Sermons, Sermon 2
THE SECOND SERMON.
II. COR. CHAP. V.
verse 5 And He that hath created vsus for this thing, is GOD, who alſo hath giuen vntounto vsus the earnest of the Spirit.
verse 6 Therefore, wee are alwayes bolde, though wee knowe that Whilst wee are at home in the bodie, wee are abſent from the LORD.
verse 7 (For we walke by faith, and not by ſight.)
verse 8 Neuertheleſſe, we are bolde, & louelove rather to remooue out of the bodie, and to dwell with the LORD.
BRethren, yee that were preſent the laſt day, hearde what was the purpoſe of Paul in this place. Firſt hee beginneth to comfort himſelfe and all others that are to die, and to be diſſolued, againſt death, & the terrours of death. He (as he ſaith in the chap. preceeding & 18. verſ.) is looking vp to Heauen, and whilſt he is looking vp to Heauen, to ſee that end that he was once to attaine to, there cometh in betwixt his ſight and the light of that glorie and life, a cloude of death, to hauehave caught away out of his eies (if it had bene poſſible) all too-looke to life euerlaſting. The remedic againſt it, wee ſhewed you was Faith, and a conſtant Hope, with a ſharpe, earneſt, and ſtedfaſt looking, euē to pierce in throrow death, and that cloude of death, and thorow death to get a ſight of that life, and light of glorie, which lieth hid vp in Heauen beyond death. We know (ſaith the Apoſtle) and are aſſured, that our bodies and the earthlie houſe of this tabernacle, ſhall bee diſſolued, yet wee ſhall get a building for an houſe, a building that is from God, not made with mens hands, but an eternall building, that is ſituated in the Heauens aboue the carth. When hee hath ſet down this remedy, he beginneth to comfort himſelfe and others, by a ſure Faith, that after death he ſhall liue againe, after the diſſolution of his mortall bodie, hee ſhall receiue a glorious bodie. The firſt argument of his aſſurance is from the deſire hee had of life, ſighing with an earneſt deſire of that Kingdome which is from Heauen. This deſire neuer diſappointed man: Neuer was there anie man that had an earneſt deſire of life & glorie, and had the true knowledge and meane to attaine to this glorie, that was diſappointed of his deſire: but who euer deſired moſt earneſtlie to be glorified, moſt certainly they liue now in Heauen, and at this houre they are glorified there: and none there ſhall be that ſhall hauehave this deſire, and ſtriue to throng into Heauen violently, Mat. 11. 12. but they ſhall enjoy Heauen after their departing. Now in the Text which we hauehave read, we followe out the aſſurances and warrandes which the Apoſtle hath of the glorie of the life to come. The ſecond aſſurance and warrand of the life to come is in the firſt words, Hee (ſaith the Apoſtle) that hath created vsus for this thing, is God, &c. The argument of the life to come in theſe words, is from the ende of our creation, GOD hath created vsus to this ende, to wit, That in the ende this mortalitie wherewith wee are clothed, might bee ſwallowed vp of Life: therefore, liue muſt wee in Heauen. This is the ende of our creation, therefore it cannot faile, but wee muſt bee glorified. Learne then, The maner of our glorifying is this: It is GOD, not man, that hath made vsus, and created vsus to this ende: It is impoſſible that GOD can be diſappointed of the ende which He ſetteth before Him of His worke: man may bee diſappointed, for hee will begin a worke for ſome purpoſe, but oft times hee will bee diſappointed of that purpoſe: Hee will build an houſe to dwell in, but it may be hee neuer dwell in it, another will dwell therein. GOD, when He worketh a worke to anie ende, it is impoſſible that Hee can bee diſappointed. All the world, if they would ſtand vp, and oppone to GODS worke, they cannot hinder it. That worke that GOD worketh in vsus, is ſuch a worke that tendeth to Life, as to the ende thereof. Who ſhall condemne vsus? (ſaith the Apoſtle) it is God that justifieth vsus, Roman. 