to finish our course with joy as Saint Paul speakes of himselfe And doth God bring us from glory to glory til he have brought us to perfection of glory then I beâ—eech you let us before hand be thankfull to God as we see in the Epistles of blessed Saint Paul and Peter Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that hath begotten us to an inheritance immortall undefiled reserved in Heaven saith Saint Peter and so Saint Paul let us beginne the imployment of Heaven before hand for why doth God discover to us that he wil bring us to glory why doth he discover it to our faith that excellent state that we might beginne Heaven on earth as much as might be and how shall we doe that by the imployment of Heaven what is that Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts There is nothing but magnifying and glorifying of God there shall be no neede of Prayer there are prayses alway and so much as we are in the prayses of God and glorifying of God for his mercy and love in Christ so much wee are in Heaven before our time I beseech you therefore be stirred up in consideration of this that wee are leading on by degrees from glory to glory till wee come to perfection let us even give God the praise of all before hand for it is as sure as if wee had it For one way how things to come are present is by faith Glory to come is present two or three wayes already that may stirre us up to glorifie God before hand The glory to come is present to Christ our head wee in our Husband are in Heaven now he hath taken Heaven for us And in regard of faith that is the evidence of things not seene it is the nature of faith to present things to come as present to faiâ—h glory to come is present present in Christ and we are part of Christ Christ misticall and members and we in our head are in Heaven already and sit there and to faith that makes things present that are to come we are in heaven already And we have the earnest of Heaven the first fruites of the Spirit wee have grace which is glory the beginnings of glory we have the first fruites and earnest Now an earnest is never taken away but is made up by the bargaine with the rest so the earnest of the Spirit of God the first fruites of peace and joy of comfort and liberty to the throne of grace these are the beginnings of Heaven therefore be much in praising God Oh that wee could be so if wee could get into a frame and disposition to blesse God we could never be miserable no not in the greatest afflictions for thankefulnesse hath joy alway when a man is joyfull he can never be miserable for joy inlargeth the soule when is a man most joyfull but in a state of thankfulnesse and what makes us thankfull so much as to consider the wonderfull things that are reserved in another world the glory that God is leading us to by little and little from glory to glory till wee bee perfect Even as by the Spirit of the Lord. As here is taken according to the phrase in the Greeke and there is the like word in the Hebrew it signifieth likenesse and similitude sometimes and sometimes otherwise it is not here meant as if we were like the Spirit of the Lord but this change is wrought even as by the Spirit of the Lord that is it is so excellent and so strong that you may know that it is done by none but the Spirit of God Againe As by the Spirit of the Lord that is so farre as the Spirit of the Lord changeth us it implyeth those two things that is it is done by the power of the Spirit that we may know it is done by the Spirit of the Lord and then as by him and no further for we no further shine then he enlighteneth us as the ayre it is no further light then the Sun shines into it so we have no more glory strength comfort and peace or any thing gracious and glorious then the Spirit of God shines into us Therefore he saith As by the Spirit of the Lord. It is so glorious and excellent and so farre forth as he doth it as by the Spirit of the Lord so he expresseth the meaning of that phrase Now you see here the Doctrine is cleare that all that I have spoken of before comes from the Spirit of the Lord and from no other cause The beholding the transforming the degrees of transforming from glory to glory the taking away of the vayle all is from the Spirit of the Lord To goe over the particulars The Holy Ghost doth open our eyes to behold the glory of the Lord and therefore he is called the Spirit of illumination The Holy Ghost takes away the vaile of ignorance and unbeleife and thereupon hee is called the Spirit of Revelation The Holy Ghost upon revealing the love of God to us in Christ and the love of Christ to us and illuminating our understandings to see these things he breedes love to God againe shewing the love of God to us and thereupon he is called the Spirit of Love now when Gods love is shed into us by the Spirit of illumination and Revelation then we are changed according to the Image of Christ and thereupon the Holy Ghost from the working of a change is called the Spirit of sanctification because he is not onely the holy temple of that blessed Person but he makes us holy and because this change is a glorious change a change from one degree of grace to another till we come to be perfect in Heaven hereupon it is called a Spirit of glory as Saint â—eter saith the spirit of glory resteth on you that is the Spirit of peace of love of comfort of joy c. The Spirit in regard of this blessed attribute working all these he is called the Spirit of glory the Spirit hath diverse names according to the diverse operations hee workes in the Saints and People of God as here the Spirit of Illumination of Revelation of love of sanctification of glory all is by the Spirit whatsoever is wrought in man it is by the Spirit all comes from the Father as the Fountaine and through the Sonne as Mediator but whatsoever is wrought it is by the Holy Ghost in us which is the substantiall vigour in the Trinity all the vigour and operation in the Trinity upon the creature it is by the Holy Ghost the third person As in the creation the Spirit mooved upon the waters and mooving there and brooding on them framed the whole module of the creatures all were framed by the Holy Ghost so the Holy Ghost upon the water of our soules frames the new creature frames all this change from glory to glory all is by the Holy Spirit Therefore it is here in the passive tearme We are
quickeâ—s all his members too first hee receives the Spirit himselfe and the same Spirit that filled and sanctified his humane nature the samâ— Spirit sanctifieth his Church which hee loves even as himselfe as he loveth that his owne humane nature which the holy Ghost sanctified so doth he love his owne mysticall body his Church being mystically united to him and sanctifieth it by the same Spirit Christ dispenseth his Spirit unto us as Head of his Church and this he doth in divers respects 1. As he is God by way of immediate influence he powreth it out upon us as the prime and pricipall cause and this he doth as God not as man for the Man-hood cannot worke above it selfe it cannot doe the worke of God it cannot worke grace or give the Spirit 2. As he is Man considered as joyned together with the God-head by way of merit and satisfaction he procureth the Spirit to bee given powred out which is done by the Father and the Sonne on all those who are beloved in the Sonne so that the Spirit is given by Christ with the Father as Mediator Meritoriously for hee by suffering and satisfying procured the gift Christ himselfe is the first gift yea the greatest that ever was given the giving of Christ to dye to satisfie the wrath of God and to obtaine eternall life Next to 〈◊〉 maine gift is the gift of the Spirit in which is the seed of all gifts and graces and this we have by his Merit and Mediatorship Yet this wee must likewise remember that although Christ be sayd to give the Spirit as he doth yet the holy Spirit giveth it selfe too for there is such an unity in the Trinity of consent and nature that though the Father and the Sonne send the Spirit yet the Spirit comes of his owne selfe though the Father and the Sonne give the Spirit yet the Spirit giveth himselfe 3. Wee have the Spirit from Christ not onely by way of Merit but in some kind by way of Example hee is the exemplary cause of all graces in us looking to whom wee are transformed as wee shall see afterwards from glory to glory For when wee consider that Christ hath done so much for us as to save us and redeeme us and dye for us this begetteth a love in us to Christ and makes us often to thinke of him and desirous to imitate him as wee usually doe such as we love and highly esteeme of The dispensation of the Spirit is in most abundance after the resurrection of Christ as hee appeared in himselfe then to bee most spirituall and glorious after he rose againe so then being as the Sun in its full height and perfect beauty casteth his beames most plentifully abroad and that for these reasons 1. Because then hee having finished the worke of Redemption and satisfied the wrath of God fully and given contentment to Divine Justice and accomplished all by his death there was nothing to hinder the blessed gift of the Spirit It is sayd that before the holy Ghost was not given because Christ was not glorified The gift of the holy Ghost especially depends upon the glorifying of Christ when he had fulfilled the worke of Redemption and was raised to glory God being pacified gave the holy Ghost as a gift of his favour 2. Then againe after his Resurrection and Ascension he did give the holy Ghost more abundantly than before to his Church because now hee is in heaven and hath the advantage of the place being exalted on high As that glorious creature the Sunne by the advantage it hath being placed in the heavens above us is able to shine upon the greatest part of the earth at all times and wee need not call the Sunne downe from its place to come into our houses or fields or gardens no where it is seated in its proper place or orbe it hath the best opportunity in most abundance and largest extent to send downe heat and light and influence to inferiour things So Christ doth his Church more good now he is in heaven from whence he sends the Spirit then hee could doe if hee were below because though his Humane nature be confined in heaven his person is every where and being ascended now farre above all heavens he giveth gifts more liberally and plentifully insomuch as he filleth all things Eph. 4. hee enlargeth the tents of his Gospel and hath taken in a greater people to himselfe We see in Winter when the Sunne is low and neare the earth all things are dead and cold but when the Sunne in the Spring commeth to over-top us to bee in a higher point above us wee see how all things put a new garment upon them there is a new vigour and freshnesse in them so there was more abundant vigour of the Spirit when Christ came in the Flesh his vertue appeared much more every way then before But when this blessed Sonne of righteousnesse was advanced and seated at the right hand of his Father where his Nature was perfectly inriched and perfectly adorned with all kind of graces whatsoever in the highest glory of them his influence of light and heat now beginneth to be increased and the efficacy and working of it to bee felt every where The glorious beams of the Sunne beganne to be scattered and the light of the Gospel to shine to a greater number of people now there was no respect of persons whether Jew or Gentile bond or free male or female all was one the Commission was enlarged to all Mark 16. Goe preach the Gospell to every Creature and with the Word the Spirit went and was received and those that were added to the Church even such as should be saved were many thousands Thus have wee opened the meaning of the words and shewed how Christ is that Spirit both in respect of the Spirits being eminently in him and his giving of it and spirituall gifts by it all the vigour and life and influence we have that is spirituall and supernaturall and above the ordinary course is from the Spirit and whatsoever the Spirit hath or doth for us is done as sent from Christ in whom the Spirit is in all fulnesse Now wee shall shew how many wayes the consideration of these truths will be profitable and usefull to us in the course oâ— our lives and for the comfort of our spirits Vse Christ is the Spirit of the Scriptures of all Truths of all Ordinances Wee may be this bee able to reconcile the Scriptures one place with another where they sâ—eme to contradict The Law is said to be a 〈…〉 a ministr ation of condemnation c. 2. Cor. â— but in the 19. Psal. there it is sayd The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule c. These places are thus reconciled The Law is said to be dead so it is without Christ without the Spirit which quickneth and so is â—he Gospell too even a savour of death and so
