The Shining Forth of the Righteous, Text

The Shining Forth of the Righteous · Text

p. 1MAT. 13.43.

Then ſhall the Righteous ſhine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father.

OUR Lord in this and the two precedent verſes, aſcertains us what Diſcrimination at the end of the world ſhall be of Saints and Sinners. They can hardly be diſtinguiſht here. In the Lords field, pure corn grows, and alſo tares, i. e. not ſuch noiſome and noxious weeds as cockle, darnel, &c. openly known, notorious ſinners, ſuch ſhould be weeded out: But as the Learned Brederodius, after him Scultetus and others do expound it, burnt or blaſted corn, which cannot be extirpated before Harveſt, without endangering the plucking up good corn with it. (From the ſame root I have obſerved, blaſted ears ſprang up-muſt then), ſince 'twould ſully and damage the good corn. Amongſt the truly righteous, Hypocrites grow up, which are but, 1. Things that offend, i. e.foreign, Stumbling-blocks, Traps. not Diſſenters, they are perſons ſcandalized, offended: Nor, 2. only men Heterodox, or Hereticks, that lay Traps to enſnare others. But, 3. All ſuch as lay, or lye themſelves, as ſtumbling-blocks, and ſnares in the way; weaker Chriſtians can hardly get to Heaven for them, not without ſtumbling, wounding their Conſciences, and making their hearts to ake. 2. Perſons that do iniquity, no good, much miſchief in the Church, and that make it their employ. Too many ſuch there are in the viſible Church, becauſe they whoſe concern it is, take not that care of, and inſpection over them as they ought. When both theſe ſhall be bundled up by the Angel, and hurl'd into the fiery furnace, as fewel for Hell, yet not be conſumed, but Salamander-like, live in the devouring fire, and dwell with everlaſting burnings.

Conſider theſe four Particulars.

1. The Subjects of future Glory, the Righteous.

2. What their Dignity, preferment, and eternal happineſs p. 2will be;foreign, not only as Juſtin, and Gr. Nyſſen cite it, foreign. viz. 1. They ſhall ſhine (as they do in Grace and Holineſs, much more) in glory. 2. Shine forth, i. e. be perfectly freed from every thing that eclipſes their light, or obſcureth the ſplendor and brightneſs of their Grace and Holineſs. 3. Shine forth as the Sun, i. e. gloriouſly, incomparably, not as the Moon that changeth; as the Sun in its noon day glory, with unchangeable, everlaſting light ſhall they be perfectly glorified.

3. The Firmament or place where, In the Kingdom of their Father. God may as ſoon be pulled out of Heaven, his Being and Glory be extinct, as they plucked out of their Orbs, and their light and glory be put out.

4. The time when, when Hypocrites, the unrighteous ſhall be caſt into the lake of fire and brimſtone, to be tormented with their Father the Devil, and abide there for ever; there, to the torment of ſinners, their own unſpeakable comfort; eſpecially to the glory of God ſhall the righteous in Heaven ſhine out. Hence,

Note, 1. They that ſhall be glorified, are the righteous, viz. through Regeneration, Reputation, by Sanctification and Acceptation.

1. They that are righteous through Regeneration, called (v. 38.) the children of the Kingdom, (by an uſual Hebraiſm, as in thoſe terms, children of death, children of wrath, &c.) 1. Becauſe they are deſigned for, and conſtituted by God heirs of the Kingdom: And, 2. are made capable of it, being born of the Word, foreign. G Nazian. Orat. 1….of the Spirit, of God himſelf.

1. They are born again, not of corruptible black rotting ſeed, but of incorruptible, the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever, 1 … et. 1.23, 24. i. e. Not of the Word of man, flowers and flouriſh…s of humane wit and eloquence, which ſoon fade, corrupt, and like rotten ſeed come to nothing; but of the Word of God, pure Goſpel, v. 25 whence they grow, and (as the corn ſown, and the corn in the ear are of the ſame nature) by Regeneration turn as it were very word and ſpirit; that incorruptible ſeed, the Word of the Kingdom being turned into Grace in their hearts, changes and transforms them in…o new Creatures, and they grow from it in Grace and Holineſs.

2. They are born of the Spirit, Joh. 3.5, 6. and thereby p. 3not only Evangelized, but ſpiritualized, 2 Cor. 3 18. Changed into the image of Chriſt, (preſented to them by the Goſpel) who received the Spirit without meaſure, and transformed from glory to glory, from grace to grace; or from one degree of the glorious grace and graces of the Lord, the bleſſed ſpirit, to another; made very like not only to their Lord Jeſus, but the Lord the Spirit.

Yea, 3ly, They are born of God, 1 Joh. 3.9. ſo implicitely termed his children in the Text, which calls Heaven by the name of the Kingdom of their Father. Though 'tis true they grow after in their reſemblance of him, as they grow more holy as he is holy, Eph. 4.23, 24. in holineſs of Truth wrought in them by the Word of Truth, and by the Spirit of Truth; whereas before Converſion there is none righteous, not one Jew, Rom. 3.10, &c.Rom 3:10one Gentile, one in all the World. All are of their father the Devil, and his works they will do. All are corrupt and do iniquity, yea abominable iniquity, and do not do good. Their beſt actions in holy Auſtin's Language are but glittering ſins,Splendida peccata. Gataker renders glittering ſlips. (ſome in our days would ſay the good Father is out, his bolt is ſoon ſhot; what! were the eminent vertues of the Heathens ſins? how differs Grace from Vertue and Morality? therefore we'l ſay) the beſt actions of the unregenerate being not from a principle of Grace, have nothing of holineſs, truth of grace and goodneſs in them. —So are ſins of omiſſion, which was Auſtins meaning. They do no good at all.

2. Such as are righteous by Reputation, i. e.See Articles of the Church of England, Art. 11. Chriſti juſtitia in juſtificatione fidelibus imputatur quatenus eju… merito juſti coram Deo reputamur. Ames. Med. Theol. lib. 1. c. 27. th. 12. Hanc Dei juſtitiam quam donat gratia ſine meritis neſciunt illi qui ſuam juſtitiam volunt conſtituere & ideo juſtitiae Dei qui Chriſtus eſt, non ſunt ſubjecti, in quâ juſtitia eſt multa multitudo dulcedinis Dei, propter quam dicitur guſtate & videte, quam dulcis eſt Dominus. Aug. de Civ. Dei, l. 21. c. 24. to whom God imputeth not ſin and guilt, but reckoneth and reputeth righteous in his ſight, not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but for the merit, righteouſneſs, perfect obedience, and full ſatisfaction of their Lord Jeſus received by faith alone.

This is the good ſeed, the word of truth, the Goſpel of our Salvation, which being ſcattered by Miniſters, and blown by the Bleſſed Spirit into the prepared hearts of Intelligent hearers, takes root and grows there; They which come up thereby to truſt, i. e. to hope in Chriſt, and to be juſtified by faith thorough him, they are the good ſeed, the righteous that ſhall be p. 4glorified. As the Sons of the firſt Adam were made ſinners, the Sons of the ſecond are made righteous. None (after regeneration) can make themſelves righteous, if they could keep the whole Law; ſince by Adam's diſobedience, theirs in him, they were made ſinners. All, and only believers are conſtituted righteous by the obedience of Chriſt, who was made of God the ſecond Adam, a common head and repreſentative of all that were given to him by the Father. This righteouſneſs is not their own, but Chriſts; yet 'tis theirs, being made theirs, 1. by Gods Donation; 2. by their thankful acceptance, apprehending, laying hold upon,Diſc. of Juſtific. p. 7. and appropriating of it by faith. So (if I may borrow the Learned Mr. Richard Hooker his ſaying) God accepts them in Jeſus Chriſt as perfectly righteous, as if they had fulfilled all that was commanded in the Law; ſhall I ſay more perfectly righteous than if they had fulfilled the whole Law? I muſt take heed what I ſay,2 Cor. 5.21.2 Cor 5:21 but the Apoſtle ſaith, God made him to be ſin for us who knew no ſin, that we might be made the righteouſneſs of God in him.

—In quantum viget in nobis quod ex Deo nati ſumus, ex fide viventes juſti ſumus, in quantum aut. relliquias ex Adam trahimus, ſine peccato non ſumus.— Nec tamen ex hoc deſinimus eſſe juſti cum ex affectu tenemus ſanctitatem. Aug. Ep. 50.3ly. They who are by Inchoation, I mean by the Word, and by the ſpirit of Holineſs, truly in part, though not perfectly ſanctified and made righteous, and daily more and more, when as 'twas in an inſtant of their being turned to God that they were regenerate, of their believing in Chriſt that they were juſtified. Whom he juſtified, them he alſo glorified, Rom 8.30. i. e. ſay Divines, he ſanctified. There being not a ſpecifical, but only a gradual difference betwixt them; and ſuch have, love, and do righteouſneſs.

Denominatione ex meliori parte quat. Opponuntur hominibus carnalibus, in quibus nullum eſt ſemen inchoatae juſtitiae, nullus conatus piae vitae, nullum ſtudium ſanctitatis, Doctos appellamus bonis literis initiatos & incumbentes opponendo eos ruſticis & foreign, &c. Daven. Diſp. de hab. Juſt. 2. 3.1. They have righteouſneſs inherent in them, anſwering to what was in the firſt, and in ſome meaſure to that which is in the ſecond Adam, being made partakers of the Divine Nature, and receiving of the Lord Chriſts fulneſs, Grace for grace. In Regeneration the principles and ſeeds of grace, in Sanctification gracious diſpoſitions and habits are infus'd and wrought. He is a ſinner that wanting original rectitude hath corruption of nature p. 5in lieu of it. Evil diſpoſitions inclining him inſtead of fearing, ſerving and glorifying God as God, to caſt off the fear of God, to ſin againſt and diſhonour him; and inſtead of loving his neighbour as himſelf, his righteous neighbour beſt with ſuch a love, to hate others as his enemies, ſo he becomes more like a beaſt than a man, and the godly moſt of all. So he is more like a child of the Devil, than a child of God. So he is righteous, who being created over again, hath ſuch habitual grace and good diſpoſitions wrought in him, as incline and facilitate him to ſerve the Lord: 1. In Holineſs: 2. In righteouſneſs, Luk. 1.75. both in acts of piety towards God, and Juſtice towards man; and fill him with love to God, and all that bear his image, and to all that have as Bucer ſpake, any thing of Chriſt in them. So 1 Pet. 4.18. the righteous are oppoſed to the ungodly and ſinners, unrighteous ones that have not the fear of God before their eyes, not the love of God in their hearts, nor grace to live and act juſtly and honeſtly towards themſelves or others, Rom 1.29, &c.

Hence 2. they love righteouſneſs as their Lord Jeſus did,Ab ipſo habituali propoſito & amore juſtitiae In eſt omnibus renatis hoc propoſitum haec voluntas tribuendi quod ſuum eſt Deo & proximo quamvis vitioſa concupiſcentia in contrariam partem ſub inde eos trabat. Daven. Ibid. to whoſe Image they were predeſtinated to be conformed. He being perfectly righteous, did perfectly love righteouſneſs and hate inquity, they receiving of his fulneſs, do it in their meaſure and degree; which they manifeſt by a conſtant ſerious purpoſe and endeavour to follow after holineſs and righteouſneſs, (exerciſing themſelves herein to keep a conſcience void of offence towards God and man) and to depart from iniquity. Though through remainders of corruption they may ſometimes omit ſome duties, or fail in the performance of them, or be overcome and fall into the commiſſion of ſome ſins; yet as to the conſtant frame of their hearts, they love righteouſneſs; and as to their courſe,

3. They do righteouſneſs, and do no iniquity. Sinners being void of all grace, filled with all unrighteouſneſs, commit ſin, work and do miſchief, are workers of iniquity, Mat. 25. Sin-makers; by the Trade they drive, you may know their calling. They do nothing elſe but ſin, and manifeſt themſelves to be ungodly, unrighteous, by their ungodly and unjuſt practices. By their actings they ſhew themſelves to be men not only of looſe and licentious, but flagitious lives, living in groſs, open and ſcandalous ſins. They ſin like the Devil, who from the firſt never ceaſed p. 6to ſin, was a lyar, a murtherer from the beginning, is and will be ſo, 1 Joh. 1.6. c. 3.4.6.8. Eſ. 59.6. So 1 Joh. 1.7. c. 2.29. c. 3.6, 9, 10. They are righteous that work righteouſneſs, making it the foreign, the main buſineſs and employment of their lives.