8. 33. Will Hee juſtifie thee? all the world ſhall not bee able to condemne thee: Will Hee ſaue thee? all the worlde ſhall not bee able to make thee periſh: So is it of His whole Church in generall: Suppoſe all the worlde were conſpired againſt His Church, He wil hauehave it ſafe: and wonderfully worketh He the ſaluation of His Church, & eueryevery member thereof: through death He bringeth them to life: ſo that it is folly to men to ſtriue againſt the works of GOD. Yet looke to the wordes, Hee that hath created vsus to this end, is God. What creation is this that he meaneth of? Is this that firſt creation of Adam and Eua? of eueryevery one of vsus in them that was at the beginning? Not ſo, that creation failed. Indeede wee were firſt created to liue, and thorowe that firſt creation euerie one of vsus got a certaine right to liue for euer, but that right wee loſt in our owne default, wee are fallen from that right of our creation in the fall of Adam. So we muſt ſeeke another creation, or elſe wee ſhall neuer ſee Life: for wee hauehave no right to that firſt creation, which was in all Holineſſe, according to the image of GOD, Epheſ. 4. 24. If thou ſticke to that firſt creation and olde birth-right, thou ſhalt neuer ſee Life. Then the Apoſtle meaneth of another. What other making or creating of vsus is this? It is our regeneration or renewing againe, which is nothing elſe, but as it were, a newe birth and begetting, from the which we are called new creatures, 2. Corin. 5. 17. Then, Brethren, wouldſt thou hauehave a ſure argument that thou ſhalt liue after this life? (& wo to thee, if thou liueſt not after this life! woe to them that euer ſawe this worlde, and they get not a life after this life! for this life will away) Looke if thou art regenerated and renewed, looke if thou art ſanctified, and findeſt a ſlaying of thy luſts within thee: Looke if thou findeſt the life of God by his Spirit working within thee, not this naturall life, but this Heauenly and ſpirituall life begunne in thee not by nature, but by grace: If thou haſt this, thou haſt a warrand that thou ſhalt liue: and albeit this naturall life ſhall bee taken from thee, thou ſhalt get another life euerlaſting in glory: but if thou findeſt thy ſelf not renewed by the Spirit of grace, take this life from thee, thou ſhalt not get life euerlaſting in glorie. So looke if thou be a newe creature, thou haſt gotten a greater grace, than to be borne to an earthly kingdome, if ſo be thou mayſt aſſure thy ſelfe of lif euerlaſting. What is this newneſſe in the new creature? This newnes that is in the new creature, is nothing els but that ſame life which we ſhall liue in Heauen, and is begun here. This newneſſe is only this new life of regeneration, which life ſo long as thou liueſt heere (from the time that thou haſt gotten a ſponke thereof) piece and piece eateth vp the olde and cankered nature. The life of God within thee, will conſume (euen as thou conſumeſt the meat thou eateſt) the olde corruption which lieth in thy nature: and in the ende, in the glorious reſurrection of the dead, it ſhall bee altogether aboliſhed. This life then, which is begunne heere, it ſhall open the mouth, and ſwallow vp death, and death thereafter ſhall hauehave no more place. This life is onelyonly eating vp by little and little death heere: but at that time it ſhall ſwallowe it vp wholly, and thou ſhalt ſay with Paule, Death is ſwallowed vp, 1. Cor. 15. 