Seventhly, The Saints in Christ are so exalted, and lifted up in Grandeur and Honour, that they are God's choice and precious Jewels, or his chiefest Treasure;1 They shall be mine, saith the Lord, in that day I make up my Jewels: They are the Favourites of Heaven; the Lord saith, They that touch them, 2touch the Apple of his Eye. No King hath such a value of his greatest Favourites, as God hath for his Saints; they are the Persons that the King delights to Honour: What is it to be honoured by poor Mortals to this honour?3 If any Man serve me, him will my Father honour: He honours them here, he gives them honourable Titles: What are the airy, and empty Titles of Earl, Marquis, Duke, &c. (that pull up Ambitious Spirits) to those high and honourable Titles God confers on believers? as Sons of God, 4Heirs of God, most excellent, or most magnificent; He hath made us Kings, &c. and Princes. These are high Titles indeed, when conferred upon us by the eternal God. My Brethren, they are not only honoured with the highest Titles, but also beloved with the highest Love; I gave Egypt for thy Ransom, 5Ethiopia and S•ba for thee; since thou wert precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee. He loves them with the love of Complacency; he rejoices over ⟨p. 67⟩them, as the Bridegroom rejoiceth over the Bride. 6Nay, he loveth them with the same Love wherewith he loves Jesus Christ: And hast loved them, 7as thou hast loved me. And as he loveth, and honoureth them, so he will also cause all Men, yea, Kings, and such that now hate them, to bow before them;8 The Sons of them that afflicted thee, shall come bending unto thee, and all that despised thee shall bow themselves at the soles of thy Feet. The Gentiles shall see their Righteousness, and all Kings their Glory: Thou shalt also be a Crown of Glory in the hand of the Lord, 9and a royal Diadem in the hand of thy God. Nay, the Lord Jesus himself will honour them;10 Verily, I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and will come forth, and serve them.
Seventhly, The Saints in Christ are so exalted, and lifted up in Grandure and Honour, that they are God's choice and precious Jewels, or his chiefest Treasure;1 They shall be mine, saith the Lord, in that day I make up my Jewels: They are the Favourites of Heaven; the Lord saith, They that touch them, 2touch the Apple of his Eye. No King hath such a value of his greatest Favourites, as God hath for his Saints; they are the Persons that the King delights to Honour: What is it to be honoured by poor Mortals to this honour?3 If any Man serve me, him will my Father honour: He honours them here, he gives them honourable Titles: What are the airy, and empty Titles of Earl, Marquiss, Duke, &c. (that pull up Ambitious Spirits) to those high and honourable Titles God confers on believers? as Sons of God, 4Heirs of God, most excellent, or most magnificent; He hath made us Kings, &c. and Princes. These are high Titles indeed, when conferred upon us by the eternal God. My Brethren, they are not only h•noured with the highest Titles, but also beloved with the highest Love; I gave Egypt for thy Ransom, 5Ethiopia and S•ba for thee; since thou wert precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee. He loves them with the love of Complacency; he rejoyces over ⟨p. 67⟩them, as the Bridegroom rejoiceth over the Bride. 6Nay, he loveth them with the same Love wherewith he loves Jesus Christ: And hast loved them, 7as thou hast loved me. And as he loveth, and honoureth them, so he will also cause all Men, yea, Kings, and such that now hate them, to bow before them;8 The Sons of them that afflicted thee, shall come bending unto thee, and all that despised thee shall bow themselves at the soles of thy Feet. The Gentiles shall see their Righteousness, and all Kings their Glory: Thou shalt also be a Crown of Glory in the hand of the Lord,
- 1Ma•. […]Ma•. 〈…〉
- 2[…]〈…〉
- 32 […] 2•.2 〈…〉 2•.
- 4[…]〈…〉
- 5Isa. •3.•4.
- 6I•a. •2.5.
- 7Joh. […]Ioh. 〈…〉
- 8Isa. 60.14.
- 9Isa. 62.2.3.
- 10Luk. 12.37.
