wherein such as these are ordinarily entangled and holden fast from which inferiours are for the most part free Let us come into a towne or countrey village and we shall find all the rest not so exorbitant but enter into the Noblemans Gentlemans or Knights house if there be any there there shall we find a nest of new-fangl'd fashionists naked breasts and naked armes like bedlams saith that excellent and learned Gentleman in his Oyle of Scorpions Bushes of vanity in the one sexe which they will not part with said Marbury untill the Devill put a candle into the bush and cut haire in the other stirs against the Ordinance of GOD and nature in both and many other such deformed lothsome and prodigious fashions censured by that stinging and flaming place against fashion-mongers Zeph. 1. 8. And these are the more pernicious because it were many times more easie for us of the Ministerie I speake out of some experience to undertake by GODS blessing caeteris paribus as they say the driving of an impure wretched drunkard from his beastly and swinish sin which would be a very hard taske than to draw such as delight in and dote upon these miserable fooleries from the abhorred vanity of strange fashions nay and though somtimes they would be thought to looke towards religion And thus I have done with the reasons peculiar to every severall sort of greatnesse I now come to those which are common to them all 1. All the great ones according to the flesh in any of these kinds I say ye are all as yet deadly enemies from the very heart-root to the profession and practice of the holy men without which holinesse we cannot see GOD you cannot endure to be called puritans much lesse to become such and yet without purity none shall ever see the face of GOD with comfort Mistake me not I meane CHRISTS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CHRISTS puritans and no other Matth. 5. 8. Ioh. 13. 11. 15. 3. Secondly I meane onely such as Bellarmine intimates when he cals King IAMES puritan for he so cals him saith D. Harkwit against Carrier because in the first booke of his Basilicon Doron he affirmes that the religion professed in Scotland was grounded upon the plaine words of the Scripture And againe in his second Booke that the reformation of religion in Scotland was extraordinarily wrought by GOD. Gracious and holy speeches as you see with men of the world are puritanicall And if a man speake but holily and name but reformation Scripture conscience and such other words which sting their carnall hearts it is enough to make a man a puritan Thirdly I meane the very same of whom Bishop Downam one of the greatest schollers of either Kingdome speakes thus in his Sermon at Spittle called Abrahams Triall And even in these times saith he the godly live amongst such a generation of men as that if a man do but labour to keepe a good conscience in any measure although he meddle not with matters of State or Discipline or Ceremonies as for example if a Minister diligently preach or in his preaching seeke to profit rather than to please remembring the saying of the Apostle If I seeke to please men I am not the servant of CHRIST Gal. 1. 10. Or if a private Christian make conscience of swearing sanctifying the Sabbath frequenting Sermons or absteining from the common corruptions of the time he shall straightway be condemned for a Puritan and consequently be lesse favoured than either a carnall Gospeller or a close Papist c. Fourthly I meane none but those whom the Communion-Booke intends in that passage of the prayer after confession That the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy Now these come by their purity by preaching the Word Now saith CHRIST ye are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cleane by the Word which I have spoken unto you Ioh. 15. 3. The Word must first illighten convince and cast them downe so that out of sight of sinne and sense of divine wrath being weary sicke lost wounded bruised broken-hearted these are Scripture-phrases and thereupon casting their eyes upon the amiablenesse excellency and sweetnesse of the LORD IESVS and the All-sufficiency of His bloud to cure them resolve to sell all to confesse and forsake all their sinnes not to leave an hoofe behind and then taking him offered by the hand of GODS free grace as well for an Husband Lord and King to love serve and obey Him as for a Saviour to free them from hell They put on with the hand of faith the perfect purity of His imputed righteousnesse attended ever with some measure of inherent purity infused by the sanctifying Spirit and after entring the good way their lives are ever after pure and holy These are CHRISTS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Puritans I meane And these men of purity some never meane to be nay they heartily hate the very image of IESVS CHRIST in them they speake spitefully