Oh! what joy vvill it be to thy Soul, which was wont to see but misery, and sinners, now to behold the face of the God of Glory? yea, to see Christ well coming ⟨p. 147⟩thee as soon as thou art presented before him by the holy Angels, 1with an Euge bone serve! Well done, and well-come good and faithful servant, &c. enter into thy masters joy! And what joy vvill this be, to behold thousand thousands of Cherubims, Seraphims, Angels, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Powers: All the holy Patriarchs, Priests, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Professors, and all the Souls of thy Friends, Parents, Husbands, Wives, Children, and the rest of Gods Saints, who departed before thee in the true Faith of Christ, standing before Gods Throne in bliss and glory? If the Queen of Sheba, beholding the glory and attendance ⟨p. 148⟩given to Solomon, as it were ravished therewith, brake out and said,2 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy Servants, which stand ever before thee, and hear thy Wisdom! How shall thy Soul be ravished to see her self by grace admitted to stand with this glorious company? to behold the blessed Face of Christ, and to hear all the Treasures of his divine Wisdom? How shalt thou rejoice to see so many thousand thousands well-coming thee into their heavenly Society? for as they all rejoiced at thy conversion;3 so vvill they now be much more joyful to behold thy Coronation;4 and to see thee receive thy Crown which was laid up ⟨p. 149⟩for thee against thy coming. For there the crown of Martyrdom, shall be put on the head of a Martyr: who for Christs Gospel sake endured torments: the Crown of virginity on the head of a Virgin, which subdued Concupiscence: the Crown of Piety and Chastity on the head of them, who sincerely professed Christ, and kept their wedlock-bed undefiled: the Crown of Good-works on the good Alms-givers head, who liberally relieved the poor: the Crown of incorruptible glory on the head of those Pastors, who by their preaching and good example, have converted souls from the corruption of sin, to glorify God in holiness of ⟨p. 150⟩life. Who can sufficiently express the rejoicing of this heavenly Company, 5to see thee thus crowned with glory, arrayed with the shining Robe of righteousness, and to behold the Palm of victory put into thy hand?
Oh! what ioy vvill it be to thy Soule, vvhich vvas vvont to see but miserie, and sinners, now to behold the face of the God of Glory? yea, to see Christ vvell comming ⟨p. 147⟩thee as soone as thou art presented before him by the holy Angels, 1vvith an Euge bone serue! Well done, and well-come good and faithfull seruant, &c. enter into thy masters ioy! And vvhat ioy vvill this be, to behold thousand thousands of Cherubims, Seraphims, Angels, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Powers: All the holy Patriarkes, Priests, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Professors, and all the Soules of thy Friends, Parents, Husbands, Wiues, Children, and the rest of Gods Saints, who departed before thee in the true Faith of Christ, standing before Gods Throne in blisse and glory? If the Queene of Sheba, beholding the glory and attendance ⟨p. 148⟩giuen to Salomon, as it were rauished therwith, brake out and said,2 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy Seruants, which stand euer before thee, and heare thy Wisedome! How shall thy Soule be rauished to see her selfe by grace admitted to stand vvith this glorious companie? to behold the blessed Face of Christ, and to heare all the Treasures of his diuine Wisedome? How shalt thou reioyce to see so many thousand thousands wel-comming thee into their heauenly Societie? for as they all reioyced at thy conuersion;3 so vvill they now be much more ioyful to behold thy Coronation;4 and to see thee receiue thy Crowne which vvas laid vp ⟨p. 149⟩for thee against thy comming. For there the crowne of Martyrdome, shall be put on the head of a Martyr: vvho for Christs Gospell sake endured torments: the Crowne of virginitie on the head of a Virgin, vvhich subdued Concupiscence: the Crowne of Pietie and Chastitie on the head of them, who sincerely professed Christ, and kept their wedlocke-bed vndefiled: the Crowne of Good-workes on the good Almes-giuers head, vvho liberally relieued the poore: the Crowne of incorruptible glory on the head of those Pastors, vvho by their preaching and good example, haue conuerted soules from the corruption of sinne, to glorifie God in holinesse of ⟨p. 150⟩
- 1Col. 1.16. Ephes. 1.21.
- 21 King. 10.8.
- 3Luke 15.
- 41 Tim. 4.8.
- 5Apoc. 7.9.
