Moses Choice, Treatise · Part 3 · Chapter 55
CHAP. LV. To whom the Recompence of reward appertains.
BUt how may any know that they ſhall have Queſt.this glorious reward?
Carnal and ſenſual hearts, becauſe they have Anſ.no principles of Gods grace, to ſhew them the great things of God, and the minde of God, they think no man can know; we muſt have hopes, and hope well, but who can know what God hath in heaven for us? Thoſe that are acquainted with the myſteries of God in the Goſpel, they know what Gods minde hath been from all eternity concerning them, and what God will do for them to all eternity. How do they know?
Firſt, would you know whether you ſhall have this 1.Recompence of reward? Have you made Moſes Choice? Certainly, thoſe that have made Moſes Choice, ſhall have Moſes Reward: What Moſes Choice was you have heard, Moſes choſe rather to ſuffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon: Moſes might have had honor and eſteem enough in Egypt, but he accounted afflictions with the people of God, in Gods ways a great deal better; He eſteemed the reproach of Chriſt greater riches then all; ſo I may have Chriſt and communion with his people, let me be reproached, and contemned, and deſpiſed, I care not. Now do you finde this? Though there was a time my heart was taken with the glittering ſhews of things here, and I ſaw no excellency in the ways of God, they were but notions to me; at length God wrought mightily upon my ſoul, and ſhewed me the vanity of all things that I accounted for glorious things, and ſhewed me a beauty in Gods people, and began to knit my heart to them, ſo as I was willing to part with any thing to have communion with them, and to venture all upon the bare word and promiſe of God, for thoſe glorious things that are revealed in it, and this choice I have made, and my ſoul is ſetled in it, whatſoever befals me in this world; hath there been ſuch a work upon your ſouls, that you have made Moſes Choice? then you ſhall have Moſes Reward.
Secondly, are you begotten unto the hope of 2.theſe glorious things? Whoſoever ſhall be partaker of this glorious reward, muſt be one that is born to it. There are ſome dignities in the world that are got no way, except they be born to them; ſo if you have this reward, you muſt be born to it, 1 Pet. 1. 3. Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us unto a lively hope: Whoſoever hath the true hope of Heaven, it is one that is begotten to it, that is, There muſt be a mighty work of God upon your hearts, a new birth, a regeneration in you, otherwiſe there is nothing you have done or can do that can get this reward. In Mat. 19. 28. ſays Chriſt unto his Diſciples, after Peter had ſpoken what they had left for him, Ye that have followed me in the Regeneration, when the Son of man ſhall ſit in the throne of his glory, ye ſhall alſo ſit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Iſrael: As if Chriſt ſhould ſay, Peter, you have forſaken all and followed me, but know, the bare forſaking is not enough, but you who have felt the work of God regenerating your ſouls, upon which you have followed me, you ſhall ſit upon twelve thrones: Some do interpret this place Regeneration, the eſtate of the Goſpel, and ſo make it not to be the work of God upon the ſoul, but the work of God upon the world, to make a new world; as the glorious eſtate of the Church under the Goſpel is called a new heaven, and a new earth, and ſo take it, Ye that have followed me in this new world, ye ſhall ſit upon twelve thrones, &c. but I rather take it the other way, not wholly excluding this, they are onelyonly thoſe that follow Chriſt in the Regeneration, that ſhall have this reward.
It is called the new birth, becauſe there is ſuch a ſtrange change; there is a new ſpirit, and a new life put into a man: Suppoſe a rational ſoul were put into a beaſt, what a change would be in that creature? Suppoſe an Angelical nature were put upon us, what a change would there be? By the change that is wrought in regeneration there is a greater difference; the higheſt degree of glory in heaven is not ſo different from the loweſt degree of grace here, as the loweſt degree of grace here is different from the higheſt excellency of nature, becauſe the difference between the higheſt degree of the glory of heaven from the loweſt degree of grace, is but a gradual difference, but the difference that is between the loweſt degree of grace, and the higheſt excellency of nature, is a ſpecifical difference. Therefore you that hope for glory, know there muſt be a regeneration, that work of God upon your ſouls that muſt cauſe a greater difference in you from that you were by nature, then there is in the glorified Saints, that have the higheſt degree of glory, from the meaneſt Saint in the world; as the reward is a mighty glorious thing, ſo the work of God in preparing a ſoul for this reward is a mighty glorious work. And therefore do not content your ſelves in every poor ſlight thought of heaven, know heaven lies upon that which is a mighty work of God in you.