Praeter operationem Dei, quae nos i…loneos reddit mutando ac regenerando requiritur miſericors Dei acceptatio, quae tegat infirmitates noſtras & conatus imbecilles reputet pro perfectâ obedientiâ, ut nil in nobis boni eſſet, ni renovati eſſemus operatione Divinâ, ita nihili eſſent renovatorum opera, ad participationem hereditatis coeleſtis, niſi a pater indulgentiſſimo propter Chriſtum ſupra condignum aeſtimarentur. Daven. in Col. c. 1. v. 12.Col 1:124. They that are righteous by acceptation, in the Lords, though not the Laws account; i. e. though they are not legally, abſolutely and moſt compleatly righteous, ſo as they might challenge from God, and by the Law juſtification and life upon account of perſonal and perfect obedience; yet are righteous Evangelically in a Goſpel ſenſe, yea through the Lords gracious acceptation in Gods own account. God accepts them that are truly and really righteous, though they be not abſolutely perfect; and dignifies them with that title of honour upon account of their uprightneſs and ſincerity, which is a Jewel in the Lords eye, yea all in all in his account; ſo were Abel, Noah, Zachariah and Elizabeth, righteous before God; whereas Hypocrites are only ſeemingly righteous, and that before men in appearance, outward ſhew and profeſſion.

Righteouſneſs uſually is defined to be a conſtant and perpetual (deſire, purpoſe, and) will to give unto every one his own. Obſerve wherein Noahs Righteouſneſs lay, (when he was the only righteous perſon in the age wherein he lived) and you'l ſee what that righteouſneſs is which God approves, and accepts through Chriſt, and the New Covenant.

Retinens veri cultus—Justus fide credens verbo Dei de mundo per dendo & ſervanda ſua-poſteritate, & de ſemine mulieris. Munſt. Quaen. juſtitia eſt quae ipſum hominem Deo vero tollit, & immundis ſpiritibus ſubdit? hoccine eſt ſuum cuique diſtribuere? Aug. de Civ. Dei. l. 19. c. 21.1. He gave to God his own, that faith, fear, love, obedience, that internal and external worſhip which was due unto him, when (Gen. 6.12.) All fleſh had corrupted their way: i. e. in worſhipping God, and turn'd Idolaters as the Hebrew phraſe oft intends, Exod. 32.7. Deut. 32.5. he knew 'twas juſt, the great, the good God, His God ſhould be ſerved in the p. 7firſt place, moſt and beſt ſerved by him, always according to his own will.

2. He gave unto others their due, when Gen. 6.18. the earth was filled with violence: i. e. Injuſtice, couſenage and oppreſſion. — He took what care he could for the good, the preſervation and Salvation of others, eſpecially of his Family, as well as of himſelf.

3. He was perfect: i. e. Vid. Piſc.upright amongſt a world of hypocrites, his heart right with God, and he was righteous before him; what he did for God or others, he did all as under Gods eye, as in his preſence, Gen 6.9.

4.Juſtitiam officii, particularem. i. e opus Miniſteriis unius cujuſque. Scult. He was righteous in his faithful diſcharge of duty in that office and ſtation which God ſet him in, as a Maſter of a Family, a Father, a Preacher of Righteouſneſs, Gen. 6.22 'Tis rare, but the moſt amiable ſight to ſee perſons, Mat. 3 1…. fulfilling all righteouſneſs in their particular callings. John had need, as he ſaid, to be baptized of Chriſt, but Chriſt had not entred on his office; John had, and his office was to baptize: ſo Chriſt ſaith, Suffer it now, it becomes us to fulfill all righteouſneſs.

2. As to their preferment. Note, 2ly, The righteous ſhall be glorified; being regenerate, juſtified and ſanctified, they walk uprightly, and work righteouſneſs: They ſhall be taken up, and admitted into the Kingdom of their Father, and ſhall dwell there, Pſal. 15 1, 2 And,

1 There they ſhall ſhine. They were darkneſs, but God beſpoke them out of it, and they were made light in the Lord, Eph. 5.8. as in the firſt, ſo in their new Creation. 2 Cor. 4 6.foreign. God ſaid, Let there be light, and there was light. Light immediately ſprang up out of darkneſs, into their underſtandings, and they appeared as Luminaries in the World, Phil. 2.15 and gave light to others, Mat 5 15, 16 but they do only foreign, appear ſometimes, then they ſhall foreign, always ſhine, and ſhine bright: Here their light is a little twinkling glimmering light; as the light of here and there a Star, at diſtance one from another, in a pitchy dark night: look wiſhly, and you may ſee here and there a Saint in his Converſation, holding forth the word of life; but then being fixed as thick as they can ſtand one by another, all together (an innumerable company) will ſhine bright in one Conſtellation, giving out their light. In heaven p. 8none but Saints are, all are burning and ſhining lights.

2. They ſhall ſhine out; here, as the Greek word intimates, are they under a cloud, hereafter they ſhall break forth, ſhine clearly and gloriouſly, as the light of the Sun doth, when on a ſudden it breaks out (as we think) from under a Cloud; there's too much here that darkens and obſcures their luſtre, ſplendor, radiant and ſhining brightneſs, which then ſhall be ſcattered, diſpel'd, driven away, and that for ever.

Rarò ſolent ingenia inſigniter foelicia robuſta ſortiri corpora Deo diſpenſante ita ut quod Animi viribus Additum eſt, corporis de…ra…atur. Eraſm. Praefat. ad Auguſt. opera.1. Alas! they are much darkened here by bodily weakneſſes and diſtempers.

2. Much more by humane frailties (though regenerate, they are but men; though Saints, not glorified) remainders of inbred corruption, and prevalent temptations much obſcure them. Paul, the chief of the Apoſtles, ſpeaks moſt of his Infirmities.

3. Moſt of all in the eyes of others by abundance of dirt, a world of ſlanders, as falſe, as foul aſperſions flung upon them; which at preſent too much Eclipſe their light and luſtre, but will ſerve then only for the better ſetting of it off. Beſides,

Scriptor ſapientiae loquens de juſtis— foreign. Grot. in Mat. 13.43.Matt 13:434. Here they are under the Croſs, and manifold Afflictions, which make many ſpeak and cenſure hardly of them, and yet work together only to purge their filth away, and to file off their droſs, 1 Pet. 1.6, 7.

For then, 3. they ſhall ſhine forth as the Sun, i. e. 1. With a moſt full, perfect and glorious light, ſuch as we are not able to conceive of, much leſs to expreſs. 'Tis therefore ſhadowed out by a familiar Metaphor from the Sun, which even Children know to be the greateſt and the cleareſt light. Here they appear, and twinkle now and then like the Stars, thoſe leſſer lights of Heaven; then ſhall they ſhine with a far greater, an incomparably more glorious light, like the Sun it ſelf.

2. Nativo lumine, with their own light, received at their firſt Creation,foreign, walketh, advanceth, Pro. 4.18.Prov 4:18 their Regeneration, and from that time encreaſing in Grace, till it advance to its full growth and perfection in glory. The path of the juſt ſhineth more and more unto p. 9the perfect day. Whereas Hypocrites (like the Ignes faetui, Firedrakes) blaze a little here with an Adventitious light, which will evaporate, quickly be extinct, and dye with them as ſoon as thoſe groſs vapors, ſumes and exhalations from the Earth, whereof they conſiſt, are ſpent and gone; whileſt the Coaſt is clear, and the Air ſerene, they gliſter; but when the wind and ſtorms ariſe, they go out in a ſnuff and ſtench.

3. With a perpetual, yea an everlaſting light: The light of the Sun, who is the fountain of light, and the Eye of the World, is conſtant, and cannot be extinguiſht, unleſs you could pluck, or put it out.

2. The place where, The Kingdom of their Father; that is Mat. 5.16. in Heaven, where he ſits upon his Throne in Majeſty, Iſa. 66.1.

So it is 1. a moſt glorious place. God, as to his Eſſential, foreign. Acutiſſimè chriſtianus Philoſopho interroganti ubi Deu… eſſet reſpondit… Dic tu priùs … Philoſophe ubi… non ſit. Alcnin… l. 2. de Trin. c. 7.Powerful, Providential preſence, is every where, fills Heaven and earth, Jer. 23.23, 24. Pſal. 139.8, &c. But his moſt ſpecial glorious preſence is in Heaven, called (2 Cor. 12.1.) the third Heaven. Whatever Philoſophers may opine concerning the number of the Heavens, Scripture enumerates them to be three; 1. The place betwixt the viſible Firmament and the Earth, Gen. 1.20. 2. Where the Sun, Moon and Stars are fixed, Gen. 1.14. Pſal. 19.1, 4. The third above all, where is Gods Dwelling-place, Pſal. 123.1. and Sion-Colledg, the Manſions and Lodgings of Bleſſed Angels, and glorified Saints. They have all their name from the Hebrew word,foreign which ſignifies light. Some light there is in the Aereal Heaven from the Sun, Moon and Stars, which makes it comfortable, much more in the Sidereal, where thoſe glorious lights are ſet up. Infinitely more in the Empyrean, where God is light, 1 Joh. 1.5. the Sun the fountain of it, Jam. 1.17. and dwells in light, 2 Tim. 6.16.Excellens ſenſibile deſtruit ſenſum. the ſight whereof no creature can endure, till glorified and made meet for it; ſo great is the ſupereminence of the Divine Glory; yet here the righteous partaking thereof ſhall ſhine forth as the Sun, according to the ſeveral degrees of Divine light which they receive.

2. A moſt ſecure place: Their ſeveral Orbs are ſo fixed here,Quidiſtan beatitudine falſiu… aut fallacius, ubi nos futuros miſeros aut in ſummâ veritatis luce neſciamus, aut in ſummâ faelicitatis apice timeamus? Auſt. de Civ. Dei, lib. 12. c. 20. foreign. they ſhall never fall or be plucked out. An Aſtrologer obſerved a new Star in Caſſiopea, others fancy they have ſeen more, but was p. 10it ever found that any of the old Stars were extinct and loſt? but theſe lower Heavens (2 Pet. 3.10) in the twinkling of an eye ſhall paſs away (and be ſeen no more) with a great noiſe, (as many famous places, the Exchange, did in the dreadful Conflagration), a ratling noiſe, or like the noiſe of the wheels of Chariots that run ſwiftly, or of waves in a ſtorm at Sea ruſhing by us, or as Parchment hizzeth when 'tis caſt into the fire; the Firmament that ſcroll of the Heavens ſhall be rolled up, thrown into the fire, and ſhrivel up with fervent heat; and the Sun (ſhall no more ſet, as Poets fancied in Thetis her lap, a ſea of waters, but) ſhall be extinct in an Ocean of fire, and ſo put out; then that Heaven wherein righteouſneſs, the ſpirit of the juſt made perfect, Chriſt and God dwell for ever. For,

2. It is the higheſt Heaven; far out of the reach of the Prince, and all the powers of Darkneſs, and their Comrades the Beaſt and falſe Prophet. All which accurſed crew ſhall be thrown into the lowermoſt hell.foreign …achiad in …an. 12.3. And it is the Kingdom of God Almighty, who is able to preſerve them. The Rabbins do not groundleſly aſſert that the ſouls of the righteous in Heaven do adh…re unto (and hold faſt by) the right hand of God for ever, in that he held the Stars his faithful Miniſters and Saints here; and can any, think you, if they would attempt it in Heaven, pluck them out.