against them David was not onely the drunkards song but those also that sate in the gate spoke against him they are your musicke and matter of your mirth I am your musicke saith the Church in the person of Ieremie Lam. 3. They will many times call upon a roguish vagabond at your feasts to sing a song against them whom they should rather set in the stockes they are transported and inwardly boyle with farre more indignation and heart-rising against their holinesse purity precise walking and all meanes that lead thereunto though enjoyned upon paine of never seeing the face of GOD in glory than more simple poorer and meaner men and that 's a reason they sticke faster in the Devils clutches than they and that few of them are called converted and saved according to my Text. Secondly ye that are thus the worlds favourites are very loth to become fooles and therefore in the meane time he lockt full fast in the Devils bands and cannot escape except ye be such I speake a very displeasing thing to worldly-wise men but they are the very words and wisdome of the Spirit of GOD 1 Cor. 3. 18. Let no man deceive himselfe if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world let him become a foole that he may be wise Let no man deceive himselfe such caveats as this are wont to be premised when men out of their carnall conceipts are peremptory to the contrary and would venture their salvation as they say that it is not so See Ephes. 5. 6. 1 Cor. 6. 9. Mat. 5. 2. And did not most of your hearts rise against these words of mine you must become fooles or never be saved untill I brought Scripture Give me here leave I pray you to intimate in a few instances the meaning of the place and the truth of your false and selfe-couzening hearts in obnoxiousnesse to the point Suppose a messenger of GOD should deale faithfully
and fieriest darts of the Devill for he knowes full well that that is the arme and power of GOD unto us for all sound comfort and spirituall well-being and therefore he is most furious to weaken us there with infinite gaine-sayings and temptations of our inbred insidelity native ignorance diffidence wisdome of the flesh our owne sense and feeling and a world of oppositions continually He is driven many and many a time to the Throne of Grace with prayers teares and strongest wrastlings for auxiliary forces and renewed strength O how often doth he resort with extremest thirst and dearest longings to all the blessed Fountaines that feed his faith the person of CHRIST His meritorious bloud the Promises GODS freest love His sweetest name the covenant of grace all the Ordinances those Ones of a thousand who are able to discover both the depths of the Devill and the mysteries of Evangelicall mercy c. and for all this is glad many times to say unto his GOD Though Thou slay me yet will I trust in Thee LORD I believe helpe Thou mine unbeliefe c. The difference then stands thus They hold it the easiest thing of a thousand but he finds it the hardest matter in the world To believe 3. Aske them what it hath wrought upon them and they cannot give an account of any alteration to any purpose or sanctification at all Imaginary Faith is but an idle Idea a naked Notion a meere fancy a groundlesse presumption and true dreame and therefore it is not active or productive of any reall effects or true religiousnesse But now saving â—…aith doth ever beget a blessed change in the whole man body soule spirit calling company converâ—… â—… â—…f any man be in CHRIST he is a new creature Old things are passed away Behold all things are new It is ever attended with those three great works of grace 1. An universall repentance and returne from all sinnes from grosse ones in practice and action and from the most unavoidable infirmities at least in allowance and affection 2. An universall sanctification in all the parts and powers of body and soule though not in height of degree yet without exception of parts 3. An universall obedience to all GODS commands though not to perfection yet in sincerity and truth and with an heavenly traine of glorious graces love hope vertue knowledge temperance patience godlinesse brotherly kindnesse charity joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse meeknesse c. And even in the lowest ebbe and greatest weakenesse it is ever wont to discover it selfe at least by poverty of spirit hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse striving against doubting bitter complaints for want of former feelings industrious seeking to be setled in believing earnest and greedy longing after grace highly prizing the LORD IESVS and preferring Him infinitely before all the pleasures profits and felicities of this life resolving rather to die ten thousand deaths than to returne any more to folly selfe-deniall contempt of the world care to search out the sin that may possibly hinder comfort and be