Thirdly, if you ever come to Heaven, there is a principle of heaven put into your ſouls here, that is, 3.a heavenly principle that carries you heavenward, I mean the work of God, cauſing you to have heavenly mindes, and heavenly hearts; Our converſation Phil. 3. ul…is in heaven, ſays the Apoſtle. In Cant. 3. 6. the Church is compared to pillars of ſmoke that aſcend upward to heaven; Though the Church be black and dark in regard of her infirmities, yet it hath a principle to carry it upward to heaven. The Saints are compared to Eagles that fly aloft towards heaven, though their bodies are not there, their hearts and ſouls are there; if our treaſures be in heaven, our hearts are there already. I read of Edward the firſt, who had a mighty deſire to go to the holy Land, to Ieruſalem, and becauſe he was hindred, and could not get thither, he gave his Son a charge upon his death-bed to Fox Acts and Monuments, de Edvardo primo.carry his heart thither; and he prepared Two and thirty thouſand pound to carry his heart thither: So the Saints, though they have not their bodies in heaven, their hearts are there, and they take much pains, and are at great charges to get their hearts thither.
All things in nature have a principle to carry them to their proper place; becauſe the place of fire is on high, therefore fire hath a principle to carry it on high; and becauſe the place of earth is below, therefore earth hath a principle to carry it downward: So if the place and center of the heart be in Heaven, then certainly it hath a principle to move naturally thither, to move upward to heaven; and therefore that ſoul that hath nothing but a principle to carry it downward to the earth, and to the luſts of it to theſe things below, heaven is not the proper place for ſuch a ſoul, and when the ſoul goes out of the body, it wil not go to Heaven: Take earth, and cloſe it in a veſſel, and take fire, and put into a veſſel, open the veſſels, and let them out, and they go both to their places; ſo the ſouls of men when they are gone out of the body, they go to the place whither they had a principle to carry them, therefore do not think the principle ſhall be put into them when you dye, but you muſt have a principle before: if your hearts be preſt down by earthly things, when you dye they will fall down; and therefore obſerve which way your ſouls work: Can you ſay, as in the preſence of God, My ſoul works heavenward, though I have weights of corruption that would weigh me down, yet I have a principle that does work to Heaven? But the conſciences of many tell them their ſouls work downward, to vanity and ſenſuality, and you have no other principle, and therefore when your ſouls depart, they fall downward.
Fourthly, what ſoul ſoever hath an intereſt in heaven, heaven is in that ſoul already: The kingdom of 4.God is in them, and they have taken hold of eternal life, now eternal life abides in them; Whom he hath juſtified, he hath glorified already, they have the glory of heaven begun; you heard what that was. In heaven there is the perfection of our natures, the image of God ſhall be renewed; now is the image of God begun? hath God marked you, and ſet the ſtamp of his image upon you? There is no ſoul that God does intend to put glory upon, but he marks that ſoul, and ſtamps his image upon it in the work of converſion, and ſays, Here is a ſoul I ſet the ſtamp of my image upon, becauſe I mark it out to glory: if ever you come to Heaven, God muſt ſee his own Image and Superſcription upon you. As the Beaſt ſet his mark upon men, and would ſuffer none to trade but thoſe that had his mark: ſo God will ſet his mark upon his people, and none ſhall come into his Kingdom but thoſe that have his mark: now a mans Image is upon a thing, when by beholding of it I am put in minde of him that it is an Image of; ſo if you have this Image and ſtamp of God, a man that knows God, as ſoon as he looks upon you, as ſoon as he beholds your converſation, he is put in minde of God, and he ſays, I have heard and read much of God, of the holineſs and righteouſneſs of God, and by this mans converſation I am put in minde of that holineſs and righteouſneſs of God, the brightneſs of which I ſee ſhining here.