54. So well is the ſoule that hath a warrande of his new creation, whether he die in his bed, or out of it, he ſhall die with joy. Then my counſell is ſeeing death is daylie threatned, let eueryevery one ſtriue to get this aſſurance of this new life begun in him heere, that it may ſwallowe vp death: Woe bee to them that hauehave not this aſſurance! This is the ſecond aſſurāce of life euerlaſting. I pray you marke theſe aſſurances, for Paule had ſuch an earneſt deſire, that hee ſought all aſſurances and warrandes of this life, and hee is reigning now in Heauen. So thou, who thirſteſt after life, learne at him. Nowe reſteth the thirde warrande in the next wordes, Who alſo hath giuen vsus the earnest of the Spirite. Learne the words, for al the doctrine riſeth of the words. Then the third warrand is the Spirit of Chriſt Ieſus in thee. If euer thou mindeſt to hauehave life hereafter, thou muſt hauehave Gods Spirit in thee: not onlie thine owne Spirite, but Gods Spirite, flowing from God through Ieſus Chriſt, & entering into thy bodie & ſoule. Beholde the liberality of God, when Hee by His Spirite hath renewed thee, Hee will not take that Spirite from thee, as a man will doe, when he hath builded a worke, hee will take his hand from it, ſtand if it will or not: But the Lord doeth not ſo, Hee hath renewed thee by His Holie Spirite, which Hee putteth within thee. O how the Lord putteth the third perſon of the Trinitie in thee, and maketh Him an earneſt-pennie to thee of Life euerlaſting: Becauſe thy regeneration is vnperfect, and thou haſt not yet attained to that Life, therefore Hee letteth His Spirit abide in thee, aſſuring thee as an earneſt-pennie, that whatſoeuer God hath promiſed, He ſhal perform it to thee, and thou ſhalt not bee diſappointed of a jot thereof. Such is the infidelitie of our nature, that all the promiſes, all the othes which He maketh to confirme His promiſes, all His Sacramēts which Hee hath joyned to His promiſes, cannot perſwade vsus. But looke to this thirde warrande, Haſt thou the Spirit of God, if Hee bee in thee, He will bee quicke, working joye with ſighs: He cannot be idle, Hee will be working the worke of regeneration both day and night: Then anger Him not, Epheſ. 4. ▪30. Away with filthie cogitations, away with euerie rotten worde, away with euerie euill deede, labour to pleaſure Him day & night, and ſtriue to keepe Him, and thou ſhalt hauea warrande of life in thy boſome, and when thou art dying thou ſhalt find ſuch ſweetneſſe in death as is wonderfull to tell. None euer had the Spirite of God, but in death they had vnſpeakable joye. Then ſeeke to bee in Chriſt, and get His Spirite within thee, and hauing gotten this Spirite, keepe Him diligently, and powre out thine owne ſpirite but never Gods Spirit, for then in all diſtreſſes thou ſhalt have comfort. Now to reſume all: Yee who take great pleaſure in your Charters, the Evidences of your inheritance and land, take heed to this, Your inheritance is in Heaven, and thou art a foole, who thinkeſt that thou haſt an inheritance in earth: For either ſhalt thou be pulled from it, or it ſhall bee pulled from thee: Nay, looke as ever thou wouldeſt be an inheriter, that thine inheritance be in Heaven: Thou art the fooliſheſt begger, and the pooreſt that ever was, if thou bee a King, if thou thinkeſt thine inheritance to be in earth: Having laid this count with thy ſelfe, Mine inheritance is in Heaven, then next looke that thou have thine evidence. For thou ſhalt never poſſeſſe Heaven, except thou have the evidence thereof laid up in thy charter kiſt. Now thine evidences are the ſame euidences that Paul had, and the ſame kind of evidences ſerve for all, it is an inheritance that all men muſt get, one ſort of charter muſt ſerve for one inheritance. What then can be the charter and evidence? Canſt thou ſigh for that Heavenly inheritance? Canſt thou have a deſire of it: There is thy firſt evidence: Then findeſt thou thy ſelfe to bee renewed? Findeſt thou CHRISTS life in thee? The life of Ieſus is manifeſt in me, ſaith Paul, 2. Cor. 4. 