heaven and to God the judge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling which speaks better things then that of Abel Heb. 12. 22. Hence all things were esteemed in comparrison but dross and dung 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but very loathsome garbidge Fourthly Consider what an unparralleld match thy soul utterly looseth the opportunity of obtaining if it be not thus in this life united unto Christ in this Gospel discovery of the glory of the Lord unto her for she must either be married to Christ in that way here or else the Devill will carry her as his captive slave to his most wicked lust and loathsome vassallage without any hope of future respite ransome or rescue but if once it be so married unto Christ how will she be dignified not only received into a Royal Estate but be partaker of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. happy in her own good quality happy in her manifold interests in the Covenant in all the promises of this life and a better and thereby in Christ in God in Angels in the Saints in the good of both worlds present and to come happy in the present society union and communion with any or many of these at the present as we shewed even now from Heb. 12. 22. but unspeakeably more for the future and happy above all persons that are void of this in the present satisfaction rest and support they will find in and from this above all earthly vanities which only by this become sweetned comforts as the love care and goodness of this spiritual bridegroome is delightfully tendred to his spouse thereby O what true Saints security in evill times in all times is there in this condition what health what wealth what honor what pleasure what joy what solace what true contentment if such poore creatures would not unfaithfully or foolishly be deficient to themselves O that Christians would suffer their poor souls yea that they would by all good means afford them assistance to make large comments upon every particular branch here offered to them to the manifold advancement of their own good I being now restrained by many circumstances from inlargeing in these and divers other things as it were hinted only in this subject yet what is said may point out many pleasant paths for thy soule to expatiate and walk at large in to her present greate refreshment in this her earthly Pilgrimage and I dare say if she be but once well acquainted with them she will never be willing to forsake them and if upon error at any time she loose her way she will never be at rest for quiet till she find it again I can here only now like the Statues used in cross pathes but point out to thee the right way if thou be once in it let it be thy care to keep it it will be thy safety it will be thy security it will by thy satisfaction thou wilt never repent thee of thy walking long or far therein yea the further thou goest the more thou gainest and advancest thy best designes thereby O that men would consider these things and improve their time their talents their opportunities their abilities to this excellent advantage while time and seasons of Grace continue that God may have the glory of his Gospel grace at their hands their own souls and consciences may thereby receive their sound peace and true consolation here and eternally by the same means obtain their perfect happiness which he grants of his infinite compassion to poor wandring souls through him who hath fully paid the price of their iniquities and purchased for them such a glorious grace and sent his holy spirit to make it effectual to them of his own good pleasure unto which undivided and most holy Trinity of persons in the Unity of the divine essence be all the praise of all such grace by all his people rendred and paid as is most due both now henceforth and for evermore Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 AN Exemplification of a short yet learned and pithy Treatise written by Mr E D a faithfull and zealous Servant of Christ touching St Peter's Bishoprick at Rome FOrasmuch as to the issue all our Controversie is come that what right or authoritie soever the Pope challengeth he maketh his whole * Et â—ihi et Petro Carion in vita Alex. claime from Peter and the Papists themselves will defend him no further but so far as he succeedeth Peter I will speak a little of Peter's Bishoprick of Rome so farre as the Scripture shall be my warrant Consider thou of it good Christian Reader and if thou see that all the glorying of Peters being at Rome Roffensis Cocleus Tho Waldensis and others have wasted their wits in this cause is but a facing of an impudent lye then judge what is their other Religion First Here I must forewarne thee that as a lye cannot long agree with it selfe so in all this matter thou shalt hardly finde in all points two Popish Chronicles agree together so that whatsoever Some write that he came to Rome the first some the second some the fourth some the thirteenth of Claudius in this varietie it may be no opinion is true but it cannot be that all are true In Christs time Peter was neither young nor old but of a perfect age Theophylact in Joh 21. 18. I write as touching the exact Computation of yeares there must needs be many against me therefore in that I will not strive I will only write that which is certain and shall have as I said either some warrant of Scripture or shall be agreed on by the consent of all Ages Our Saviour Christ was crucified for our sinnes the 18th yeare of Tiberius as by all Histories it is manifest Peter is said to be put to death in Rome the last yeare of Nero so Peter lived after Christ under Tiberius 5 yeares Caligula 4 yeares Claudius 13 yeares Nero 13 yeares in all 36 years odd moneths according to the Reigne of the said Emperours In these 36 yeares and odde moneths they write of Peter thus He was Bishop 4 yeares in the East parts 7 yeares at Antioch and 25 at Rome where at last he dyed Here this fable doth almost bewray it selfe such hastie installings and so many translatings out of one Bishoprick into another doth not well agree with our Saviours words That they Joh. 16. 2. 33. should have affliction in the world But let us search the Scriptures and try how these Bishoprickes will stand After that our Saviour Acts 1. 12. is ascended they goe into Acts 2. 4. Jerusalem all the Apostles together they chuse Matthias the Apostle after fifty dayes they receive the holy Ghost Peter converteth many After certaine dayes Peter Acts 4. 18. and John goe up into the Temple Acts 5. 12. they heale the lame they are put
fall by death into utter darknesse than to come to this light of life so that such as put this light from themselves or such as hinder and cloud it or hide it from others they must needs fall into a sad condemnation was there not only invincible ignorance but obstinacy prevalent upon the souls of men did they not willingly upon their own hearts and consciences Callum inducere draw such a brawnish hardnesse even to stand against the batteries which God many wayes makes against the strong holds of Satan therein so that they are not only Gospel-proofe but Law-proofe too so that neither the Boanerges or Barnabae the sons of thunder or the sons of consolation that are sent unto them can either pierce them or melt them bow them or break them but they will doe as they have done if they have made cakes for the Queene of heaven they will doe so still if they have served God out of custome more than conscience they will doe so still if they have added drunkennesse to thirst they will doe so still if they sacrificed upon the mountaines they will doe so still if they have hated such as beare the image of God upon them they will doe so still yea though the greatest and forciblest of Gods Ordinances play upon the Forts of their Hell-hardened Consciences they remaine impenetrable What cleare light hath shined long in this Nation above all her neighbours how hath God poured his Spirit remarkably upon many persons eminent amongst us for Divine endowments being greatly inlarged with the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit and as willing as able to improve their talents to their Masters advantage and the salvation of the soules of all sorts of people But if they come neere the soares of their soules how doe men kick and spurne against them then they are their enemies because they tell them the truth if they would take away the vaile of ignorance from before their eyes they will answer with the Pharisees those blind leaders of the blind that they see already and therefore as our Saviour told them so such likewise might be told therefore your sin remaineth if they would make them sencible of their lost estate they have good hearts and meanings and make many prayers and it may be if they were tryed through the whole Law of God as Christ tryed the young man in the Gospel they would be ready to plead for themselves not guiltie all these have we kept from our youth when their plea is as false as mistaken by them If Gospel grace be never so much discovered to them if the termes thereof be never so often and urgently pressed upon them they heare them not they receive them not they observe them not if Satan or men will offer any thing else vaine or foolish sencelesse or frivolous a little countenance from men a little ingagement in the world will prevaile for their seducement when Divine truth hath been little regarded for a long time in reference to their conversion as our Saviour told the Jewes when they would not regard his heavenly counsel If any shall come to them in his owne name him they would heare Joh 5. 