Again, in Heaven you know God himſelf is the portion of the Saints, they have the preſence of God: What preſence of God do you enjoy here? Were your ſouls ever acquainted with the preſence of God in the Ordinances? What bleſſed viſion have you of God here? Thoſe who come to Heaven, God gives a ſight of himſelf here. And what union have you with God? What union of grace? What myſtical union between God and your ſouls? And what fruition have you of God? Is it God that you enjoy in the creature? and God in all things? God in the Ordinances? and what reſt do your ſouls finde in God? though you be toſt up and down in regard of the uncertainty of the creature, yet is God your reſt: yea, do you enjoy your ſelves in God? the beginning of all theſe are now for the preſent. And likewiſe for communion with Jeſus Chriſt, what communion and converſe is there between your ſouls and Jeſus Chriſt? Is it not a riddle to you? Are you delighted in the communion of the Saints? Are the Sabbaths your delight, as a beginning of the eternal Sabbath you ſhall keep in Heaven? Therefore now do you ask, Who ſhall have Heaven? and, Who ſhall aſcend into the Mount? Thoſe whom the Mount now comes down unto. Many hope they ſhall have God when they dye, but ſurely if God be not ſo merciful as to give you ſpiritual mercies for the preſent, he will not be ſo merciful as to give you eternal mercies hereafter; if he do not give you mercies of grace here, he will not give you mercies of glory hereafter.
Fifthly, what are the apprehenſions that you have 5.of this reward? there may be a ſpecial note drawn from thence, whereby you may ſee whether this reward ſhall be yours or no. What is it that you apprehend to be the heighth and excellency of that reward and glory that you expect? Is it that ſpiritual and ſupernatural good that is in Heaven? Do you not apprehend Heaven after a carnal and natural way, when you hear ſpeaking of Crowns, and dignity, and happineſs, and glory, and the like? but hath God ſhewed you that the heighth and top of all conſiſts in thoſe ſpiritual and ſupernatural things, in the image of God, and in communion with God, and thoſe things that have been opened? are your hearts more after theſe then after any thing elſe? then it is like that Heaven is for you, for theſe things are kept hid from thoſe that Heaven is 6.not for.How to diſcern the truth of our hopes for heaven 1.
Sixthly, conſider what your hopes are for this recompence of reward.
Firſt, where hopes are true, they are ſuch as are wrought by the power of the Holy Ghoſt.
Secondly, they are purging hopes.
Firſt, they are ſuch hopes as are wrought by the 1.power of the holy Ghoſt, Rom. 15. 13. Certainly, hopes of ſuch great things as theſe, muſt be raiſed by a great power, they are hopes that could never be raiſed by any natural apprehenſions, by any work of Reaſon: you have hopes of Heaven, and of the glorious reward; How came you by them? What almighty power of the holy Ghoſt have you felt that hath raiſed theſe hopes? If you have no other hopes but thoſe that may ſpring out of nature, natural conceits and apprehenſions, you are far ſhort of this recompence of reward: but this recompence of reward being glorious, it hath a glorious principle to raiſe hopes, ſuch hopes as can bear down ſtrong difficulties that ſhall oppoſe them: the holy Ghoſt does ſtretch out the hopes of the ſoul beyond that which nature can do. In the Hebrew that word that ſignifies hope, ſignifies a line, becauſe by hope the heart is ſtretched out as in a line to the thing it hopes for: now the hopes that nature raiſes is but in a ſhort line, and they ſtretch out the heart but a little way, but the hopes that are wrought by the power of the holy Ghoſt, are ſuch hopes as the heart is ſtretched out very far by them; and there muſt be a mighty ſtretching out of the heart, and that by a mighty power, to make it hope for ſuch great things as theſe, that God ſhould bring ſuch a poor worm to ſuch high things as theſe are: Ordinary baſe droſſie hopes that have nothing in them, they are not ſtretched out to theſe things, they have ſome confuſed apprehenſions, and ſlight opinions about heaven, & they are loth to think they ſhould be damned for ever, and caſt from God, and therefore they will have ſome conceits it ſhall be well with them, and they hope well; but to have their hearts ſtretched out to expect theſe bleſſed things as the happineſs of their ſouls, and as the real, ſubſtantial, and onelyonly good, this is by the mighty power of the holy Ghoſt.
