory and happiness in the injoyment of that we injoy the sanctifying spirits residence the witness of our peace the sealer