from all that is ill from sinne but from that that followes it there is some ill that followes as feare and terrours of conscience c. they follow sinne and death and wrath and such like the subjection to these now where the Spirit of God is it frees from the ill consequents from the tayle that followes sinne where the Spirit is it frees us from feare for the same Spirit that tells us in justification that God is appeased the same Spirit frees us from the feare of damnation and death and judgement from the terrours of an evill conscience being sprinkled with the blood of Christ we are freed from feare And it frees not onely from the feare of ill things but it shewes immunity and freedome to good liberty implies here two things a freedome from ill from a cursed condition and likewise a liberty to a better a liberty from ill and to good we must take it in the just latitude because the benefits of Christ are compleate not onely privative but positive not onely to free us from ill but to conferre all good to us as much as our nature is capable of as much as these soules of ours are capable of they shall be made free and glorious and happy in heaven God will leave no part of the soule unfilled no corner of the soule empty by little and little he doth it as we shall see in the next verse when we are called out of Sathans kingdome we are not onely called out of that cursed state but we are made free of a better kingdome we are mede the members of Christ we are infranchised and so in justification we are not onely freed from damnation from the justice and wrath of God but likewise wee can implead our righteousnesse whereby we have title to heaven which is a blessed priviledge and prerogative we are not onely free from the curse of the law but likewise wee have other gracious prerogatives and priviledges we are not onely freed from the dominion of sinne but we are likewise set at liberty by the spirit to doe that that is good wee have a voluntary free spirit to serve God with as great chearefulnesse as we served our lusts before and as we are freed from the rigour and curse of the law so we have prerogatives to good answerable we are now by the Spirit set at liberty to delight in the law to make the law our councellour to make the Word of God our councellour that that terrified and affrighted us before now it is our direction even as he that was a severe Schoolemaster to one in his under yeares after when hee comes to yeares becomes a wise Tutor to guide and direct him so the law that terrified and whipped us when we were in bondage till we be in Christ it scares us to Christ that law after comes to bee a Tutor to tell us this we shall doe to councell us and say this is the best way and wee come to delight in those truthes when they are discovered to us in the inward man and the more we know the more wee would know because wee would please God every day better so that besides freedome from that that is ill and the consequents of ill there is a blessed immunity and prerogative and priviledge that is meant here by liberty For Gods workes are compleate we must know when he delivers from ill he advanceth to good his workes are full workes alwayes he doth not things by halves therefore wee have through Christ and by the Spirit not onely freedome from that that is ill but advancement to all that is comfortable and graciously good And one thing give me leave to touch which though it bee more subtile yet it is usefull that the text puts mee to speake of Where the Spirit of God is there is liberty of the inward man liberty of judgement and liberty of will where the Spirit of God is not there is no liberty no free will a little to touch upon that That which we call free will it is either taken for a naturall power and indowment that God hath put upon the soule and so the will is alway free in earth and in hell the divils will is free so free to evill there is the naturall freedome for freedome it is a dowrie upon the will invested upon the will that God never takes from it to doe it freely that is upon reason that it sees be it good or evill so I meane not freedome but I take freedome for ability and strength to that that is good for any liberty and ability to that that is good is onely from the spirit and the defence of Luthers and others that wrote of this freedome is sound and good that the will of man is slavish altogether without the Spirit of God Where the Spirit is there is liberty Liberty as it is taken for power and ability to doe good In a word there is alway a liberty of the subject of the person a liberty of the understanding but not of the object to this or that thing a liberty to supernaturall objects comes from supernaturall principles nothing moves above its owne spheare nothing is acted above its owne activity that God hath put into it now a naturall man can doe nothing but naturally for nothing can worke above it selfe by its owne strength no more than a beast can worke according to the principles of a man therefore the soule of man hath no liberty at all to that which is spiritually good without a supernaturall principle that rayseth it above it selfe and put it into the ranke of supernaturall things First the Spirit of God puts a new life into the soule of a man and then when hee hath done that it preserves that life against all opposition and together with preserving that life it applyes that inward life and power it hath put into it to particular workes for when wee have a new life yet wee cannot doe particular actions without the exciting power of the Spirit of God the Spirit stirres up to every particular thing when the soule would be quiet of it selfe the moving comes from the Spirit of God as every particular moving in the body comes from the soule so the Spirit it puts a new life it applyes that life it applyes the soule to every action Where the Spirit of God therefore is not there is no liberty to any supernaturall action but where the Spirit of God is there is liberty It followes both the negatively and affirmatively there is a liberty of will to that that is good so then this riseth from hence againe that where the Spirit of God is efficatious and effectuall in his working there it robbes not the soule of liberty but perfects that liberty You have some Divines too many indeede that hold that the holy Ghost onely workes by way of perswasion upon the soule and by way of mooving as it were without
the Gospell layes open that Myne to the people Nay God yet goes further hee gives his holy Spirit with the Ministery it is the Ministery of the Spirit that howsoever there are many that are not called and converted in the Gospell yet the Spirit of God is before hand with them There are none under the Gospell but the Spirit gives them sweete motions hee knockes at their hearts he allures and perswades them and if they yeeld not it is because of the rebellion of their hearts there is more grace of the Spirit offered then is entertained so that the mouthes of men shall bee stopped thus God descends and Christ and grace the Gospell the Ministery the Spirit all in way of love to us that we may doe all in a way of love to God againe it should therefore worke us to doe all with ingenious hearts to him againe The Gospel is the glasse wherein wee see this glory Christ indeed in some sort is the glasse for wee cannot see God out of Christ but he is a terrifying sight but in the glasse Christ wee can see God as we see the Sunne in the water If we cannot see the Sunne in his glory that is but a creature how can we see God himselfe but in some glasse therefore we must see him in Christ and so his sight is comfortable And in the dispensing of the Gospell especially in the Preaching and unfolding of the word the riches of God in Christ are unfolded and not onely unfolded but the Spirit in unfolding conveyes the sence assurance and perswasion thereof unto us There is such a connexion betweene the Evangelicall truth of God and Iesus Christ that they have both one name to insinuate to us that as wee wil be partakers of Christ so it must bee of Christ as hee is revealed in the Gospell not in conceites of our owne the Word is truth and Christ is truth they have the same name for were there never so much mercy and love in God if iâ—were concealed from us that wee had nothing to plead that wee had not some title to it by some discovery of it in his will the Word and the seale of the Word the Sacraments for the Sacrament is but a visible Word they make one entyre thing the Word and Sacraments the one is the evidence the other the seale what comfort could wee take in it Now his will is in the promise wherein there is not onely a discovery of what he doth or will doe but hee hath ingaged himselfe If we beleeve wee shall not perish but have life and Come unto me and bee refreshed saith Christ every one that thirsts come and be satisfied and now wee may claime the performance of what hee hath spoken and bind him by his owne word he cannot deny himselfe so now we see him comfortably in the glasse of the Word and Sacraments These three goe together the glory of God Christ the foundation of all grace in the covenant of grace and then the Gospell of grace the Gospell of the Kingdome the Gospell of life that discovers the gracious face of God shining in Christ we have Communion with God through Christ with Christ through the Gospell therefore in the Gospell we behold as in a glasse the glory of God This is sutable to our condition while we are here below we cannot see divine things otherwise than in a glasse that sight of God that we shall have in heaven immediately without the