10. Findeſt thou the wicked life of this world reformed? There is the ſecond evidence. Yet more, findeſt thou the worker of the deſire, and the worker of thy regeneration, the Spirit of Chriſt within thee, then keepe him well: There is the beſt evidence of all the evidences of thine inheritance: having theſe, aſſure thy ſelfe of Heaven: but wanteſt thou theſe, or any of them, thou ſhalt never get that inheritance in Heaven. As theſe three are three evidences of thine heavenly inheritance, ſo they are three props of Faith that gripe this Heavenly life: They are the three pillars that hold up Faith, which is builded upon them: cut one of theſe pillars away, and thou ſhalt loſe Faith and Hope. But here it may be asked, Are all theſe three of the nature of the life to come? I anſwere, As for the deſire, ſighing, and ſobbing for that heavenly inheritance, it endeth with this life, and in that life to come all weeping ſhall bee taken away, REVEL. 21. 4. Mourne and groane in time, then heereafter ſhall come ioy, aud pure ioy. A troubled ioy is …eere in this life, but heereafter there ſhall bee a pure and ſolid ioy, and nothing but ioy. So this mourning ceaſeth then, and is not of the nature of the life to come but as to the new creature and regeneration, it is of the nature of the life to come, and it is the beginnning and firſt part of that heavenly glorie: ſo that our heavenly glorie ſhall bee none other thing but the per…yting of our regeneration: For when all this pelffrie ſhall be taken away, then wee ſhall fully bee renewed. As to the Spirit, if ever hee was powerfull in earth, he ſhall be more powerfull in Heaven: ſo that the ſame Spirit that heere dwelt in thy body, ſhall then glorifie thy body, and make it to ſhine brighter than the Sunne: Therefore let vsus ſeeke this regeneration, and the Spirit of CHRIST: For in theſe two ſtandeth the perfection and the glorie of the life to come.
Now, when he hath reckoned out all the warrands of life, whereby he aſſureth himſelfe thereof, hee concludeth in the next ve…ſe, Then (ſaieth he) wee hauehave confidence alwayes: as if hee would ſay, Hauing theſe warrandes, I hauehave confidence alwayes, that is, I am aſſured of my glory: and yet the wordes import not only an aſſurance▪ but the effect thereof, which is a ſweete ſecuritie in the ſoule: for whenſoeuer any man is aſſured of life, then the ſoule with ſweetneſſe wil reſt: then commeth that peace of Conſcience, aſſuring vsus, whether wee liue, or wee die, wee are CHRISTES: ſo this draweth on that boldneſſe & confidence. Then looke the nature, the beginning▪ and …iſing of Faith: it is builded and ſtandeth vponupon theſe three pillars, An earneſt deſire of life, Regeneration, and the Spirit of GOD: Theſe are the three proppes thereof, which are ſenſible to them who hauehave faith, and wee ſhoulde bee acquainted with them. Then of this riſeth the ſweete confidence of glory▪ and ſecurity, the repoſe and reſt of the ſoule and conſcience, and from the ſoule it commeth vp to the mouth and breaketh out in a glorying. As this ſame Apoſtle vpō this confidence in his ſoule, breaketh out & ſaith? What ſhal ſeuer vsus from the louelove of Chriſt? Shall tribulation, or anguiſh, or perſecution, or famine, or nakednes, or pe…il, or ſword? No▪ in all theſe things we are more than victorious, through Him that loued vsus. Rom. 8. 35. &c. So that faith being builded vponupon theſe three pillers, ſecuritie and confidence beeing builded vponupon Faith, then boldn…ſſe in mouth will ſay, I defie all contrarie powers▪ lay the ſword, lay fire, lay death before mee, it will ſay, I defie them all: yea, let all the Deuils of H…ll come before a man▪ & his faith be well builded, and confidence on faith, hee will defie them all: yea, albeit they threatē damnation to him: for it thou ſtand in Chriſt thou ſhalt liue: albeit thou muſt bee ſeparated from this mortall life, yet all the worlde cannot ſeparate thee from the life of Chriſt. Seeke this life now in time, that in trouble wee may ſay▪ that wee will reſt in Chriſt, and all the world ſhall not ſeuer thee from Him.
