Jesus and the Resurrection Justified by Witnesses in Heaven and Earth, Part 2 · Chapter 8

Jesus and the Resurrection Justified by Witnesses in Heaven and Earth · Part 2 · Chapter 8

p. 249CHAP. VIII. Concerning the Teſtimony of the HOLY GHOST, the Third Witneſs in Heaven.

NOW I proceed to examine the Teſtimony which the Third Witneſs in Heaven gave concerning this future ſtate; which is the HOLY GHOST, the Third Perſon in the Bleſſed Trinity. Who openly aſſures us, by as many ways and by the ſame means, that we have eternall Life in Chriſt Jeſus, as he did that Jeſus is the Son of God. And, that I may not be tedious in a buſineſs wherein we have already received ſuch ſatisfaction, let us take but a ſmall taſte of thoſe three Teſtimonies of the Holy Ghoſt, which I alledged in the former Treatiſe.

I.

And firſt, you know that there was a viſible appearance of the HOLY GHOST at our Saviour's Baptiſm: when the Divine p. 250Glory came down from heaven, and reſted on him in the ſight of John the Baptiſt; whereby he was perſuaded that this was the Meſſiah, the King of Iſrael. And if we carefully enquite into it, we ſhall find it to have been as clear a Witneſs, that it is in his power and in his purpoſe to give Eternall Life to all his faithfull ſubjects.

I. For firſt, the very end of its appearing was to inveſt him with the higheſt office and dignity; which from this time he took upon him and exerciſed, whereas before he had lived as a private perſon. So you reade x. Act. 38. that he was anointed with the Holy Ghoſt and with power. Which being a ceremony whereby Kings are created, we are to underſtand that by the coming down of the HOLY GHOST he was appointed our Lord and Sovereign: one part of whoſe office is, to beſtow rewards on thoſe that doe him good and faithfull ſervice. Now his Kingdom not being of this World, as he profeſſed, and as was apparent by his life and death; and yet he conſtantly aſſerting that he was a King, and exerciſing ſeverall acts of Royall Authority, as I have formerly proved; we muſt conclude, that by this p. 251Ʋnction he was deſigned to be a King in the heavens: where he diſpoſes of all places and preferments, and will promote all his loyall ſubjects to the greateſt honours and dignities.

There is no reaſon to doubt of it, for the Glory of the Lord which at his Baptiſm deſcended on him, ſo as it had never done on any man, was the Seal, or, if you will, the Crown of God upon him; which markt him to be the Lord of Glory, from whom we may expect the bleſſing of Eternall Life. The very opening alſo of the Heavens, at the deſcent of the HOLY GHOST upon him, ſignified as much, (as St. Chryſoſtom thinks,) and was a plain declaration of the exceeding great favour of God towards us. Who now open'd to us, as he ſpeaks **Homil. xii. in Matthaeum., foreign, thoſe gates above; and ſent the Spirit from thence to call us to our celeſtiall Country: and not ſimply to call us, but with the greateſt prerogative: for he hath not made us Angels and Archangels, but making us the Sons of God and his beloved Sons, ſo he draws us to that heavenly portion.

p. 252II. Which we may with the greater confidence expect, becauſe the HOLY GHOST, as I obſerved heretofore, not onelyonly came down upon him; but reſted, or took up its abode in him. It did not onelyonly overſhadow him, as the Glory of the Lord did the bleſſed Virgin; but deſcending on him ſettled it ſelf in him as its habitation: inſomuch that every day one might ſee the Glory of the Lord ſhining in him. Thus John Baptiſt, who was a carefull obſerver of it, relates in i. Joh. 32, 33. where he twice takes notice of the abiding and the reſting of the HOLY GHOST with him. In which Iſaac Abarbinel himſelf, in xi. Iſa.a known enemy to Jeſus, confeſſes the excellency of Chriſt's prophecy conſiſts; This being one of the Ten privileges which the Meſſiah, he ſaith, ſhall be indued withall, that the Spirit of the Lord ſhall reſt upon him. xi. Iſa. 2. So it did upon our Saviour, (as an undoubted Prophet teſtified,) in whom all the fulneſs of the Godhead dwelt bodily: and therefore He muſt needs have Life in himſelf; and out of his fulneſs, as St. John ſpeaks, we may expect to receive grace for grace.

p. 253For he that bad John baptize, you may farther conſider, told him, that this perſon who had the HOLY GHOST not onelyonly deſcending on him, but reſiding in him, was He that ſhould baptize men with the Holy Ghoſt. Be a King, that is, in the heavens, and have all power committed to him; as he would demonſtrate by ſending the Holy Ghoſt upon others, as now it came upon him. And till that time came, it was as viſible as the Light wherein the HOLY GHOST appeared, that it did inhabit in him, by the conſtant ſenſible effects of his Divine power every-where. St. Luke, as I obſerved in the Firſt Part, remembers how he returned immediately from Jordan, where he was baptized, full of the Holy Ghoſt. iv. Luk. 1. As was manifeſt, not onelyonly from a number of miraculous operations, but from the no-leſs wonderfull wiſedom whereby he ſpake, and opened the ancient Oracles of God. For to this end alſo he was anointed, (and herein he exerciſed the authority of a King,) as the very firſt place of the Propheticall Books which he expounded clearly tells us. iv. Luk. 18, 19. Where you may note, that the great buſineſs for which he was p. 254anointed by the Spirit was, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. The time of grace, that is, wherein the good will and pleaſure of God was ſhewn to the world; which conſiſts principally in giving remiſſion of ſins, and eternall Life. This he came to proclaim and publiſh with the power of the HOLY GHOST; having all thoſe divine gifts, mentioned in xi. Iſaiah, to qualify him for this high office: four of which belong to the Mind, (and was well repreſented by that luminous body which came down upon him at his Baptiſm,) and one to the Will, and another to the power of action; viz. Wiſedome, Ʋnderſtanding, Counſel, Might, Knowledge, and the Fear of the Lord. He was able on all occaſions to ſpeak moſt divinely, to teach as one that had authority, to evade all the ſecret plots which his adverſaries had upon him, to ſearch into their very hearts and deſires, to ſhew the ſtraight way to that bliſs which he preached, to foil all the power of the Enemy, and to raiſe even the dead to life again. Which were evident demonſtrations that the Spirit of the Lord reſted on him, and made him the greateſt Prophet that ever was; not onelyonly the Preacher, but the Giver of ETERNALL LIFE.

p. 255III. For as by this power of the Holy Ghoſt it was manifeſt he had Life in himſelf; ſo God's intention to give this Life to us was apparent from the manner of its deſcent; which is ſaid to have been like a Dove. The phraſe, indeed, is dubious, and may ſignify onelyonly, that this glorious Body which came down from heaven was, in its deſcent or falling, like the coming down of a Dove with its wings ſpred abroad. Yet ſince St. Luke ſaith that it came in a bodily ſhape; and the Church, though the words do not neceſſarily inforce it, hath thus underſtood it; we may moſt probably conclude, the word Like hath relation not onelyonly to the coming down, but to the Dove it ſelf: telling us, that the form or figure of this celeſtiall glory which now appeared, carried the reſemblance of that creature.