43. And hath not Satan varieties of designes and agents to Eclypse or cloud or hide or even to guish if possible Gospel-glory now for many yeares brightly shining amongst us holding out varieties of strong and strange delusions sometimes really grosse and despicable to ordinary capacities sometimes more refined and seemingly more spirituall and appearing more neere to perfection and yet still wandering from the way of truth yea sometime to set up iniquirie by Law and to obstruct the most efficacious wayes and meanes to promote the advancement of Gospel glory Have there not been sad experiments of these things in our former and later Popish persecutions And let all reall and sound Christians earnestly pray there may not be any the like againe amongst us for shall we Question it That whilst with Capernaum we are lifted up unto heaven in Christs speciall approaches and intercourses amongst us so much neglected and opposed too by the generalities almost of men and women that we shall not be equally with her cast downe into Hell Let not any persons deceive themselves God is not mocked but as each man sowes so let him look to reape at his hands Mat 6. 7. If men weave the Spiders webs and hatch the Cockatrice eggs may they not justly expect that their webs should faile to become garments and that their eggs break forth into Vipers to sting or destroy themselves or others Isa 59. 5 6. Thirdly To admonish all good Christians as they desire to have much glory in heaven to labour much to behold the Gospel glory of the Lord in his Church upon earth and so to behold it as to be still more and more transformed into the same image yea in being so exercised heaven will more come down unto them and enter into their soules there will be such a glory as will make their souls truly delightfull comfortable happie such as they would not exchange or part with for the whole world let them be much taken up with the contemplation and admiration of such Gospel grace and glory and let their hearts and mouthes be filled with the high praises of God for it in all respects of the shining glory of it oh to what an height of divine excellency will it raise their spirits what large possession will it give the Lord the Spirit of their soules what earnest longings will it cause after more of the same grace what rejoycings and triumphings will it cause in the Lord of glory what resistance will it afford against worldly discouragements intanglements ingagements and all obstructions and oppositions whatsoever against it how will it sweeten troubles season every condition and administer unto them the oyle of joy even with the garments of heavinesse oh who would not drinke well of the wine of such sweet consolation to make them in â— good measure to forget their sorrow when by faith in the depth of sorrow they shall so see Christ a Saviour for them sitting gloriously and triumphantly at the right hand of God as Stephen did wonderfully while he was in stoning to death Acts 7. Fourthly Let this incite and stirre up all such as have any true spirituall discoveries of Gospel glory made unto their soules hence to learne spiritually to exult and triumph in the name of the Lord and in the power of his might and in the evidence of his divine grace for as our Saviour said unto his Disciples in another case the like may be said unto such Flesh and blood bath not revealed this unto their soules but the Lord the Spirit who is from heaven Doe not the Starres standing in the cleare aspect of the Sunne send forth their cleare and bright shining rayes in the view of the world Doth not the earth when it receives its seasonable and sweet showers and influences
from the heavens send forth her tender sprouts and pleasant fruits for the use of creatures inhabiting upon it Doe not the Valleys standing thick vvith Corne laugh and sing as the Psalmist speaketh Psal 65. 13. And doe not all living creatures under the materiall heavens when God opens his hand and fills them with his goodnesse sing and rejoyce and all of them materially praise the Lord as shewing forth unto man such ample matter of his praise and glory in all such respects continually due unto his divine Majestie from Men and Angells which either doe or ought to learne that great lesson from them But then above all when that inward secret divine grace and spirituall glory hidden from the eyes of all creatures which none else attaine to know but those to whom such inward spirituall discovery is made and none know their own but they that have it from whence there is gladnesse put into the hearts of such as have this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prerogative to become the children of God Joh 1. 12. To be borne from above Joh 3. 3. yea to be borne of God ver 8. Being effectually changed into the same image as in the Text by the Lord the Spirit not only above that when mens corne and wine and oyle inoreaseth as Psal 4. 7. But as the Apostle speaketh with joy unspeak able and full of glory and indeed when the glory of God hath once filled their souls it is no wonder if they triumph in the God of all glory O how should this true sight of the spirituall heavenly Canaan upon the top of Mount Nebo at some distance make them with Moses to be willing to leave a Wildernesse-worldly condition and gladly to goe unto that God whose glittering beames of glory have not only shined upon their countenance as visibly once on Moses but into their soules so seasoning sanctifying sweetning supporting comforting them answerably to all that his most soveraigne divine all-guiding and ordering providence shall dispence unto them That neither life nor death Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heighth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate them from his love which is in Christ Jesus their Lord Rom 8. 38 39. or it from them Yea upon this advantage God Christ spirituall and eternall joy is really and truly here and perpetually and perfectly hereafter shall most infallibly be conveyed into and for ever be continued unto their souls and their whole man to all eternitie O then know thy worth O sanctified soule that thou mayst here in some measure suitably praise thy God which as such thou canst not but desire freely to doe now and shalt most certainly and most happily performe hereafter incessantly unweariedly and most delightfully Let thy name whereby thou mayest remarkably be knowne in the world be Barachiah blesse or praise the Lord let his praise be ever in thy mouth ever in thy heart ever endeavoured after and aimed at in thy life so will thy name be truly glorious so will thy end be truly blessed but thy portion perfect beatitude everlasting felicitie Fifthly and lastly Let none content themselves with an outward profession of Christs Religion unlesse with the regenerate and truly sanctified souls they in some good measure likewise so behold the glory of the Lord as to be therewithall changed into the same image without which men may long enough beare the name of Christ and yet never be owned by Christ they may eate and drinke often in his presence and have him preached often