2. It is, Pſal. 24.3. the Lords holy place, the Holy of holies, where there can be no ſin, (as there was in Paradiſe), or temptation unto ſin. From eternity God was a Heaven to himſelf. Then with his own hands he created and built Heaven of old, Pſ. 102.25. not that he might be comprehended there, but to be a palace for his reſidence, the habitation of his holineſs, Pſal. 103.19. and an houſe for his children to live comfortably in ſafety. Saints of themſelves could not, it may be would not continue in grace here, in glory hereafter; but God is not only able to preſerve them in glory, but their gracious God and Father, and he will do it. After,

3. The time, then; which carries a double Antitheſis in it: 1. More generally of time future, of eternity; I ſhould ſay to this now, this moment of their life here, Job 14.1. the few days of Saints are full of trouble,…oſt illam po…li liberatio…m per An…chi mortem, expetenda etiam erit alia multò illuſtrior, quam Michaelis, i. e. Chriſti interventu aſ…uemur, ita tamen ut calamitatis graviſſimae praecedant, Mat. 24. quas reſurrectio beata excipiat. …mpereur in loc.Matt 24 Act. 14 22. The cleareſt Sun-ſhining day ſucceeds the darkeſt night, and glorious deliverances of particular p. 11Saints, and the whole Church, after days of moſt ſore affliction, at length after that time of trouble, ſuch as never was before, Dan. 12.1, 2. (underſtand it of the calamities which befell the Jews under Antiochus) at that very time the Church ſhall have an eminent Temporal deliverance, a pledg of one more glorious eternal Salvation, by the coming of the great Prince Michael, the eternal Son of God; Who is like him, the Lord of hoſts, that ſtandeth on his Churches ſide, againſt the Devil, and all in confederacy with him? So in the Antiparallel, Rev. 20.8. when the City is begirt, aſſaulted, battered and ſtorm'd, the Lord Chriſt the Captain-General comes in to its relief, works ſuch a deliverance as ſoon ends in everlaſting ſalvation; for then many ▪ all an innumerable companies of Saints, whoſe bodies ſlept in the duſt, ſhall ariſe unto an eternal life in glory; as appears by its being oppoſed to that ſhame and everlaſting contempt the reſt ſhall awake unto, Iſa. 66.24. and ſtand as ſtatues of ignominy to all eternity, 1 Joh. 3.2. Now we are, and ſhine as the children of God in grace, but it appears not what we ſhall be, and how we ſhall ſhine in glory hereafter. The Excellencies of the righteous, innate light, Grace, Holineſs,Ariſt. Meteor lib. 1. c. 3. telleth the Stars. Quanto quiſ… acutius cas … turtur tantò plures videt unde & acerrimè cernent…bus aliquas oc…cultas eſſe me…rito exiſtimatur. Aug. de Civ. Dei, lib 16. Non crimen Phoebus, noctu… crimen habet. and righteouſneſs of Truth appear only to a few. Some Philoſophers, unwiſe as they are, have gone about to number the Stars but Gen. 15.15. Jer. 32. God only, Pſal. 147.4. all don't appear at all time, to all perſons, nor to any at the firſt view, and at too great a diſtance. They that have the beſt eye-ſight, and longeſt and moſt carefully view them, obſerve moſt. In the Church ſome Saints give forth more light, and are very conſpicuous, 2 Cor. 8.18. Some leſs, which yet is well diſcerned, by ſuch as take an exact view of them, and as near as they can (true grace will ſhine where ever it is, but ſome perſons graces are little obſerved by others that think they have none). Some caſt out a very little light, which is ſeen only by thoſe that have the ſpirit of diſcerning, after long obſervation; and ſome do not go for Saints, which would appear ſuch if exactly viewed, and not at too great a diſtance, and will be approved at the day of Judgment, 1 Cor 4.6. 2 Tim. 2.19. 1 Joh. 3.1. But as to the blind world, Saints ſhine not; they that are moſt eminent for grace & holineſs ſeem mean, obſcure, very contemptible in the eyes of the generality, both ſinners and hypocrites, eſpecially of your Don Illuſtriſſimo's and Virtuoſo's in the world.

2. That inſtant when the Excellencies of Saints ſhall ſhine forth, is oppoſed to that moment of time when the Tares, all hypocrites, p. 12unrighteous ones, ſhall be thrown head-long by the Angels into the flaming fiery furnace, that deep, yea bottomleſs pit of far worſe than Egyptian darkneſs; when the world was drowned, Noah and his family were ſaved; and when God will not ſpare hypocrites, but give them their portion, Mat. 24.51. immerſe them in a deluge of everlaſting fire, Mat. 25.41, 46. Then, Mal. 3.17, 18. they ſhall appear moſt glorious when the childten of the Devil ſhall be tormented; and ſeeing the children of God thus dignified, advanced, ſhall, envying them and their happineſs, fume and fret, and for rage and madneſs, gnaſh their teeth, which it ſeems will be their poſture and guiſe to all eternity.

For the demonſtration of this truth, the foregoing Scripture-expoſition of the ſubject, affords us theſe undeniable arguments for ſatisfaction of our judgment, and confirmation of our belief of it.

1. Becauſe they are the children of God; he hath deſigned them for future, for eternal glory: 1. He has choſen them in Chriſt, that they ſhould be holy, and ſhining in grace here, and moſt happy and glorious hereafter to the praiſe of his own glorious grace, Eph. 1.3, 4, 6, 11. 2. In purſuance thereof God hath out of his electing love,Gloria à Deo …donanda. Piſc. Coeleſtis eſt Terrenae hareditatis diſſimil…ima Terrenan. quo inter plu…es diſtribui…ur, eò minus à ſingulis poſſidetur, regnum coeleſte in ſolidum poſſidetur ab inumeris ſanctis, ita ut numerus participantium nihil obſtet perfectiſſimae & p…eniſſim…e participationi ſingulorum. Dav. in Col. 1.12.Col 1:12 through his abundant mercy, regenerated them. Now conſider,

1. The Kingdom of Heaven is his, and the power (foreign) the right to confer it on as many and whom he pleaſeth; and Luk. 12.13. 'tis his good pleaſure to beſtow it upon all the righteous, and only upon them. Amongſt men, the eldeſt ſon goes away with the Inheritance, the younger with Portions only; the regenerate as children of men may not be born to any great matters; but as they are the children of God, they are born to the glorious Kingdom of their Father in Heaven.

2. All the glory of and in Heaven, is Gods own, and at his ſole diſpoſal Rom. 5.2. He loves the righteous, whom he hath made ſo near and dear to himſelf, as that he will confer it on them. An earthly King can beſtow his Kingdom only upon the Prince his eldeſt Son, but the God of glory hath (Phil. 4.19) riches in glory enough for the Prince and all his other children, whom he makes coheirs with Chriſt (of that incorruptible inheritance, even) heirs of God himſelf. This is not gotten by them, but they are begotten to it by a mighty work of God upon their hearts, and that according to his abundant mercy, 1 Pet. 1.3. out of meer grace and love will he freely confer it on them.

p. 132 Becauſe they are one with Chriſt here, and ſhall have a more perfect indiſſoluble union with him hereafter. Chriſt doth, therefore all that are by faith united to him, ſhall ſhine in glory, 1 Tim. 3.16. he was re aſſumed into glory; not only received,foreign aſſumed and taken up into glory. So Saints that never were in Heaven,Aſſumi dicitur qui in co…ſortium adju… gitur recept… eſt nimirum coelum unde venerat. Eraſmus. ſhall be received or aſſumed, Pſal 49.15. after God has guided them with his counſel, he will receive them to glory; i e. aſſume and take them up into a copartnerſhip to have their ſhare in it, (every one his proportion) but Chriſt that came down from Heaven was again received or aſſumed into glory according to his prayer, Joh. 17.5. Chriſt was glorious within, both as God and man here, but his glory did not ſhine out, (only the few that were near, and had an exact view of him, Joh. 1.14) he was covered with a vail of fleſh; as to humane infirmities in the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh, which darkened his glory. A world of contumelies, yea blaſphemies caſt on him, did more obſcure it. That which did ecl…pſe it, was Divine deſertion, when under the ſenſe of Divine wrath for our ſins laid upon him, with a great skreik he gave up the Ghoſt, (when the Sun alſo in the Firmament, as it were in ſympathy, put on mourning, and ſeemed a meer lump of darkneſs, which made the Philoſopher that obſerved it cry out, Either the God of Nature ſuffers, or the world will be diſſolved.) Chriſt abaſed himſelf, and emptied himſelf of his glory, during the ſtate of Humiliation.Praemium vi…tutis erit ipſe qui virtutem dedit, qui ſei… ſum quo meli… & majus nihil eſſe poſſit eg… ero illorum Deus, i. e. eg… ero unde ſat entur, ego e… quae cun que ab hominibus ho…neſtè de ſyderantur & vi & ſalus, & v…ctus, & copi… & gloria, & honor, & pax, & omnia bona. Aug. Conf. l. 9. c. 13. At his glorious Aſcenſion into Heaven he ſhone forth, as God with the glory he had with God from eternity; and the humane nature ſharing with the Divine, according to its capacity: as God man he is glorified with God himſelf, and ſhines forth in the glory of the Father. What he ſuffered was as our ſurety, as a publick perſon; ſo he rode in triumph into Heaven, ſits and ſhines there at the right hand of God in glory, as Head of the Church, of all his members that are by faith united to him; And they now de jure, Epheſ. 2.6. and de facto, hereafter, ſhall ſit down with him; as a Father he went to prepare and take up Heaven for the children God gave him to be brought unto glory; as ſoon as he has prepared them for it, he will receive them, that where he is (in heaven, in glory), they may be alſo, Joh. 14.3. There's both cauſaelitas efficientis & cauſae exemplaris, in the glorification of Chriſt the head, as to the glorifying of his members, 2 Cor. 4.14. Joh. 14.19, 20. And ſince he doth, all true believers ſhall ſhine out in glory.

p. 14Which glory is, 1. Chriſts purchaſe, he bought them for it, and it for them; and therefore prays for all believers with ſuch boldneſs and freedom, for ſuch a perfect Union with himſelf, as he had with the Father in happineſs and glory: 1. As God: 2. As man, in his humane nature united to the Divine: and conſequently, 3. As God-man in both natures united unto one, Joh. 17.20. That they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they alſo may be one in us. And the ground of his prayer we have, v. 4. becauſe he glorified God on earth by active and paſſive obedience,Heb. 10.7, 8. Phil. 2.8, 9, 10. vid. Zanch. in locum.Heb 10:7Heb 10:8Phil 2:8Phil 2:9Phil 2:10 and finiſhed the whole work God gave him to do in order to their Redemption, which is called, Epheſ. 1.14. The redemption of the purchaſed poſſeſſion: Being a redemption from all ſin and miſery, to an inheritance of life and glory, hardly procured, bought with his own precious blood.

2. 'Tis his gift; he purchaſed it upon no other account but this, that he lawfully might, and he will beſtow it on them, Joh. 10.28. I give unto them eternal life, in happineſs and glory. And ch. 17.22. The glory which thou gaveſt me, I have given them, that they may be one even as we are one. q.d. By infallible promiſe I have conveyed it, and by my laſt Will and Teſtament made it ſure unto them; upon their believing on me they have jus ad rem; and when I am come again they ſhall have jus in re; at their Reſurrection I'le ſee them take and have actual poſſeſſion of it.

Non dicit Templa ut ſignificet ita ſingulos eſſe Dei Templa, ut tamen omnes …num Dei Templum conſtitu…ant. Eſtius in loc.3. Becauſe they are (in part) ſanctified by the Spirit, they ſhall be (perfectly) glorified, their bodies (and their fou…s much more) are the Temple of the Holy Ghoſt, 1 Cor. 6.19. who is called the living God, 2 Cor. 6. Now God the Father will have his children, the Son, his members, the holy Spirit, his Temple, to be in Heaven, which he will beautifie and adorn for the habitation of the ever glorious one God, Father, Son, and Spirit, to live and dwell in for ever, 2 Cor. 6.17, 18. Rev. 21.3. Here in part are they filled with grace, inherent righteouſneſs the fruits of it, the fruits of the Spirit, and ſhall hereafter be perfectly fill'd with glory, as full as humane natures are capable. Then ſhall they ſhine, I had almoſt ſaid infinitely in glory, (and ſhould have ſaid ſo, but that I know they will remain creatures),Nec coelum aut Chriſtus patitur hyperbolen. I will ſay infinitely beyond the Sun. 'Tis but an hyperbole, and yet ſo mean, as is far ſhort of adumbrating the greatneſs of their glory. 'Tis a known ſaying of Plato, Could Virtue be ſeen with corporeal eyes, 'twould appear the moſt comely beautiful thing in the world. His Scholar ſpake the p. 15like of Moral Righteouſneſs. What's Grace?foreign. Ariſt. Eth. ad Nicom. l. 5. c. 1. in it ſelf the moſt amiable and glorious thing in the world, Pſal. 45.13. as it ſhines out of the hearts and lives of gracious perſons into the minds of other Saints, how great a luſtre doth it carry with it! Yet though always viſible, 'tis not always ſeen, many things intervening intercept its light. Oh how lovely! glorious! will all the graces of all the Saints appear in Heaven, when they ſhall all be in the flower expanded to the full in their foreign, full growth, and moſt abſolute perfection; for ſuch glory is. 'Tis nothing elſe but grace in its growth. Or all graces blown up by the bleſſed Spirit to the full▪ and ſhining out in perfection. Saints ſhall be perfectly ren…wed after the Image of God, whoſe light and glory mainly conſiſts, at leaſt appears, in his holineſs and righteouſneſs. Adam was a glorious creature till he had loſt the Image of God his righteouſneſs. Righteous perſons excel their neighbours: 1. They are glorious within, being created after Gods Image in righteouſneſs and true holineſs.Pſal. 16.3.Ps 16:3 2. They ſhine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life; but Oh how glorious! how excellent! or how excellently glorious are glorified Saints, who are the Temples of the Holy Ghoſt, filled in their capacities, enlarged to the utmoſt with the Divine, the Gracious, yea the moſt Glorious Preſence of God! They are made perfectly like Chriſt, who is the brightneſs of the glory of God, and the expreſs image of his perſon, Heb. 1.3. i. e. as much after the Image, and as perfectly like to the Son of God as is poſſible for the Almighty to make them to be, when he ſhall try his wiſdom, and put his laſt hand to the making of them ſo.