Now to think that this form was aſſumed without any deſign at all, would be very contrary to common reaſon: which leads us rather to conceive, that God would ſhew, at the very firſt entrance of our Saviour upon his office, by this known emblem of meekneſs and love, what great favour and kindneſs he intended to ſhew p. 256to mankind; and with what a tender ſpirit of gentleneſs and ſweetneſs our Lord ſhould exerciſe the Miniſtry committed to him, towards the poor, and the broken in heart, and the miſerable captives, to whom he preached the acceptable year of the Lord. Or elſe, as St. Chryſoſtome's words are, He remembers us hereby of the old hiſtory. For the whole World being once ſhipwreck'd, and humane kind being in great danger to be totally loſt, this Creature appeared with an Olive-branch in her mouth, and brought them glad tidings that the tempeſt was over, and that there was now an univerſal calm. foreign, All which things were a type and figure of what was to come. For now when the affairs of mankind were in a worſe condition, and they were all in danger of a ſoarer puniſhment, the unſpeakable grace of God in our Saviour ſteps in for our reſcue. And therefore a Dove appeared again, not bringing an Olive-branch, but ſhewing us our Deliverer from all evill, and adminiſtring unto us good hopes. For it doth not bring merely one man and his family out of danger, but appeared to lead all the world to heaven; and, in ſtead of an Olive-branch, brought the adoption of Sons to all mankind. And p. 257where the dignity of this adoption is, there is the deſtruction of all evill things, and the gift of all things that are good. To the ſame purpoſe ſpeaks Theophylact, who contracts his ſenſe in fewer words. As the Dove brought to Noah the news that the waters of the floud were gone; ſo now the HOLY GHOST brought the joyfull news of the doing away of Sin. There was an Olive-branch; and here was the mercy of God.

And thus John Baptiſt underſtood it, who having ſeen this ſight cried out, Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the ſins of the world; that is, Death the puniſhment of Sin; and conſequently reſtores us to immortall life. i. Joh. 29, 30, &c. This, he thought, declared God to be reconciled; and lookt upon it as a token that the heavens had laid aſide their diſpleaſure, and would be at peace with the ſinfull ſons of men. The windows, you know, of heaven were opened in the old World; but dark and pitchy clouds were all that appeared, which poured down nothing but a floud of rain upon mankind. Whereas now, quite contrary, when the heavens were opened again, there was no diſmall ſight preſented it p. 258ſelf, but onelyonly a pure light and glorious brightneſs ſhone from the face of God. And the HOLY GHOST in the form of a Dove appeared, not like that of Noah after the deluge had ſwept all mankind (very few excepted) from the face of the earth; but, to give notice to the World, that God would not take ſuch vengeance upon men for their wickedneſs, but be graciouſly reconciled to them, by ſaving them from death, and giving them the bleſſing of Eternall Life. One might well gather as much from this ſight; eſpecially when there was ſuch an Olive-branch of peace (if I may ſo call it) in the mouth of this Dove, as that voice from heaven which came along with it, ſaying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed. One of theſe illuſtrates and explains the other: and both of them tell us, that the heavens now look upon us with a ſerene countenance; and that we are no longer ſhut out of them, but God is ſo well ſatisfied, that he will admit us into thoſe celeſtiall habitations.

II.

This was farther declared afterward, when the Apoſtles, according to his p. 259promiſe, were on the day of Pentecoſt baptized with the Holy Ghoſt: whereby they were ſent by him, as he was by the Father. Then the Heavens poured down ſuch a large ſhowr of the Divine grace, as preſently overflowed the World with a comfortable ſenſe of ETERNALL LIFE. This was one great end of the coming of the HOLY GHOST, which then witneſſed to our Saviour, and openly ſhew'd him to the World as the Prince of life. iii. Act. 15.

For, (1.) it was a plain demonſtration that He whom the Jews had murthered was alive from the dead; and had not loſt his power, which was ſo eminent in him all the while he was on earth, to doe good, and beſtow benefits upon mankind. And (2.) the greatneſs of the benefit ſhews that he was greater in power then ever, having ennobled all his Servants, and raiſed men of the loweſt condition to the higheſt dignities, by beſtowing on them the gift of the HOLY GHOST. It was his gift, as he fore-told in his life-time, when he ſaid, I will ſend the Comforter from the Father; xv. Joh. 26. and, He ſhall receive of mine, and ſhew it unto you: xvi. Joh. 14, 15. And therefore p. 260the Holy Ghoſt declared his greatneſs and power over all; as St. Peter diſcourſes in the very firſt Sermon he preached after our Saviour's reſurrection on the day of Pentecoſt. ii. Act. 33. Where he tells the Jews, that what they ſaw and heard, and were amazed at, was ſhed forth and poured on them by Jeſus, who had now received the promiſe of the Holy Ghoſt. And therefore, ſays he, ver. 36. let all the houſe of Iſrael know aſſuredly, that God hath made that Jeſus whom ye crucified both Lord and Chriſt. Which is as much as to ſay, You ought to look upon this as an undoubted argument that he is Lord of all things, (the Chriſt or King whom God the Father hath appointed,) becauſe he hath ſent ſuch royall gifts to his ſervants as none but the Lord of the world could poſſibly beſtow.