in their streets and yet notwithstanding heare him say unto them Depart from me ye cursed I never knew you I never approved of you nor your seeming service yea some also may preach Christ unto others and that in many respects well too and yet they themselves be meer cast-awayes if they do not aright behold this glory of the Lord. Were such truths well considered owned believed applyed Christians would be lesse in seeming more in substance lesse in formalitie more in realitie lesse in shews and more in truth Satan could delude lesse grace would prevaile more the Devil should have fewer slaves Christ would have more servants sin would have fewer Subjects grace would have more favourites hell would have fewer everlastingly condemned prisoners heaven would have more eternally enfranchized Citizens to possesse or inhabite them Now for the better promoting of this great worke let me offer unto thee these ensuing Considerations amongst many others which might be added First Consider that the obtaining of this Burgesship or being so free-borne unto it is the first thing that ought humbly faithfully and constantly to be sought for by every Wise Virgin and none but the foolish neglect it It is to be sought for first in order by the direction of our best Teacher by the injunction of the best and infinitely greatest King First seeke the Kingdome of heaven and the righteousnesse thereof Math 6. 33. First in intention with the converted Jaylour What must I doe to be saved First in value and worth incomparable What will it profit a man saith our Saviour and he knowes best that it profits nothing for a man to gaine the whole world were it possible as it is not and to loose his own soule Mark 8. 36. First in necessitie For except saith Christ a man be borne againe or borne from above he cannot see the kingdome of God he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Joh 3. 3 5. First In dignity or excellency for it is incomparably more to be borne of God as all his Saints are then to be borne of bloods or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man Jo. 1. 13. First In truly comfortable fruition without which the soule is like the needle in the marriners compasse till it be this way pointed at God for its rest will alwayes be in disturbed motion It was not only more truly honorable for David that he was the truly faithful servant of the Lord and the sweet singer of Israel the man after Gods own heart then that he was the King of Israel the renowned Conqueror of Gods and his own enemies but it was more true comfort sound satisfaction unspeakeable and glorious joy over and above all the rest that he was or did or possessed in the world Secondly Consider that this is only the really true and the only heaven upon earth whereas all others supposed heavens without this are but Phantastical conceits vanishing delusions sweet poysons putative pleasures but intoxicating and killing rejoycings Thirdly Consider what a great advancement it is in the world yea above the world and that in respect both of her frownes and her favours First Saith the Apostle yea are come unto the Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the heavenly Hierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first born which are written in
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OR A GLIMPSE OF Gospel Glory Together with a short but pithie Treatise of Mr. E. D. shewing thaâ— Peter was never at Rome to which 〈◊〉 subjoyned as an Appendix some pregnâ—â—â— Collections by that Grave and Reverend â—â—vine Mr. H. Nelson B. D. to a like purpoâ—â— The First Part. Hanc scilicet fallaciam scripturarum negleâ—â— in Christianismum bodie de Antichristo intruâ—â— Viricus Velenus Minhoniensis LONDON Printed by M. S. for Tho. Parkhurst at the Thâ—â—â— Crownes against the great Conduit at the lower end of Cheap-side 1661. Vere Honorabili ac ter Reverendo Domino Roberto Saundersono S. S. Theologiae Doctori pridem in Celeberrima Accademia Oxoniensi Regio Professori ornatissimo jam vero Dioecesis Lincolniensis Episcopo Eximio minutae hae ab indigno authore Evangelicae Gloriae dantor humiliterque exhibentor scintillulae To the Right Honourable and very Reverend Robert Lord Bishop of Lincolne the Author of the ensuing Treatise wisheth all Peace and Glory through and according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Lord of all My Lord I Doubt not but your known worth for learning soundness of judgement piety and conscience-satisfying skill and experience hath singled you out as a fit object of eminent honour from the publick Authority of this Nation who yet do appear more honorable in the esteem of conscientious Christians in regard of that truly Christian frame of Spirit remarkeably in you by your ready propensity in promoting of unitie manifest by your willingness to the taking away the hinderances thereof in these divided times the like disposition of mind would also be justly honorable in all of your ranke that substantial good in Religion might more be advanced but shaddows and seeming appearances less and the glory of Gospel grace above all other glories for which the Apostles rule is both general and peremptory 1 Cor. 14. 26. Let all things be done to edifying How might truth and peace by that means soon be settled in the Church which ought of all men to be esteemed of far greater value then all their worldly interests yea then a mans own dearest present life And truly so much as I know my own heart in my most retired thoughts I have often offered in these distractions amongst good men even my life as an expiation unto God if he would take it in any way of his faithful service upon that account so that I dying truth and peace might live and florish in this our Israel yet I may happily amongst some be deemed an obstructer of both but as according to my measure I have been studious of the one so according to your Honours ancient testimony of me I have followed the things that make for the other to the utmost of my power neither am I changed from my former principles though now in sundry respects I may not perhaps have the same freedome I confidently beleeve the soveraign hand of divine providence in special favour not only to my self but to many much better deserving persons hath in this juncture of time given you the inspection over us the consideration whereof with other special favours which you readily chearfully aunciently vouchsafed unto me with the observatioon of such your Christian frame of spirit still abiding in you whom new and eminent honour known learning sound judgment worldly interest or engagements appear not to have made either less humble meek peaceable or charitable and that man that is well moulded up from such materialls and in his better part as it were fitly compounded of four such elements must needs be of a good constitution such living Christians adde a glory to Gospel glory I would my small Mite here offered could adde unto your store yet if it doe but occasion you better to weigh and value what you already have to the praise of him that gives us all it may prove some advantage to you then I should be well appaid and shall thankfully returne the praise to him by whose remarkeable grace I have been carried on therein who as the Apostle speaketh Colos 1. 29. striving according to his working who worketh in me mightily Yet one thing more doth move me to this address I have long since known you a strong Champyon of sound truth against Popish errours witness your ancient conditions of dispute against Mr. Ford well worthy of the worlds view and profitable for such use which happily deterred him from proceeding In the same general cause many times appeared your reverend father and my worthy friend Mr. H. Nelson to whom about thirty years now past I communicated a short but pithie discourse of Mr. E. D. a reverend person related to him from whom I received it and since also to my self which hereunto I have annexed which your good father so well approved of notwithstanding all Antichristian flourishes to the contrary that he was pleased to write some notes of his own upon it some of which I transcribed into the margin I cannot say all and whose collections to like purpose as an Appendix I have also subjoyned thereunto which after many years lying aside unthought of upon my late removal were offered to my view upon the perusal whereof I considering the known gravity and piety of both the Authors with the worth of their workes fit to antidote such weakelings as are lyable to that danger against the strong contagion of that popish pestilence by beating down the main pillar of that foundationless fabrick no wonder then the prophetical spirit Rev. 8. 