Word and Sacraments that is of a higher nature when our natures shall be perfect but while we live here wee cannot see God but in Christ and we cannot see him but in the Word and Sacraments such is the imperfection of our sight and such is the luster and glory of the object the glory of God that we cannot perfectly see it but in a glasse God saith to Moses None can see me and live his meaning is none can see me as I am none can see me immediatly and live if we would see God and the glory of God immediately without a glasse we must see it in heaven we must dye first we must passe through death to see God face to face as he is then not as he is but more familiarly than we can now then God will represent himselfe so as shall be for our happinesse though not simply as he is for he is infinite and how should finite comprehend infinite we shall apprehend him but not comprehend him while we are in earth therefore we must bee content to see him in a glasse which is the Gospell especially unfolded Now in this word glasse in which we see the glory of God is implyed both A Perfection And some Imperfection Perfection because it is as a cleare Christall glasse in regard of the glasse that was before for those under the law saw Christ in a glasse of Ceremonies and as I sayd before there is difference betweene ones seeing his face in water and in a Christall glasse so then this implies perfection in regard of the former state Againe in regard of heaven it implyes imperfection for there we shall not see in a glasse sight in a glasse is imperfect though it be more perfect than that in water for we know out of the principles of learning and experience that reflections weaken and the more reflections the more weake when wee see a thing by reflection we see it weakly and when we see it by a second reflection from that we see it more weakely when we see the sunne on the wall or any thing that is light it is weaker than the light of the sunne it selfe when a man seeth his face in a glasse it is a weaker representation than to see face to face but when we see the sunne upon the wall reflexing upon another wall the third reflexion is weaker than the first the more reflections the more weake so here all sight by glasses is not so powerfull as that sight and knowledge which is face to face in heaven that is the reason that S. Iames saith that hee that seeth his face in a glasse is subject to forget what is the reason that a man cannot remember himselfe when he seeth his face in a glasse so well as he can remember another mans face when he seeth it because he seeth himselfe onely by reflection therefore it is a weaker presentation to him and the memory and apprehension of it is weaker when he seeth another face to face hee remembers him longer because there is a more lively representation it is not a reflection but face to face So there is imperfection in this sight that wee have of God while wee are here as in a glasse it is nothing to that when we shall see face to face without the Word and Sacraments or any other Medium which sight what it is we shall know better when we are there we cannot now discover it it is a part of heaven to know
earth it was a sweeâ—e sight Abraham desired to see it and Simeon when he saw it was willing to be dissolved and to depart he had enough but that outward sight is nothing without another inward sight of faith There is a sight therefore of faith and other sights are to no purpose if they be without this a sight of God shining in Christ and this is perfected in heaven in the sight of glory when we see him as hee is Now there is a comfort in all these sights to see him in his Word and workes it was a glorious thing to see him in his bodily presence and by faith to see God in Christ to see his face in Christ oh it is a sweete and lovely sight to see God shining in Christ oh but what is all this to the sight of him after in glory Now this beholding meant here especially is the beholding of faith in the Ordinances in the Word and Sacraments We all behold as in the glasse of the Word and Sacraments by the eye of faith faith is expressed by beholding by knowledge for indeede faith is nothing but knowledge with application therefore faith includes knowledge what is faith but o know God and Christ and the promises as mine Christ in the Sacrament as mine as verily as the outward things are mine knowledge with application is faith therefore when I â—ay faith I include knowledge We behold The knowledge of the minde is compared to the eye of the body knowledge and faith is compaâ—ed to seeing and beholding for many reasons First because sight is the most gâ—orious and noble sence it is the highest in situation and the quickest in apprehension for in a moment presently sight apprehends its objâ—ct in the highest heavens so it is with faith it is the most noble sight of all and it is quicke as sight is for faith is that Eagle in the cloud it breakes through all and sees in a moment Christ in heaven it lookes backeward and sees Christ upon the crosse it lookes forward and seeeth Christ to come in glory faith is so quicke a grace that it presents things past things above things to come and all in a moment so quicke is this Eagle-eye of Faith Againe it is the largest sence for we can see almost the whole hemisphere at one view that a little thing in the eye shold apprehend so much in a moment as it is quick in apprehension so it is large in comprehension Againe it is the most sure sence sight more then hearing therefore that divine act of knowledge is compared to seeing beleeving is compared to beholding when faith lookes upon God in the glasse of the word and promises it is as certaine as the object is certaine Now how certaine is the object the mercy and love of God in Christ who is truth it selfe is most certaine Then it is that sence that workes most upon the soule sight for what the body seeth the soule is affected and mooved with the affections of desire and love rise out of sight it workes upon the affections most therefore the knowledge that stirres up the affections and works upon the heart is compared to sight it affects us marveilously for answerable to our faith we love and joy and delight it alters the frame of the whole man therefore it is expressed here by beholding divine spirituall knowledge it workes upon the heart So wee see why this beholding spirituall of the understanding and soule is compared to outward sight it is called beholding because it is a most noble spirituall act of the soule and it is most certaine and sure faith is the evidence of things not seene and it workes upon the heart and soule Therefore wee should labour to cleare this eye of the soule that wee may behold the glory of God in the glasse of the Gospell Quest. How shall wee have the eye of our soules fit to behold the glory of God Answ. Wee must fixe the eye of the soule fixe our mediation upon the glory of God and the excellency of Christ a moving rouling eye seeth nothing therfore we must set some time apart to fixe our meditations upon these excellent things in the Gospell Then againe wee must labour to have the hinderances remooved both within and without Sight within is hindred by some inward suffusion wee must labour that the soule be cleansed and purged from all carnall passions and desires and base humours that wee may clearely behold this spirituall object unlesse the soule be spirituall it can never behold spirituall things the bodily eye cannot apprehend rationall things nor the rationall eye beholds not spirituall things therfore there must bee a spirituall eye the soule must be purged and sanctified by the Spirit there must bee some proportion betweene the soule and spiritual things before the soule can behold them therefore as the soule must bee fixed upon this meditation so the Spirit of God must sanctifie and purge the soule Outward hindrances of sight as dust in the eyes and clouds c. they hinder sight Sathan labours to hinder the sight of the soule from beholding the glory of God shining in the Gospell with the dust of the world as the Apostle saith in the next chapter The God of this world blindes the eyes of men that they behold not the glory of God shining in the Gospell therefore if the Gospel be hid it is hid to them that perish that are lost in whom the god of this world hath blinded their mindes that they beleeve not least the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine upon them therefore take heed of too much worldly things of fixing our soules upon the dust of the world upon things here below the sight of Christ and of God in Christ it is not gotten by looking below by fixing the soule upon base things below let us looke therefore that our soules be inwardly cleansed and fixed upon spirituall things and then we shall the better behold the glory of God shining in the Gospell And we should preserve this sight of faith by hearing begets seeing in Religion death came in by the eare at the first Adam hearing the Serpent that hee should not have heard death came in by the eare so life comes in by the eare we heare and then wee see as we have heard so have wee seene say they in the Psalme It is true in Religion most of our sight comes by hearing which is the sence of learning God will have it so therefore wee should maintaine all we can this beholding of the glory of the Lord in the glasse of the Word and for that end heare much You will aske mee what is the best glasse of all to see and know Christ inâ— If you aske a Papist he will shew you crucifixes and such kinde of things Oh but to behold Christ in the glasse of the word with a Spirit