Yet to goe forward in the words. The Apoſtle as yet hath not the full contentation in heart for all this aſſurance: For (ſaith he) wee knowe, that while wee are at home in the bodie, wee are abſent from the LORD. If wee bee at home with a thing we are farre from a better thing which is abroade. Alas! thou beeing …t home a… thine houſe and fire, thou art farre abroade from thine home in Heauen: whilſt wee are at home in this mortall bodie wee are ſtrangers and Pilgrimes from the LORD.
Brethren, yee ſhall learne heere a great difference betweene confidence & contentation: It is one thing to hauehave contentation, & another thing to hauehave confidence. This Apoſtle had confidence but not contentation. Thou art farre dec…aued that thinkeſt thou haſt ſufficient contentation in this worlde. Woe is thee! yea, although thou hauehave Heauenly graces, and if thou thinkeſt thou haſt contentation, either of glory, or of ſight, all is nothing: Why? Becauſe there cannot, nor ſhoulde not bee contentation heere: no, the beſt and moſte confident man that liueth, ſhoulde not thinke hee hath contentation in this pr…ſ…nt life. All thine holineſſe, faith, confidence and hope, ſhoulde not giuegive thee full contentation. All the kingdomes, honours, and riches of this worlde, which is nothing but dirt and pelffrie, in reſpect of thoſe Heauenly thinges, ſhoulde not giuegive thee full contentation. And yet the worldly foole will ſaye in his heart, I hauehave contentation and ſufficiencie. O! but what ſaide CHRIST to him that decreed with his hart to make wide barnes? Foole, this night thy ſoule ſhall be taken from thee, Lu…e▪ 12. 20. Away with an opinion of contentation in this earth, and thou bee a king of all the earth: Wilt thou hauehave contentation without CHRIST? Wilt thou hau… ſufficiencie▪ and not hauehave Him who is thy life & glorie? When thou art a pilgrime from CHRIST, and wandring from thy countrey and inheritance, wilt thou ſaye thou haſt thine hearts deſire? Had euer pilgrime full contentation during the time of his pilgrimage? Then no contentation to the faithfull ſoule, but in CHRIST. I ſhall neuer thinke cōtentation to be in my ſoule, till I ſee CHRIST face to face: I giuegive thee the ſame counſell, yea, and if I had all ſpirituall graces, in neuer ſo great a meaſure yet no cōtentation for my ſoule, till I ſee CHRIST: for all our bleſſedneſſe ſtandeth in the ſight of CHRIST, and thou canſt not ſee CHRIST heere, becauſe thou art abſent from Him: For▪ as long as I am at home (ſpeaking of the ſoule ſo long as it is cloſed heere within this earthly tabernacle) I am abſent from CHRIST: And this priſon of my bodie ſo cloſeth mee about, that I cannot ſee CHRIST.