But I foreſee an Objection, which I will anticipate: Wherefore ſhould Saints that are ſanctified but in part, be ſo perfectly glorified? Why,

4. Out of Gods grace and favour,Ʋt ſit in nobis boni ſcintilla minima requiritur Dei potentia in operando, ut illud bonum qualecun que idoneos nos faciat ut reputemur interfilios ac haeredes regni requiritur paterna clementia in acceptando. Daven. in Col. 1.12. Quiſquis tibi numerat merita ſua, quid tibi enumerat niſi munera ſua. Aug. Conf. l. 9. c. 13.Col 1:12 becauſe they are foreign his Favourites. Though we ſpoke highly of their (Gratiae gratis datae, yet they are not gratos facientes, much leſs are they facientes gloria dignos, and ſo glorificantes, i. e.) Graces given to them, wrought in them, yet as they make them not accepted with God here, ſo not to be glorified by God hereafter. 'Tis God that accepts them here in the beloved, that glorifies them hereafter. They are righteous, 'tis by gracious acceptation; they ſhall be glorious, 'twill be by gracious Remuneration. Holy Auſtin writes ſome where to this p. 16effect: If a man ſhould live and ſerve the Lord a thouſand years, he could not by his ſervice of God all that time earn ſo much as one hour of the glorious reward in Heaven, much leſs an eternity of happineſs and glory: no, Death is the wages of the leaſt ſin, be it but an omiſſion of duty, or a neglect to perſevere in it, Gal. 3.10. And eternal life in glory in the gift of God through Chriſt, Rom. 6. ult. It's given to the righteous that work righteouſneſs, but neither for their being righteous, and having righteouſneſs in them, nor for their doing of it. They both are from free and meer grace, much more is the reward. Through the ſame grace it is that an eternal life in Heaven and happineſs in glory is the inheritance, lot and portion of the righteous, i. e. ſincere upright Saints according to the Covenant of grace, the precious and ſure promiſe of the Goſpel.

1. Well, Sirs, you believe this truth, then ſuffer the word of Exhortation. If you have been enlightened by the Word and Spirit, Mat. 5.16. Let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good works, and glorifie your Father in Heaven. 'Tis ſpoken of Miniſters whoſe concern chiefly it is to enlighten the places where they live by their Doctrine, holy conference and converſations; and they that ſee their good works by the Sermons they preach, and live, will glorifie God; but the Lords advice reacheth all.

If you truly deſire to ſhine, for ever to ſhine forth in glory, in the moſt high, moſt holy Heaven, the Holy of holies. If you have good hopes from your Regeneration by God the Father, Ʋnion with Chriſt, God the Son, and Sanctification of the Spirit, God the Holy Ghoſt, and the love, grace and favour of that one God bleſſed for ever, (from your being the children of God, by faith united to Chriſt, and alſo conſecrated, dedicated and ſet apart for God and holy uſes; and though but in part ſanctified, real and upright Saints ſhine as the righteous do. Not only before Saints. 'Tis true as to your ſincerity you can approve your ſelves only to God, as to your grace and holineſs only to Saints; from the trade you drive they may know your calling. Indeed as to particular acts, ſome Saints may be lyable to miſtakes as well as others concerning you, and thoſe particular acts of yours; but by your doing righteouſneſs giving God and man their due, 'twill appear there's ſome excellence in you, and your light will ſhine before men, Saints and ſinners.

What though ſinners are wilfully blind, and take no notice of p. 17that light of grace, holineſs and righteouſneſs which ſhines in your lives, but rather cenſure you as hypocrites. 'Tis not unuſual for the vileſt of ſinners to condemn the beſt of Saints as ſuch; when they dare not ſpeak againſt the principles of godlineſs they profeſs, and the accurate ways of Religion they walk in; Ah! if they did ſo in ſincerity! but I have heard ſo and ſo of them, they are a company of hypocrites. While their falſe and foul mouths cenſure you, let your holy lives condemn them; when they talk of your hypocriſie, more carefully look to your ſincerity. Conſider the Item which they give you, to have an eye to it. Alas! if not only men, but my own heart, and God himſelf, ſhould charge me to be an hypocrite!

Shine before men as to your good works. Let your graces, faith, hope, brotherly love, contentment in every condition, zeal for the glory of God, and the good of precious immortal ſouls, ſhine before Saints: they are things for Saints to judg of; and your good works works of Juſtice, Righteouſneſs, ſhine, before men, they are things that men may judg of. True, men can't judg of your having grace, or acting of it. Blind men cannot diſtinguiſh colours, only ſuch as have a ſpirit of diſcerning, and a ſpiritual judgment can do that; but men partly know by remainders of the light of nature, what honeſty, what plain dealing (a Jewel very rare and of great price) is; what works of charity are, and they expect that men who make the greateſt profeſſion of Religion ſhould be more juſt in their ways, and honeſt in their dealings, and when they ſee ſome profeſſors at ſome times fall ſhort herein, many preſently condemn them as to every other action, and the whole Community of Profeſſors for their ſakes. Yet ſome when they cannot but perceive a greater light ſhining in the lives of Profeſſors than of other men, will be induced thereby to glorifie God, who hath beſtowed more light and grace upon them.

But be they amongſt whom you live, what they will you; know, do your duty, Phil. 2.15, 16. So order your lives, as 1. you may be blameleſs, no man may juſtly complain of you. If ſome do, without a cauſe; regard it not, what though they cauſe others to do ſo, 'tis but at preſent, and ti…l they come to a full hearing and right underſtanding of your actions. And, 2. Harmleſs, i. e. yea, without will or power to hurt,foreign, without horns. which is the mark of the ſheep of Chriſt; or ſincere, without mixture of deceit or guile. Whereas the wicked (Bulls of Baſhan) have more power than authority, p. 18more will than power to harm; and being full of guile, will ſmile in your face when about to cut your throat; ſpeak friendly, when they are doing you the ſhrewdeſt diskindneſs. 3. In the midſt of an age of men that are crooked, full of windings and turnings, turn this way or that way according to their company; and perverſe or rather perverted; that once had better thoughts of the ways of Religion, but now are of another opinion, ('tis well if more be not perverted by the Devil's angels of light than are converted by Chriſts) ye ſhine as ſtars that retain and keep their light, Holding forth the word of life; Tit. 3.Titus 3for the grace of God that bringeth ſalvation, hath appeared to all men; teaching us, that denying ungodlineſs and worldly luſts, that we ſhould live ſoberly, righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world, looking for that bleſſed hope. As a moſt pious Divine ſaith,…. Burroughs, Moſes his Choice, p. 316. There may be Juſtice where there is only morality; there can be no Religion where there is not Juſtice. The Text tells you, the light of the ſalutiferous Goſpel more effectually teacheth ſobriety, juſtice and piety, than the light of Nature or Morality doth, without which there can be no looking for that bleſſed hope, the appearing of Chriſt and of our ſelves with him in glory, with any comfort. Will hopes of keeping up their credit in the world, of getting a little gain thereby, make men deal honeſtly, and ſeem righteous before men? Let hopes of eternal light, life and glory, make you do ſo, and be truly righteous before God If you have taken out that leſſon, Live like men; yea like men Evangelized, of which ſort I fear there are more of the poor than of the rich, as there were in our Saviours time. I could heartily wiſh the words of the forementioned Divine were imprinted on your memories, engraven on your hearts. When men talk ſo much of Godlineſs, and of Church Diſcipline, and others come to deal with them, they are ſo cunning, and will fetch over men, as well as any, as griping as any, theſe are burdenſome members to a Church, that wrong Religion; your injuſtice herein is a greater evil than the injuſtice of any man. The injuſtice of a moral man does not make men ſhie of dealing with all moral men; but injuſtice in you, makes men ſhie of dealing with any that make profeſſion of Religion,foreign. Naz. Orat. 1…. and to ſay none are ſo deceitful as they; and though that objection does come uſually from malice, yet it cannot be denied but thoſe that make profeſſion give too much advantage for it.

The truly righteous are the right Honourable; a Saints Coat of Arms ſhould be ſuch as that holy Martyr Mr. Hooper had when p. 19Inſtalled Biſhop of Worceſter, A Lamb in a Flaming-buſh with raies from Heaven ſhining on it. A Lamb for meekneſs, innocency, and profitableneſs in a Buſh burning, amidſt wicked men, brambles and thorns ſet on fire of Hell, and burning with malice: Yet,

1. Sweet influences of Heaven let out upon it; he hath the grace, and enjoys the conſolation of the Bleſſed Spirit. Now Heb. 13.20, 21. that you may be truly righteous, righteous before God; then you will ſhine forth here,

1. With a clear, a glorious light, ſuch a convincing light as may condemn the world of ſinners for their aberrations, and ſhame ſome Saints out of their deviations from the ways of holineſs and righteouſneſs, and encourage weaker Chriſtians to make a farther progreſs in them.

2. With your own innate light; as true Nathanaels, foreign. Joh. 1.John 1Jews inwardly, and not only in outward ſhow and profeſſion, as ſuch in whom there is no guile; then your converſation will be as the ſhining light, which ſhineth more and more unto the perfect day, Prov. 4.18.

3. With a conſtant durable light; in Heaven your light of glory will everlaſtingly ſhine before Saints; let your light of grace and holineſs on earth continually ſhine before men. To quicken you thereunto.

Conſider again and again, ſecurity of the Coeleſtial Kingdom, the glory of it, and the ſeaſonableneſs of the time when you ſhall there ſhine forth in glory, as you have heard.

1. It's a moſt ſafe and ſecure place: 1. By reaſon of its height, 'tis above, far out of the reach of ſcandals, ſuch as do offend and do iniquity, of all ſinners and perſecutors be they men or Devils. Luther being asked when many were engaged and enraged againſt him, and ſought his life, Where he thought he might be ſafe? replied▪ either (in one corner or other) under heaven or in heaven. I'le aſſure you, you will have little content,Nec Beatitud… eſſet ſi certu… non haberent ſ… ibi ſemper fu…turos nec vita… aeterna ſi mort… finiretur Lud Viv. in Aug. de Civ. Dei. lib. 12. c. 19 comfort and peace on earth, if your hopes and hearts be not much in Heaven; and they will never fix on Heaven, if your thoughts and affection be not ſet upon it. Every day caſt up an eye towards Heaven, and by the Teleſcope of your faith ta…e the height of it.

2. 'Tis a moſt holy place; after Saints have been in heaven upon earth, had much communion with God, and comfort, they fall into ſome ſin, and ſuch a condition that all their hopes of ever getting to heaven are in a manner loſt and gone. When God hath once p. 20ſeated you in heaven, you need not fear being plucked, or falling thence. Adam abode not in Paradiſe, Divines think, one day; ſome Angels that dwelt in heaven preſerving not their original excellency, ſoon left their habitation. But God takes his children to his houſe, that they may abide and dwell there for ever.

