A Glimpse of Gods Glory, Title page – Preface
A GLIMPSE OF GODS GLORY: AS IT VVAS PRESENTED In a SERMON preached in St. MARGARETS Weſtminſter, Before the Honorable Houſe of COMMONS At the late Solemne Faſt, September 28. 1642.
By THO: HODGES Rector of the Church at Kenſington neere LONDON.
Publiſhed by Order of that Houſe.
LONDON, Printed for Iohn Bartlet and are to be ſold at the Gilt Cup in PAULS Church-yard neere S. Auſtins Gate. 1642.
To the Honourable Houſe of COMMONS Now aſſembled in Parliament.
THe great God of Heaven and earth, who made what ever he made for his owne praiſe, hath ſtamped more excellent characters of his glory on man, then on all the reſt of his ſublunary creatures beſides: not onelyonly making him Lord of all his works, but giving him underſtanding more then the beaſts; whereby, he might not onelyonly be able like a earthly Monarch to rule over theſe earthly beings, but alſo might ſee in all his God, and thereby have his will inclined, and affections moved after him, to know, and enjoy him, who is his eternall life. To this, man hath not onelyonly an obliegement by commands, benefits, and the like; but alſo by creation, an ability, and aptitude ſo to doe: But alas, how hath he loſt what he then received! and now like Sampſon, his ſpirituall eyes being gone, he is a ſtranger to the light of heaven, and all true liberty.
And what is our miniſtery ſet up by this God in the world for? Is it not to turne poore undone men from darkneſſe to light, and from this ſpirituall bondage to the living God? But how ſhall we performe this taske, unleſſe by indeavouring ſo to bring this glorious God to light before them, that they may diſcerne what a glory they have ſleighted; and mourne, what a goodneſſe they have turned their back on, and change their mind; making for the future this God their end, and ayme in all their actions, and ſo make to their ſoules ſtraight ſteps toward the injoyment of him?
We ſhall finde in Gods booke, that when Nations have overflowne with ſinne,Hoſ. 4.1.6. and conſequently with ruine as a juſt recompence and wages of it; it is attributed to the lack of this knowledge;Eſay 11.9. ſo on the other ſide, when the iniquitie of Kingdomes is deſtroyed, the knowledge of the Lord is laid downe as a meanes whereby it was brought to paſſe.
This made me the rather pitch upon this ſubject, that this glimpſe of God might ſo affect our ſpirits, as not onelyonly to fit us for that dayes duty wherein it was preached, but alſo for the future it might attract our minds unto him.
The ſubject is high indeed, far ſitter for an Angels tongue, then for a mortall mans, eſpecially incompaſt with ſuch darkneſſe and infirmity as my ſelfe; which not being ſenſeleſſe of, had not your command ingaged the publication of theſe thoughts, they had never ſeene the light. But ſeeing your Wiſdomes have judged this meet; I ſhall ſit downe well pleaſed to have teſtified my obedience. Therefore I beſeech you, though the gift be far beneath your worth and eminency, yet let the givers minde be accepted in it, which is not inferiour to any that prayes for your happineſſe, and deſires alwayes to be found,
Your moſt humble ſervant in Chriſt Ieſus, THO: HODGES.
Die Mercurii 28. Septemb. 1642.
IT is this day Ordered by the Commons Houſe of Parliament, that Mr. Hollis, and Sir Rob: Harley are appointed to returne thanks from this Houſe, to Mr. Hodges, and Mr. Wilſon, for the great paines they have taken in the Sermons they preached this day at S. Margarets Weſtminſter, at the intreaty of this Houſe. And that they deſire them to print their Sermons; And that no man preſume to print them, but ſuch as they ſhall appoint, untill the Houſe ſhall take farther Order.
H. Elſing Cler. Parl. D. Com.
I appoint Iohn Bartlet to print my Sermon.
Tho: Hodges.
The Preface.
THe ſad darkneſſe that covers Ireland, and many diſtractions of our own Kingdome, aEſay 12.12.are God Almighties cals from heaven to the performance of this ſolemne duty. We are here therfore before the Lord this day, to lay our ſelves low before him; and bHoſ. 12.4.like Iacobs to wraſtle by prayers, and teares, with the great God, for the ſtopping theſe floods of wrath, which have made ſuch ſad breaches amongſt us; and to procure the healing of the one, and prevention of the like miſeries in the other Kingdome.
The duty is extraordinary; But alas, we uſually bring ſuch ordinary hearts, that except the God of mercy be pleaſed to pity us, and raiſe us above our ſelves, the duty is like to periſh in our hands, and we, to loſe that fruit which our ſoules deſire. Can we thinke that ſuch heedleſſe ſpirits are like to procure the ſalvation of Kingdomes? Is not regardleſneſſe a thing in ordinary duties forbidden? nay, wch the ſoul of God ſo much abhors, that he accounts the beſt works not to cRevel. 3.2.fill up, where that is? Doth he not dMal. 1.14.curſe the deceiver, that offereth not the beſt, in the Old Law; and ſhall we think he will accept of leſſe now? Therefore I beſeech you, let us not deceive our ſelves, but remember; As wee mete out to God, in the due performance of the duty of this eLuke 6.…8.day, ſo we may expect his meting to us again in the requeſts of our ſoules.
Alas, we are fEſay 22.13.very unapt to be drawne to the performance of duties of this nature, but if we take them in hand, wee are uſually ſo cold, ſo perfunctory, we care not which end goes forward, thinking a body gEſay 58.5.without a ſoule ſufficient, to diſcharge us of it; which doubtleſſe is amongſt divers other reaſons; becauſe, either we conſider not hMal. 1.14.how great a God we have to deale with in it, or expect not any great matter from the due performance of it; for, were we throughly convinced of the former, his glory would put us upon more diligent advertency; we would think iRevel. 4.8.like the foure Beaſts, wee had need to have eyes both within and without, and all too little; and but for the latter, the poore cripples expectation of an almes, or the Canaanitiſh womans of her daughters recovery, did not make the one more wiſhly kActs 3.5.to caſt an eye on the Apoſtle, lMat. 15.22.or the other cry more fervently after our Saviour, then we would be, both to look, and cry, with attention, and fervour after the Lord this day, for that which is ſo affected by us.
That therefore we may not be like the Dogs of mAelian lib. 6. de Animal. cap. 53.Nilus, who running lap its waters; or like thoſe the Prophet Eſay complaines of, nEſay 54.7.that ſtir not themſelves up to take hold of the Lord. Give me leave to preſent you this day with a glimpſe of what a God in this duty you have to deale with; How glorious, how able, how willing; That thereby your ſoules may be raiſed up to reverence, and attention, to hope, and confidence, to admiration, and elevation; Out of that portion of Scripture, contained in the hundreth and thirteenth Pſalme, the fift and ſixt verſes.