Secondly, they are purging hopes; 1 John 3. 3. 2.And every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himſelf even as he is pure: It is a lively working hope, 1 Pet. 1. 3. Bleſſed be God who hath begotten us again to a lively hope. As a fountain that hath dirt caſt into it, it being a living fountain, it works, and works, and never leaves till it hath got the dirt out; caſt dirt into a puddle, and it lies there, and putrifies: And this is the difference between the ſin of one that is natural, and one that hath hope of eternal life: When ſin comes into a carnal natural heart, it lies there and putrifies; but where ſin comes into a gracious heart, that hath hope of eternal life, ſuch a heart by theſe hopes are as a living fountain, that will never leave working till it be pure again: Such a ſoul as apprehends it ſelf a veſſel of ſuch rich and glorious mercies as theſe, do labor to cleanſe it ſelf to the utmoſt: if you have a veſſel that you put ordinary water into, you care not though there be ſome duſt in the bottom, but if you will put in ſome precious liquor, you will cleanſe it again, and again, and will not ſuffer any duſt to be there: So carnal hearts that do not know what great things God hath laid up for his people, that are not veſſels of mercy, but onelyonly look for ſome common things, they can ſuffer their hearts to filled with noyſom luſts, but where the ſoul does apprehend it ſelf a veſſel of mercy, ſuch a one as God will fill with theſe glorious things, it would not have any filth and corruption abiding in it. In 2 Tim. 2. 21. The Apoſtle ſpeaks of two ſorts of veſſels that are in Gods Houſe, that is, in the Church, Veſſels of honor, and Veſſels of diſhonor; But how ſhall we know we are veſſels of honor, or of diſhonor? if therefore a man purge himſelf from theſe, he ſhall be a veſſel of honor; a veſſel of diſhonor is an unclean veſſel, a veſſel of honor is a clean veſſel: If therefore your hopes be ſuch as can ſtand with any beloved ſin againſt knowledge, you are veſſels of diſhonor: And here is the livelineſs of this hope; if thou haſt a hope to be a veſſel of honor, it purges you from filth, and by that purging from filth, there comes to be a readineſs and preparation to every good work, here is ſuch a one as ſhall aſcend up into the holy Hill of God. This is the ſixth note.
Seventhly, examine what thy claim is, whether 7.thy claim to Heaven, and eternal life, and this recompence of reward do lie right in the point of Juſtification or no? If you look at nothing but the works that you do, though they be never ſo glorious and good, & do not lay your claim firſt right in the point of Juſtification, you will miſtake and miſcarry, and be diſappointed of all this recompence of reward. Therefore Paul, in Rom. 8. 30. ſays, Whom he hath juſtified, them he alſo glorified; ſo that Glorification does depend upon Juſtification: Now then the firſt thing that a ſoul is to look after for the aſſurance of its portion in this recompence of reward, is to make ſure in the point of Juſtification, for there lies the claim to heaven, and all the reſt comes but as a conſequent of this. Now the laying our claim right in the point of Juſtification conſiſts in this, When a ſoul comes to apprehend the infinite need it hath of a perfect righteouſneſs of a Mediator, and looks upon that righteouſneſs of the Mediator as well pleaſing to God, as ſufficient to abſolve it from former ſins, and to diſcharge it from former guiltineſs, whereby another reward was due to it, and by faith applies this righteouſneſs, whereby it comes to be perfect before God, and lays the weight of all its confidence of Heaven, and of glory upon this; then you may hope to have intereſt in this recompence of reward: but if your claim come in any other way then this, it does not give you any intereſt to heaven; and therefore look much to the point of Justification, and be ſure that your hearts have laid the claim and intereſt it hath to heaven and eternal life right there, and then there may be great hope of the recompence of reward, though afterward there be many failings in your works and ſervices: And if you will look at any work whereby you ſhould have the reward, eſpecially look at the work of believing, cloſing with the righteouſneſs of Chriſt in the apprehenſion of your own unworthineſs; This is the greateſt work that any man is able to do, that ſhall have the greateſt reward in heaven.
You think if you were able to perform duties, and do ſuch and ſuch things, to keep your hearts up for God, you ſhould have this reward; but the greateſt work of God that ever any creature did, is when it apprehends its own unworthineſs, to venture upon the righteouſneſs of Chriſt; if you were able to perform full obedience to every particular of the Moral Law, it were not ſo great a work, not ſo accepted of God, not ſo well pleaſing in his eyes, nor ſhould not be ſo gloriouſly rewarded in Heaven, as this one work of believing in his Son. God takes ſuch infinite delight in his Son, as he looks more at that work of the ſouls believing in his Son, and venturing it ſelf and its eternal eſtate upon his Son, then he does upon all works beſides: and therefore look upon the point of Justification by faith firſt, and if that be right, the aſſurance of the reward will come in: divers objections will riſe, that can never be anſwered, till the heart be ſetled in the point of Juſtification. All the Objections that riſe from our weakneſs and ſinful infirmity comes from this, becauſe we do not ſettle our ſelves well in the claim we make to the recompence of reward in the point of Juſtification, in the righteouſneſs of Chriſt by faith.