18. 1. reitterates her ruine Babylon the great is fallen is fallen Vt ingens pondus mole sua ruens as an huge and mighty pile weltring downward by its own weight since her supposed foundation failes her yea is discovered to be but a lye which I here likewise tender unto your Lordship but not with further expectation from your self in respect of this or the other to be approved then as they will endure the tryall by the Touchstone of all saving truth the written word of God and consonant to sound judgment and reason and answerably thereunto a blessing from his divine Majesty thereupon to whom in that case all the praise will be due and to whom in the mean time his prayer shall be presented before the throne of grace in the behalf of your self your deare yoakefellow and all yours that he would largely display the spiritual glory of Gospel grace in and unto all your soules to a greatertransformation of them into the same Image by the Lord the Spirit as followeth to the inlargement of all your eternal glory who is My Lord Your Honours long obliged though unworthy servant in Christ W. Sherwin From my study July 1661 TO THE CHRISTIAN READER and more especially to my Honored Friends and Kinsmen Thomas Bowles of Wallington Esquire and Mr Tho Bowles his eldest Sonne with the rest of that Family a choice and chiefe part of my late Charge
and to my present more soundly intelligent or tractable hearers at my Lecture at Baldock grace truth and glory from God the Father through his Beloved Sonne and by the Lord the Spirit now and for ever CHristian Reader who ever thou art I wish thee a no less affecting discovery of Gospel glorie unto thy Soul in the reading of these Sermans then I have found in the preaching and transcribing of them for these are the times foretold Isa 11. 9. When the earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea though men are such High-landers they care not for comming near the bankes of such waters nor the margins of such books which as Conduite pipes would convey those waters to them As unthankefull Israel of old they loath Gods heavenly Manna though Angels foode falling neer their tents be it never so strengthning wholsome or pleasant their pallats being distempered they are not pleased with it but they will have quailes though they have a plague to boote with them for while the meate was in their mouthes the wrath of God came upon them and slew the fattest of them Psal 78. 30 31. If men loath Gods delicates and begin to surfeit of their own superfluities it may be expected that he come to them as a skilfull Physitian and give them a strong purge and make the chosen or young men of Israel to bowe as the words signifie and well will it be with them on whom it workes a cure to rectifie their taste and affect their soules with the bread of life I offer thee here but a small demensum or cantling of this bread thou art not like to surfeit by it and if thy taste agree with mine I think thou wilt not loath it it was cordiall to my own soule as made of the kidneys of Gods own wheate his glorious grace being the subject of it And for you my well beloved and worthy friends who formerly had by my weak hand the substance of these delighting and inlightening truths pointed out in some sort unto you happilie they were not by meanes of the craft of Satan then so much regarded or since considered by you and I am conscious to my self that they were neither then so largely or perspicuously set before you as here you may have them if God give them enterance into your soules I hope you may say with me you discearne them better then you did before And you my more late and more soundly intelligent hearers supposing you to be such as thirst after true grace and upon that account desire your share in the discovery of gospel Glory I must acknowledge there hath been a threesold obstacle thereof in my Late preaching of this and other subjects to you namely a dark pulpet a dim sight and a weake memory though all graciously supplied both then and now by the assistance of a good God to which I may add a fourth perhaps the ground too of all the former to wit the great imbeeilitie and weakness of my animal spirits and declining state of body by years and labours with much variety of afflictions troubles and vanities of this present world much decayed and wasted were not my defects frequently supplyed in my service by my almighty and heavenly father so that I might say with our Apostle 2 Cor. 12. 10. That when I am weake then am I strong namely through my God for otherwise I have unspeakeably more cause with him to say though I be nothing vers 11. sutable to an observation of an old disciple declared in my hearing in the presence of many grave learned and religious persons as found most remarkeable from all his long experience namely that God was all and he was nothing which excellent lesson who so rightly learn though they be nothing yet they both are and shall be the better in Gods account because they so know this and acknowledge it for if God be no loser at their hands they may be sure they shall be no loser at his hands who delights to put his most precious treasure in empty vessels filling the hungry with good things Luke I. whilest many wise in their own eyes are meer fools in Gods whilst many rich in their own conceit are found by Christ as the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3. to be poore naked and miserable But to you my more weak but teachable hearers let me say a word to prevent your prejudice perhaps you may stumble at some passages exprest in unknown tongues to you first let me tell you sometimes such expressions by such as understand them I doubt not but will be acknowledged as observable or of special force again some are more pertinent and occasionally delivered the Apostle Paul disdained not to quote Heathen Authors recorded in the sacred Scripture in their own language but more especially let me informe you if you be indeed teachable that I have indeavoured to prevent your disadvantage thereby by explaning usually after them the words or sence in your native language so that you need but pass by those unknown expressions and still you have the sence and then they will be in effect to you as if they had not been at all and so with my prayers for you and all other right Christian readers of this my weak outward indeavour to promote the discovery of gospel Glory unto you unto him who undertakes this work effectually by blessing his own meanes even the Lord the Spirit as in the Text that you and all they may have all the good thereby which is intended unto those upon whose souls God is pleased to set home such truths for their spiritual advantag and godly edifying by reducing them from error convincing them of truth inciting them to good reclaiming them from sin for the better information of their understandings inflaming their affections with what is spiritually good conforming their wills to his revealed will reforming their whole conversations according to his appointment and with and above all such a transformation of their souls into the same Image as in the Text that in the end that real transformation in the state of Grace in such soules may in Gods good time be perfected in the consummation of glory with him in his everlasting kingdome there to be rendring to him that glory which is his due to all eternity which will be the perfection of their happiness there so prayes Your soules weake yet desirous to be their faithful Servant in the things of the Lord. W. Sherwin COurteous Reader be pleased to take notice that this small Treatise being about to come forth divers moneths agoe was stopped by the sudden death of the first undertaker of the publishing thereof by which meanes those into whose hands the Copy thereof did fall not having the directions left by the Author with the deceased party and another reverend and judicious friend that had promised the oversight of the press who upon either the omission or mistake of some