Brethren, it is this mortall bodie that is clothed with ſinne and mortality, wherewith we muſt be clothed as long as wee are heere, that holdeth vsus from the ſight of CHRIST. It is impoſſible ſo long as thou art clothed with the ſinfull bodie, to get that full ſight of IESVS, albeit Hee were ſtanding on the earth, cloathed with His glorie. So thou muſt be vnclothed of this mortalitie, ere thou canſt ſee Him: And there is the grounde wherefore wee ſhoulde thinke no contentation whilſt wee are in this body: Becauſe ſo long as wee dwell in this mortall body, we ſhall neuer ſee CHRIST, nor get a full fruition of His countenance. Therefore, Brethren, take not ſo much pleaſure and delight in this mortall bodie▪ for I aſſure thee, it is but a priſon, holding the faithfull ſoule, and the eye of the faithfull ſoule from the ſight of CHRIST, but aſſoone as it ſhall bee looſed from it, it ſhall mount immediatelie with joye to CHRIST, and there get full contentation in His face. yee thinke, ſo long as yee want theſe earthly thinges, yee cannot get contentation: (I ſpeake not of the wicked, but euen of the regenerated man) but when the ſoule getteth this glorious preſence of CHRIST in Heauen, it ſhall hauehave joye in infinite degrees greater than euer it had in earth. And albeit the body ſhall lie heere in graue, and ignominie for a time, yet all that ſhall bee recompenſed by the glorious ſight of CHRIST, which the ſoule ſhall enjoye in the Heauens, beeing ſeparated from the body. Wee thinke we can hauehave none Heauenly glory and joy, except wee hauehave this earthly body there: It is true indeede, the ſoule cannot hauehave ſo great joye, as if the ſoule and body were together: but it is alſo true, that the ſoule beeing ſeparated, hath greater joye in Heauen, than the ſoule and body can hauehave together in this earth. Otherwiſe, howe woulde Paul hauehave deſired to hauehave beene diſſolued, he hauing that confidence and earneſt-penny of glory, except he had deſired that joye in the ſoule? Alas! wee are ſo ſenſeleſſe, that wee thinke joye cannot come, except wee get it in our earthly body: And this is one part of our miſerie.
Now in the next verſe (in a parentheſis) he caſteth in the cauſe why hee is abſent from GOD, and a pilgrime heere, and ſaieth, For wee walke by faith, and not by ſight: As if hee woulde ſaye, All the ſight which I hauehave of Him is afarre of, looke how farre the Heauens are diſtant from the earth, alſo as far is IESVS diſtāt from the eye of the faithful ſoule: there is onelyonly a farre ſight of Him heere: all the ſight of Heauenly glory which wee hauehave here, is like a more, in reſpect of that ſight we ſhall ge…: it is ſo farre from thee that it ſeemeth not to bee the thouſand part of that fulnes that it is indeed: Thou ſeeſt it now as it were a more, but thou ſhalt once ſee it as a mountaine in great fulneſſe. So Paul ſaith, I ſee my LORD, but afarre of: there is a great diſtance betwixt the eye of my ſoule and Him: & beſides this farnes, ſuch a miſt ariſeth out of the ſtinking body of corruption betwixt my LORD and me like a cloude, that it hideth my LORDS face from me. So there are two impedimentes, which hinder vsus from the full ſight of CHRIST the firſt is the farre diſtance of place betwixt Him & me: the ſecond is the ſmoke & miſt of my corruptiō that goeth in betwixt me & Him, and taketh the ſight of my LORD from me. Find yee not this in your ſelues by experience? In the beginning of an houre thou ſhalt hauehave a ſight of Him, and againe ere the halfe houre bee paſt, the ſight of Him is away let bee a day or halfe a day. Then maruell not, ſuppoſe Paule complaineth of this, that he cannot ſee CHRIST in reſpect of the farneſſe and ſmoke that commeth betwixt them: Would to GOD wee had a ſenſe of this! Who is he that once groneth for this, and ſaieth, Alas. I am a pilgrime, it is a farre ſight which I hauehave of my LORD: O! if my ſoule were looſed from my bodie, that I might bee with Him! Who can ſaye this? No, wee are all ſleeping, and there is none eye lifted vp to CHRIST in this great miſ…rie. Wilt thou alwayes crie peace in ſuch a miſerie? at laſt thou ſhalt be preſſed downe to Hell.