rid of it continuall watchfulnesse and holy jealousie lest we should be deceived and faithfull labouring to subdue corruption 4. Fourthly aske them How they prize the object they apprehend imaginarily for it is no better and it is but thus If you were able to assure them of wallowing in all worldly pleasures with constant health and immortality upon earth they would with all their hearts part with all their hope of heaven hereafter For they are yet but carnall though selfe-confident But now the divinenesse and excellency of spirituall delights which justifying Faith doth extract from the Objects about which it is exercis'd doth so affect and ravish the heart of the true Believer that well advised in cold bloud and out of temptation he holds all the corporall felicities of ten thousand worlds even world without end in comparison of them but as drosse and dung and dust in the ballance Our part in the person of CHRIST with the purchases of His dearest bloud and possession of the Deity blessed for ever by His meanes do more than infinitely transcend the utmost of all earthly contentments rais'd above the highest possibility by the most inventive and strongest imagination and to be enjoyed thorow a thousand eternities The second sort which are a generation of more understanding men stand thus for their spirituall state and thus fearefully couzen their own soules and come short of salvation They assay indeed to be religious give up their names to Profession and would go to heaven with all their hearts so farre as the way holds with enjoyment of temporall happinesse and therefore they put on a forme of godlinesse and faire out-side furnish themselves with an artificiall habit of talking well take part in all companies with the better side follow and frequent Sermons with good forwardnesse set up prayer and other religious exercises in their families put themselves upon daies of humiliation leave many sinnes do many things hold an universall outward conformity to all the ordinances and divine Duties at the instance of the Ministry And if they be of ability countenance godly Preachers stand for them and entertaine them into their houses with much affectionatenesse and bounty especially such as perhaps by reason of too much charity unacquaintednesse with their wayes lothnesse to be accounted too pragmaticall and rough or something comply with them in a false conceipt of their spirituall well-being c. But presse them further over and besides all this to the heart and life of religion to the power and pith of godlinesse crucifying of their corruptions strangling their lusts mastering their passions parting with all sinne unfashioning them to the times abandoning for ever their darling pleasure deniall of themselves contempt of the world daily walking with GOD delight in the way of holinesse an holy keeping of the LORDS day fruitfulnesse in all good workes living by faith an uncowardly opposition to the iniquities of the present c. which they well know wil be necessarily accompanied with Drunkards songs railings of the basest discountenance from ungodly greatnesse the worlds deadliest enmity speaking against every where c. O then you strike them starke dead on the nest as they say These are hard speeches very harsh grating and ungratefull to their eares and go to their very hearts and therefore in such Points as these pressing more precisenesse you may as well remoove a mountaine of brasse with your little finger as stirre them an inch Say what you will and preach out your heart as they say they will no further Thus farre as they go already shall either serve their turne for salvation or they will venture their soules with thousands that are worse than themselves They pitch upon a safe wise moderate and discreet temper of religion as they conceive and call it and neither desire or endeavour to go any further or grow any better A faire day
am I let Him do to me as seemeth good unto Him But the spirits of the other two false and rotten-hearted fellowes in the time of trouble were so overtaken nay over whelmed with griefe that they both hanged themselves 2. This holy providence before hand may happily prevent a great deale of restlesse impatiency reprobate feares forlorne distractions of spirit hying to the caves crying to the mountaines bootlesse relying upon the arme of flesh Cursing their King and their GOD and looking upward roaring out with hideous groanes Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire Who among us shall dwell with the everlasting burnings c. All which desperate terrours and tumultuations of conscience are wont to surprize and seize upon unholy and unprepared hearts especially when GODS hand is finally and implacably upon them 3. And we shall hereby excellently honour and advance the glory of Profession when it shall appeare to the world and even the contrary-minded are