2. Take an exact obſervation, view the glory of it, 'tis the Kingdom of our Father, where he ſits in his Majeſty in glory. 'Tis ours, our own Inheritance, our Father prepared it for us before the foundation of the world Every morning, every evening, through the perſpective of the Word, contemplate Heaven; ſome mornings, Lords-days at leaſt, riſe before the Sun, look up through the Aereal to the Sidereal Heaven, and thus meditate: Yonder are the glorious Heavens, where God hath pitched a Tabernacle for the Sun; that glorious bridegroom comes out of his chamber, how doth he ſmile and rejoice to run his race from the end of the heaven, to the ends thereof. Through grace I ſhall hereafter be even in this body more glorious than that Sun. There's another, the Empyrean, the third heaven, the place of reſidence of the God of glory. Thither one day will he take me up to live for ever with himſelf in glory, my Redeemer is already gone thither, and ſits at his right hand in the glory of the Father. Oh the height of that heaven! 'tis infinitely higher than that inferior heaven whence the Sun comes forth to ſhine for a while, yet a little while and that Sun will be laid aſide and ſet, ſet once for all, and be and ſhine no more, when I with bleſſed Saints and Angels ſhall be with Chriſt and God, and ſhine with them in glory to all eternity. Oh the height of that heaven! 'tis infinitely above the reach of Perſecutors, of all the Devils, of all the Damned, they will never pluck them thence, out of the hands of Jeſus the Son of God; they can't pluck him out of the right hand of his Father, nor his Father from his Throne: Oh the holineſs of that place!

And when your thoughts and meditations have made you more ſpiritual, more holy, more heavenly, and to ſhine more in grace and holineſs that day; then at the evening, when ye look out of your doors or windows, or walk forth, behold and think how do thoſe Stars, an innumerable company, differ in glory, yet all gliſſen. What a vaſte reſplendent body is the Moon, each of the Planets! all the light they have was imparted to them by the Sun that ſhined in the day-time; all is nothing to the glory of Heaven. Oh the holineſs of the higheſt heavens! Where all the Stars, the Saints that p. 21ſhined as lights in the world, ſhall give forth their light, and ſhine as the Sun, and with light and glory imparted from the Lord Jeſus, the Sun of Righteouſneſs, ſhall ſhine out in the glory of the Father! How incomprehenſible (even to Saints, Angels, Chriſt himſelf as man) muſt the glory of the Father be that communicates ſuch light to Chriſt, Angels and Saints! This beſpangled firmament ſeems glorious,If in Heavens outward Court ſuch Beauty be, VVhat is the glory which the Saints do ſee! Herbert. 'tis not heaven, nothing like it, not like the floor and pavement of our Fathers houſe; 'tis an out-room, which ſhall be pulled down and burnt. Above, above, is the Preſence-Chamber, I long to ſee the King in his Beauty, in his Palace, and will through grace live as a child of God, and hold forth the word of life in my converſation.

3. Ponder upon the ſeaſonableneſs of the time, not now, but 1. at the Reſurrection day, when ſin, affliction, ſorrows,Ʋbi nulla crea…tura eſt cujus mutabilibus motibus tempo…ra perarantur tempora omnin… eſſe non poſſunt. Aug. d… Civ. Dei, l. 12▪ c. 15. ſhall flee away, and ſo forward, an inconceivable tract of time, Eternity, not meaſured by the duration of any creature, but of the ever-living God ſhall ye ſhine out. Think then, through the diſpoſition of the only wiſe God, ſome have their Sun-ſhine, others rainy and tempeſtuous ſeaſons all their days; ſay, what though I have been moſt, if not all my days diſeſteemed, yea contemn'd and ſcorned in the world, under many various long and ſore afflictions, and had ſmall comfort but in ſuffering with and for Chriſt! This is my lot and portion, Hereafter I ſhall reign with Chriſt, and be glorified. My Saviour once ſaid …o ſinners, this is your hour and the power of darkneſs. You have your authority by Divine permiſſion,foreign, Vid. Beza & Dicks in loc. and your Father the Devil, the Prince of Darkneſs, his Uſurpation by your high Court of Juſtice, to extinguiſh me the Sun of Righteouſneſs, the light of the world. 'Tis but an hour. The Church once ſaid, This is the day of Jacob's trouble. She is ſtill militant under the Croſs,Nubecula eſt & citò praetor ibit. Athan. eclipſed with a cloud. 'Tis but for a day, then more gloriouſly will her light ſhine forth. The Pageantry of ſinners will ſoon be over. They come on the ſtage, dazzle ſpectators eyes, the ſcene will alter, ſuch as acted the part of Nobles, e're long will appear as they are, meer Beggars, nay in a worſe condition, when called to account for what they profuſely ſpent on their luſt, and when thrown into Hell that moſt hideous priſon, from whence there is no redemption. Gen. 47.9. Cant. 1.6. Lam. 3.2. Mic. 7.8, 9, 10Gen 47:9Song 1:6Lam 3:2Mic 7:8Mic 7:9Mic 7:10In this vale of tears I ſit down and cry, Few and evil have my days been. The Church ſaid, Though I am comely look not upon me, I am p. 22ſcorched, Sun-burnt and much diſcoloured thereby. Nay, all my days have been one night. In perils oft, and too much in fears of them. 'Twill be day! what's this to eternal life! What's time to eternity! What's this moment to the five thouſand years paſt ſince the Creation! yet that and all the time that ſhall be, which the Lord only knows, till the end of the World, is nothing to Eternity; all that endleſs eternity ſhall I ſhine forth in glory.

2. At the day of Judgment, when ſcandals, they that do iniquity, ſome that created me much diſquiet and diſcomfort in the world, ſhall be caſt into Hell, ſhall all my ſorrow be turned into joy, and my diſgrace into glory. Let Antiochus be Epiphanes here, was not he eaten up of lice or worms? and will not that greedy worm of Conſcience,foreign, haec diſtantia praemiorum atque paenarum juſtos dirimens ab injuſtis quae ſub iſto ſole in hujus vitae vanitate non cernitur quando, ſub illo ſole juſtitiae in illius vitae manifeſtatione clarebit tunc profecto erit judicium quale nunquam ſuit Aug de Civ. Dei, l 20. c. 27. gripe, gnaw, and feed upon his ſoul to all eternity? Let Herod (for his gorgeous apparel) be moſt illuſtrious, had not he the ſame Exit? Act. 12 22, 23. But v. 24. The word of God grew and multiplied. Let Biſhops at Rome come forth in their Pontificalibus, and their Olympia's in gold and ſilver, in all their gallantry; and too many of our profeſſing Gentlewomen to their ſhame (for Ladies generally are more modeſt) in their apiſh French Modes and faſhions, they have little elſe to ſet themſelves out with. Was not Dives one day clothed in fine linnen, in purple, (clad in ſcarletrobes, which the ſumptuary Laws of the Romans allowed only the chief Magiſtrates to wear) the next in Hell? and when out of curioſity he had looked for, but found not Lazarus, did he not lift up his eyes and eſpy Abraham in Heaven, with Lazarus in his boſom, (in his lap, on his knee, leaning on his boſom) cheering him. Thou waſt as thy Saviour ſome time in the world, and receivedſt, didſt patiently take from the …ands of others, ſince thou laweſt the hand of God in it, and didſt not bring upon thy ſelf thine evil things; thou hadſt hard meaſure, ſcarce a rag to thy back, a cruſt for thy belly; yonder's one lies that had enough to ſpare, might and ought to have relieved thee, but had no heart to do it, he had more reſpect for his hounds than a child of God. Look! now he's in torments, thou art and ſhall be comforted for ever. Thy Father hath called thee into this his Kingdom of Heaven with everlaſting conſolation to comfort thee; here ſhalt thou ſhine in glory for ever. So ſhall ſhine when many Diveſes ſhall be caſt into Hell to be tormented for ever, weeping, wailing, and gnaſhing of their teeth.

p. 232. 'Tis time for me to beſeech the concern of your comfort at preſent, and future happineſs calls you to try whether ye be righteous, and ſhall be glorified.

1. Are you born of the Word, of the Spirit of God himſelf?

1. Of the Word; was you ever by the Goſpel read or preached, brought out of the Kingdom of Satan, the World, into the Church militant? Has the Word of God been the power of God to your converſion? Were you by any Miniſters preaching Chriſt, brought over to Chriſt, ſo as you gave up your ſelves and your heart, ſouls and bodies, to the Lords Anointed, the Meſſiah, the Chriſt, the great Prophet, the only King, Head and Saviour of his Body the Church, to be taught, governed and ſaved by him. How ſhall ye know this? why, 1. If you, v. 23. received the ſeed, the Goſpel into good ground, (I would not give you my own, much leſs other mens, but the Lord Chriſts characters of the Regenerate), i. e. you heard the Word and underſtood it, it made ſuch impreſſion, and took deep root in your hearts, as made you leave the world, and cleave to Chriſt with full purpoſe of heart, at leaſt to be as deſirous and ſollicitous to be Subjects of the Kingdom of Chriſt in grace, as to have a lot and ſhare with the righteous in the Kingdom of glory. You have known and learnt from the Word and Spirit, ſomething of Chriſt, of his Grace and Truth, and of the life and immortality that he brought to light by the Goſpel. Whereas the firſt, the worſt ſort of hearers are all ignorant, careleſs, willfully ignorant hearers, ſuch as hear the Word without attention, affect on, underſtanding; do not foreign, in their minds go along with the Word till they underſtand it, and get grace, ſpiritual light, and wiſdom by it; they reſiſting the motions of the good Spirit, God ſuffers the evil one to beguile them of it, by caſting vain, at leaſt unſeaſonable thoughts into their minds. God gives encreaſe to the conſcientious, careful, attentive hearer, which he denies to the careleſs and negligent, that will not attend and regard,foreign. Theod. Ep. but thinks to give the Miniſter the hearing is enough to ſtop the mouth of Conſcience, to ſave his credit with profeſſors, yea to ſave his ſoul, (ſuch a cheat he puts upon himſelf!

2. Are you born of the Spirit? how ſhall you clear that? why, if v. 23. you bear fruit, as good corn doth in a fertile ſoil, which grows and comes up in a hundred, where many ears ſpring from the ſame root; or ſixty, where fewer; or thirty, where the feweſt corns for one; as perſons are wrought upon by the Word and Spirit, p. 24ſome in and after hearing are made as much more ſpiritual in their thoughts, meditations, deſires, than others. And yet there are ſome that herein very much exceed them; yet all that are regenerate bear fruit, Act. 20.32. of the ſame kind and nature with the ſeed ſown; fruits of Grace reſembling the Spirit of Grace; gracious thoughts, deſires, purpoſes, reſolutions, ſpiritual meditations, holy affections, gracious words and diſcourſe, the fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22. Love, joy, peace, long ſuffering, gentleneſs, goodneſs faith; Conformity to Chriſt: which are fruits unto holineſs, Rom. 6.22. Good works, works of Piety, Religious acts, works of honeſty, righteous dealings, works of mercy and charity. In a word, all the fruits of righteouſneſs, Phil. 1.11. The Word works a wonderful change: 1. In their hearts: 2. In their lives and converſations; coming up like Iſaac's ſeed, Gen. 26.12. in ſome an hundred fold. Whereas the ſecond ſort of hearers by hearkening to the Word, get only ſome notional knowledg and underſtanding of it, and are much affected with it; they receive it with joy, yet taking no root in the heart, brings forth no fruit; though it makes impreſſion on their memories, ſtays long there, and on their affections, yet this is all the fruit, which is as good as none. They can only talk how well they liked ſuch a Miniſter, ſuch ſentences, Expoſitions, Expreſſions of his, (yet with the ſame breath they will ſpeak as evil of other Miniſters as well of them), they receive it into their ears and memories, not into their judgments, into their affections, not their hearrs. The affections of many are much wrought upon when their wills are not; elſe they would not run as ſome do from one to many ſeeking ſcratch for the Itch in their ears, & novelties to pleaſe their fancies, but would ſtay moſt where they might profit. The third ſort go farther, they receive the Word (though not in the love of it) and let it abide till it spring up in the blade in a fair profeſſion, ſuch a liking they have of it; yet there's no corn in the ear, no change in the judgment, heart or converſation; for the cares of the world, diſtracting cares about worldly concerns in proſperity, and the deceitfulneſs of deceitful riches, lying vanities, choak the Word; when tribulation or perſecution ariſeth becauſe of the Word, by and by are they offended, and let the Word go, rather than any part of their Eſtate, eſpecially if they eſpy any likelihood of gain that may accrew unto themſelves thereby.