And by the way we may take notice, that the better ſort of the Jews themſelves expect the Meſſiah ſhould bring ſuch grace to men. For Abarbinel, in the place fore-mentioned, acknowledging Miraculous works to be a note whereby the Meſſiah ſhall be known, reckons this for one of them, the effuſion of the Spirit of God ſpoken of by the Prophet Joel. Our p. 261Lord therefore ſending this down in a plentifull manner on the day of Pentecoſt, thereby manifeſted, if they would have ſeen it, that he had the mark of their King upon him; and indeed could doe that which they all confeſs is the Work of God alone, who onelyonly can pour out the gifts which the Prophet there promiſes. There is no reaſon to queſtion the power of ſuch a King as this, to doe what he pleaſes; even to prefer his ſubjects to his heavenly Kingdom. They may be raiſed, when he thinks good, to reign with him above; as now they began to doe upon the earth. It depends upon his will alone to exalt them to that very place, from whence this mighty power of the Holy Ghoſt came down upon them.

But that we may be ſatisfied the HOLY GHOST was an expreſs Witneſs of his being the Prince of life, (a King that hath Life in himſelf,) a Prince and a Saviour, (as it is v. Act. 31.) who can deliver men from the oppreſſion of all their Enemies, the greateſt of which is Death, you may conſider, (3.) that the miraculous change which was wrought on a ſudden in the minds of very ignorant men, p. 262is an evident argument what he can doe for our Souls in the other World. He inſpired them with ſuch Underſtanding by the power of the Holy Ghoſt, that the greateſt Doctours in Iſrael were not able to reſiſt the Wiſedom whereby they ſpake. They underſtood clearly all the ancient Prophecies: There was no veil or cloud any longer upon them, but the Holy Ghoſt made them ſee the whole Myſtery which was wrapt up in them. It revealed all Types; explained all Figures; led them into the Sanctuary and Moſt holy place; ſhew'd them the true meaning of the Mercy-ſeat; and laid all thoſe things, which did but obſcurely point at ETERNALL LIFE, ſo open and naked, that none could chuſe but ſee, if he did not ſhut his eyes, they were not the ſame men that they had been but juſt before, and were made thus learned without any humane helps of inſtruction. A convincing argument of his power to raiſe our Minds when we depart this World, and have not the clouds of this Body before our eyes, to as great a pitch of knowledge as I diſcourſed of in the beginning of this Treatiſe. And the ſuddenneſs of this change was as clear an argument that he can doe it without difficulty; p. 263and that there is not ſo great a diſtance between this preſent ſtate and that which we expect, but he can preſently tranſlate us to it.

And (4.) this Knowledge, you may conſider farther, being accompanied with a mighty Power, whereby the Holy Ghoſt inabled them not onelyonly to give eyes to the blind, feet to the lame, health to the ſick, but life alſo to the dead, (as was very well known in thoſe days) was an undoubted teſtimony, that He from whom it came is able alſo to change theſe vile bodies, and make them like to his own moſt glorious body. For it is viſible he hath a power, whereby he can ſubdue all things to himſelf. To take away life, you may think is no ſuch great matter, that we ſhould take any notice of it: yet to doe even this with a word for lying to the HOLY GHOST, was an argument of a mighty power reſiding in the Apoſtles. And when Abarbinell ſpeaks of the power of the Meſſiah to work Miracles, from that Prophecy of Iſaiah xi. he alledges theſe words to prove it; (verſ. 4.) He ſhall ſmite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips ſhall he ſlay the wicked. Which was never p. 264literally fulfilled during our Saviour's ſtay on Earth; (where he did nothing but good to men;) but was made good after he went to Heaven by his power in his Miniſters, who ſmote that wicked couple mentioned Act. v. without any hands, merely with the breath of their mouth. What ſhall we think then of their reſtoring men to life after they were dead; for which they were more notorious? We cannot but look on this as a great witneſs of the wonderfull power of Jeſus in them; and conſequently of the life and glory he intended to beſtow on ſinfull duſt and aſhes. He would not have filled them thus full of his Spirit, if he had not meant thereby to raiſe their expectations above all that even by its power they at preſent felt. Had it not been his deſign to make them hereafter like to God, he would not have preferred them to ſuch a reſemblance of his Wiſedom and Power here in this World. They that could raiſe others from the dead, had no reaſon to doubt of being raiſed up themſelves. When they ſaw themſelves made the conveyers of ſuch great bleſſings to all mankind; they muſt needs ſtand fair, they could not but conclude, for a very large portion of his favour to their own perſons.

p. 265For the truth is, (5.) theſe gifts which were then given to men proclaimed aloud the marvellous bounty of our Saviour, as well as his power: and would not let them doubt of a far more glorious exerciſe of it in the other World, then they ſaw, and were the inſtruments of, in this. And if any imagine that, though this might be a teſtimony to them of Eternall Life, yet it is none to us; the contrary will ſoon be evident, if you do but conſider, (6.) that our Lord having made a promiſe of Eternall Life, not onelyonly to his Apoſtles, but to all that believe on his Name; the HOLY GHOST puts us in ſtrong hope of it, by demonſtrating his faithfulneſs to his word. For the Effuſion of it was the performance of a promiſe which he had frequently made when he was with them; both before his death, (xiv. Joh. 16. I will pray the Father, and he ſhall give you another Comforter,) and after his Reſurrection, xxiv. Luk. 49. Behold, I ſend the promiſe of my Father upon you, &c. i. Act. 4, 5. Being aſſembled together with them, he commanded them not to depart from Jeruſalem, but wait for the promiſe of the Father, which, ſaid he, you have heard of me: For you ſhall be baptized p. 266with the Holy Ghoſt, not many days hence. And therefore we have great reaſon to look for the promiſe of Eternall Life with much confidence, becauſe He who made it was ſo faithfull and juſt in fulfilling his former promiſe, at the time appointed. Eſpecially ſince he thereby demonſtrated, that he hath ſufficient power to doe for us according to his word. For he who made ſuch an extraordinary change in them on the day of Pentecoſt, that they were able in an inſtant to ſpeak all languages, to propheſy, and underſtand the ſecret counſels of God, can change us, we need not queſtion, from glory to glory; and at laſt transform us ſo perfectly, as to make us like to himſelf.