enforced to confesse that there is a secret heavenly vigour undauntednesse of spirit and noblenesse of courage which mightily upholds the hearts of holy men in those times of confusion and feare when theirs melt away within them like water and be as the heart of a woman in her pangs Worldlings wonder and gnash the teeth hereat When they see as Chrysostome truly tels us the Christian to differ from them in this that he beares all crosses couragiously and with the wings as it were of faith out soares the height of all humane miseries He is like a Rocke incorporated into IESVS CHRIST the Rocke of eternity still erect inexpugnable unshaken though most furiously assaulted with the tempestuous waves of any worldly woe or concurrent rage of all infernall powers But all the imaginary man-hood of gracelesse men doth ever in the day of distresse either vanish into nothing or dissolve into despaire 4. Expression of spirituall strength in the time of trouble from former heavenly store is a notable meanes to move others to enter into the same good way and grow greedy after grace to draw and allure them to the entertainment and exercise of those ordinances and that One necessary thing which onely can make them bold and unmooveable like Mount Zion in the day of adversity I have knowne some the first occasion of whose conversion was the observation of their stoutnesse and patience under oppressions and wrongs whom they have purposely persecuted with extremest malice and hate So blessed many times is the brave resolute and undaunted behaviour of GODS people in the time of triall and amidst their forest sufferings that it breeds in the hearts of beholders thoughts even of admiration and love nay a desire of imitation and turning on the other side When they represent to the eye of the world their ability to passe thorow the raging flames of fiery tongues untouched to possesse their soules in peace amidst scorpions thornes and rebels to passe by basest indignities from basest men without wound or passion to hold up their heads above water in the most boisterous tempests and deepest seas of danger to triumph over all adversary power in the evill day I say by GODS blessing this may make many come in and glorifie GOD marvelling and enquiring whence such invincible fortitude and bravenesse of spirit should spring concluding with Nabuchadnezzar Surely The servants of the most high GOD. And so at length their affections may be so set on edge after the excellency and amiablenesse of IESVS CHRIST who being The mighty GOD and The Lion of the Tribe of Iudah doth alone inspire all His with such a Lion-like courage that they may seriously and savingly seek His face and favour saying with those Cant. 5. 9. What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved O thou fairest among women That we may seeke Him with thee When they behold such a deale of Majesty and miâ—…th to shine in his face whom they make the marke of all their spitefull rage and revenge their teeth with which they could have torne him in peeces may water and they industriously desire to know what that is which makes such a man so merry in all estates Vses 1. This may serve to awaken and reprove all those secure and carelesse companions who if they may enjoy present contentment and partake in the meane time of the prosperity and pleasures of the times wherein they tumble themselves with insolency luxury and ease take no thought make no provision at all against a day of reckoning provide no food against a foule day treasure up no comfort against the LORDS coming prepare no armour or aid for that last and dreadfull conflict upon their beds of death Alas poore soules Did they know and feelingly apprehend what a deale of horrour astonishment and anguish dogs them continually at the heeles ready and eager after a few daies of filthy and fugitive pleasures to seize upon them like travaile upon a woman with child suddenly unavoidably and in greatest extremity and that so intolerable that they shall never be able either to decline or endure the very weakest biting of the never-dying worme or the least sparkle of those everlasting flames they would think all the daies of their life few enow to gather spirituall strength against that fearefull houre Nay some are such cruell caitifs and Cannibals to their owne soules and so accursedly blinded by the Prince of darknesse that instead of comfortable provision they heape up wrath against the day of wrath instead of grace GODS favour and a good conscience peace joy and refreshing from the presence of the LORD they lay up scourges and Scorpions for their naked soules and guilty consciences against the time and terrour of the LORDS visitation For let them be most assured all their lies oathes rotten and railing speeches all their covetous lustfull ambitious and malicious thoughts all their swaggering and furious