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
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
ver 10. he more explicitly informeth them that the intent was not only that the manifold wisdome of God should be known to the Church but by the Church unto Angels unto principalities and powers in heavenly places and ver 11. he sets forth as clearly the foundation whereupon this displaying of such glory is accomplished according to the eternall purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord read the place it is full to our purpose Now that this hath been Gods designe a parte post likewise unto all eternity I shall need to say little the current of the Gospel runs directly in that channel Christ is the Author of eternall salvation Heb 5. 9. Eternall life 1 Tim 12. Eternall glory 2 Tim 2. 10. Now Gods designe in this is most evident Eph 1. 12. That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ And again ver 14. after many excellent discoveries he adds unto the praise of his glory And now we have a little taken notice of the foundation and drift of Gods great designe in his Church let us likewise a little observe how ever since he had a Church upon earth he hath carried it on First as God had decreed to make his eternall Gospel as it were his masterpelce to manifest his greatest glory to all eternity so he hath wonderfully glorified himselfe in the Gospel of grace ever since the world and time had a being and as the contemporary mystery of God was in fulfilling as it 's called Rev 10. 7. So that so soon as the Arch-murtherer from the beginning thought he had given the dead stroake to mankinde by seducing our first parents from their obedience to God God himselfe when there was no other preacher ordained to doe it by an Hell-astonishing wonderfull declaration of most free and rich grace toward lost man even whilst he denounced against the Devill his own doom he pronounceth in those great and ingratefull transgressors own hearing the maine discovery of Gospel grace viz. The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head and though it was by a new grace whereby the efficie of that good newes must be applyed yet he had taught them such means to waite upon him wherein his servants should not faile to obtaine grace and acceptance with him and this was seen in Abels offering when though he parted from that vaine life that sin before had forfeited yet since his person and Sacrifice were accepted with God through that seed of the woman promised not long before to his immediate parents he not only received the first fruits but the first speedy possession of the benefit of that eternall Gospel so lately declared by the eternall God himselfe and therefore obtained the honour of the Protomartyr of the whole world and of a true type of the Long expected Messiah and of that blessed seed that was to come now what a cleare evidence of Gospel grace in a short time was here set forth from the beginning to be known and read of all men and did not God raise up in succession eminent persons adorned with grace to be preachers and patterns of piety unto men and with his Spirit move them untill as even wearied by their contumacy God would not have his Spirit strive any longer with them and then Satan as if he had gotten a totall and finall conquest like a wild horse with the bridle-bit between his teeth runs on in so full a carreire with the world upon his back towards Hell that by reason of his interest he had formetly gotten in mans nature and had likely so improved that the old world soone became so much his that it could be no longer Gods And therefore God will rather out of the seed and familie of Noah alone raise up to himselfe a new Church and make their saving in the Arke even at that time of Satans seeming prevailing power to be an evident type unto all the faithfull of their certain deliverance and safetie in the time of the wicked worlds worst calamities and destructions And as the time of the coming of the promised Seed drew nearer God more and more caused some beames of his glory to shine out in his Church for the comfort of his faithfull servants Christ is promised to Abraham typified in Isaac revealed in vision to Jacob shaddowed in Moses person ministery conduct miracles worship Ordinances even in the Evangelicall restoring penning giving of the Law and what not Oh who is able to set forth the Gospel grace of God when by his strong power and mighty arme he got himselfe the victory over Pharaoh Satan and all the Cursed enemies of his Church in Egypt in the red Sea in the wildernesse in their entrance and possessing of the promised Land all which in the substance was an actuall providenciall publishing of Gospel grace And after good old Jacob had prophesed of the time of Shiloh's coming Gen 49 by degrees the Tribe out of which the place where the manner how the person by whom by a Virgin conceiving a sonne borne given as the Prophet Esay foretells as already come though meane and despised in his outward aspect yet his name was called Wonderfull Counseller the mighty God the Prince of peace so prevalent in his power and prowesse that of the increase of his Dominion and power there should be no end so everlastingly prevalent in his administration that he should sit upon the throne of David to order it and stablish it from thenceforth and for ever Psal 9. And when the Scepter was departed from Judah that he that was the Shiloh was indeed come there was such darknesse upon the world yea even amongst that ancient people of God the Jeâ—s by reason of an expectation of some outward glory at his coming that when he came unto his own his own received him not And so by the worlds vanitie least Herod should loose his Kingdome Caesar his Soveraigntie the Rulers of the people their place and Nation though the place of his birth was gloriously pointed out in the Heavens by the conduct of a Starre to the Magi or Kings of the East as Psal 72. 10. Celebrated and proclamed by an heavenly Host of Angels rendering to God his glory and man his consolation though both great men and mean men heard and saw the truth of that great wonder in the world though due adoration and homage was given to that heavenly and spirituall Infant King of Kings by those Kings of the East as was foretold Psal 72. 10. The Kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall bring presents the Kings of Sheba and Seha shall offer gifts yet so was the glorious splendor of the rising of this day-starre yea of this Sunne of righteousnesse with healing in his wiâ—gs by the former or the like thick mists of darknesse obscured and clouded to the then darkened world that they did not behold his rising they did not discerne his glory yea not for long