Eighthly, examine what your works are, ſee whether they be ſuch as ſhall attain to this recompence of 8.reward: If all the excellencies of all the moralities of all the men in the world were put into one, theſe could never reach to this reward; it is a ſupernatural thing, and therefore if you would know whether you ſhall have it, there muſt be ſomething ſupernatural in you.
But when is a work ſupernatural, ſo as I muſt have ſome comfortable hope, that it ſhall reach unto this Quest.ſupernatural reward?
A ſupernatural work hath, Firſt, ſupernatural Principles. Secondly, it hath ſupernatural Anſw.ends. Thirdly, it is performed in a ſupernatural maner.
Firſt, the principles are ſupernatural; firſt, they are above nature; and ſecondly, they are fetched from a fountain that nature hath no skill of. For the firſt, there is ſomething above nature, that puts you upon duties; you do not onelyonly go on in the ways of godlineſs, becauſe you know you are bound to them, you cannot be ſaved elſe, but becauſe you finde a new light let out by God from heaven, that ſhews an infinite excellency and beauty that is in the way What a ſupernatural work is.of godlineſs. And you finde a principle of Divine nature put into you, that makes the ways of godlineſs agreeable to you; and the more Spiritual and Divine they are, the more ſuitableneſs you finde between your ſouls and thoſe ways.
And ſecondly, do you finde that you draw your principles that enables you to any good work from a Mediator? The natural principles come at higheſt but from reaſon, it ſees reaſon for ſuch and ſuch things to be done; but a ſupernatural principle is drawn from a Mediator, from God-Man, from God in Chriſt, and by vertue of the promiſe, and ſo it comes to be an Evangelical obedience.
And it hath ſupernatural ends, beyond ſelf, and all 2.ſelf, and creature reſpects: That work that is natural riſes no higher then nature in its ends; as the water aſcends no higher then from the place it deſcends: ſo all natural works have ſome ſelf or creature reſpects, but when you finde your hearts are raiſed above ſelf and creature reſpects in your obedience to God, there is a ſupernatural end.
And then they are performed in a ſupernatural 3.maner. Seneca hath this expreſſion of deſires; You may know it is not a natural deſire when it riſes beyond bounds: He applies it to evil deſires, when a man deſires things without bounds, that is no natural deſire: Now that which he applyes to the corruption of nature, we may rather apply to the perfection of nature. All the deſires of nature are ſuch as are limited in a narrow compaſs; no natural man in the world does go on in the ways of obedience with an infinite deſire to dilate himſelf infinitely as far as he is capable, but is always limited in a little narrow compaſs, ſo far he will go, and no further; but when the ſoul comes to walk with God in a way of ſupernatural obedience, it comes to be without bounds, all thoſe bounds that did limit the ſoul are taken away, and there is a letting out of the heart to God in the ways of godlineſs in an infinite maner; and this is a moſt clear evidence of a ſupernatural work, that will go for currant in Heaven, and ſhall be rewarded there; there is the impreſſion of Gods infiniteneſs upon the heart in every work that is performed; examine whether your works be not like thoſe that the Apoſtle ſpeaks of, in 1 Cor. 3. 15. where he ſpeaks of the works that ſhall burn; therefore let us conſider whether our works be ſuch as when they come to the tryal, ſhall be found to be ſtubble, and burn.
There are a great many whoſe works are like to burn, and themſelves too: Many of the works of Gods people are like to burn, but look too your ſelves for your main and principal works, whether they will hold when they are examined by the rule of heaven, and ſhall be rewarded: It is nothing what your works are before men, the people of God may highly eſteem of your works, but when they come to be examined in heaven, they ſhall be examined ſtrictly, and unleſs God ſee a ſupernatural ſtamp upon them, they will burn; and therefore look to your works, ſee whether they be ſupernatural in the principles, in the ends, and in the maner of doing of them: and examine by theſe rules the aſſurance of this reward. Mr. Latimer ſays, the aſſurance of heaven, is the ſweet meats of the feaſt of a good conſcience: In great feaſts there are good meats and banquets: There are other dainty diſhes in this feaſt, and the aſſurance of heaven is the ſweet meats and the banquet. Now that we may have the feaſt of a good conſcience made full, let us take pains in examining whether this recompence of reward be ours: if we did but apprehend this reward to be ours, it would make us go on with power in our way, whereas now every little thing is ready to turn us aſide.