be alike therefore God hath ordained that we should be like him in a threefold degree in suffering in grace and in glory whosoever will bee like him in glory must be like him in grace first Gods election and ordaining must have its issue that is the representation of the likenesse of Christ in our natures Againe the end of Christs comming was to destroy the workes of the devill to deface all Sathans workes especially his worke in us the image of Sathan in our dispositions for every man by nature carries the image of the devill on him till the Image of Christ be stamped on and the image of Sathan raced out for in man there is naturally an opposition to the truth a hatred of God and of good things now Christ comming to dissolve the workes of the devill puts out this image and sets his owne stampe and Image upon the Soule therefore unlesse Christ change us to his owne Image hee should misse of the end of his comming these and many such reasons there are to prove that wee are restored according to the Image of Christ Iesus and why Christ will change us to his owne likenesse to adde one more The end of Christ is that wee should enter into a sweete communion with him therefore he will set such a stampe upon us as he may delight in us and bee friends now if hee should not change our natures what correspondence could there be betweene Christ and us now when he hath altred and changed us he lookes on us as carrying his stampe and image Vse 1 If this be so that we are changed into the image of the second Adam lesus Christ Then I beseech you let us labour every day more and more to study Christ that so by beholding Christ wee may be transformed into his likenesse for the looking upon Christ is a transforming sight therfore let us looke into his disposition as it is set forth in the Gospell and to his carriage and looke to his priviledges that so wee may receive grace for grace grace sutable to his grace disposition sutable to his disposition conversation sutable to his conversation and priviledge and prerogative sutable to his pre rogative that wee may bee like him every way What was his disposition and carriage it were too large to unfold it to you as it is in the Gospell but because we must be changed into the Image of Christ it is good to looke to that picture that wee may resemble that Image as much as may be you see in the Gospell how he carryed himselfe To his Friends Enemies the Devill Himselfe You see how full of love he was what drew him from heaven to earth and so to his crosse and to his grave but love to mankinde you see how full of goodnesse he was he went about doing all the good he could how much good doth that speech savour of that Paul speakes of him It is a more blessed thing to give than to receive see how full of zeale he was he whipped the buyers and sellers out of the Temple he was full of goodnesse it was his meate and drinke to doe good it was as naturall to him as for a fountaine to streame out And as I sayd for his carriage toward his friends to those that were good how sweete and indulgent was he where there was any beginnings of goodnesse he did incourage it he never sent any backe againe but those that went backe againe of their owne head as the young man Christ sent him not backe he was so full of sweetenesse to weake Christians nay he discovered himselfe most to the weakest hee was never more familiar with any than with the woman of Samaria that was an adultresse and Mary that had beene a sinner how sweetely did hee appeare to her first how sweete was he to sinners when they repented how ready to forgive and pardon see it in Peter hee never cast him in the teeth with his Apostacy he never upbrayded him with it he never so much as tells him of it onely he lookes upon him and afterward Lovest thou me c. hee would not quench the smoaking flaxe nor breake the bruised reede so gentle and sweete a Saviour have we hee was sweete to those that were good in the lowest degree of goodnesse nay where there was but a representation of goodnesse as in the young man he kissed and imbraced him when he came and sayd What good thing shall I doâ— to inherit eternall life hee imbraced him and made much of him and so to the Pharisee Thou art not farre from the kingdome of God he laboured to pull him further he was of a winning gaining disposition those that were good he loved them and carried himselfe so to all as much as might be shall we not labour to be of his disposition not to set people further off but to be of a gayning winning nature See how obedient hee was to his father Not my Will but thine be done both in active and passive obedience in all things he looked to his fathers will being â—ubordinate to him wheresoever there is subordination there ought to be obedience now there is a subordination to God as our Father in Christ therefore wee should labour to be obedient even to death as Christ was our happinesse stands in subordination the happinesse of the inferiour is in subjection to the superiour that may doe him good therefore we must be obedient to God as Christ was wee see hee prayed whole nights For his owne particular how holy and heavenly was he he takes occasion of vines of stones of water of sheepe and all things to be heavenly minded to rayse his soule upon all occasions and when hee rose from the dead and conversed with his disciples what was his talke he discoursed all of matters of the kingdome of heaven so his whole disposition was heavenly and holy in himselfe and patient in wrongs done to him he did not returne injury for injury you see how meeke he was I give you but a touch of every particular you may by proportion apply the rest he was in his owne particular holy and heavenly and full of purity and holinesse and heavenlinesse What was he to his enemies did he call for fire from heaven when they wronged him was he all on a heate when his poore Disciples being more flesh than Spirit would have fire from heaven You know not what spirit you are of saith he he shed teares for those that shed his blood Oh lerusalem Ierusalem c. that afterward crucified him and upon the crosse you see there to his very enemies Father forgive them they know not what they doe so then if we will be like to Christ consider how he carryed himselfe to God in devotion and obedience and how in himselfe hee was full of purity and holinesse unspotted every way how to his friends to all that had any goodnesse
misticall whole Christ misticall was crucified whole Christ misticall is risen againe notwithstanding the crucifying was terminate in Christ the head not in the members as his death was terminate in his humane nature it ended and was confined in that so this crucifying belonged to the head and the head rose yet whole Christ all beleevers as soone as they are one with Christ by reason of the misticall union they are dead and crucified in Christ their head and risen and sit in heavenly places in Christ their head so then a true beleever when he is made one with Christ he reasons thus my corruption of nature this pride of heart that naturally I have this enmity of goodnesse this is crucified for I am one with Christ when he dyed I in my head did dye and this pride and covetousnesse and worldlinesse this base and filthy carnall disposition was crucified in Christ my head I in my head was crucified and I in my head now am risen and sit in heaven therefore now I am in some sort glorious therefore I minde things above in my head and therefore because of the necessary conformity of the members to the head therefore I must more and more dye to sinne be crucified to sinne and rise by the Spirit of Christ and ascend with him the more I know and consider and meditate of this the more I am transformed into the likenesse of his death and resurrection but to goe a little further Quest. What things in Christs death did especially discover themselves to us when we once beleeve to our comfort Ans. Three things In regard of us wonderfull love that he dyed for for us In regard of sinne wonderfull hatred that hee would dye for sinne And wonderfull holinesse and love of grace he shewed his hatred of sinne that hee would shed his heart blood for it and wanting the glory of God as it were by feeling the wrath of God for a time even in hatred to sinne There were these two affections pregnant in Christ upon the crosse wondrous love for us to dye for us and wondrous hatred of sinne to purge it for which he dyed and wondrous holinesse from whence hatred of sinne came whence doth hatred of sinne come but from wonderfull purity and holiness that cannot indure sinne Thus when the soule considers it is one with Christ it hath the same affections that Christ had Christ in love to us dyed can I apprehend that love of Christ when hee dyed and was crucified and tormented for my sinne but out of love I must hate sinne againe And when I consider how Christ stood affected to sinne upon the crosse when hee dyed to purge it and to satisfie for iâ— câ—n I have other affections being one with him then hee had upon the crosse I cannot so whether I consider his love to me or the hatred he bore to sinne considering my selfe one with him by a mysticall union I shall have the same affection of love to him and bee like him every way to love what hee loves and to hate what hee hates I cannot but hate sinne and hating sinne I must act his part anew that is as he dyed for sinne so I dye to sinne as hee was crucified for it so it is crucified in me as he was peirced so hee gives corruption a stabbe in me as hee was buryed so my corruption is buryed and as he dyed once never to dye againe so I follow my sinnes to the grave to death and consumption of old Adam that hee never riseth againe so I say the consideration of my union with Christ that I in Christ did dye and was crucified because my head dyed and was crucified And then it puts that affection into mee that was in Christ and makes me act Christs part to dye to sin daily more and more these the like thoughts are stirred up in a christian which Saint Paul aimes at in Rom. 6. and other places So by the vertue of his resurrection I am conformable more and more to the graces in him for as the power of Gods Spirit raised him up when hee was at the lowest when he had beene three dayes in the grave so the Spirit in every Christian ray seth them up at the lowest to comfort to a further degree of grace more and more nay when they are fallen into any sinne or any affliction for sinne the same power that raised Christ when hee was in the grave for our sinnes in the lowest humiliation that could bee it raiseth them from their sinnes daily that they gather strength from their sinnes the power that raised Christ at the lowest raiseth a Christian at the lowest in sinne and in affliction for sinne for when he is tripped and undermined by his corruptions God by that power that raised Christ at the lowest recovers and strengthens him and makes him afresh revenge himselfe upon his sinne and when hee is at the lowest in the grave the same power will raise him like Christ every way so you see how we are changed to the liknesse of Christ. How shall wee know then whether we have the Image of Christ stamped upon us or no If wee be changed into the likenesse of Christ we shall be changed in our understandings to judge of things as he did his ayme was to please his father in all things if we have the same ends and the same opinion and esteeme of things he judged matters of grace and of the kingdome of God above all other for the soule is more worth then the whole world see the judgement that he passed upon things Seeke ye first the Kingdome of God and all other things shall be cast upon you We must bee changed in our judgement if we will have his Image upon us Wee must bee like him in our will in our choyce in the cleaving and purpose and resolution of our will wee must have the bent of our soule as his was our soules must be edged and pointed as his was wholly for heaven and the Kingdome of God And so for our affections there must bee a change in them in our love and joy and delight we must love and joy and delight in whatsoever he did Now the way to stirre us up to this is to see what Image wee naturally carry and to see our selves in the glasse of the Law if a man consider thus if Christs Image be not upon me I carry the image of the devill this would make him labour to get another Image upon him For beloved at the day of judgement Christ will not owne us if he see not his Image upon us Caesar will owne Caesars coyne if hee see his image upon it Whose image and superscription is this Give unto Caesar that which is Caesars If Christ see his stampe on us he will owne us at the day of judgment or else not Naturally we are all opposite to Christ naturally wee are full of pride and mallice of the