And I may adde, to ſtrengthen this conſideration, (7.) that our Lord declared he would ſend the HOLY GHOST for this very purpoſe, that they might believe the reſt of his holy promiſes; particularly this great one, of Eternall Life. Which is the meaning of that which you reade in xiv. Joh. 12. where after he had told them (ver. 9, 10, 11.) that God appeared to them and ſhew'd himſelf in the Works that He did, which demonſtrated that the Father dwelt in him, and conſequently p. 267that he would go and prepare a place for them, and take them up to himſelf, he adds theſe remarkable words; Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, He that believeth in me, the works that I doe ſhall he doe alſo; and greater works then theſe ſhall he doe, becauſe I go unto my Father. As if he had ſaid, Mark now what I farther declare to you, and rely upon it as a certain truth. The works that I have done are ſufficient to convince you: but for a greater confirmation of your faith, that I am going to the Father, and am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, I tell you, that after I am departed theſe wonderfull things ſhall be repeated, before the eyes of the world, by thoſe that believe on me. Nay, ſome things ſhall be done which your eyes have not yet ſeen; becauſe I go to my Father, i. e. have power in the Heavens, and have reſerved ſomething peculiar to be given as a teſtimony of it, over and above what I have done my ſelf. And that was their ſpeaking with all tongues on a ſudden, and their propheſying; whereby they were inabled to preach to all Nations, as he had done to the Jews alone, and work the ſame wonders among the heathen, which he had wrought onelyonly in p. 268that Country. A marvellous evidence this was of the power and glory of Chriſt to give eternall life; in that being abſent he did thoſe things by his Apoſtles, which were not performed whilſt he was preſent with them.

And therefore (8.) upon this account the HOLY GHOST thus given to the Apoſtles, and thoſe that believed by their word, is called the earneſt of the inheritance in their hearts, untill the redemption of the purchaſed poſſeſſion. 2 Cor. i. 22. i. Eph. 14. It was ſomething given them in hand, before his ſecond appearing for full redemption, to aſſure them they ſhould as certainly receive all that was behind, as they had already received this pawn and pledge of his mighty love.

And indeed we have all much reaſon to think that he will doe very great things for us when he appears in his own perſon, (as the Holy Ghoſt aſſures us he will, iii. Act. 19, 20.) ſince he hath done ſo much good to the world by the Apoſtles, his Deputies, who were men like to our ſelves. If his Servants brought ſuch bleſſings to men, then what will the Lord himſelf bring with him at his coming? p. 269If his Miniſters reſtored dead men to life again; the Maſter ſure will beſtow a life as much excelling that which they reſtored, as he excells his Officers. In ſhort, if the people lookt ſo earneſtly on two poor Fiſher-men, when they had cured a man lame from his mother's womb; iii. Act. 12. much more will the Lord of glory draw the eyes of the world to him, by doing aſtoniſhing things for his people; when he ſhall come (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks 2 Theſſ. i. 10.) to be glorified in his Saints, and to be admired in all them that believe. He will give ſuch a glory to us, as will be much for his own credit, and reflect glory on himſelf. He will not ſo much conſult what is fit for us to receive, as what is fit for ſuch a Prince as he to give. He will cloath us with ſuch honour and glory, that it will be an honour to him to have his followers appear in ſuch rich and ſhining liveries. It will ſet men into admiration to behold the bounty of his royall favour to them; and much advance the greatneſs of this Prince, to ſee ſuch ſubjects attend him, the meaneſt of which are Kings. Nor do we ſtrain our fancies, and exalt our hopes above what we can reaſonably expect, when we look for ſuch p. 270high dignities: for that we ſhall be admitted into his heavenly Court, and be thus ſumptuouſly apparell'd, and magnificently entertained by Angels to wait upon us, and carry us to him, we are aſſured by the teſtimony of the HOLY GHOST: which cloathed poor men here with a power greater then the moſt abſolute Monarch on earth ever enjoyed; and enabled them to deal greater and richer gifts to men, yea, to ſcatter them abroad every day as they paſt along the ſtreets, or did but ſpred their ſhadow over them, then Kings and Emperours could doe at their Coronation, or Conquerours at their moſt magnificent Triumphs.

III.

And as a farther proof of this, we muſt obſerve once more, that the HOLY GHOST gave its teſtimony of the Life that is in Jeſus, and ſhall be given to us, when it fell down upon the common ſort of believers, as it had done upon the Apoſtles: who were not deſirous to keep the miraculous gifts of it to themſelves alone, but readily communicated them to others. It was a great wonder p. 271to hear the Apoſtles ſpeak with tongues and propheſy, to ſee them cure the lame, and reſtore the blind to their ſight, nay, raiſe the dead to life, onelyonly by bidding them live and be well in the Name of Jeſus: (things which no Potentates on Earth, as I ſaid before, could beſtow, though they were forward to take to themſelves the name of Gods, and affected Divine honours:) But it was a greater wonder, to ſee other illiterate Chriſtians receive the ſame gifts by the laying on of their hands, and invocation of the Name of the Lord Jeſus; who preſently filled them with the HOLY GHOST.

This was a thing ſo ſtrange, that they could not but look upon it as a token of the moſt extraordinary Love of God to mankind; from whence they might expect as much happineſs as the word ETERNALL LIFE, I told you, imports. For, (1.) nothing ever diſcovered the capacity of humane Souls ſo much as this effuſion of the HOLY GHOST: which ſhew'd how large and wide they are, and how much they can contain, and to what degree of excellence they may be improved and raiſed, and that on a ſudden, by the power of God. This p. 272gave them a ſtrong taſt of what was to come; and both made them reliſh immortall life above all other things, and alſo put them in hope to attain it, by the favour of that perſon who had promoted them to ſuch a ſight of it, in this vaſt meaſure of wiſedom and love wherewith they were indued. For, (2.) it could argue nothing leſs, they might very well think, then that they who wore ſuch eminent marks of his favour, as to have a Crown of life and glory ſet upon their heads in this world, ſhould be raiſed to far greater honours in the next, when they ſhould be more capable of his kindneſs, and nearer to himſelf. And indeed, (3.) ſince hereby he dwelt in them, and they became the Temples of the Holy Ghoſt, they might be confident he would not ſuffer ſo holy a place to be pulled down, but in order to the building of it better. And ſince the Holy Ghoſt alſo (4.) wonderfully inlarged their hearts, and made them exceeding deſirous as well as inſtrumentall in conveying ſuch exceeding great benefits to others; they could not but look upon it as an undeniable argument of the moſt bounteous goodneſs of God; who is far more inclinable to doe good then Men can be, and more ready to reward p. 273our ſervices then we can be to doe our work.