Yet to inſiſt vponupon this verſe▪ We walke (ſaith he) by faith and not by ſight. Yee ſee heere then the condition of a Chriſtian is walking, not ſitting, nor ſleeping, hee muſt be afoote This worde is euer in the Apoſtles mouth, 1. Theſſal. …. 6. Colloſſ. 4. 2. &c. Euer walking, a pilgrime muſt not ſit downe▪ Thou art a pilgrime, vponupon thy journey towardes another countrey, thou muſt not ſit downe: for otherwiſe thou ſhalt neuer come to thy journeys ende. The ſeconde thing which I marke heere▪ This walking muſt not be in darkneſſe, but it muſt bee in light. Woe to him that walketh in darkeneſſe, for if hee were neuer ſo well occupied, hee ſhall die in darkneſſe: hee that walketh in darkeneſſe, he ſhall get Hell, for H…ll is darkneſſe: ſo that walking muſt be in light. The light is of two ſorts, they are both ſet downe in …hrſe: The firſt is the light and knowledge of …: The ſecond the light of preſence and ſight. The knowledge of Faith is but a glimmering, in reſpect of the other light that is by ſight, whē thou ſhalt ſee CHRIST: in His preſence is a wonderfull light: when Hee ſhall looke to thee, and thou to Him, the beames of His glory ſhall ſo ſtrike on thee, and cauſe thee ſhine, that thou ſhalt bee aſtoniſhed. There is no ſoule▪ but aſſoone as it commeth in His preſence, it will bee aſtoniſhed and maruell that euer there was ſuch a light in CHRIST. Faith hath but a ſmall light, but the light by preſence is marueilous: H…e ſhall tranſlate vsus to a marueilou, light, 1. Pet. 2. 9. All the Angels wonder at the light which is about the Lambe: and thy ſoule, when it ſhall come into glory, ſhall ſtand wondering at ſuch a glory: and thy body, when it ſhall followe, ſhall wonder, and all ſhall bee wondering at ſuch a paſſing glory! Theſe are the two ſights. Would GOD wee coulde take heede to get a glaunce of that Heauenly glory! then all the pleaſures of this earth would bee but vanitie, dirt, and pelffrie to vsus. The Lord yet open our eyes, to get a ſight of this glory.
Theſe are two lights: and as there is two lights, ſo there is two kindes of walking: The one is in this life▪ the other in Heauen in the life to come: In this life, wee hauehave a ſmall glimmering, without any Sunne, a blincke of light, enuironed about with darkneſſe Therefore, becauſe of the want of light, there is ſuch ſtumbling in our walking in this life: but when we ſhall walke in the Heauens with that H…au…ly light of GOD, with the countenance of CHRIST before our eyes, then no ſtaggering, neither to this ſide, nor to that, becauſe of that light that is in the face of CHRIST euer ſhining in our eyes. The darkneſſe yee ſee is vnpleaſant, but the light is pleaſant: It is a wonderfull thing, that wee ſhall get leaue to walke in that inacceſſible light of GOD, wherein the Father and the Sonne doe walke. Brethren, thinke on theſe things, for theſe are the chiefe points of all. All earthly thinges euaniſh when the Sunne goeth downe, and darkneſſe commeth: Therefore ſet your eyes vponupon that glory, which neuer ſhall euaniſh nor decay, as euer ye wold deſire to reign there: Theſe dayes require this preparation. Certainely, preaching and hearing will euaniſh, and preaching beeing taken away, faith will faile, and without faith how can mē attaine to glory. Therefore, to keepe in the glory of this light, we ſhould earneſtly crie, LORD, GIVE VSUS THIS WORD: For if it bee taken away, wee ſhall bee worſe than they of Sodome and Gomorrha.