Againe in the fourth place the reasons inducing are all from Christ for we are not only changed by power but by reason there is the greatest reasons in the world to be a christian and to come out of the state of nature when our understanding is enlightned to see the horrible state of nature with the angry face of God with it and then to have our eyes opened at the same time to see the glorious and gracious face of God in Iesus Christ here is the greatest wisedome in the world to come out of that cursed state to a better now the reasons of this change are fetched from Christ that by knowing Christ we know by reflection the cursed state out of him and to see the glorious benefits by Christs redemption glorification these set before the eye of the soule and then the heart wrought upon by these reasons if Christ gave himselfe for me shall not I give my selfe to Christ Paul hath his heavenly Logicke Christ dyed for us that we might live to him so we have the merit of the Spirit from Christ the derivation of the Spirit from Christ as a head and the patterne of grace from Christ and the inducing reasons all from Christ in this changing to his Image Againe in that Christ is the Image to which wee are changed let us learne if we would see any thing excellent and comfortable in our selves see it in Christ first there is nothing comfortable in man but it is in Christ first as the first Image the first receiver of all Christ Iesus himselfe if wee would see the love of God see the love of God in Christ our head first in him that is Gods beloved if we would see the gifts that God hath blessed us with spirituall blessings but it is in Christ we have it from our head first if we would see Gods favour This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased I am well pleased in him and in all his that are one misticall body with him if we would see comfortably our ill done away our sinnes removed see it in Christ abased in Christ crucified and made a curse see them all wiped away in the crosse of Christ If we would see glory upon the removall of our sinnes see it in Christ first he is first risen and therefore wee shall rise he is ascended and sits in heavenly places therefore we ascend and sit in heavenly places with him all that we have or looke to have comfortable in us see it in the first patterne and platforme in Christ the reason is cleare in Rom. 8. We are elected and predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne we are predestinate to bee conformed to Christ in all things to be loved as hee is to bee gracious as he is to rise to be glorious to be freed and justified afterward from all our sins as he our surety was wee are ordained to be conformable to him every way In a word the flesh of Christ it was holy it was a suffering flesh and then a glorious flesh now it is glorious so our nature must be like this Image it must be sanctified flesh by the same Spirit that sanctified the masse that hee was made of in the wombe it must be suffering flesh in conformity to him for the flesh that he tooke was suffering flesh and he had a Kingdome of patience before he had a Kingdome of glory so we must goe through a Kingdome of patience to the Kingdome of glory then upon conformity in holinesse with Christ comes our conformity in glory when wee are content to be conformed to Christ in our suffering flesh then wee shall be conformed to Christ in our glorious flesh for our flesh must be used as his was it must be holy and patient and suffering and then it shall be glorious so in all things we must looke to Christ first hee must have the preheminence Beloved of all contemplations under heaven there is no contemplation so sweete and powerfull as to see God in Christ and to see Christ first abased for us and our selves abased in Christ and crucified in Christ and acquitted in Christ and then rayse our thoughts a little higher see our selves made by little and little glorious in Christ see our selves in him rising and ascending and sitting at the right hand of God in heavenly places see our selves by a Spirit of faith in heaven already with Christ what a glorious sight and contemplation is this If wee first looke upon our selves what we are we are as branches cut off from the tree as a river cut off from the spring that dyes presently what is in us but we have it by derivation from Christ who is the first the spring of all grace the summe of all the beames that shine upon us we are as branches cut off therefore now to see Christ and our selves in Christ this transformes us to bee like his Image it is the sweetest contemplation that can be We see this change is wrought by beholding the beholding the glory of God in the Gospell it is a powerfull beholding for saith he we are changed by beholding to the Image of Christ sight workes upon the imaginations in bruite creatures as Labans sheepe when they saw the party coloured roddes it wrought upon their imaginations and they had lambes sutable will sight worke upon imagination and imagination worke a reall change in nature and shall not the glorious sight of Gods mercy and love in Christ worke a change in our soule is not the eye of faith more strong to alter and change than imagination naturall certainely the eye of faith apprehending Gods love and mercy in Christ it hath a power to change the Gospell it selfe together with the Spirit hath a power to change wee partake by it of the divine nature This glasse of the Gospell hath an excellencie and an eminencie above all other glasses it is a glasse that changeth us when wee see our selves and our corruptions in the glasse of the law there we see our selves dead the law findes us dead and leaves us dead it cannot give us any life but when we looke into the Gospell and see the glory of God the mercy of God the gracious promises of the Gospell wee are changed into the likenesse of Christ whom wee see in the Gospell it is an excellent glasse therefore that hath a transforming power to make beautifull such a glasse would be much prized in this proud world such a glasse is the Gospell Therefore let us bâ—â— in love with this glasse above all other glasses whatsoever nothing can change us but the Gospel the Gospell hath a changing power as you have it Isay 11. there the Lyon shall feede with the Lambe c. For the whole earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord the knowledge of Christ lesus is a changing knowledge that changeth a man even from an untractable fierce creature
when the nature of man is so subject to the power of grace that though there be rebellions in us as there will be while we are in this world yet they cannot overpower the principle of grace all this while a man is a glorious Christian because he is not subject to the common humors and infirmities and weakenesses of men therefore that makes a Christian glorious when he brings every thought and affection and every corruption as much as may be to the subjection of the Spirit of glory to the Spirit of Christ in him though old Adam stirre in him yet he brings him downe that hee doth not discover himselfe to the scandall of the Gospell and profession and to the weakening of the love of good things in the hearts of others it shall not break out he subjects these rising thoughts here grace is glorious Another man cannot doe this he cannot love God he cannot deny himselfe hee cannot resist temptations not inwardly he may forbeare an action out of feare but a Christian can love and feare and delight in good things and he can resist and hee can enjoy the things of this life in a subordinate manner to better things a worldling cannot doe it there is a glory upon a Christian a derivative glory from Christ for we shine in his beames wee are changed according to his Image from glory to glory Object The thing is not much questionable that grace is glorious but it may bee objected doth grace make one glorious then how comes the world to despise such as have grace such as are like Christ I answere it is from blindnesse Answ. from Spirituall drunkennesse and madnesse they cannot discerne of things they are besotted they see no difference therefore they cannot discerne things that are excellent but take a man in his right principles take a sober man and he will see an excellency in a Christian above himselfe Againe grace is not made so much of oft times in the world because it is joyned with so many infirmities our life is hid with Christ it is hid under infirmities and under afflictions oft times and being hidden it doth not appeare so much in this world And then againe however men force upon themselves a contempt of grace and of the best things yet notwithstanding it is but forced for their conscience stoopes at it witnesse conscience when it gives evidence on their death bed take a man when he is himselfe when he is sober when he is best able to judge when those things are taken from him that obscured and darkened his judgement and then you shall have him justifie all things that are good both gracâ— and the meanes of grace Againe it must be so that we may bee conformable to Christ the world misguideth the state of a Christian they thinke them vile and base persons so they did Christ the head of the Church you see how Christ was esteemed his glory was vayled with our nature and with misery a while but it sparkled out oft times in his miracles Now this was that hee might suffer and performe the worke of Salvation for the devill nor the wicked world would never have done that they did to him if his glory had broken forth to the full luster of it So it is with the body misticall of Christ the world misjudgeth of them it appeares not now what they shal be hereafter nor what they are now indeed because God will have them conformable to Christ If so bee that the glory of Christians were discovered in the true lustre who would wrong a Christian if they did see him indeede to be a member of Christ and an heire of heaven the care of Angels and the price of Christs death if they did see him in his excellency all the world would admire him and make another man of him then of Potentates and Monarches but how then should he be conformable to his head in afflictions the head was to save us by death hee must be abased the world must take him as a strange man and we that must be conformed to him wee must passe as unknowne men in the world but not so unknowne but that grace breakes out sometimes to admiration and imitation and when it hath not imitation it stirres up envy and mallice in others in the children of the devill therfore notwithstanding all objections grace is glory it makes us like Christ who is glorious who is the Lord of glory And then it drawes glory with it glorious peace and glorious comfort and joy in the Holy Ghost the attendants of grace in the hearts of Gods people is it not as I said a glorious thing for a man to have that peace in him that passeth all understanding that shall settle and quiet his soule in all tumults in the world when all things are turned upside downe for a Christian to stand unmooveably built upon the Rocke Whence comes this glorious pitch but from grace grace and peace one follow another then for a man to have inward joy and comfort in the midst of afflictions and disconsolations in the world it is a wonderfull and a gloriousthing it in called joy unspeakeable and glorious grace therefore in regard of that that followes it in this world it is glory Hence it is that the wise man saith that the Righteous is more excellent then his neighbour hee is more glorious then another man as pearles are above pebbles he is more excellent in life in death and after death especially for there is a growing from glory to glory he is glorious in life more glorious in death when his soule shall be put into glory in heaven and most of all glorious when Christ shall come to be glorious in his Saints as it is in â— Thess. so he is excellent in life and in death and for ever for another man that is but a man a man said I nay if a man be but a man hee is either like a devill in subtilety or a beast in sensuallity hee carries the image either of a beast or of the devill besides a man a righteous man therefore that hath the Image of God stamped upon him hee is better then another man every way for hee is in a higher ranke of creatures grace sets a man as farre above other men as other men are above other creatures At the first the creatures reverenced God in Adam they came and tooke their names from him they were subject to him so grace is a glorious majesticall thing wicked men even Herod reverenced grace in Iohn Baptist and evill men reverence it in their hearts in Gods people though their mouthes speake against it a Christian is a Spirituall man as reason lifts a man above other creatures so the Image of God set upon a man it lifts raiseth him above other men Vse 1 If grace and the Image of God and Christ in us be glory and make us