And conſidering moreover (5.) the promiſe he had made of ETERNALL LIFE, the gift of the Holy Ghoſt was a marvellous earneſt of it, and a kind of beginning of it in their Souls. What? ſhall an ignorant Sea-man be made a Prophet, and ſpeak with all tongues? a poor Tentmaker unlock Myſteries, and indite ſpirituall Songs and Hymns? a man that yeſterday could mend nothing but his Nets, now cure a man of a bloudy-flux, or mend a lame leg? a rude Souldier command Devils, and ſtorm his ſtrong holds more eaſily then a town without walls? Lord, what light is this, might they juſtly ſay, which ſhines in our dungeon! what power is this wherewith we ſee frail fleſh armed! what might which thou haſt given to graſs and hay! As well may a butterfly think of mounting up to heaven, or a flower attempt to pluck up a cedat, as we poor wretches conceive a thought of effecting ſuch wonderfull things. This ſure ſignifies that men are very dear to God, or elſe he would not thus dwell among them. It may well make us believe there is nothing ſo great, nothing ſo glorious p. 274promiſed by Jeſus, but he will work it for us; having already transformed us into ſuch noble creatures. As Manoah's wife ſaid to him, xiii. Judg. 23. If the Lord were pleaſed to kill us, he would not have received a burnt-offering and a meat-offering at our hands, neither would he have ſhewed us ſuch things as theſe: ſo might they in this caſe ſay, and with greater advantage then ſhe, If the Lord would let us ſtill remain under the power of death, he would not have given ſuch gifts into our hands, (for that is more then to receive the poor oblations we make to him,) nor would he have revealed ſuch ſecrets to us. He would not have ſent us the ſpirit of wiſedom and knowledge, nor raiſed us to the degree of prophecy, nor put new tongues into our mouths to declare his wonderfull works, nor made all diſeaſes ſubmit to our word. All which gifts, with divers others, they had reaſon to look upon as the earneſt of the Spirit, and the Seal of the Holy Ghoſt, whereby they had an aſſurance given them (as I hope to ſhew elſewhere) of the everlaſting inheritance which Jeſus hath promiſed in the heavens. For they demonſtrated, that He who had power thus to alter and advance mean men, and to make p. 275them Stuporem mundi the wonder and amazement of the world, could alſo give that Life which he had promiſed, by that very power which they felt already working in them.

And they alſo made it evident (6.) that he would beſtow it. For there is no more reaſon that he ſhould thus beſtow the Holy Ghoſt at preſent, then that he ſhould hereafter give us Eternall Life. His faithfull promiſe is the ſecurity for both; our hopes are built upon that ſure foundation. If there be any difference between the ground there is for one more then the other, the advantage lies on the ſide of the hope of Eternall Life. Which there is more reaſon now that he ſhould give us, then there was for giving the Holy Ghoſt; even becauſe he hath already done ſo much for his Church: and there is more reaſon we ſhould expect it; becauſe, as I ſaid before, we have ſeen a remarkable inſtance of his fidelity, in pouring out ſuch rivers of living water, when he ſent the Spirit which he promiſed.

And here it comes to my mind, in xi. Iſa.that another Wonder, which Abarbinell ſays p. 276the Meſſiah ſhall work at his coming, is a Miracle like that of dividing the Red ſea when Iſrael came out of Egypt. Which he endeavours to prove from xi. Iſa. 15. The Lord ſhall utterly deſtroy (or dry up) the tongue of the Egyptian Sea, &c. that is, ſays he, of Nile, the great River of Egypt. This our Lord hath done more excellently then they imagine. For it was nothing near ſo great a wonder, that Iſrael ſhould be baptized into Moſes in the Sea; as it was, that the people who followed Jeſus ſhould be baptized into him with the Holy Ghoſt poured down upon them from heaven. The paſſing through the Sea, and the Cloud to boot, was not ſuch a certain argument, that Moſes would bring them out of the great affliction wherein they had been plung'd, and lead them to Canaan, their reſt and inheritance; as theſe rivers of living water, the gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, and the admirable effects thereof, filling the world with the Glory of the Lord, were an undeniable proof to thoſe who were under its conduct, that Jeſus was the perſon who would lead them to a better reſt, in a more heavenly Country, which flows with far ſweeter delights then milk and hony. This did, as it were, dip their ſouls into p. 277this belief, and made them ſenſible that Jeſus is the Authour of Eternall Salvation; far more then the Sea it ſelf could baptize their forefathers into Moſes, i.e. perſuade them that he was the Prophet of God who would deliver them, and bring them to the peaceable enjoyments they deſired.

And therefore, I obſerve, after the Jews, who quarrelled at St. Peter's preaching to the Gentiles, were ſatisfied that the Holy Ghoſt was faln upon them, even as upon themſelves, they had no more to ſay but this, then hath God alſo to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. xi. Act. 18. This they lookt upon as the beginning of God's favour and lovingkindneſs to them, which would conclude in nothing leſs then the ETERNALL LIFE of which we are diſcourſing. And ſo this very Apoſtle St. John, after he had put the Diſciples in mind of the UNCTION they had received, and exhorted them to continue in that Doctrine which it taught, (Chap. ii. of this Epiſtle, 20, 24.) immediately adds that this is the promiſe which he hath promiſed us, even Eternall Life, ver. 25. Which was as much as to ſay, that the Ʋnction by the HOLY GHOST had ſo perfectly p. 278inſtructed them in the certainty of this great happineſs, that it was ſufficient to move them to abide in the Doctrine of Jeſus: none being able to teach them better, or to put them in hope of any thing greater then this ETERNALL LIFE which he promiſed, and by the HOLY GHOST aſſured.

It is true indeed, which ſome are forward to object, that we in theſe days ſee not ſuch evidences as thoſe Believers had; the Holy Ghoſt not inhabiting thus in every one of our Souls as it did in theirs. Nor is there the like reaſon it ſhould; we being ingaged in no ſuch hard ſervices as theirs, which ſtood in need to be incouraged with the ſtrongeſt hopes of a glorious reward. They were in deaths often, (as St. Paul ſpeaks,) and therefore were in danger to faint, without a moſt lively guſt of immortall Life. The whole World was their enemy, and with the greateſt rage oppos'd their preaching; which required a clearer ſight of the World to come, and a more ſenſible deſcent of inviſible powers for their aſſiſtence and ſupport. From whence we alſo derive no ſmall benefit: becauſe the more ſenſible demonſtration they had of p. 279it, the firmer grounds of hope are laid for us; whoſe faith relies upon their teſtimony, and the power of the HOLY GHOST in them. This is ſufficient to hearten us in our duty, that our Lord hath given to thoſe, whoſe teſtimony we have the greateſt reaſon to believe, ſuch viſible and palpable evidences of his being alive, and of his intentions to quicken his ſervants to Life everlaſting with himſelf. Let us but heartily apply ourſelves, upon theſe grounds, to live by the faith of the Son of God; and we ſhall find the ſame Spirit that wrought in them operating in us alſo, to confirm our Faith and Hope, and make us rejoyce in hope of the glory of God.