man to appease thereby his Fathers wrath against him and restore him into a State of grace And that such his goodness might not be cast away as that before conferred by Creation upon him was God the Father and the Son will send the holy Spirit who proceeds from both by whose all-powerful efficacious grace that most glorious manifestation of God the Fathers incomprehensible goodness towards lost man and that most gracious manifestation of God the sons most tender love and compassion towards lost man this work of salvation should be irresistably and most effectually carried on by informing the mind reforming the will conforming his heart and soul to the will of God and confirming the whole man in his reformed condition and all this by bringing home this gospel discovery of the Glory of the Lord spoken of in the Text and by that his peculiar work and undertaking as we shall endeavour by the assistance of the said Lord the spirit in due time to shew from the last words of the Text. Now according to this three-fold manifestation of the glory of the Lord from the beginning have all the most glorious dispensations of the grace of God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost ever since been derived revealed communicated applyed preserved conserved rewarded in the souls and persons of all Gods faithfull servants in all Ages and so will be to the end of the world and was but mens Religion setled upon this foundation of Gods own laying and steered in a right course to his own end that as all grace is from himselfe so the glory thereof might be given to him alone how might the Church of God be setled in truth and peace But let us a little view the most radiant beames of this incomprehensible love this supernatural grace this divine Glory of God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost as from time to time they are darted out of Heaven and powerfully sent home into the souls of poore sinners upon earth together with the reflexions of those radiant beames in and upon those poor sinners souls for I speak not here of those close stopped bottles that will suffer no good liquor to fall into them though much fall upon them yea though cast into a sea of water yet none can enter because they are close stopt up or such dark Lanthorns that receive no light though they be set in the bright Sun-shine at noon-day but of such as like burning or looking glasies in the beholding of this glory as in the Text receive from the Sunne of Righteousnesse that shines most gloriously in their Hemisphere only as the light of old did in Goshen when thick darknesse was in Egypt receive I say from him both light and heate and brightnesse and are transformed into the same Image Where should I begin to speak of the glory of their transfiguration or when should I make an end Look upon their birth it is celestiall it is divine it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is from above it is from God so they are not only a truly noble or Royall which the vaine world is apt too much to prize alone but they are also a reall divine Race 2 Pet. 1. 4. But this glory of theirs being that of the Queens Daughter is mainly within this spirituall life of theirs is hid with Christ in God Col. With this new birth and life is conveyed a divine and spiritual illumination into their souls with this is inseparably conjoyned a particular spiritual application of every sacred truth by that illumination discovered out of the word of God by any means whereby God sets it before them from this application proceedeth love which labours to manifest it selfe in an affectionate constant endeavour of all due thankfulnesse and obedience to his divine Majestie in the improvement of all grace received and all gracious dispositions and affections and in the performance of all duties toward God and man and so when the holy Spirit hath taken possession Christ sits regent in all their souls where he hath a spiritual and invincible Kingdome of which there shall be no end whose Subjects shall never be traytors nor revolters from his Divine Majestie bribes shall not allure them terrours shall not fray them they are sworne feodaries to him and will approve themselves his liedg Subjects their Rule and Law is Gods word their Strength is his grace and joy their Teacher and counseller and comforter is his sacred Spirit their Tower of defence and rock is the rock of Ages their Guard the holy Angells their Annuitie or portion the good of the earth the ayre the Seas here in their non-age their present inheritance the grace of God the favour of God the peculiar providence of God the promises of God the Covenant of God with all the benefits of redemption purchased for them by that infinite ransome of the blood of Christ needfull for them in their pilgrimage here on earth till they enter the possession of the heavenly and eternal Kingdome of Glory And this constant course of glorious Gospel grace God the Father Sonne and holy Spirit have manifested and magnified themselves by to the true and invisible Church throughout all generations to this very day though in different manners and degrees and still will doe so to the end of the world and this glory of the Lord is so great in the eyes of true believers that if all the excellency of temporal glory not only of the Kings and Kingdoms of the world but the Glory of the Sunne Moone and Starres were united into one it would seeme to them obscure and contemptible in comparison of this and so full of sound comfort is their interest in this glorious grace that were they offered the wealth the pleasure the honour the favour of men the confluence of all the seeming worth of the world without this they would in their right temper refuse and reject them all as an incompetent offer yea faithfull Moses and all the Martyrs in their times would rather chuse to suffer affliction with the people of God to injoy this than to have the pleasures of sin for a season for oh the pearless worth of their secret but certain injoyment of the favour of God their secured interest in Christ the guidance the teaching the comfort of the holy Ghost his life-giving grace his grace-working Ordinances the spiritual pleasures of his house their communion with himselfe the satisfaction the securitie the soul-ravishments of his love with the reflections thereof their love againe to his Divine Majestie that twofold righteousnesse of Christs imputed and theirs endeavoured that peace of conscience that passeth understanding that joy in the holy Ghost unspeakeable and glorious in which the Kingdome of Heaven doth consist as the Apostle witnesseth Rom 14. 17. The Glory indeed of this Kingdome is not discerned but by the spiritual eye of faith the happinesle thereof is not injoyed but in the particular application of a truly believing soul herein
all the way thither And what mischiefe he is kept any way from doing against them he will send Heards of his gracelesse Wolves and of his filthy Goats and Swine to doe for him and against Christs sheep to destroy or defile them or rend them for their pearles or like his wild Boares out of the Woods to destroy them But whilst they are passing a painfull pilgrimage and often fall into a Wildered condition in this world the great Shepheard of his sheep that will loose none of them that are of his fould he readily seeks them out not so much for the place where for his eye is alwayes toward them and upon them as for the condition wherein and the fit season of grace to be used for their advantage they shall not then want needfull comfort or needfull support or necessary supply oft they have all these largely allowed them and if they have not at present they have a store-house a full treasure of all good to goe unto at need and in their worst times they have two good friends at hand that will not fail them then to wit a good Conscience and the holy Ghost who hath taken possession of their soules and these are strong helpers against the fierce and fiery assaults of Men and Devils yea they have hereby more help with them and for them than they many times themselves discerne Their God is a God at hand and not a farre off Christ Jesus stands by them being the grand Captain of their salvation the Author and Finisher of their faith and patience the holy Angells oft have a charge to keep them in all their wayes Psal 91. 