excellent let us all labour for grace above all things we all as I said before desire liberty and as we desire liberty so wee desire glory but we know not the way how to come to it in seeking liberty wee seeke licensiousnesse in seeking glory we seeke it from men that cannot give it we seeke glory in outward things that are nothing what is the glory of all outward things but the shining of a rotten peece of wood in the night time or as a glow-worme what is all this glory but a flash it is nothing if we would seek true glory indeed as naturally all doe let us seeke grace thereby we resemble Christ the Lord of glory thereby wee are glorious in the eyes of Christ thereby wee are glorious both without and within though this glory for the present bee hid thereby we are terrible to the devill and all enemies For ever since his head was crushed by Christ that broke the Serpents head he is afraid of mans nature in Christ he is afraid of Christians as knowing that they be better then himselfe and hee shall bee judged by them ere long the devill shall be judged by Christians therefore let us studdy for this glory a man is never glorious till he be a Christian. It is said of Antiochus that he was a vile person what though hee was a King yes let a man be never so great in the world if he be a wicked man a man that dishonoureth his tongue that shold be his glory that hath not the language of Canaan that dishonors and defiles his body that should be the Temple of the Holy Ghost a man that carries a malicious and malignant Spirit that hath the image of the devill in his soule if hee bee never so great a person he will be vile ere long when all relations shall end in death all excellencies must bee layd downe in death therefore seeing all other excellencies cannot keepe a man from being a vile person let us labour for that that will put a glory upon us labour for the Image of Christ to be stamped upon our soule There is a great humour in this age in looking to peeces of workemanship if a man have skill to discerne a peece as they call it it is more then ordinary Beloved what a vanity is this though these pictures be lawfull they are a kind of mute poetry but what is this to the having of the glorious Image of Christ stamped upon us to bee glorious in the eye of God and in the very judgement of carnall men There is nothing so excellent as grace and nothing so base as sinne indeed there is nothing base but sinne and nothing excellent but grace so that Gods children not onely in their glorious riches and prerogatives to be the Sonnes of God and heires of Heaven are glorious but they have an inward glory The Spouse of Christ is glorious within Insomuch that Christ is in love with his owne graces he wonders at his owne graces in his children Vse 2 Againe oppose this to the scorne and hatred of the world base minded persons that disgrace goodnesse that their illnesse may bee the lesse discerned they labour to make all alike all they can by slaunders at least that their illnesse may not appeare oppose the judgment of Gods Spirit that esteemes grace glory a gainst all the judgement of the base world Beloved they shall know one day that those that they despise shall judge them and their hearts secretly tell them so what makes them maligne men better then themselves they have a secret conceit he is above me The spirituall man judgeth all things he is a man that discernes by a spirituall eye he judgeeth and condemneth my wayes and hereafter he will judge mee a secret conscience in him makes him feare a good man though hee deprave and maligne him yet his heart stoupes Vse 3 Againe is grace glory when God sets it on us shall wee cast our crowne in the dirt shall wee defile and blemish our glory by sinniug against conscience wee forget our excellency that grace is glory it teacheth us how to carry our selves to our selves If there be grace is us let us be honorable to our selves It is a good caveat that wee should be venerable to our selves that is Christians should take a holy state to themselves What I that am an Heire of Heaven I that am a King I that am a Conquerour I that am the Sonne of God I that am a Freeman should I tangle my selfe with these things shall I goe and staine my selfe Is it not an unsightly thing to see a golden pillar daubed with dirt or to see a crowne cast in the dirt God hath put a crowne upon me he hath made me a King he hath made me an Heire of Heaven hee hath made me his Sonne he hath put a glory upon mee shall I abase my selfe to devillish base courses No I will be more honorable in my owne eyes Let us thinke our selves too good for the base services of Sathan these thoughts we should take to our selves these are not proud thoughts but befitting our condition when wee are tempted to any base course whatsoever it is it is contrary to my calling Vse 4 And let us comfort our selves in the worke of grace though it bee wrought in never so poore a measure in all the disparagements of the world for those that are besotted with false vaine-glory they have the eyes of their soules put out and dimmed and dazled with false glory they cannot judge of the glory of a Christian they want eyes therefore let us bee content to passe in the world as hidden Christ passed concealed in the world onely now and then the beames of his glory brake forth in his miracles so wee must be content for our glory is hid in Christ for the most part and it is clouded with the imputations and malice of men and sometimes with infirmities as it will in this world let us comfort our selves with this that wee are glorious howsoever and glorious within and this glory will breake out in a holy conversation and it is better to be glorious in the eyes of God and Angels and good men and in the consciences of ill men then to have glory from their mouthes mallice will not suffer them to glorify them with their mouthes but their consciences must needes stoope to goodnesse for God hath put a majesty into goodnesse that any man that is a man that is not a beast that hath naturall principles will reverence it and the consciences of such men wil make them speake the truth one day and they shall say We fooles thought these men mad but Nâ—w wee see our selves fooles therefore in the disparagements of worldly men that know not where true glory lies let us be content with this that God hath made us truely glorious by working a change in a comfortable measure let us comfort our selves in this Vse
5 Againe by this wee may know whether wee have grace in us or no If we thinke grace to be glory let us have thaâ— judgement and conceit of grace of the change of our natures by the Spirit of God and the truth of God as the Holy Ghost hath here calling it glory that very judgement shewes that there is an alteration in our affections that we are changed in the spirit of our minds that we have a right conceite of heavenly things for none but a Christian indeed can judge grace to be glory that can truely thinke so for if a man thinke grace to be glory truely if hee be convinced by the power of the spirit he will be gracious for there is an instinct in all men by nature to glory in something you have the gulls of the world they glory in somthing in swaggering beastly courses you have devillish men glory that they can circumvent others rather then men will have no glory they will glory in that that is shame indeed man having a disposition alway to glory in something if hee be convinced that grace is glory he will be gracious Therefore I beseech you enter into your owne soules and see what conceites you have of the Image of God of the graces of Christianity and then certainely it will raise a holy ambition to have that stampe set upon you Againe this is another evidence that a man is gracious if he can looke upon the life of another that is better then he with a conceite that it is glory and loving of it as glory many men see grace in other men but with a maligning eye they see it to disgrace it for naturally this is in men they are so vaineglorious and ambitions that when they see the lives of other men outshew theirs instead of imitation they goe to base courses they obscure and darken that light with slanders that they will not imitate in their courses This is in the better sort of men the prouder and greater sort of men what grace they will not imitate they will defame they will not be outshined by any thing therefore those that can see so farre into the life of another man as they love it and honour the grace of God in another man it is a signe there is some worke of glory begunne in them men can indure good things in bookes and by reports and good things of men that are dead c. but they cannot indure good things running in their eies especially when it comes in a kind of competition and comparison they love not to bee out-shined From glory to glory Wee see the state of Gods children here and the state in Heaven come both under one name both are glory The children of God are Kings here they shall be Kings in Heaven they are Saints here as they be Saints in Heaven there is an adoption of grace as well as an adoption of glory Rom. 8. There is a regeneration here of our soules there is a regeneration of soule and body then We are new creatures here and we shall be new creatures there Quest. Why doe all come under one name the state of glory in Heaven and the state of grace here is there no difference Answ. Yes but the difference is in degrees and not otherwise for Heaven must be begunne here if ever wee meane to enter into Heaven hereafter we enter into the subburbs here we must be new creatures here we are kings here we