And ſo much may ſuffice to have been ſaid of the Witneſs of the HOLY GHOST, which perfectly agrees with the other two of the FATHER and of the SON: who are all one, you ſee ſtill, in their Teſtimony, as well as in their Nature. So I expreſs'd my ſelf in the Concluſion of my former Diſcourſe about theſe Three Witneſſes **Chap. iv. pag. 235.; ſuppoſing theſe words, though few, would have ſufficiently teſtified my right belief in the Holy p. 280Trinity; and that none would have imagined, I waved the farther explication of that paſſage, THESE THREE ARE ONE, becauſe I entertained a ſenſe of it differing from that of the Catholick Church. I was not conſcious to my ſelf of any ſuch Hereſy; and therefore had no reaſon to be ſolicitous to prevent this accuſation, by diverting from the ſubject I had in hand, unto another Argument. But ſome, I have heard, have been ſo unkind, (to ſay no more) let them examine their hearts from what grounds, as to whiſper ſuch ſuſpicions. And therefore I judge it neceſſary to take occaſion here to declare, that I believe theſe three to be one, in the ſame ſenſe that all Catholick Writers have done, who have treated of the ever-bleſſed Trinity. And St. Auguſtine aſſures me **L. 1. de Trin. c. 4., that every one who meddled with this argument before him, intended to teach this according to the Scriptures, That the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt enjoy the divine Ʋnity of one and the ſame Subſtance, in an inſeparable Equality. Haec mea fides eſt, quia haec eſt Catholica fides; (as he concludes that Chapter) This is my Faith, becauſe it is the Catholick Faith. We have but one God, becauſe there is but one Godhead; p. 281and they that are of him have relation to One, though we believe them to be Three. For this is not more God and that leſs, nor is this before and that behind, nor are they ſeparated in will or divided in power, nor are any of thoſe things to be found there which belong to divided Beings; but, to ſpeak all in a few words, there is One undivided Godhead in ſeverall Perſons, as in three Suns cohering together there is one commixture of Light. They are the words of St. Greg. Nazianzen, Orat. xxxvii. p. 601.(whom theſe Whiſperers ſure, if they have read him, take for a Catholick Writer,) in his Diſcourſe concerning the HOLY GHOST. To which I will adde what St. Aug. again writes in his Book of Faith to Petrus Diaconus, Chap. i. If there ſhould be one Perſon of the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt, as there is one Subſtance, there would be nothing that could be truly called a Trinity. And again, if as the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt are diſtinct from each other in the propriety of Perſon, they were alſo ſevered by diverſity of Nature, there would indeed be a true Trinity, but this Trinity would not be One God. But becauſe it is the Trinity in one true God, it is true not onelyonly that there is one God, but alſo that there p. 282is a Trinity; therefore that true God is in Perſons Three, but in one Nature One.

Thus our Bleſſed Saviour, Catecheſ. xi.St. Cyrill of Hieruſalem obſerves, doth not ſay, I am the Father, but, I am in the Father. And again, he doth not ſay, I and the Father foreign am one, but, foreign are one: That we may neither exclude the Son from the Godhead, nor confound him with the Father. One, as to the dignity of the Divinity; becauſe God begat God. One, as to their Kingdom: for the Father doth not rule over ſome, and the Son over others; (as Abſalom who oppoſed his Father;) but over whom the Father reigns, over thoſe reigns the Son. One, becauſe there is no difference, nor any diſtance between them: for the Father doth not will one thing, and the Son another. One, becauſe the Son doth not make one thing, and the Father another; but there is one Workmanſhip of all, the Father making all things by the Son. I ſuppoſe this excellent Man will paſs for orthodox among our Cenſurers, though he mention many other regards wherein the Father and the Son (I may adde the Holy Ghoſt) are one, beſides that of their Divinity. And therefore I may juſtly wonder why any ſhould find fault with p. 283me (if they be ſo well skill'd in Chriſtian Writers, as, no doubt, they would be thought,) for ſaying, theſe three are one in their Teſtimony, as well as in their Nature. I took it for a Catholick Expoſition; elſe I would have rejected it. And if this was its onelyonly fault, that it was too ſhort; I hope they will reſt ſatisfied now that I have made it longer. Unleſs they be in the number of thoſe, whom a late Pamphlet ſpeaks of, who judge their Brethren as if they had a faculty to ſee into their hearts; and reſolve not to be ſatiſfied with any words they can ſpeak, though in all appearance they have no other deſign in the world, but onelyonly, according to the beſt of their underſtanding, ſincerely to ſerve God and his Church.

As for thoſe who would have a farther ſearch made into this Myſtery, I leave it to themſelves, if they pleaſe thus to imploy their time, after they have conſidered what the moſt Catholick Writers have thought of ſuch inquiries. We ought to acknowledge, ſaith St. Gregory Nazianzen **Orat. xxvi. p. 445., One God the Father of himſelf and unbegotten, and One Son begotten of the Father, and One Spirit having its Subſtance of God: p. 284of the ſame nature, the ſame dignity, the ſame glory, and the ſame honour; in all things the ſame, but onelyonly that he is not unbegotten as the Father, nor begotten as the Son. Theſe things are to be known, theſe things are to be confeſſed, within theſe things we muſt fix; leaving that long babbling, and profane novelty of words, to thoſe who have nothing elſe to doe. And the forenamed St. Cyrill paſſes the ſame ſentence on thoſe who curiouſly pried into this Secret in his days. He that begot, ſays he, onelyonly knows him that is begotten: and he that was begotten of him, knows him that begat him. Believe then that God hath a Son; but how, do not enquire; for if thou doſt, thou ſhalt not find. Tell me firſt who he is that begat, and then I will tell thee who the begotten is. But if thou canſt not know the nature of him that begat, do not curiouſly ask after the manner of the Son's being begotten. ☜It is ſufficient to piety, to know that God hath onelyonly one Son, one naturally begotten, who did not begin to be when he was born in Bethlehem, but was before all worlds. The Holy Ghoſt hath in the Scripture revealed no more; he hath not told us any thing of the generation of the Son, out p. 285of the Father. foreign; Why then doſt thou pragmatically inquire after thoſe things which the Holy Ghoſt it ſelf hath not mentioned in the Scripture? Thou who knoweſt not all that is written, why doſt thou buſy thy ſelf curiouſly about thoſe things which are not written? Let it ſuffice thee to know, that God hath but one onelyonly-begotten Son. Be not aſhamed to be ignorant of the reſt; for thou art ignorant of it together with the Angels.