11. The Saints on earth assist them by their prayers direct them by their counsells excite them by their examples and encourage them by their confidence And though sometime they must needs forgoe much endure hard onsets and combate long yet this encouragement is inwardly given them they shall have the victory infallibly in the issue and so they come by degrees to know there are more with them than with their enemies and that therefore they shall have more strength to overcome because their God is the Lord of Hosts and commands when he pleaseth the Armies of their Adversaries yea when they least think of it he then no lesse doth it and when it seemes the most unlikely he makes them know it the most infallibly But if from the Worlds wildernesse Christ at any time calls any of his servants particularly for the exercise of any eminent grace he hath sent as a love-token into their soules with Peter to walk towards Christ when he calls them upon a Sea of troubles where there is no sooting but what faith finds if at any time their foote of faith should slip or strength of grace begin to stagger Christ is alwayes neere at hand to stay them to hold them up if they be weak he will give them strength if sick he will be their Physitian if they mistake their way or know it not well he will shew it he will teach them if they labour of any want he will supply it if they are liable to any danger fall or hurt he will support them he will deliver them if they be any wayes hardly bestead in their woâ—â— estate he will rescue them and never forsake them even all the while he is bringing them through a red Sea of adversitie unto their everlasting celestiall Canaan but sometime likewise he dryes up those waters and when their implacable enemies pursue them most furiously and confidently he makes those appearing raging Seas of troubles to become water-walls for their defence whilst they speedily and safely passe through them unto a place of rest and makes them inevitable executioners of their enemies ruine In such tryed tracts of Grace Christ walks on secretly but securely with the Lot of his own inheritance with the Camp of all his true Israel that fight under his Banner as with a pillar of a cloud to guide them by day and a pillar of fire to enlighten their Camp in the might all the time they are passing from Egypt to Canaan from Babylonian bondage to be made free Denizens of the New Jerusalem Now for such an object in such a condition so to receive such mercy from such an holy and glorious Creator so dishonoured so disobeyed so provoked in such a manner by such a deliverer so applyed so made effectuall and that against such opposition otherwise invincible and otherwise inevitably sinking into desperate misery never to be ended eased or remedied and this in a setled certain course continued and made effectuall through all successions of Ages may well be the wonder of mercy to all the world and matter of admirable thanksgiving and praise to all glorified Saints and Angels through all eternitie to render unto his great name no object therefore of goodnesse like this to be found in all Gods other works as man so wretchedly miserable so gloriously delivered Ninthly For the ends wherefore it is contrived carried on raised and to be perfected in reference both to God and man First The chiefe end is glory to the God of all glory the originall fountaine of it the end and intendment of it the dispencer and bestower of it the primary and perpetuall owner of it which whatsoever Creature assumes without his allowance is therein an highly sacrilegious robber of God for no man hath any thing but what he hath received from him 1 Cor 4. 7. Now there is no way wherein God hath manifested himselfe unto the world or in any kinde in the world comparably glorious unto this and therefore this most excellent supreame end of his must necessarily in the same proportion be advanced therein to wit in an higher degree by that work than by any or all others besides Secondly That the revealing and exhibiting the excellency and goodnesse of this work unto intelligible creatures in this way might afford them alway matter and occasion and the greatest inforcement to set forth his praise suitably to what is discovered to them or received by them and because the discoveries here are sometimes so great and wonderfull unto the Saints they are therefore strangely carried on with divine and spirituall ravishment of soul to magnifie the soul-quickening sanctifying and saving grace of their most good God and mercifull Father and that many times upon renewed returnes of his favours after not only their troubles and afflictions but after their manifold failings and sins yea sometimes after their hainous offences to others in the increase of spirituall indowments experiences gracious incomes of Spirit heavenly communion and manifestations of Gospel glory to their souls to the great dimming and obscuring of the lustre of all worldly glory in their eyes and the beautifying of a very afflicted outward condition in any way of the faithfull service of their great and good God and even in their very sufferings for their most blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus
and then put together the words to know the sence of what they from time to time may reade in any or all the books of God in this world set forth for their learning wherin God sets before all sorts of men new lessons of all kinds if they would not be such dullards and trewants that they will not take them out look then upon the letters of Gods great folioes in the world the Creation the upholding the disposeing and ordering of it and all things in it Look first to the motions illuminations and influences of the heavens look upon the successions of times dayes and nights winter and summer seed time and harvest but thou wilt say how shall I put these together and make sillables and sentences of them look unto the 19 Psalme and there the word of God shall be thy schoole-master herein it tells thee the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmaments sheweth his handy-work and day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth language that is they hold out matter for thy understanding knowledge or experience to work upon such works of God to his praise and glory so again Gen. 8. 22. Gods word instructs us that seed time and harvest cold and heat summer and winter day and night shall not cease which is another syllable to spell the truth of God by in such things how that he hath ever since the destruction of the old world fulfilled that his promise in times of plenty the Psalmist shewes how he crowns the earth with his goodness Ps 65. 11 when all sorts of Creatures are full of rejoycing and comfort the Scriptures informs us to spell out thereby Ps 145. 16. That God openeth his hand and satisfieth the desire of every living thing and so to come to thy own particular case and condition in outward things thou mayest spell out words and sentences by the help of many instructers which God allows thee as thy Reason if rightly regulated thy own and others experience observations examples of others Gods judgements providences mercies and all sorts of outward Dispensations of God whereby thy capacity may be raised up toward the attainment of higher learning by degrees upon thy well using thy first rudiments of Divine knowledge for they should all discover God unto thee and so thou mayest by degrees come to attain a good measure of skill in the truly liberal sciences in the schoole of spiritual and heavenly grace or glory if the use of the former bring thee not neerer to God they will make thee go further from him as it was with the Gentiles Ro. 1. 