are Heires apparant here we are adopted here we are regenerate here we are glorious here before we be glorious hereafter therfore beloved we may read our future state in our present wee must not thinke to come de scelo in celum as he saith out of the filth of sinne to Heaven but Heaven must be begunne here you see both have the same name grace and glory Therefore wouldst thou know what thy condition shall be afterwards read it in thy present disposition if there be not a change and a glorious change here never looke for a glorious change hereafter what is not begunne in grace shall never be accomplished in glory both grace here and glory hereafter comming under the same name it forceth this And likewise it is a ground of comfort for why have we the same terme here when we are in the state of grace why are we decked and adorned with the same title as wee shall bee in heaven It is partly for certainety grace is glory as well as the perfection of it is glory to shew that where grace is truely begun it will end in glory all the powers in the world cannot interrupt Gods gracious progresse and way what is begun in grace will end in glory where the foundation is layd God will be sure to put up the roofe he never repents of his beginnings Salomon saith that the righteous is like to the Sun that growes brighter and brighter till hee come to his full strength so the state of the godly growes more and more from light to light till hee come to full strength The state of the wicked is cleane contrary the state of the wicked is like the declining day the Sunne growes downe and downe till it bee twilight and thence to darkenesse and then to utter darkenesse so they being darke in themselves they grow from the darkenesse of misery and terrour of conscience to eternall darkenesse blacke dismall darkenesse in hell but the state of the godly it is like the course of the Sunne after midnight that is growing up up still till it come to mid day so the state of the godly it is alway on the mending hand it is alwayes a growing state it is a hopefull condition they goe from glory to glory and therefore let us be assured of eternall glory for the time to come as sure as we are of the beginnings of grace here wrought you see then a maine difference betweene the godly and others other men grow backeward proficere in pejus as we say they take degrees backe from worse to worse till they end in utter desolation and destruction for ever but the other riseth by degrees till they come to that happinesse that can admit no further degrees all the glory of the world ends in vanity and in nothing but the glory of a Christian that begins in grace you see it proceedes from glory to glory alway growing and amending If men were not spiritually mad would they not rather be in a condition alway amending and growing more and more hopefull still than to bee in a condition alway declining and most subject to decline when it is at the toppe There is no consistence in any humane felicity but it is in precipite neere a downefall when it is at the highest Gods children are neere rising when they are at the lowest there is a Spirit of glory lights and not onely so but rests on them it doth not light upon them and then
little stone grew to a mountaine Dan. 2. so we must bee content to grow from grace to grace there is a graduall proceeding in the new creature wee must not be presently in Canaan God will lead us through the wildernesse through temptations and crosses before wee come to Heaven many because they see they are farre short of others that are stronger Christians therefore they thinke they have no grace at all Therefore let those that are on the growing hand though they bee short of many that are before them let them not be discouraged with their over-little beginnings for it is Gods Ordinance course in this world to bring his children by little and little through many stations as they were led in the wildernesse from standing to standing and from place to place so God brings his children by many standings to Heaven and it is one part of a Christians meekenesse to subject to Gods wisedome in this kinde and not to murmure that they are not so perfect as they would be or as they shall be but rather to magnifie the mercy of God that there is any change in such defiled and polluted soules that hee hath vouchsafed any spirituall light of understanding any love of good things that the bent of their affections are turned to a contrary course then they were before that God hath vouchsafed any beginnings rather magnifie his mercy then quarrell with his dispensation that he doth not this all at once and indeed if we enter into our owne hearts it is our fault that wee are not more perfect but let us labour to be meeke and say Lord since thou hast ordained that I shall grow from glory to glory from one degree of grace to another let me have grace to magnifie thy mercy that thou hast given me any goodnesse rather then to murmure that I have no more and bee content in the use of meanes and indeavour to grow further though wee have not so much as others have Nay wee may not be discouraged because of the weaknesse of grace but we may not be discouraged with a seeming interruption in our spirituall growth God sometimes works by contraries hee makes men grow by their puttings backe and to stand by their falls sometimes when God wil have a man grow hee will suffer him to fall that by his fall he may grow in a deeper hatred of sinne and in jealousie over his owne heart and a nearer watchfulnesse over his owne wayes that he may grow more in love with God for pardoning of him and grow more strong in his resolution for the time to come that he may grow more in humility none growes so much as those that have their growth stopped for a time Let none be discouraged when they find a stop but consider that God is working grace in another kind the Spirit appeares in one grace when it doth not in another it grows in one grace when it doth not in another sometime the Spirit will have us grow in humility as the juyce of the herbes runnes to the roote in the Winter it is in the leaves in the Spring it is in the seede in Autumne as the life sometime appeares in the plant in one part and sometime in another so the Spirit of God appeares sometime in humility sometime in joy sometime in spiriâ—uall strength and courage Let none bee discouraged over much when they finde a stoppe for there is no interruption of spirit altogether and this little interruption is like a sickenesse that will make them grow and shoote up more afterwards it spends the humours that hinders growth there is such a mystery in the carrying of men from glory to glory that it makes men more glorious sometimes by base sinnes I would have no man discouraged therfore indeed God will worke so that hee shall wish he had not given him occasion to shew his strength in his weakenes his glory in his shame but God where hee hath begunne he will go through with the worke and will turne all to good And to incourage us here grace begunne hath the same name as grace perfect both are glory why doth God call them by one name To incourage Christians he tels them that if it be begunne it is glory not that it is so properly but if it be begunne it shall never end till it come in Heaven therefore God stiles grace in all the latitude from the highest to the very beginnings by the same name to incourage Christians if they be within the doore of the Temple though they be not so farre as those that are in high and glorious places yet they are going thither to incourage Christians to know that unavoydably and undefesably they shall come to perfection of glory if it be begunne and God lookes not on Christians as they are in their imperfections and beginnings but that that in time hee meanes to bring them to he intends to bring them to glory therfore he gives grace the stile of glory As in the creatures God looked not on the seedes of trees as such but he looked on them as seedes that he meant to make trees of and when God lookes upon his children he lookes not on them as they are children but as they shall be perfect men Doth the wisedome of God looke on the seedes of trees as he intends to make them trees and doth he not looke upon Christians that are babes in grace as he intends to make them men to come to the perfect stature of Christ he viewes us at once in our beginnings and perfections all is presented at once to him therefore he gives one name to the whole state of grace grace and glory all is glory I beseech you therefore if there be any goodnesse any blessed change in us let us be comforted for he that hath brought us to the beginnings of glory will never faile till hee hath brought us to perfect glory in heaven and there our change shall rest there is no further change there when we are once in our element For even as God when he made man he rested from all his worke upon the Sabboth man was his excellent peece so the Spirit of God will rest sanctifying and altering of us when we are once in Heaven in that eternall Sabboth then wee shall neede no changes from glory to glory wee shall for ever be filled with the fulnesse of God till which time there is no creature in the world so changable as a Christian. For first you see hee was made in Gods Image and likenesse in his state of standing After he fell there was a change to his second state of sinne After the state of fall there is a change to the state of grace After that from one degree of grace to another in this world till hee dye and Then the soule is more perfect and glorious but at the last when body and soule shall be united there shall bee no more change there