But new-born babes muſt not be forgotten: 3. Are you born of God? partakers of the Divine Nature? then, 1. Do you lay p. 25up, caſting up all prejudice: (i. e. foreign Derelinguen…tes, verbum foreign in part ſenſu habemus, Ja… 1.21. Grot foreign Eſt conſilia arcana communicare, & in ſinum amicorum effunder Budaeus.by friendly communications acquaint your nurſing Fathers how corrupt you were) wherewith all carnal unregenerate perſons are clogged and do abound, viz. all malice, guile, hypocriſies, envies, evil ſpeakings. Do you deſire the milk of the word that ye may grow thereby. Where ſpiritual life is, there will be ſpiritual longings for ſpiritual food, for the preſervation and nouriſhment of it, for augmentation in each part, not only in the head with notions as in children which have the Rickets, ſuch are weak in their hands and feet, can't act or go one ſtroke heavenward. Do you relliſh moſt ſuch particular ſubjects concerning Grace, Chriſt, God in Chriſt, as your hearts were at firſt moſt wrought upon by? you'l think you can never hear enough of theſe Truths by which you had a taſte how gracious the Lord is: Sincere milk of the Word, that is not adulterated with humane inventions; pure Goſpel is ſpiritual, may not I ſay Angelical food; they long, bow down, that with their eyes fixed upon the Propitiatory, on Chriſt, they may look into the Goſpel which the Holy Ghoſt ſends down from heaven; See more of Chriſt and the grace of God, and get a ſip whereby they may be fed with light in their love, admirations and praiſes of God bleſſed for ever. The child of God can no more digeſt ſome mens quaint Orations, others ſublime Diſcourſes, than Auſtin could Tullies works where he found not the name of Jeſus. The end he propoſes to himſelf in hearing, is that he may grow in grace, the knowledg of Chriſt, conformity to him, ſpiritual and heavenly-mindedneſs, in likeneſs to God, holineſs in all manner of converſation, 1 Pet. 1.14, 15, 16. in abſtaining from fleſhly luſts, and having his converſation honeſt amongſt others, that God may be glorified. Conſider, 1 Pet. 1.4, 5, 6, 7.

2. Do you grow by the Word? But your growth being gradual and diſcernable rather by others than your ſelves, reſolve this queſtion.

3. Can you clear your Regeneration to your own ſouls by your living a new life and converſation? a new life in holineſs, which is called the life of God, argues a new, a Divine nature; he is born of God, that is a new man created after God, after his Image and likeneſs in righteouſneſs and holineſs of truth; compare your ſelves with Rom. 6.4. Eph. 4th. & 5th. Chapters. And Col. 3. newneſs of life and converſation is the beſt evidence of Regeneration. Ye did live like men, according to the courſe of the world, (in the age you live in) according to the Devil, in diſobedience, the luſts of p. 26the fleſh, and carnal mind, the fulfilling your manifold wills and pleaſures; do ye now live and walk like the children of God; i. e. in an holy awe of God, ſerving him with filial reverence, and out of love, in ways well pleaſing to him? Is your fear more to diſpleaſe God than man? your care to pleaſe him rather than your ſelves or others? you lived a careleſs ſecure carnal life; do you live a ſtrict, a ſpiritual life now? Ye were worldly, are you heavenly-minded, and your thoughts and affections ſet on the foreign, things of everlaſting concernments to your precious immortal ſouls. Ye lived in the commiſſion of ſuch ſins, the omiſſion or careleſs performance of ſuch and ſuch duties (your hearts tell you what Miniſters cannot, therefore ſpeak to you only in Generals), do you find through grace now ye dare not, do not, at leaſt, will not do it? Believe it, a change in the heart is beſt diſcerned by a reformation in the life; mens living another life than they did, whilſt in a ſtate of ſin, nature, and unregeneracy, both as to their leaving known ſins, and living in the practiſe of known duties.

2. Are ye righteous through reputation? after ye were wrought off from a courſe in ſin, to a conſtant courſe in duty, were ye brought off from reſting on your own righteouſneſs in careful abſtaining from ſin, performance of duty, to relye wholly on Chriſt and his righteouſneſs for Juſtification? All the children of God ſooner or later are brought over, not only from ſin to duty, but alſo from ſelf, and ſelf-righteouſneſs to Chriſt ▪ by faith united to, and ingrafted into him. They ſee their beſt ſervices are impure, imperfect, they need Chriſt and his righteouſneſs, ſo deſire, Phil. 3.9. They are brought to this at laſt, though it may be long firſt; faith in Chriſt, the ſeed of it may be wrought in regeneration, long before the perceptible acting and exerciſe of that grace, and (if you will call it ſo, the younger Twin) Repentance towards God gets the ſtart; for when man has been throughly convinced he has by ſin deſerved hell, (poor creature 'tis natural for him ſo to do) he ſeeks by a righteouſneſs of his own to climb up to heaven. We ſhould do duty as if we were to get to heaven by it; but truſt no more to it, than if we were to go to hell for it; for failings I mean in the performance of it. Do ye know, believe, ye were made ſinners, guilty, liable to eternal death, upon the ſpecial verdict of the Bleſſed Trinity on that righteous ſentence of the Law, the Covenant of Works, Gen. 2.15. by the diſobedience of the firſt Adam? and that ye can never be acquitted therefrom but through the obedience of p. 27Chriſt the ſecond Adam by your believing on him, and his righteouſneſs? have you had the ſenſe of that ſin, that guilt lying up on you, as much as the guilt of the want of original righteouſneſs, corruption of nature, of actual ſins of omiſſion and commiſſion? have you had a ſight of your need of Chriſt, of his perfect righteouſneſs, ſo as to apprehend it as that wherewith alone God is and can be well pleaſed and ſatisfied; and as that which is only ſufficient to juſtifie you in his ſight? Have you by faith applied and appropriated this righteouſneſs to your ſelves, and ſo truſted, i. e. hoped in Chriſt after ye heard this word of Truth? Epheſ. 1.7. This Goſpel of your Salvation, Epheſ. 1.12, 13. Do you lay the weight of all your confidence, all your hopes for Salvation, on this corner-ſtone Chriſt, God-man, on whom the Church is built? The more after Regeneration ye abſtain from ſin, perform duty, the more will you ſee ſin in your natures, lives, and the guilt of commiſſions and omiſſions; careleſneſs in the performance, if not neglects of duty, (you'l have leſs ſin, but more light, and ſo not have, but ſee more ſin in and by your ſelves) and the more your ſin, unrighteouſneſs, and the impurity and imperfection of your own righteouſneſs, the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, & the perfection of it are diſcovered to you, the more will ye go on from faith to faith, and live by it, Rom 16.17.

3. Are you righteous inchoatively, i. e. in part, ſome meaſure and degree purified and ſanctified by the Word, and through the Sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience? 1. Have you righteouſneſs inherent, gracious diſpoſitions, and habitual grace, the graces of the Spirit infuſed into and wrought in you? By theſe is the new nature clearly evidenced. The bleſſed God having created a new man, will not leave off his work till he hath made him a real and conſpicuous Saint; do you find, as a corrupt nature, remainders of indwelling ſin by evil diſpoſitions inclining you to that which is evil, ſo a ſanctified nature by gracious diſpoſitions inclining, byaſſing you to that which is holy, juſt and good? Do thoſe diſpoſitions the bleſſed Spirit moving you to frequent exerciſe? become habitual, Rom. 4.5, 6. & 7.14. to the end.

In the unregenerate and unſanctified ones, there are nothing but evil diſpoſitions, which the Devil helping on, grow up into evil habits, and ſtrongly incline them to that which is evil, to love it, and to do it. In the ſanctified, though there be corruption, yet there is grace; though there be remainders even of hypocriſie, yet there is truth of grace, and many gracious diſpoſitions infuſed by the Spirit, p. 28which by his mighty co-operation with the Word, grow into habits, ſtrongly ſet them againſt all evil, make them hate and abhor it, and byaſs them unto that which is good, making them to love it, Rom. 7.19. they would do that good which they do not, and would not do that evil which they do; whereas a ſinner, a wicked man, that good that he doth, he would not do; that evil which he doth, he would do, and he doth it in deſpight of God and man, and his own conſcience, very freely, very willingly, indeed with all his heart. Therefore,

2. Doth grace in your heart frequently ſhew it ſelf: 1. By your hatred of ſin; of every falſe way that appears to you by the light of the Word and Spirit ſo to be? And, 2. by your love to holineſs and righteouſneſs, and an univerſal reſpect to all Gods commands? is the firm and full reſolution of your ſouls, and your daily endeavour, to bring your hearts and lives into as near a conformity to the mind and will of God as poſſibly ye can. Though ye too oft fail in the doing of it, is it the deſire of your hearts and your endeavour to be as good, holy, righteous, as God would have you to be? weaker Chriſtians ſeeing many failings in their duties, much ſin in their hearts, little good done in their lives, conclude they are not regenerate, they ſhould diſcern and bewail that they are ſanctified but in part, and pray and ſtrive that they may be wholly. Had they not been regenerate, they could not have ſeen that ſin which they ſee, nor have done duty; and had they not been ſanctified, they could not have ſo hated ſin which they ſee,…atia haec di…na eò in …nditur electis … peragant …iones ordi…tas in finem …ae eternae, …quinas, Qu. …iſput. de Virt. …t. 10. foreign, is oppo… to foreign. and ſo loved righteouſneſs, as to be much troubled that they do ſo much of the one, ſo little of the other.

3. That ye may know whether you have not only gracious diſpoſitions, but habits, the graces of the Spirit in you, Chiefly have an eye to your work, buſineſs, and employment in the world. True, Paul did not ſome good that he would, did do ſome ſin that he would not; yet he did abſtain from much evil, do much good; Who ſo much as he? the weakeſt, pooreſt Saint does ſome good: that is not only his profeſſion but his trade, his calling. Ye cannot but know what work you have been doing, and done ſince you came into the world. What good have ye done in your places and generations? Joh. 5.28, 29. they that ſhould have minded things of concernment, did many frivolous things or actions that ſhould be done, but not aright according to Gods appointment; and many miſchievous acts ſhall ariſe to condemnation; and they which have p. 29done many and many a good act and deed, good for their kind, and the manner of their doing of them from good principles, and for right ends, ſhall ariſe to the Reſurrection of life, a life in glory; remember as much as ye can of your good actions. Try them by the Touchſtone; do you think they will abide the trial another day, at the day of judgment? Oh that there were a heart in all of you to do all that has been deſired in the ſight of God! then I am ſure you will.

4. Above all, try whether you have in all been upright and ſincere, and righteous before God: Do you give God his due, and to men theirs, and do both as under the eye, in the ſight of God? The Formaliſt gives God part, not his whole due, his body, not his ſoul; his cap and knee, but not his heart; he regards not God, and God regards not him. The meer Moraliſt will give man his due, he either reſpects or fears him, but will not give God his; he gives to God very little, if any at all; he cares but little for God, Ʋbi homo Deo non ſervit, quid in eo putandum eſt eſſe juſtitiae. Aug. de Civ. Dei.and God as little for him. The hypocrite pretends to give both God and man their due; carries it ſo as if he would have others think he doth it; but God ſees him, ſees he doth all to be ſeen of men, nothing as in the ſight of God, he hath his reward. Only the truly righteous gives (as well as he can) both God and man their due, and doth both as in the ſight of God; his eye is upon God, and to him God looks; him God approves, and will accept of notwithſtanding all his failings. One that is upright and ſincere, is righteous before God. By theſe plain characters you may diſtinguiſh him from an hypocrite:

1. In general, he is one that walks with, and before God, Gen. 24.40. & 48.15. through his whole converſation, which way ſoever he goes, and every ſtep he takes. More particularly,

1. He hath always an eye to Gods precepts, as Pſal. 16.8. He ſets the Lord always before him, that he may not be moved; ſo he ſets Gods commands before him that he may not be miſtaken or miſled. So he walks in the Law of God, in his ways, Pſal. 119.1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 30.97, 142. yea, v. 6. He has reſpect to all Gods commands; when he perceives a call to duty, a command from God, immediately in the fear of God, and the ſtrength of Chriſt, he ſets upon the performance of it, Gal. 1.15, 16. he ſtands not to confer and conſult with fleſh and blood, any man living, not the Apoſtles themſelves; they might wonder, ſuſpect him, ſo diſſwade him from preaching, v. 13. you have been a known notorious perſecutor, who dares hear, truſt you? who will believe you? or adviſe him p. 30in prudence to forbear a while, till Chriſtians were better ſatisfied concerning him. Hypocrites are much ruled by, they take for Doctrines and Canons the commands of men. 'Tis not the Will of God, but of others, or their own will, that is the rule they walk by. Have they at any time any reſpect to any of Gods Commands? They'l pick and chuſe ſuch as they can make to ſuit their humour, and ſerve their intereſt and reputation.