21. Because when they knew God by his outward works they glorified him not as God neither were thankful therefore he gave them up if such works of God discover him not more unto thee they will cause him the more to hide his face from thee as is observed of some skilful experienced Physitians they know and see so much of the secret operations of Nature that by that means they become more Atheistical forgetting and neglecting the God of Nature they pore so much upon the excellencies of the Creatures which they think they know and make use of by their own skill industry for their temporall advantage that they therefore forget and neglect the Creator and the glory therefore due unto him and doth not this Atheisme grow upon men for the want of spelling the words and sentences of Gods ordinary Books in the world by the teaching of his Word whilest men would chuse rather to be thought great Naturalists and Politicians in the world by others when without that teaching they become meere naturalls fooles and Ideots rather than soundly judicious persons in that which mainly ought to be knowne observed and acknowledged by them to the glory of the all-working God Secondly Let this direct such men as have learned to spell out Gods names in his outward works by the help of his Word then to set themselves better to reade him in his word of grace let them know the principles of his Religion and know the maine foundations of his divine truth especially let them take notice of these two maine principles of such excellent knowledge First That all glory is to be rendred unto God as the only true Originall of all good And Secondly That all emptinesse is ever to be ascribed to the creature in it selfe further than God makes it any way capable of goodnesse and puts such goodnesse into it or makes it communicative of that goodnesse unto others or of further enlargement or longer injoyment of goodnesse from himselfe even as he pleaseth unto whom the praise thereof is ever therefore to be ascribed and if thou wilt but then take up that teaching word and use those meanes which God thereby directs thee to improve them and continue therein he will then more and more discover himselfe unto thee yea when once thou art set in such a serious seeking of him this way it is evident thou wert sought of him before and he hath begun already to make himselfe knowne unto thee and so thou dost and wilt seek him still and shalt finde him more and more in that way wherein thou shalt behold his glorious grace which is the sure way for thee to become acceptable unto him and shalt be truly blessed by him Thirdly But for others who have these glorious discoveries in any good measure already made unto them Let them hence learne with the most inlarged apprehensions that may be to behold them and with the most earnest bent of their affections to entertaine them and with the highest and fullest expressions of joy in their inward and with their outward man to mainfest and declare them to the everlasting praise of the Author of them let them improve them to his glory and the good of others let them more be transformed into the image of them that they may have the greater measure of true comfort and glory by them Againe Let men wisely hence observe the divine excellency of a truly gracious spirit when once a transfiguration is made in it what an excellent yea heavenly frame is put uponit what glorious discoveries are made unto it what celestiall Joyes are put into it what everlasting happinesle is prepared for it O that these things were setled upon mens souls and that they could with such divine meditations and spirituall Soliloquies by the assistance of the Lord the Spirit so rivet them into their own hearts and keep them there that they might still soar higher and higher in such heavenly contemplations till they attaine to the top of most glorious eternitie to receive in fullnesse what here in their measure only they can but taste of Againe Let them hence learne to be thankfull above all things in this world for such gracious discoveries in any measure or degree by their good God vouchsafed unto them Let them be humbled in the sence of their unworthinesse thereof as great as manifold
with that much more excellent discovery of Gospel glory though a truly regenerate and sanctified soul sees such beauty such loveliness such joy and sollace yea true happiness in those Gospel gracious discoveries that they not only like it and commend it but as some Ancients concerning some amorous persons were wont to phrase it perdite amant alias they love others to the looseing of themselves so it may be said of their loving of Gospel grace but in a good and necessary sence as our Saviour speaks Mat. 10. 5. If any love Father or Mother Wife or Children more then me he is not worthy of me perdite amant gloriam Evangelicam they destructively love Gospel glory that they will rather loose friends and credit ease and possessions liberty life and all then to suffer a divorce between that and their own soules But for all other men or any other man to desire it to pursue it upon a true Gospel account as beleeving or seeing it to be so excellent and glorious or upon such termes to pursue or retain it by purchasing or suffering for it the heathen Sages might much more easily have prevailed with any such beasts in the shapes of men then any sanctified soul or Embassador of Christ can prevaile with any to take right notice of or much less to be so enamoured of that most excellent object of soul sollacing grace untill they come to be transformed into the same image by the spirit of God Fourthly But this will yet further appear in the next demonstration namely In that such Gospel grace in the souls of the Saints differs not in nature from their heavenly glory but only in degrees A man that is in any good measure in heaven in his spiritual part here upon earth shall certainly inherite the kingdome of Heaven hereafter and such within whom as our Saviour speaks Luk. â—7 â—1 the kingdome of heaven is really here seated by Gospel grace they shall infallibly obtain a Crown of glory which will never fade to all eternity and indeed heaven would not be heaven unto them then when they should come to possess it if that kingdom of heaven had not taken possession of their souls before to fit them for it a blind man may as soon be affected with the meer placeing of pleasant sights before him or a deaf man delighted with the sound of any musick which he cannot heare as men or women truly rejoyce in the glorified Saints and Angels happiness hereafter if they have not here their Celestial frame of spirit wrought upon their souls yea the very society of glorified Saints would be a kind of hell to wicked men remaining such if they had no other hell to suffer for as it cannot be expected the wolfe should lye down with the Lambe untill Gospel grace have wrought the change of nature here as the spirit of God hath foretold Is 11. 6 7. 8. so until that nature be changed yea a contrary put into the soule of a man the Saints perpetual songs of prayse to God and the Lambe and the Lord the Spirit would not only be unsutable and unpleasant but a senceless subject to such a soule that never had followed Christ in the regeneration nor seen nor felt nor rightly known before-hand the Divine power of Gospel grace the mistery of the gospel then the matter of the Saints everlasting rejoycing would be such an hidden sealed mistery that such unbeleeving and disobedient souls would not understand it saving only so far as to have convinced and self-condemned consciences thereby little understanding what they may sometime seem to pray or hope for here concerning the kingdom of heaven who in their dispositions and depraved nature doe toto caelo deferre stand at the greatest distance from it but when that nature is once changed that Lions are at peace with the Lambes and the hurtful creatures lye down with the harmeless Is 11. 7. then grace shall appear glorious unto such and as their measure thereof shall be greater the more it will appear so and the more they grow in such grace the more they will delight in it and the greater measure they shall obtain of it the more heavenly glory hereafter will be allotted to them It is true indeed our heaven upon earth will have a mixture of vanity and corruption and weakness together with it till that which is perfect be come then that which is imperfect shall be done away 1 Cor. 13. 