Now, the Apoſtle hauing ſhewed this, he commeth backe againe, and ſaith, Neuertheleſſe we hauehave confidence, &c. He that hath confidence he will rejoyce to ſpeake of it, & it ſwelleth ſo in his heart, that of neceſſity it muſt bee vttered, and hee will ſay once, twiſe, thriſe▪ I hauehave confidence: …u… nowe with confidence hee joyneth another thing, to wit, his louelove to die, and to ſlit out of the bodie, to reigne with CHRIST. LoueLove to die is the companion of confidence. Hee ſaieth, I hauehave confidence, but I louelove rather to remooue out of the bodie, and to dwell with the LORD. There are two good thinges, The one confidence, the other light. The Apoſtle maketh a choiſe heere, he will leaue confidence here in the bodie, and hee chooſeth to die, that he may attaine to the light: and in this reſpect he would change all the confidence hee hath with death. Thou wil… not change a foot of earth with death, but th' Apoſtle will change confidence with death, and confidence is more preciou, than all ye earth. Few will doe this, and yet thou wi't die and thou hadſt ſworne it. Well is that bodie that is ſo reſolued to die as Paule was! But maketh Paule a choiſe of death for death it ſelfe? Certainely no man wil chooſe death for death it ſelfe for except the LORD lighten death, and transforme it, it is an entrie to Hell: And if thou hauehave none other reſpect in death but to be quite of this miſerable life, (as ſome will ſ…y, Would GOD I were dead, that I might bee quite of this miſerie) thou ſhalt bee in greater miſerie after death, than euer thou was whilſt thou was liuing. What then ſhould bee the ſpeciall cauſe that ſhould mooue a man to ſay, (Would GOD I were diſſolued) euen this, I am burthened with ſinne, I am burthened with mortalitie. This burthen ſhould bee a great motiue: Well is the ſoule that is freede of ſinne: What pleaſure is it to a ſoule that woulde faine ſerue GOD, to liue euer in ſinne? Nay, no pleaſure.
This is the ſpeciall motiue that ſhould mooue vsus to make choiſe of death, To bee with IESVS CHRIST, to dwell with Him, and to bee in His companie in the participation of that glorie that is in the countenance of CHRIST. For that ca…ſe I would flit, that I might bee with my LORD, and embrace that joye. So as the miſerie of this worlde will put thee forwarde to GOD. ſo the ſweeteneſſe of CHRISTS companie will draw thee forward. Then to ende, The Apoſtle hath preconceaued in himſelfe a wonderfull joye of that glorie, when hee ſawe it not yet, ſo muſt wee doe. All his walking was by faith, and not by ſight: but hee ſeeth before the hand an Heauenlie joy and pleaſure, in reſpect of that …ruition that he ſhall once get of the countenance of CHRIST. This ſhoulde learne thee to looke euer for more than thou …eeſt: thinke not that thou haſt ſeene all the glorie that ſhall come to thee and haſt felt all the pleaſures that are laid vp for thee in Heauen: But thinke that there is greater joye and glorie there thā euer thou couldi heare of: for CHRIST him ſelfe neuer vttered al the glory that is laid vp for the Sainctes: All that wee ſee heere is but in a mirrour: All the glorie of CHRIST in the Scripture, is but in a mirrour: li…e as when the Sunne ſhineth in the mirrour, thou lookeſt not to the Sunne that ſhineth, but to the glauncing thereof in the mirrour. And as there is greater ſhining in the Sunne, than in the glauncing thereof which thou ſeeſt▪ ſo thinke euer there is greater glorie in Heauen, than euer thou hearde of in the Scripture. Suppoſe not that thou canſt thinke of the joyes of Heauen, as men on earth thinke on earthly thinges: Who can thinke a thing greater than it is? No, the glory of Heauen, and the joye with CHRIST, mounteth vp aboue the reach of thy faith and hope, and all thing that is able to conceiue the ſame. It mounteth vp higher that the Heauen of Heauens is aboue the earth. Therefore, thinke not with thy ſelfe, it is too much that I looke for: Thou faileſt only in narrowneſſe, thy Faith and Hope is ſo narrowe, that they cannot comprehende the thouſande part of that glorie: And ſo wee ſhould ſay (I hope, and I belieue, more than I am able to comprehend.) And here is the cauſe that thou canſt not get that full ſight of glorie that is laide vp for thee. The weake begunne grace of Faith, and the Spirite of GOD in thee is not able to attaine to the thouſand part of that glorie.
The LORD giuegive vsus grace to preconceaue this glorie in ſome meaſure, that wee may ſeeke the ſame, and ſay with PAVL, I hauehave Faith and Hope, but that glorie paſſeth all. The LORD grant vsus this, euen for CHRISTES ſake, So bee it.