2. To the Lords Threatnings, Gen. 49. How can I do this, ſaith holy Joſeph, and ſin againſt God? If I ſhould do it, my Maſter may be angry, my God much more; Adulterers, God (that ſees them, though others ſhould never know of it) will judge. One that is upright, ſerves God with reverence and godly fear, as knowing that even our God is a conſuming fire, Pſ. 119.120. Ex. 1.15. That wicked King ſpake to the Midwives, his word was a Law, verſ. 16. ye ſhall kill the male Children of the Hebrews, or loſe my favour, your Office, or dye your ſelves, verſ. 17. but they feared God, that commanded, You ſhall not kill, and threatned, Gen. 9.6. if ye do, ye ſhall dye; and did not as the King commanded, but as God. They ſaved the Children, Acts 4.17, 18, 19. Dan. 3.15, 17. A real Saint fears God and the King; an Hypocrite ſtands only in ſome awe of the Civil Magiſtrates and the Laws, and his fear towards God is taught by the precepts and edicts of men. Eſ. 29.13. Whatever Country he lives in, he will be of the ſame Religion the chief Magiſtrate, and ſuch as are in greateſt power and authority are of; and will change his Religion, Opinions, Practiſes, as the times and the Laws in force change.

3. To the Lords Promiſes, Pſal. 119 166. on them his hopes for ſalvation hang: That he hopes for, and ſo doth Gods commands. He walks with God, becauſe that God has promiſed to be his God, who is Alſufficient, to make him happy here and for ever, Gen. 15.1. As Hypocrites fear men more than God, ſo they look to get more by pleaſing men than God; they look to what the World promiſes, to what their own hearts promiſe them. If they do as others, ſerve God, they ſhall get acquaintance, into credit, and gain thereby. Their care is not to ſerve God, but to make God and Religion to ſerve them; to ſerve themſelves of them. A Saints care is to pleaſe God, he looks for all from him, he looks on all creatures as broken Reeds, empty Ciſterns, as creatures that can do him no good without God. Through the Promiſe, he looks on God as God, as Almighty, Alſufficient, and verily believes, ſince God cannot lye, that he will lay out his Almighty Power and Alſufficiency, not only for his protection, but alſo his temporal, ſpiritual, and eternal good: So he walks with (as the Apoſtle renders the Word) pleaſeth God, that's all his care.

4. To our Lords Preſence, to Gods Alſeeing Eye; Phariſaical hypocrites, Matt. 6. do all to be ſeen of men; Pray in Market-places, blow Trumpets when they give Alms; their charity that fills the Bellies of ſome, ſhall fill the Ears of all. Come and ſee my zeal, ſaith Jehu! Did ever Moſes, Phinehas, or David, A real Sain… is one well known, not to the World, to God alone. foreign &c▪ G. Nyſſen, or de vito. S. P▪ Ephrem. Syri…or any of the Lords faithful, zealous Servants ſay ſo? No, an upright Saint delights in ſecret holineſs, and takes infinitely more content in being and doing good, than in being known to be and do ſo. There's many an Hypocrite that ſeems much better than he is; and many a poor Saint that is really much better than he ſeems to be. At all times he doth all to be ſeen of God, and is much in private duty, where he can be ſeen only of him that ſees in ſecret. He prepares his heart, and then, Pſal. 116.14. pays his Vows to our Lord before all his people; yea, as Jotham, 2 Chron. 27.6. he prepares his ways before the Lord his God, i. e. his counſels, deſigns, (State-affairs) and all his actions, as under Gods Eye, knowing God ſtood a ſpectatour overlooking him, an eye-witneſs obſerving him, a Judge that would call him to account. Paul, 2 Cor. 12.13. ſpake before God in Chriſt, he was not as many that corrupt the Word of God, but as of ſincerity, as of God, in the ſight of God ſpake he in Chriſt, 2 Cor. 2.17. So he commended himſelf to every mans Conſcience in the ſight of God, 2 Cor. 4.2. that his care of Souls in the ſight of God might appear to them, 2 Cor. 7.12. Sincere hearers preſent themſelves before God, Acts 10.33. He ſays not, we are preſent before thee. Some hearers, like Simon Magus, have hearts altogether corrupt, rotten, ſtark naught, not in the leaſt right with God. When he ſaw the Word of God prevail'd more than his Sorceries, got his Diſciples from him, and his Reputation was gone, he turns, hears for company, believes alſo, makes ſuch a profeſſion, as he was Baptized; his heart was ſet on the advantage he might have if he could Preach, and alſo procure from the Apoſtles the faculty of giving the Holy Ghoſt. Others have hearts like Amaziah, not perfect, 2 Chron. 25.2. not perfectly ſound and ſincere; ſuch will fall away as he did, verſ. 14. The Apple you find under the Tree looks well, look wiſhly, and you'l perceive ſome ſpecks within, and ſee 'tis rotten at the Core. p. 32How gallantly did Joaſh demean himſelf as a Religious Prince, a zealous Reformer! he did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord, all his days, i. e. all the days of Jehoiada, all his days wherein he inſtructed him, 2 Chron. 24.3. 2 Kings 12.2. His Tutor, a godly man, had an eye to him, and upon him, and he an eye to his Tutor, a reſpect for him, and thence did that which for the matter of it was right in the ſight of the Lord; in a good mood was more forward and zealous in repairing the Houſe of God than his Tutor, verſ. 4.5, 6. chides him; but, verſ. 17.18. as ſoon as Jehoiada was dead, out of ſight and hearing, he fe…l to his own Courſe and Bias again, his eye being only to the Lords people; and the Lords Miniſter, though he did what was right in the ſight of God, his heart was not right with God; he took up the Religion of the fawning Princes of Judah, That was more for his turn, his intereſt now. But would he not repent if any of the Lords Miniſters would boldly tell him of his backſlidings? No, many did, verſ. Da Pulchra Laverna, Fallere da Juſtum, …anctumq, vide…i, Horat.18.19. them he regarded not. Jehoiada's own Son did, and he gave expreſs order they ſhould Stone him. So, many are righteou… before men, that godly Miniſters, good people may have a great opinion of them; they carry it cunningly, whilſt godly Miniſters, Parents, Friends, Acquaintance live; yet are Hypocrites and groſs Diſſemblers before God.

5. But the occaſion calls louder upon me than the time, and conſtrains me to be thus abrupt, (to omit the remainder of this, and the uſe of conſolation, which will take up another S…eet, and may come to your view.)

There…ore ſtay, Sirs; Ye that have heard Mr. Charnock Preach, yea, if there be any ſuch here, that firſt gave your own ſelves unto the Lord, then unto him by the will of God, ye will hearken, ye will be exhorted and prevailed with.

Is it? Is it not? I know it is, your hearts deſir, to be received into the Kingdom of your Father, and be perfectly glorified: Let it be your conſtant care and endeavour to be found ſtill amongſt the righteous, to ſhine in grace, in holineſs and righteouſneſs, in light and love, faith and new obedience; above all, in uprightne… and ſincerity. Be ye righteous before God, in his All-diſcerning eye, not only in your own, or other mens eyes, which may ſoon, eaſily be dazed, blinded, and ſo deluded by you. At your leaſur… weigh theſe Scriptures, 1 Theſ. 4.1, to 10. Luke 1.75. and 1 Theſ. 3.12, 13.

p. 33Thus ye will Embalm the Deceaſed, put him in the beſt Repoſitory, and preſerve in your minds his Remains. Ye are to eternize the name of that Reverend and Excellent Divine, your faithful Paſtor, Mr. Stephen Charnock, a name of precious and eternal memory; ye are to follow his faith, to walk in the way of righteouſneſs: you ſaw how he went before you. My obſervation of his walking, growth, and perſeverance in the way that is called Holy, makes me conclude, that he was,

1. A ſincere Convert, born of the Word and Spirit, the ſeed of Grace and Righteouſneſs ſprang up betimes in his heart. The Deed of Gift, or rather Copy of it, which ſhewed his title to Heaven, I believe periſhed with his Books in Londons flames; and I have forgot the particular places of Scripture, by which he was moſt wrought upon, which were there inſerted. That it was pure Goſpel is evident (whatever any (that heard him not) may think or have heard of his Preaching but Morality or Metaphyſicks) in all his Sermons, Prayers, Converſation, Goſpel-light appeared to each that had any thing of the ſpirit of diſcerning, and Love did abound more and more in knowledg, in all judgment and experience. How would he deeply ſearch into, and prove things that differ (which many others at firſt view would well approve of) and allow only what he found pure and excellent, whereby he might make himſelf, others ſincere, without offence, and to be filled with the fruits of righteouſneſs.

For this I had him in my heart, at my firſt acquaintance with him in Cambridge, Thirty ſix years ſince; I found him one that, Joſiah-like, had turned to the Lord with all his heart, all his ſoul, and all his might, and none like him; which did more endear him to me. How had he hid the Word of God, in a fertile ſoyl, a good and honeſt heart, which made him flee youthful luſts, and Antidoted him againſt the infection of youthful vanities! His Study was his Recreation; the Law of God all his delights. Had he it not, think ye, engraven on his heart? He was as choice, circumſpect and prudent in his election of Society, as of Books to converſe with; all his delight being in ſuch as excelled in the Divine Art of directing, furthering, and quickening him in the way to Heaven, the Love of Chriſt and Souls. Moſt choice he was of the Miniſters that he would hear; what he learnt from Books, Converſe, or Sermons (that which affected and wrought moſt upon him) he prayed over till he was delivered into the form of it, and had Chriſt, p. 34Grace and the Spirit formed in him. True, he had been darkneſs, and then (he ſaid) full of doubtings, fears, and grievouſly peſtred with temptations. 'Tis in the night the ugly Serpent crawls forth; alas, he was to be trained up, as he might counſel and comfort others; but God vouchſafed to dart ſuch raies into his heart, as gave the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face, the perſon of Jeſus Chriſt. So was he made light in the Lord, and believing on Chriſt, and God in him, filled with inward peace and comfort.

foreign. Clem. Alex. Strom. lib. 6.2ly, He was a ſound Believer, and oft ſaid he eſteemed his own righteouſneſs as none at all, nor would he be found in it; 'twas impure, imperfect, defiled, ſtain'd like a menſtruous cloth. All his deſire was to be found in Chriſt, and arrayed with the fine linnen, clean and ſhining, the righteouſneſs of the Saints. One excellency of this excellent Divine lay in his knowledg, belief of, and the ſoundneſs of his judgment, to clear unto the underſtanding of others fundamental Truths, viz. concerning the firſt Covenant, the apoſtacy and defection of our firſt Parents, (by which term the Fathers in the Primitive times judiciouſly delight to delineate the fall of Adam, and ours in him.) The firſt promiſe that foreign, concerning Chriſt the ſeed of the Woman, and that before the Judiciary ſentence paſt; The Covenant of Redemption, the New Covenant of Grace (which filled up the greateſt room in his head, heart, meditations, prayers and diſcourſes) the nature of Original ſin, want of original righteouſneſs, corruption of nature, impoſſibility of being juſtified by the Law, by Works, Juſtification by Chriſt, by faith in him, the ſufferings of Chriſt, Regeneration, &c. and the love of God in all.

How oft have we found him (as if he had lately been with Paul caught up into the third Heaven, and heard unſpeakable words) magnifying and adoring the mercy, love, and goodneſs of God, the freeneſs, and the riches of his Grace, in giving the promiſe before the ſentence, giving Chriſt, righteouſneſs and faith in him? Oh! ſaid he oft to this effect, the grace of God! the freeneſs and exceeding riches of his grace, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he hath loved us! he was pleaſed to make us veſſels of grace and mercy, when he might have made us veſſels of wrath! That ever the Lord ſhould have thoughts of mercy on ſuch ſinful creatures, ſuch vile wretches, worſe than worms or Toads! They have poyſon in them, but no enmity againſt God. Oh that God p. 35ſhould give his Chriſt for us, to us, and faith in Chriſt, both work it, and preſerve it in us!

Yea, he was one that lived by faith, and he is gone to receive the end of it, the ſalvation of his ſoul.