10. I shall not stand here to inlarge upon the many considerations which might to this purpose be produced in regard of the souls incapacity of glory till it be changed and of its unsutableness unto such glory besides the sence of the want of any right title or interest in such glorified Saints happiness with their own self condemnation upon it and the apprehension of that intollerable eternal infinite divine displeasure against them as also the utter detestation that perfected Saints with Angels will have of the hateful qualities of all devils and unsanctified souls of men or women and even the very heavens natural repugnancy and antipathy against them to the utter expulsion of all such as poyson out of them since into them no unclean thing shall enter Rev. 21 27. As Christal glasses rather then hold poyson will break asunder even so the most pure Chrystaline heavens would rather break then any devil or unsanotified persons should abide or inhabite in them Here indeed the Hony Bee and the toad or spider have both their places and imployments and their injoyments too together the one to gather up its hony the other to suck up their poyson the one to lurke in the nastie corrupted or noysome corners of the earth the other in their sweet and pleasant hives and hony the one inrich themselves or feed upon their own destructive poyson the other inrich themselves with and feed upon their own pleasant wholsome healing and strengthning hony which they have by diligent labour acquir'd But when that woofull poysonous destructive nature of such men is in any good measure subdued by the prevalent power of Gospel grace O how sweet will the spiritual kingdome of heaven be unto such souls how will the true Citizens of the spiritual Zion be owned and imbraced by them How will their portion their delicates be desired above all others How will grace and glory be then longed for sought for by them above other things yet these passibus aequis as we may say in their due proportions when they are in their right frame not glory more then grace but grace as the right promoter of glory and indeed that which is only truly glorious in its own nature and which will meet with glory as the consequent the result the reward of it by grace we have the first fruits Ro. 8. 33. the earnest penny Eph. 1. 14. of glory and happiness in the injoyment of that we injoy the sanctifying spirits residence the witness of our peace the sealer
Ephphatha be ye opened but it may be thou art dumb too and canst not speak unto him get him to touch the tyed strings of thy tongue likewise that they may be loosed but being blind deaf and dumb too thou wilt say how shall I find him how shall I come at him how shall I make any application to him for his help Ans Call for his embassadours or come to his stewards his messengers make thy case known to them take their direction or advice and use their help and walk on in all the wayes of Christ with them accordingly they will bring thee to the place where Christ keeps his Mart for the cure of all thy spiritual diseases and infirmities they are thy brethren they have love towards thy soul they are compassionate they have a fellow-feeling of thy condition they are men that have like passions as other mens and therefore know how to shew compassion towards their brethren they have had experience many times both of the sence of thy condition and of their own cure they have sometimes frequented Christs Marts long and perhaps have much helped off with his commodities unto others however they are willing and ready many times to conduct thee and it is their office to instruct thee in the way and to intreate for thee yea and to plead for thee too if need be that Christ should either take thee in hand or goe on and perfect his cure begun upon thy soule and to beseech the Lord the Spirit to make a right home and effectuall application of all Christs Physick to compleat the cure And remember that by the way which even the better part of men in the world have much forgotten of late yeares That they are an Ordinance of Christ appointed by himselfe to be used by all his people to the end of the world and they are many times good friends in the Court of heaven and may much prevaile for thee if thou wilt duly use them they have authoritie from Christ and therefore they may be bold and couragious in this worke besides the experience they get and feele more and more of his goodnesse Yea let me tell thee thou hast no other meanes whereby thou mayst expect to be helped in the businesse of thy soules sound cure if thou wilt neglect them and reject them For how canst thou heare without a preacher Rom 10. 14. Object But times and places may not happily afford such for many may not be qualified with gifts and graces as such if some have gifts they may be depraved in their lives yea ordinances may be disgraced with mixtures of heaven and earth together of Gods and mans constitutions in the world Answ The case will then indeed be hard for as the Eunuch in the case of his own conversion said unto Philip Acts 8. 31. How can I understand except some man guide me yet God can in such a case as he did to him send such a Messenger one of a thousand and indeed his grace never brings to the birth but he will give strength to bring forth by what ever way or meanes the seed thereof hath been sowne it will surely spring up But for Messengers altogether unqualified either with gifts or graces or both where any such offer themselves they are not Gods Men will not imploy a Physician or Lawyer so called when they know they have no skill in their profession and surely men ought to be more choice for the health of their soules than of their bodily health or the right of their outward estate But if they be outwardly qualified authorized and have suitable gifts They sit as our Saviour said of the Scribes and Pharisees in Moses chaire all therefore they say from Gods authoritie heare but if they be depraved in life then againe doe not after their workes as he goes on if they will binde burthens upon men not to be borne Mat 23. 2. as the teachers of the Law Luk 11. 46. There is a woe denounced against them by Christ himself for so doing If there be mixtures of Ordinances whilst they be but of circumstantiall things when all the essentialls of Gods institutions stand intire neglect not duties upon small discouragements but if persons practises Ordinances be so depraved that Gods rules are so infringed his faithfull servants so justly scandalized that they have cause with those in the time of the Ministration of Elies wicked sonnes to loath the offerings and services of the Lord the peoples condition is then very grievous but such Teachers condition is if not altogether so desperate as Elies said sonnes yet at least very dangerous if reformation be not hastened but in this kinde there will be great need many times to seek for particular speciall advise and counsell both from God and his faithfull Embassadours when he affords advantage for it wherein who so humbly and faithfully seek unto him are not like to be disappointed For he that will doe the will of God shall know the doctrine whether it be of him or whether men speak of themselves Jo 7. 17. But when in Israel the contemptible of the people were made Priests and the golden Calves upon politique considerations were set up in Dan Bethel so to busie Israel with home-spunne worship that they might not goe into Judea or unto Jerusalem unto the true worship and that they approved and practised it did foreshew and justly caused Israel to be led into captivitie by the King of Assyria But what ever discouragements thou meetest with from men never give over thy humble and faithfull addresses to Christ to discover his Gospel glory unto thee and if men hinder or faile thou wilt finde he will the more help he can send an extraordinary Messenger as Philip to the Eunuch he can make a little meanes help much in mixtures he can make the good profitable and the mixture of men to vanish as nothing he can speak himselfe unto thy soul as to Saul in an evill course and send thee to an Ananias to help thee whom thou never knewest before in seeking to behold this Glory God will not reject thee as he did Moses in seeking to see his essentiall glory Exod 33. 20 23. but seeking it earnestly and faithfully as there is all reason thou shouldest thou shalt be sure to finde it effectually Secondly This is to discover the great condemnation of the world that then when such light such glorious Gospel light is come into the world men yet love darknesse more than light yea they are such Moules burrowed in the bowells of the earth that they cannot either see or desire neither are they willing to see the bright beames of this light shine they never so clearely yea the brighter they shine the lesse they desire them the lesse they discerne them their owle-eyes cannot indure to behold the Sunne their delight is in darknesse in the wayes of darknesse in the workes of darknesse and for the most part chuse rather to