Which is the ſame with what a more modern Writer hath ſaid,

Neſcire velle, quae Magiſter Ma…imus

Docere non vult, erudita eſt inſcitia.

To be willing not to know what our Supreme Maſter will not teach, is a learned Ignorance. With which I ſhall content my ſelf; and not envy to thoſe, who have a liſt to handle theſe things more nicely, their ignorant Learning. They may venture as far as they pleaſe, if they think it ſafe; but ought not to be angry with thoſe who had rather expect farther diſcoveries in the other world: where we ſhall be more knowing by a purer and more perfect illumination of the moſt high p. 286Trinity; O…at. xi. foreign, &c.(as St. Greg. Naz. ſpeaks elſewhere;) and yet more modeſt, and apt to adore the incomprehenſible God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt. Whoſe Teſtimony is ſo full to ſatisfy us there will be ſuch an happy State, that before I paſs to the other Three Witneſſes on Earth, I cannot but reſt a while and conſider, what a great way we are advanced towards a ſtrong and ſettled belief of Eternall Life, if theſe things be well digeſted in our minds.

If we would but always lay before our eyes theſe Records, and were as well acquainted with them as we are with our Evidences for our Eſtates; if they were as freſh in our minds as the words of a Record which we are to plead in ſome Court, where we have a Cauſe to be heard, or the Title to our whole Eſtate tried and determined; I do not ſee how we ſhould poſſibly doubt of this Promiſe which our Lord hath made to his followers, nor how we ſhould loſe the joy and comfort of it in this world of ſorrows. Let all thoſe who have taken the pains to reade thus far in this Treatiſe be ſo kind to themſelves, as on all occaſions to recollect what they have read, and in their quiet thoughts to p. 287put themſelves often in mind, that the Father hath ſaid this is true, by a voice from heaven at ſeverall times: when Jeſus was baptized, when he was upon the holy Mount, and before a multitude of people, He teſtified that ETERNALL LIFE is in him. The Word alſo hath ſhewn us this glorious State, when he appeared to St. Stephen, to St. Paul, to his beloved St. John; who have all communicated their knowledge to us, and told us that he aſſured them He lives, and that we ſhall live by him. The Holy Ghoſt likewiſe hath declared this, by coming down upon Him, and upon his Apoſtles, and upon his faithfull ones. And then they cannot chuſe but rely moſt firmly upon ſuch ample and unqueſtionable Teſtimonies; and be very much affected with this full aſſurance of Faith which God works in us. There would be no reaſon, I am ſure, why they ſhould not as ſtrongly believe and expect the glory that Jeſus will give us, though they do not now ſee it; as we all do the performance of the promiſe of any perſon of known honeſty and ability, though at a great diſtance from us. No doubt the faith of Chriſtians would be immovable, did they ponder theſe things; they p. 288would never call it into diſpute, after ſuch demonſtrations, whether there be another Life or no. Yea, they themſelves would become immovable, and ſtedfaſt, and abundant in the work of our Lord; becauſe the very ſame Witneſſes tell them that this is the onelyonly way to eternall Happineſs, which cannot be compaſſed by any means but by patient continuance in well-doing.

How well then would it be with them, could we but prevail with all Chriſtian Souls to ſpend ſome time every day, in calling to mind what they have heard theſe Heavenly Witneſſes ſay? If they would but caſt up their eyes every morning towards heaven, and think, There Jeſus is; there he lives in great honour and glory; there he ſits at the right hand of the Throne of God; there St. Stephen ſaw him; in ſuch glory St. Paul and St. John beheld him; from thence they heard him ſpeak, and make moſt gracious promiſes to them; he ſent the Holy Ghoſt from thence to be his Witneſs; there he is preparing a place for all them that have the heart to follow him; thither he will receive our Spirits to behold his glory; and with p. 289him ſhall all good men live for ever in unconceivable joy: How would theſe thoughts inſpire and raviſh their hearts? How would they change and transform them into quite other things? How mean and contemptible would our petty injoyments, which now ſo tempt us, ſeem in compariſon with that divine condition? How impoſſible would it be to perſwade us to yield to the breach of any of his commands, and thereby forfeit ſuch happineſs? Yea, how eaſy, ſweet and pleaſant would it be to doe as he bids us, in hope of ſuch an incomparable recompence? I leave every one to make triall of it, that he may be able to tell, if he can, what power and force there is in this ſettled belief.

It is reported by him that writes the Life of Laurentius Juſtinianus, that when he was a youth, about nineteen years old, which is an age you know moſt ſlippery and ſubject to danger, he thought he ſaw one day or night (I know not well whether) a very beautifull virgin approaching towards him, and thus addreſſing her ſpeech to him: Why doſt thou, O young man, thus diſquiet p. 290thine heart, and waſt thy ſtrength, in a vain purſuit of many things, whereon thou poureſt forth thy affections? why doſt thou ſeek for reſt in ſuch triviall injoyments? That which thou art ſo deſirous of, is in my power to beſtow upon thee. And if thou wilt reſolye to take me for thy Spouſe, I promiſe to bring with me ſuch a portion of peace and contentment, as no other perſon can inrich thee withall. The young man, you may well ſuppoſe, was much taken with ſo rare a feature, and ſuch fair promiſes; which moved him to crave that he might know her name, and the family from which ſhe was deſcended. To which ſhe anſwered, I am the Wiſedom of God; that is my Name, thence is my Parentage: if thou wilt accept of the offer, I will be thine, and give all I have to thee. The youth, ſays the ſtory, inſtantly conſented; and after he had drawn a contract between them, thought ſhe took her leave of him, and went away to provide for the wedding. Upon this he awaked, and imagined the Viſion inſtructed him to betake himſelf to a Monaſticall life. Which he preſently vowed; concluding that in that p. 291retirement he was to compleat his marriage to the Wiſedom of God, when he had quitted the empty pleaſures of the World.