combinations against GODS people sensuall revellings joviall meetings c. will all When their feare commeth as desolation and their destruction commeth as a whirlewind like so many envenimed stings run into their sinfull soules and pierce them thorow with everlasting sorrow Alas What will the sonnes and daughters of pleasure do then And all those spirituall beggers and bankerupts who have greedily hunted all their life long after these mortall things of this life as if their soules had beene therein immortall and utterly neglected those things which are immortall as if their selves after the world had been but mortall What do you think wil be their thoughts upon the very first approach of the Port of death to which in the meane time all winds drive them Fullsad and heavy thoughts LORD thou knowest then at leisure enough to reflect severely upon their former folly though formerly beaten from them by their health and outward happinesse and will pay them to the uttermost for all the pleasing passages of their life past O then they shall lie upon their last beds like Wild Buls in
All-powerfull GOD scorne with infinite disdaine to feed upon Earth or any earthly things which are no proportionable object either for divinenesse or duration for so noble a nature to nestle upon But let them ply and fat themselves all the dayes of their appointed time with their proper native and celestiall food At that great Supper made by a King at the mariage of a Kings sonne Luke 14. 16. Mat. 22. 2. And therefore must needs be most magnificent and admirable At that Feast of fat things that Feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined Isa. 25. 6. The founder and furnisher whereof is the LORD of Hosts He that made Heaven and Earth makes it and therefore it must needs be matchlesse and incomparable At the Well-head of Wisdomes richest Bounty who hath killed her beasts mingled her wine and furnished her table Prov. 9. 2. In and by these and the royallest â—…east that can be imagined are shadowed but infinitely short and represented unto us but nothing to the life all those inexplicable divine dainties delicates sweetnesses those gracious quicknings rejoycings and ravishments of spirit which GOD in mercy is wont to communicate and convey thorow all the ordinances and meanes of grace to truly humbled soules for a mighty increase of spirituall strength and invincible comfort O how deliciously may a heavenly hungry heart feed and fill it selfe 1. In the powerfull Ministry unfolding all the sacred sense and rich mines of GODS owne meaning in His blessed booke 2. In the precious promises of life by the applications and exercise of Faith 3. In the LORDS Supper by making the LORD IESVS surer to our soules every time and every time by feasting afresh upon His body and bloud spiritually with exultations of dearest joy and sweetest glimpses as it were of eternall glory 4. In fruitfull conferences and mutuall communications of gifts graces prayers duties with GODS people which the LORD doth usually and graciously water with the deawes of many sweet and glorious refreshings and quickning much increase of Christian courage and an holy contentation in the good way 5. In meditations upon the mystery of CHRIST the miracles of mercy upon us for our good all our life long and the eternity of joyes and blisse above 6. Upon the LORDS Day when showers of spirituall blessings are accustomed to fall from the Throne of grace all the day long upon those who sincerely endeavour to consecrate it as glorious unto Him 7. Upon those soule-fatting daies of humiliation which who ever tried either secretly privately or publikely either by himselfe alone with his yoke-fellow in his family or congregation and found not GOD extraordinary according to the extraordinarinesse of the exercise About the last IVDGEMENT Consider 1. How cuttingly and how cold the very first sight of the Son of Man comming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory will strike unto thine heart who hast refused to turne on His side and take His part all the time of thy gracious visitation Then wilt thou begin with extremest griefe and bitternesse of spirit to sigh and say within thy selfe Oh! He that I now see sitting downe upon yonder flaming white and glorious Throne is that IESVS CHRIST the mighty GOD the Prince of Peace that sweetest Lambe whose precious bloud was powred out as water upon the earth to save His people from their sinnes And He it was who so fairely invited and wooed me as it were by His faithfullest Messengers and intreated me with termes of dearest love all my life long but even to leave my lusts and biâ—… the Devill adieu and He even He would become my all-sufficient and everlasting Husband and now as at this time have set an immortall crowne of blisse and glory upon my head with His owne all-mighty hand But I alas like a wilfull