3ly, He was no Solifidian, but being ſanctified in part,foreign. Clem. Alex Adm. ad Gent. p. 167 truly righteous: 1. Having infuſed habits of grace and righteouſneſs in him, light and love, faith and hope, inclining him to walk in new obedience, and worthy of the Lord unto all pleaſing.

1. Knowledg, without which the heart is not good; he knew the grace of God in truth, and through grace had treaſured up a large ſtock of ſaving, ſolid, practical, experimental knowledg, which furniſhed him with great abilities, not only to convince gain-ſayers, which crept in as new lights, of their broaching old errors; but (wherein he did moſt delight) to give knowledg and diſcretion to weaker Chriſtians, and to illuminate and inſtruct the righteous. Many able Miniſters loved to ſit at his feet, for they received by one Sermon of his thoſe inſtructions, which they could not get by many Books or Sermons of others. His heat and zeal for the honour of God, and the good of ſouls, was proportioned to his light; he was as much a burning, as a ſhining light.

2ly, As for his ſparkling love, he had bowels of compaſſion for ſinners to ſnatch them out of the flames, and for Saints to direct them into the love of Chriſt, of holineſs and righteouſneſs.— I need not ſpeak unto you of his Preaching: How oft went he to children of light walking in darkneſs, to cheer and revive them with cordials, wherewith the Lord had uſually refreſhed him! This great Phyſician of ſouls had great practice, and was rarely found out of his ſtudy, where he was commonly immured five days in the week, twelve hours each of thoſe days. (I will not ſay as ſome, to make one Sermon, I know he had other work there); unleſs gone to viſit and relieve his Patients.

3. For his Hope, he might appeal to God and ſay with David, Pſal. 119.16…Ps 119:16Lord, I have hoped for thy ſalvation; the great and glorious, the promiſed rewards, eternal life and glory; and ſo have done thy commandment, as the righteous have; he had hopes in his death. 'Twas his longing deſire, and his hopes were that he ſhould ſhortly be in that ſinleſs eſtate in Heaven, where there is the foreign, the perfection of grace and holineſs. Hypocrites fancying ſomething they know not what of the glory and happineſs of that place, I believe ſometimes have deſires to go to Heaven when they die, and hopes p. 36they ſhall go, thinking themſelves too good for hell, and better than many others; but ſure they would reach and purſue more after holineſs and perfection, were their deſires after, and hopes for Heaven real and ſincere: but as to Mr. Charnock, theſe gracious diſpoſitions inclin'd him,

1ly, To love righteouſneſs, to cheriſh, countenance, and encourage holineſs, and to hate iniquity, to reprove ſin where he found it, thou…h in his deareſt friends (imitating his Father in Heaven, who is not only an all ſeeing God that eſpies ſin where ever it is, but ſo holy, pure and perfect, that he hates ſin where ever he finds it), yet his reproofs never brake the head, but heal'd the heart, went down ſmoothly like precious oyl, being compounded of ſuch ingredients, much Chriſtian meekneſs, prudence, compaſſion, love as well as zeal. Yea,

2. Grace in the heart ſet his hands at work, the work of righteouſneſs, made him only mind that work, and ſo much abound in it. Should you bring me many eminent Saints, choice Miniſters, yet I believe I may ſay without adulation, Mr. Charnock did labour more than them all. I am ſure (though I do not particularize them) his works will be had in remembrance, and praiſe him in the gates.

So I queſtion not but the Lord did accept him, 3ly, As Righteous in his own eye; though I ſay, it may be you obſerved ſome failings in him. That which I wiſhly looked for, and am perſwaded I found in him; (for ſo far as 'tis in man to judg, it ſeemed to me the moſt ſparkling Jewel in the Crown of Glory which he wore upon his head) was ſincerity; he would give God his own, himſelf, ſoul and body a living and an acceptable ſacrifice, his whole heart, his life, which he ſpent in the ſervice of God, and of the faith of his people, (I remember (if I miſtake not) ſomething he reply'd to one that told him, If he ſtudied ſo much, 'twould coſt him his life; to this effect. Why! it coſt Chriſt his life to redeem and ſave me▪ ) His time, which he husbanded beſt to that end; his Talents, Parts, Gifts and Graces. He was careful to watch over his heart, that he knew too well to truſt, and againſt ſpiritual pride. 'Twas apparent he had frequently been with God in the Mount eſpecially at Sacram…nt-ſeaſons (when Chriſt is as it were transfigured, lively crucified before his people, and looks with a moſt amiable countenance, white and ruddy) his face then, and after his converſation, ſhone in hol…n…ſs; yet ſuch was his humility, he himſelf took no notice of it, though others did obſerve it with admiration; he would adhere to p. 37Chriſt, obſerve his Ordinances according to his preſcription. And his main care was always to worſhip God in ſpirit and in truth.

2ly, As to himſelf he watched and kept his garments, as he kept himſelf unſpotted from the world.

3ly He gave others their due; one inſtance whereof, he was a Preacher of Righteouſneſs. He, or rather Chriſt in him by the bleſſed Spirit preached in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, ſometimes to ſuch as would not be perſwaded. But,

4ly, Eſpecially to his Flock, whether many others came flocking like Doves unto the windows, that he might better fulfill this righteouſneſs of his Office. He did foreign, which as Plato affirms, foreign, or rather as the Apoſtle exhorts, he did ſtudy to be quiet, and to mind and do his own buſineſs; and all his care was to work out the ſalvation of himſelf, and of his people.

Indeed not long after he had received light himſelf, when the Lord by his bleſſing on his endeavours had qualified him for it, ſuch, ſuch was his love, he gave forth light unto others, inviting them, and ſaying, Come and ſee Jeſus.

1. In Southwark, where ſeven or eight in that little time Providence continued him there, owned their converſion under God to his Miniſtry, and were the ſeal and Letters Teſtimonial thereof. Then in the Univerſity of Oxford and adjacent parts. After in Dublin, where it might be ſaid of his, as it was of the Lords preaching in the land of Zebulon, The people which ſat in darkneſs ſaw great light: and to them which ſat in the region of the ſhadow of death light ſprang up.

And laſtly, in this great City, where his ſphere being not ſpacious enough for ſo great a light, was enlarged. Here he intended to have given forth a compleat body of Divinity; but alas! after he had demonſtrated the Being and Exiſtence of God, this Sun ſet before he had gone over half of his tranſcendent Excellencies and Perf…ctions.

The laſt ſubject he treated on and finiſhed, was the Patience of God. He was looking what to ſay next of the Mercy, Grace and Goodneſs of God, which he is gone to ſee and to admire; for he found that which he moſt looked and longed for, The mercy of our Lord Jeſus unto eternal life in heaven, where he ſhines now.

Indeed all the while he was upon the Attributes of God, he moved with that extraordinary ſtrength and celerity, 'twas an argument p. 38of his near approach unto his center,foreign. Clem. Al. l. 6. …. 667. his everloſting Reſt; and if it be true, as ſome ſay, that the Soul doth prominere in Morte, his words were too true Predictions, and from his Soul, when he ſaid that concerning Divine patience would be his laſt Sermon, which the Lord grant may prove Salvation to all that heard him. Let me adviſe you, dry your eyes, he is tranſlated to Heaven to ſhine forth.

Here your Timothy was ſomething obſcured by manifold infirmities, a crazy Body, weak Eyes, one dark, the other dim; a Hand that would ſhake ſometimes, an infirm Stomack, an aking Head, a fugitive memory, which after it had failed him ſometimes, he would never truſt again; but verbatim, pen'd and read all his Notes; whereas till of late years, in Preaching he never look'd within them: more by a little Paſſion or choler, which through grace he turned into the right channel: moſt of all by foul and falſe Aſperſions caſt upon him, as if he was Melancholly, Reſerv'd, Unſociable; to which, all his acquaintance will give a character of him diametrically oppoſite. How cheerful, free, loving, ſweet-diſpoſition'd was he in all Companies where he could take delight! He was their Love, their Delights.

Well, your Stephen has ſeen the Glory of God, and Jeſus at his right hand, in the Glory of the Father, and now he ſhines forth as a Star, as the Sun it ſelf for ever and ever. I know it, the Word of God is Truth, They that turn many to righteouſneſs, ſhall ſhine as the ſtars for ever, Dan. 12.3.

As a Learned Rabbin comments upon the Words, They that in their life-time followed the righteouſneſs of God, and were the adjuvant cauſes to make others to work and do righteouſneſs, ſhall attain to a more eminent degree of light and glory from the brightneſs of the Shechinah, R. J. Jachiades in Dan. 12.3. cum Verſion. Conſtant. …empereur.Dan 12:3or the Divine Preſence, and their faces ſhall ſhine as the face of Moſes did, when he had been long fed with, and lived upon the Divine-light, and that for ever; for they ſhall ſin no more, as here, as oft as they ſinned, they loſt degrees of the excellency of their dignity; but ſhall with an abſolute perfection be made perfect: Then alſo, whatever did let and oppreſs their ſhining forth, viz. the Captivity (we may ſay Temptations to ſin, or their being in part carnal and ſold under ſin) Satan, and the evil figment, or remainders of corruption ſhall ceaſe.

And you know that your Sun which is now ſet, did follow after holineſs, and rejoyced as a ſtrong man, a Giant to run that race; p. 39the light of his Doctrine was pure, perfect, ſure, right, enlightning the eyes, converting the ſoul, making wiſe the ſimple, and rejoycing the heart.

Your Teacher was, though not a perfect man, a perfect Miniſter, thorowly accompliſh'd by the Spirit and the Word of Truth, the Old and New Teſtament (I never in all my life knew any that had attained near unto that skill he he had in both their Originals, except Mr. Thomas Cawton) unto all thoſe four good works of the Miniſtry, 2 Tim. 3.16.

1. Doctrine, i. e. clearly to Expound, 1. the Promiſe,The Credenda & Agenda. 2 Tim. 1.13.2 Tim 1:13 the Covenant of Grace, the Goſpel. 2. The Law, and ſo to Preach over the Apoſtles whole Syſtem of Divinity, Faith and Love, which is in Chriſt. In this which is the only true Divinity, he was a moſt judicious, ſolid and ſound Divine. As for,

2. Reproof; he was an able and an Orthodox Divine, a Profeſſor in Divinity, able to convince of every ſin, to refute every error, to demonſtrate the foreign, of each Antichriſtian, or other falſe opinion.

3. For correction and reſtauration of any that through infirmity or temptation had fallen into ſin to the wounding of his Conſcience, he was an excellent Caſuiſt, a moſt experimental Preacher, a moſt diſcreet and experienced Divine.

4. For inſtruction in righteouſneſs; he knew the way to Heaven, and how to conduct and take his Hearers along with him. He was a moſt Powerful and Practical Preacher. He was ſo, but now he is not.

He is not ſo to you.—All that I ſpeak, I ſee doth but renew your grief: but moderate your ſorrows; Yea, ſorrow not. Read what Dr. Bates in his Funeral-Sermon on Dr. Manton cites out of Chryſoſtom, pag. 47. yea, read the Text, 1 Theſ. 3. from v. 13. to the end. Mr. Charnock his ſoul is gone, his body will be raiſed to be for ever with the Lord.

You'l ſay you weep for your ſelves: truly, well you may; yet think not becauſe he hath left you, that you are left of God. I own it, your loſs is ſo great that it cannot be repaired but by God himſelf. Continue in Prayers, that God would pleaſe to raiſe you up a Paſtor, by whoſe Miniſtry you may be called more and more effectually to the obtaining of the Glory of our Lord Jeſus Christ.

Were I to ſpeak to Mr. Charnock's people, I ſhould beg of them to be moſt circumſpect and prudent in calling one to eſtabliſh you; p. 40if they could meet with, to chuſe ſuch a one as he was, a powerful Preacher, a good Caſuiſt, a judicious Divine, a Doctor, yea, Profeſſor in Divinity. I know not what more to adviſe; pray I will, ſince a Chariot of fire hath parted Mr. Charnock and you, that a double portion of his Spirit may be, and reſt on him whom the Lord ſhall chuſe, and direct you to pitch upon, to ſucceed him, that whilſt you are crying, my Father! my Father! the Chariots of Iſrael, and the Horſemen thereof! the enemy may not purſue your Souls, break in upon, rout, ſcatter and divide, and ſo ruine you and your Congregation. Amen! Amen!

FINIS.

End of the text · John Johnson, The Shining Forth of the Righteous (1680)