However fabulous this Story may prove, (which ſeems to have been compoſed in imitation of that Viſion of Hercules which many Greek Writers mention,) you may make it true if you pleaſe. For, behold how the true Wiſedom of God, our Bleſſed Lord and Saviour, preſents himſelf to you. He hath appeared in moſt admirable beauty and a glorious form to many of his Servants, which they have deſcribed and left us the picture of. In his Goſpell he is ſo lively expreſſed, that we cannot, if we look upon him, but behold him as the onelybegotten of the Father, the brightneſs of his glory, and the character of his perſon. Would it would but pleaſe you to liſten to the offers he makes you, the portion of Life and Glory hereafter, together with true peace and contentment here, which he will aſſure to you. O that you would but draw a lively image of theſe things in your mind; and repreſent the King of glory as ſoliciting your heart to his ſervice! p. 292Do you not believe that it would be infinitely more obliging, then ſuch an apparition as that now named? Would it not more eaſily make you abandon the ſinfull pleaſures of this world, then the other made him forſake the lawfull? Would not the beauty of our Saviour, and the ſplendour of his glory in the heavens ſet before your eyes, be more inamouring then any imaginary or reall beauty whatſoever? Would not theſe words of his be more piercing then any other, I will give to him that overcomes, to inherit all things; and, I will be his God, and he ſhall be my Son? Would it not tranſport our hearts with joy, to hear that he will be contracted to us; and aſſure us of ſuch a dowry with himſelf in the heavens? Would it not make all his commands ſo far from being grievous, that we ſhould think them ſweet and delicious above all the pleaſures wherein ſenſuall men are drowned? He can make no doubt of it, that hath not loſt his reaſon; and is able to underſtand what the difference is between ſuch a certain truth as this, and a dream; and between the commands of our Lord, and p. 293the obedience which that youth undertook to perform.

Jeſus is certainly in the heavens, He ſits at the right hand of the Majeſty on high, He unfeignedly wiſhes we would be eſpouſed to him, He will ſettle an eternall inheritance upon us: and He doth not require us to go into Monaſteries and deſerts, to live like Hermites and Anchorets, to immure our ſelves from all ſociety; (though if he did, we ſhould have no ill bargain of it;) but onelyonly to retire ſeriouſly into our ſelves, and there often meet with him, to live ſoberly, righteouſly and godly while we are in the world, to let no company draw us from his precepts, nor ſuffer any creature to rob him of our affection. And what a reaſonable demand this is, you will then ſee, when you heartily believe this ETERNALL LIFE which he hath promiſed. Believe, and then you will think there is nothing too much or too hard to be done or ſuffered, for the attaining ſuch a glorious Life with our Saviour. Which moved St. Stephen to ſuffer ſtoning, and St. Paul to be in deaths often, p. 294and St. John to endure baniſhment in a moſt deſolate Iſland, and worſe things afterward, that they might be ſo happy.

And let us with honeſt hearts, deſirous to be what God would have us, beg the aſſiſtence of the HOLY GHOST to guide us in this way of underſtanding; which we ſhall find incomparably the beſt, to ſettle in our mind a ſenſe of the happineſs to come. For when the Soul comes to the perfection of the Spirit, Macar. Hom. xvi. xviii.wholly purged from all affections, and united to the Spirit, the Comforter, by an unſpeakable communion, ſo that by this heavenly mixture it becomes worthy to be a ſpirit; it is all Light, all Eye, all Spirit, all Joy, all Reſt, all Exultation, all Love, all Goodneſs and Sweetneſs. It becomes hereby privy to the Counſels of the Heavenly King, and knows his Secrets. It hath a confidence in the Almighty, and enters into his Palace, where the Angels and the ſpirits of the Saints are; though it be as yet in this world. For though it hath not attained the intire inheritance prepared for it there; yet it is ſecure from the Earneſt it hath received, as if it p. 295were crowned and poſſeſſed of the Kingdome.

Who would not labour then to be ſo happy, not onelyonly hereafter, but alſo here? Georg. Nicomed. in concept. S. Annae.there in poſſeſſion, and here in hope? What a work is it to aſcend up into heaven? What laborious ſteps can lead us to ſo great an height? What are the ſweats of this mortall life to thoſe eternall recompences? By what pains ſhall we be worthy of friendſhip with our Maker? How ſhall we make our ſelves a proper habitation for him to dwell in? For he hath ſaid, I and my Father will come and dwell in him that loves me and keeps my Commands. This is the end of the Good we have in hope: this is the heavenly Kingdom: this is the enjoyment of eternall pleaſure: this is the never-ceaſing joy; the perpetuall triumph; the retribution tranſcending all our labours, nay, all underſtanding. There are no labours, no not in thought, equall to this recompence of reward. They all fall ſo infinitely below it, that for mean, for inconſiderable pains, our tranſcendently-good Lord will give an enjoyment far ſurpaſſing all our thoughts. All humane endeavours are of no account, though we p. 296ſhould wear out a whole life in them, compared with the future Bleſſedneſs. Though we ſhould ſuſtain a perpetuall combate all our days, though they ſhould be prolonged to an hundred years, or to twice as much, or thrice, or a thouſand times, and all this while we ſhould contend in a vertuous courſe; we ſhall ſeem to have done nothing, when we come to confer it with what we ſhall receive.

And therefore let us gladly, by ſuch ſmall and poor labours, ſtrive to purchaſe theſe ſuper-ſublime recompences, and treaſure up theſe never-conſuming riches. I call thoſe poor and ſmall, which not onelyonly ſeem ſo to all; but the perpetuall combate of an whole Age, the moſt unwearied purſuit of vertue, the moſt inceſſant and fervent pains in its ſervice. For ſuch are the Goods which our munificent Lord will give in exchange for them, ſuch are the ſuperabundant riches of his retributions, ſuch is the Hyperbole of his loving-kindneſs and goodneſs, that for few things, he will give infinite; for beggery, the greateſt riches; for periſhing things, Goods that laſt for ever.

p. 297Theſe let us ſeek, and, dedicating our ſelves wholly to the Lord, make haſte to the obtaining ſo ineſtimable a Good. Let us conſecrate Soul and body to him, and be faſtened to his Croſs; that we may be worthy of his Eternall Kingdom, giving glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghoſt, for ever and ever. Amen.