desperate wretch did not onely neglect so great salvation forsake mine owne mercy and so judge my selfe unworthy of everlasting life but I also a bloudy butcher to mine owne soule all my few and evill dayes basely and bitterly oppos'd His blessed kingdome the purity power and holy precisenesse thereof as quite contrary to my carnall heart and that current of pleasures and worldly contentments into which I had desperately cast my selfe I indeed wretchedly and cruelly against mine owne soule persecuted all the meanes which should have sanctified me and all the men which should have sav'd me Happy therefore were I now if I could intreat the greatest Rocke to fall upon me or be beholding to some mighty mountaine to cover me there to lie hid everlastingly from the face of Him that sâ—…teth on the Thâ—…one and from the wrath of the Lambe O that I now might be turned into a beast or bird or stone or tree or aire or any other thing Blessed were I that ever I was borne if I could now be unborne That I might become nothing and in the state I was before I had any being Ah that my immortall soule were now mortall that I might die in hell and not lie eternally in those fiery torments which I shall never be able either to avoid or abide Let us then betime in the name and feare of GOD kisse the Son lest he be angry at that Day and so we perish everlastingly Let us now while the day of our visitation lasts before the Sun be sâ—…t upon the Prophets addresse our selves unto Him 1. With hearts burdened and broken with sight of siâ—…ne and sense of divine wrath Mat. 11. 28. 2. Prize Him infinitely and above all the world Matth. 13 46. 3. Sell all part with all sinne Ibid. Out of Egypt quite leave not an hoofe behind Exod 10. 26. 4. Take Him as our Husband and LORD whereby we become the sonnes of GOD Iohn 1. 12. 5. Take his yoke upon us and learne to be meeke and lowly Matth. 11. 28. 6. Enter into the way which is called the way of holinesse Isa. 35. 8. 7. And there continue Professours of the Truth and of the power of the Truth and of the power of the Truth in truth For otherwise thou mayest be a Professour and perish eternally That CHRIST may owne thee at that Day Many professe the Truth and not the power of the Truth some professe both the Truth and the power of it but are false-hearted Where then shall the non-Professour appeare Nay the Persecuter of the Sect which is spoken against every where Acts 28. 22. 2. That thou must presently passe to an impartiall strict the highest and last Tribunall which can never be appeal'd from or repeal'd there to give an exact account of all things done in the flesh For every thought of thine heart every word of thy mouth every glance of thine eye every moment of thy time every omission of any holy duty or good deed every action thou hast undertaken with all the circumstances thereof every office thou hast borne and
mooving Orbs. 2 Cor. 3. 2. Eph. 4. 10. 1 Kin. 8. 27. 30. 39. 43. 49. And it is the biggest and most beautifull Body of the whole creation incorruptible unmooveable unalterable wholly shining with the most exquisite glory and brightnesse of purest light wherein as in a confluence of all possible felicities Iehovah GOD blessed for ever doth familiarly and freely communicate Himselfe to be beatifically seene and fully enjoyed face to face of all the elect humane and Angelicall spirits for ever Where the glorified Body of IESVS CHRIST shines with unconceiveable splendour above the brightnesse of the Sun c. This place most excellent replenished with those unknowne pleasures which attend everlasting happinesse where GOD blessed for ever is seene face to face is made admirable and illustrious by its bignesse and beauty Guesse the immeasurable magnitude and beautifull signes of it 1. By its description Rev. 21. It is called Ver. 10. by an excellency That great City c. Which if it be immediately meant as many learned and holy Divines would have it of the glory of the Church here on earth when both Iewes and Gentiles shal be happily united into one Christian Body and Brother-hood before CHRISTS second comming it is no lesse pregnant to proove that the Heaven of Heavens is a place most glorious above all comparison and conceipt For if there be such goodlinesse amplitude beauty and majesty in this Militant Church how infinitely will this beauty be yet more beautified and all this glory glorified with incredible additions in the Church Triumphant If there be such excellency upon earth what may we expect in the Heaven of Heavens 2. By those many Mansions prepared for many thousand thousands of glorified Bodies after the last Day Ioh. 14. 