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
consideration of the manifold excellent effects of Gospel glory in regard of men and Angells good and bad here and hereafter a subject well worth weighing by the best mens best abilities for as the contemplation thereof will be a spring of comfort and happinesse to the one sort so the abundant conviction and experience of the realitie of the same will be the sting of the misery of all the other sorts it will so grinde and gnaw and torment the damned spirits and persons so to finde what they have lost for a shaddow for nothing yea for that which is worse than nothing even so unconceiveable good that it is Questioned in the Schools and not without cause whether Paena damni or paena sensus that is whether the punishment of the Damned in regard of what they have lost or the punishment of sence and feeling in regard of what shall be inflicted on them in Hell shall be as I may say the greater Hell unto them hereafter But I say at present we shall passe from this head to the next namely The third demonstration of this excellent truth in which and in the rest we purpose if God will to be more brief and that is to manifest Gospel Glory to be the great Glory of the Lord which his people discerne in this world in that regard it is the only and excellent yet generall meanes for them all to bring them to the reall participation of true spirituall glory here and the fruition of eternall glory hereafter and to make indeed grace and glory to be both gracefull and glorious to them Something we have spoken of this by way of comparison of its transcendent excellency with that which was lesse But here we are to take notice that as it is the efficacious way and appointed by God unto that high and happy end so it is the only meanes no other to be expected none else to be used directly in reference unto that end for as there is no name given under heaven whereby we can be saved but by the name of Christ so no other meanes to convey that salvation to us but by this Gospel of grace If any would be changed from evill to good Gospel grace must doe it if any would be freed from the evill One and owned by him that is only good Gospel grace must doe it if any would be freed from the mischiefe of sin and obtaine the blessing of Divine favour Gospel grace must doe it If any man would ascend up to heaven or descend down to hell or take the wings of the morning and fly into the utmost parts of the earth as Psal 139. 8. Either to escape Gods wrath or obtaine his favour any other way it were but all in vaine If any would try all the Mountebank Chyrurgery that Satan hath used in all the Ages of the world all his false Religions all the multitudes of his Hell-devised wayes of false worship all his strong delusions all his heartlesse except of seduced deceived hearts fruitlesse bootlesse ceremonies constitutions beggarly rudiments bodily exercises not warranted by the word of God to cure the festered wounds of their sin-polluted defiled consciences and that most industriously all their dayes they would but miserably all that time loose their own labour defeat their own hopes forsake their own mercy obstruct their own happinesse remedilesly plunge themselves into eternall misery So that by this men must be both sanctified and saved if at all and without this and besides this there is no other means to attaine the same All Gods brood of travellers have passed along in this roade till they came to appeare before God in the heavenly Zion and none can otherwise possibly attaine to that only desireable issue of their pilgrimage here upon earth I shall not here need to speak any thing of the freenesse of this now most necessary means in regard of men for there is neither necessitie of nature or of any coaction from creatures in respect of God but only the good pleasure of his most holy Will is the prime originall of all I need not touch upon the proportionablenesse of the meanes this only salve or Balsome so prepared by him to cure the souls wounds being every way fitted and suited for its soares I shall not need to insist upon the easinesse the amiablenesse the naturallnesse the familiarnesse of the way of dispencing and bestowing this Gospel grace I shall not need to insist upon the efficaciousnesse of this most gracious dispensation by the holy Ghost all which tend to demonstrate this particular that it is the excellent and only meanes to bring Gods people to the reall participation both of grace and glory here and here-after because under the former head we have touched upon divers things bordering upon these and we likewise study brevitie though here may be large and excellent matter for Christian meditation Only in a word I shall endeavour to touch upon the other branch namely that without this discovery of Gospel glory unto the soule grace would neither be rightly gracefull nor true glory truly glorious in the eyes of men even as such men who are guided by sense mainely live more like beasts than men like the mil-horse in his tract follow the desires of their own eyes and are led on by every vaine deludeing object and neither regard to know or pursue better things but wholly in a manner proceed to prostitute their reasonable souls to sensitive bruitish pleasures as if they were capable of no greater good and as those men that upon a better improvement of the like it may be a lesse and yet againe sometimes a greater abilitie are raised up to an higher attainment as many of the ancient Philosophers and Heathens Sages who by study contemplation and industry in the use of pertinent means attained to the discovery of an excellencie of morality in their kind which they called vertue wherein they did sometime seem to behold such lovelyness that it made them not only to commend it to others but deemed that men could not know the beauty and comliness of it and not be in love with it The like and much more we may say of the excellency of Gospel grace to such as obtain any competent discovery thereof O how are they inamoured with it How do their hearts run after it How highly do they prize it How earnestly do they pursue it How unwilling are they to part with it yea what high resolution do they take up not to part with it upon any termes they will buy the truth but not sell it as Pr. 23. 23. yea and rather to part with all besides then that but as on the other hand Morallists for all their discoveries and commendadations do not cannot prevail with sensual brutish persons to forsake their swinish lusts to love or like much less to pursue their vertues and yet those Sages knew the worth thereof to be incomparably above the other even so it is
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