Again, if upon examining by theſe arguments 10.you finde ſome comfortable hope that the recompence of reward is yours, what concerns you, but patience to wait for it; and in the mean time to live as thoſe that ſhall have theſe things, and labor to dye ſo?
Firſt, patiently to wait; St. Iames ſays, The Huſbandman waits for the precious ſeed till the harvest 1.come: Though it be precious ſeed, the Husbandman caſts it into the earth, he is not diſcontent becauſe he hath not harveſt next Week, but he is content to let the winter, the froſt and ſnow go over it; and ſo we muſt be content to have many troubles between the hope of the reward, and the poſſeſſion of it. We muſt work in the vineyard of the Lord, and endure the heat of the day, and not expect our peny till night. Mark how the Apoſtle would have thoſe to walk who have the hope of heaven, Rom. 2. 7. To them, who by patient continuance in well-doing, ſeek for glory, and honor, and immortality, and eternal life. Great things are to be expected and waited for; If a man have a great venture at Sea, that he expects ſome mighty profit by, he is content to wait two or three years, becauſe he thinks it will make amends for all: So in your way of merchandizing, if a man go and buy a commodity of five or ten ſhillings, he lays down preſent money, but if the commodity come to a great ſum of many hundred pounds, he does but give ſomething in earneſt, the great pay is to come many moneths after: ſo when men will bargain with God for their obedience to have credit and eſteem in the world, yea, thoſe men that aſpire after the greateſt things in the world, theſe are poor trifling matters, and God gives them preſently: but becauſe the Covenant that is between God and Chriſt, & ſo between Chriſt and us, is about great matters, and God intends to reward his people with glorious things eternally in the Heavens, they have but the firſt-fruits of them for the preſent, and they muſt not expect the fulneſs of them ſuddenly.
Great men have two kinde of Servants uſually, ſome ſervants that they hire by the day, or the monethmonth, or the year, that they ſhall have ſo much wages, and ſo their wages is paid them, it may be every night, or every week; other ſervants have not their wages preſently, but that which they ſerve for, is the expectation of ſome great office or living that their Lord ſhould give to them after many years ſervice, and therefore they go on in their ſervice, though nothing come preſently. Here is the difference between the men of the world and others, I ſpeak of thoſe who live the beſt lives who are not truly gracious; they in ſome meaſure are the ſervants of God, they do God ſome ſervice, onelyonly ſuch ſervice as poor laboring men do that are hired in a great mans Houſe, that have their pay every week, or day; ſo you have your pay every day, you have meat and drink, and the comfort of the creatures; but God hath other greater Servants, godly people, Chriſtians, and though they have not ſo much pay preſently, as wicked men have, yet there are reverſions, and ſome glorious things that they expect hereafter, and therefore they go on patiently, though for the preſent they have not ſo much as others. And you have no cauſe to envy others: If there be two Servants in a great mans Houſe, the one ſees the poor laboring man have his ſhilling given him, ſhall he envy him, and ſay, I have ſerved many years, and have not had a ſhilling? No, he does not envy him, becauſe he expects ſome great things: And ſo when you ſee the men of the world have the great things of the world, do not envy them, becauſe you ſerve God for greater things.
Queen Elizabeth, ſhe envyed the milk-maid when ſhe was in priſon, but if ſhe had known what a glorious Reign ſhe ſhould have had for four and forty years, ſhe would not have envyed her. Wait therefore patiently, becauſe the things are great, and the longer you wait, the greater they will be: as it was the ſpeech of the Son of an Emperor, ſays he, The longer the Cooks are preparing the meat, there will be the better chear, meaning, The longer he ſtaid for the Empire, the greater it would be; ſo go on in your way, wait patiently, the longer you wait, the better it will be at the laſt: and it is ſure enough, Chriſt is gone before to take poſſeſſion, and God never ſo wrought to make any thing ſure, as he hath wrought for the aſſuring of the good in the Covenant of grace. Yet long after it and deſire it. In Rom. 8. 21. it is ſaid, The creature groaneth to be delivered from the bondage of corruption, to come into the glorious liberty of the children of God; and therefore we our ſelves ſhould much more deſire it, and pant after that time, we ſhould cry out with David, though with patience, When ſhall I appear before God, the living God?