2. Besides the numberlesse numbers of blessed Angels the present inhabitants of those heavenly Palaces 3. By the incredible distance from the earth to the Starry Firmament If I should here tell you the severall computations of Astronomers in this kind the summes would seeme to exceed all possibility of beliefe And yet besides the late learnedst of them place above the eight Sphere wherein all those glorious lamps shine so bright three mooving Orbs more Now the Empyrean Heaven comprehends all these how incomprehensible then must its compasse and greatnesse necessarily be 4. By considering what a large Expansion and immensity the mighty LORD of heaven and earth is like to chuse for revealing His glory in the highest and most transcendent manner to all His noblest creatures infinitely endear'd unto Him by the bloudy death of His dearest Son even the Son of His love thorow all eternity Who doth all things like Himselfe if He love it is with a frâ—…e infinite and eternall love if He worke He makes a world If He go out with our Hosts the Sun shall stand still if need be and the Starres must fight if He come against a people He will make His sword devoure flesh and His arrowes drinke bloud if He be angry with the world He brings a sloud over the whole face of the earth If He set His affection upon a mortall worme that trembles at His Word and is weary of sinne He will make him a King give him a Paradise crowne him with eternity if He builds a house for all His holy Ones it must needs be a None-such most magnificent stately and glorious farre above the reach of the thoughts of men 5. What a spacious and specious inheritance what a rich super-eminent and sumptuous Purchase and Palace do you thinke was the precious bloud of the Son of GOD by its inestimable price and merit able to procure at the hands of His Father for His Redeemed Let us here also lay hold upon some considerations whereby we may behold at least some little glimpses of the admirable glory of its light 1. To say nothing of that glorious projection and transfusion of Aethereall light both of the Sun and of the Starres of the six magnitudes which by Astrologicall computation constitute three hundred Suns at the least whence ariseth a masse of shining beauty upward into the Empyrean Heaven which Patricius endeavours industriously to proove I say to passe it by as a groundlesse conceipt let us take a scantling as it were and estimate of the incomparable brightnesse and splendour of the highest heaven by that which Orthodoxe Divines soberly tell from Rev. 21. and other places to wit that it is verus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholly light not like the Starry Firmament bespangl'd here and there with glittering spots but all as it were one great Sun From every Point powring out abundantly whole rivers as it were of purest heavenly light c. Hence with allusion to brightest things below it is said to have a wall of Iasper building of gold a foundation of precious stones and gates of pearles Being cleare as Cristall shining like unto glasse transparent in brightnesse as a molten looking glasse It may be those places may also in latitude of sense intimate and include this glorious visible light I speake of Coloss. 1. 12. Psal. 36. 9. 1 Tim. 6. 16. Ancient Divines also apprehended this glorious beauty and brightnesse in the blessed heaven The eternall City saith Austin is incomparably bright and beautifull where there is victory verity dignity sanctity life eternity If those which be condemned saith Basill be cast into utter darknesse it is evident that those which walked worthy of GOD have their rest in supercelestiall light 2. Besides the superexcellency of its native lustre that I may so speak this blessed heaven wil yet be made infinitely more illustrious and resplendent by all the most admirable and amiable shining glory of that dearest ravishing object to a glorified eye the glorified Body of IESVS CHRIST In respect of the beauty and brightnesse whereof all sydereall light is but a darksome mote and blackest mid-night See Mat. 17. 2. 3. Adde hereunto the incredible and unspeakble splendour of many millions of glorified Saints whose bodies also will out-shine the Sun See Mat. 13. 43. Phil. 3. 21. Dan. 12. 3. Who are said to shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament as the Stars Dan. 12. 3. As the Sun Mat. 13. 43. To be like CHRIST Himselfe Iohn 3. 2. And to appeare with Him in glory Col. 3. 4. Now what a mighty and immeasurable masse of most glorious light will result and arise from that most admirable illustrious concurrence and mutuall shining reflexions of the Empyrean Heaven more bright and beautifull than the Sun in his strength the Sun of that sacred Pallace and all the blessed Inhabitants All which every glorified eye shal be supernaturally inlarged enabled and ennobl'd to behold and enjoy in a kindly and comfortable manner with ineffable delight and everlastingnesse 4. If the porch and first entry be so stately and glorious garnished and bespangl'd with so many bright shining Lights and beautifull Starres What workmanship