us labour to grow from glory to glory though wee lose otherwise that is well lost and parted with in the world that is with the gaine of any grace because grace is glory It is a good sickenesse that gets more patience and more humility it is a good loâ—se that makes us grow lesse worldly minded and more humble by it all other things are vanity in comparison and that grace that we get by the losse of them is well gayned grace is glory and the more we grow in grace the more we grow in glory Therefore I beseâ—ch you labour to thrive that way to grow up heaven-ward dayly more and more in our disposition Beloved the more grace we get the more glory and the more like we are to Christ and to God the more we adorne our profession and the more wee shame Sathan and his instruments and stop their mouthes the more duties come off naturally and sweetely from us without constraint it is good for us to be growne Christians that we neede not be cumbred with corruptions the more wee grow the more nimble and cheerefull and voluntary we shall be in duty wee shall partake more of that annoynting that maâ—es us nimble in Gods service There is nothing in the world so glorious as a growne Christian therefore let us be in love with the state of Christianity especially with growne Christians of all things he is compared with the best if he be a house he is a temple if he be a plant he is a Cedar growing up if hee be a flower he is a Lilly rising and growing fresher if he be a stone he is a pearle he growes in estimation and use more and more Beloved if we had spirituall eyes to see the state of a Christian of a growne Christian especially wee would labour above all things to thrive in this way have we not many workes to doe have we not many enemies to resist have we not many graces to perfect are we not to dye and to appeare before God are we not to enjoy the blessings of God purely and doe not these things require a great deale of strength of grace oh they doe therefore labour above all things in the world to behold Gods love in Christ and to behold Christ that by this sight we may grow from glory to glory And this will make us willing to dye what makes a man willing to dye but when he knowes he shall goe from glory to greater glory after death is the perfection of glory then we are glorious indeed when we are in heaven a weake sight here by faith changeth us but a strong sight when we shall see face to face perfectly changeth us then we shall be like him when we shall see him face to face A wicked man cannot desire death he cannot desire heaven it selfe why because heaven is the perfection of grace glory is but grace he loves not Therefore it is a certaine evidence of future glory for a man to love grace and to grow I say such a man is willing to dye a wicked man that hates grace that loves not Christ in his Image in his children or in his truth he hates glory that is the perfection of grace for peace and joy and comfort they are but those things that issue from grace and spring from grace grace is the â—hiefe part of heaven the perfection of the Image of God the perfection of all the powers to be like Christ but for peace and comfort that springs from it a wicked man loves peace and quiet but to have his nature altered he loves not that and if he love not grace how can hee love glory there is no man but a Christian that loves heaven We are ready to drop away dayly now to be in a state unchanged it is a fearefull thing unlesse we be changed by the Spirit of God we shall be afrayd to dye we cannot desire to be in heaven the vâ—ry heaven of heavens is the perfection of grace to see God to be all in all and by the sight of God to be transformed into his likenesse it is the chiefe thing in heaven therefore I beseech you let us labour more and more to grow in grace set Christ before us Let me adde this one â—hing make use of our patternes among us Christ is now in heaven but there will be the Spirit of Christ in his children to the end of the world and grace is sweetely convayed from those that we live amongst we grow up in grace by growing in a holy communion one with another Christ will kindle lights in every generation therefore let us labour to have the spirit of those wee live with given to us in conversing to be like Christ in his mâ—mbers to love the Image of Christ in his children and to converse with them to be altred into their likenesse this will change us to the glorious likenesse of Christ more and more Those that care not what company they keepe those that despise the Image of Christ in those among whom they live can they grow in grace We shall give account of all the good examples we have had doth God kindle lights for nothing we should glorifie God for the Sunne and Moone and Stars and other creatures is not a Christian more glorious than all the creatures in the world we should glorifie God for grace in Christians and labour to be transformed to them that we may grow the liker to Christ that we may grow more and more glorious I speake this to advance the Communion of Saints more and more as wee desire to partake more and more of this grace and to grow from glory to glory Vse 6 Againe considering that God meanes to bring us by little and little by degrees to perfect glory of body and soule and condition in Heaven to be like Christ let this make us be content to bee vile for Christ in this world as David said when he was scorned I will be yet â—ore vile doe you thinke I thinke much to shew my selfe thus for the honour of God when Michall scoffed I will be more vile Let us bee content to goe out of the campe and beare the reproach of Christ beare the reproach of Religion let the world scorne us for the profession of Religion God is bringing us from glory to glory till hee bring us to perfect glory and shall we suffer nothing for him let us bee content to bee more vile and to beare the reproach of Religion the very worst thing in Religion the reproach of Christ as Moses made a wise choyse it is better then the treasures of Egypt the most excellent things in the world are not so good as the worst thing in Religion because reproach ends with assurance of comfort that God will take away that and give us glory after Therefore let us not bee discouraged from a Christian course but goe through good report and bad report break through al
the illumination of the Spirit And then the change according to the Image of Christ this is altogeâ—her by the Spirit of Christ it is altogether from the holy Ghost Christ baptiseth With the Holy Ghost and with fiâ—e and Christ came By blood and by water by blood to dye for us and by water by his Spirit to change us and purge and cleanse us all is by the Spirit Christ came as well by the Spirit as by blood This change and the graduall change from glory to glory all is by the Spirit therefore wee should not thinke altogether of Christ or God the Father when we goe to God in prayer but thinke of the worke of the Spirit that the holy Ghost may have his due Lord without thy Spirit my body is as a thing without a soule a dead loathsome stiffe unapt carkasse that cannot stirre a whit and so my soule without the operation of thy holy Spirit it is a stiffe dead unmoveable thing and therefore by thy Spirit breath upon me as thy holy Spirit in the creation did lye upon the waters and brood as it were all things there lying upon the waters it fashioned this goodly creature heaven and earth this Mundus so the Spirit of God lying upon the waters of the soule it fashions all graces and comforts whatsoever they are all is wrought by the Spirit in the new creature as all in this glorious fabricke of the world was by the Spirit of God Let the Spirit of God therefore have due acknowledgement in all things whatsoever And what are we to looke to mainely now the knowledge of God the Father and his love to us shining in Christ all is in Christ and if we would have any thing wrought in us any alteration of our natures let us begge the Spirit that we may have the discovery of the love of God in Christ the Spirit attending upon the Gospell And because we have all these aboundantly in these latter times of the Church in the second spring of the Gospell in the reformation of religion after our recovery out of Popery there is a second spring of the Gospell oh belovd how much are we beholding to God never since the beginning of the world was there such glorious times as we enjoy Wee see how the holy Apostle doth preferre these times before former times when the vayle was upon their eyes and when all was hid in ceremonies and types and such things among the lewes Now saith he we behold the glory of God and are changed by the Spirit from glory to glory To conclude all therefore consider that the glory of the times and the glory of places and persons all is from the revelation of Christ by the Spirit which hath the Spirit accompanying it the more God in Christ is layd open the more the times and places and persons are excellent What made the second temple beyond the former Christ came at the second temple therefore though it were baser in it selfe yet the second Temple was more glorious than the first what made Bethelem that little City glorious Christ was borne there what makes the heart where Christ is borne more glorious than other folke Christ is borne there Christ makes persons and places glorious What makes the times now more glorious than they were before Christ what made the least in the Kingdome of heaven greater than Iohn Baptist he was greater than all that were before him and all that are after him are greater than he because his head was cut off he saw not the death and resurrection of Christ and the giving of the holy Ghost he saw not so much of Christ so that the revelation of Christ and the love of God in Christ it is that that makes times and persons and places glorious all glorious because the vayle is taken away from our eyes we see Christ the King of glory in the Gospell flourishing and the love of God manifested and by the Spirit of God the vayle is taken away inwardly as well as outwardly now for a fuller discovery of Christ than in former times comes the glory of the times now there are more converted than in former times because the Spirit goes together with the manifestation of Christ what is the reason that this Kingdome is more glorious than any place beyond the Seas because Christ is here revealed more fully than there the vayle is taken off and here we see the glory of God with open face which changeth many thousands from glory to glory by the Spirit of God that accompanies the revelation of the Gospell Is there any outward thing that advanceth our Kingdome before Turkey or Spaine c. No thing their government and riches and outward things are as much as ours if not more the glory of places and times are from the revelation of Christ that hath the Spirit accompanying of it that Spirit changeth us from glory to glory our times are more glorious than they were a hundred yeeres or two before why because we have a double revelation of Christ and of Antichrist we see Christ revealed and the Gospell opened and the vayle taken off we see Antichrist revealed that hath masked under the name of head of the Church and hath seduced the world Now this double revelation challengeth acknowledgement of these blessed times what should all this doe but stirre us up to know the time of our visitation to thankfulnesse to blesse God that hath reserved us for these places and Countries that we live in to cast our times to be in this glorious light of the Gospell to be borne in what if we had beene borne in those darke Egyptian times of Popery our lives had not beene so comfortable Now we live under the Gospell wherein with open face we see the glory of the mercy of God in Christ the unsearchable riches of Christ opened and discovered to us And together with the Gospell the ministery of the Spirit goeth the Spirit and those that belong to God thousands by the blessing of God are changed from glory to glory Certainely if we share in the good of the times we will have hearts to thanke God and to walke answerably that as wee have the glorious Gospell so we will walke gloriously that we doe not by a base and fruitlesse life dishonour so glorious a Gospell I beseech you let us thinke of the times else if we be not the better for the glorious times if the vayle be not taken away we are under a fearefull judgement The god of this world hath blinded our eyes doe wee live under the glorious light and yet are darke that wee see no glory in Christ we see nothing in religion but are as ready to entertaine Popery as true religion is this the fruite of the long preaching of the Gospell and the vayle being taken off so long certainely the God of this world hath cast the dust of the world into our eyes that we can see