This is therefore the great glory of all those whom God hath called to the fellowship of his dear Son; and which is yet more, blessed be God the time is not long, but that we shall feel what now we do but hear of, and see but a little of, as we use to do of things afar off: We are here but strangers, and have no abiding city, we look for ⟨p. 326⟩this that hath foundations; and therefore let sin press us down, and weary us out with wrestling with it; let Satan tempt, and cast his darts at us; let our drink be our tears day and night, and our meat gall and worm wood; let us be shut up in choking prisons, and cast out for dead in the streets, nay upon dung-hills, and none to bury us; let us live alone as Pelicans in the wilderness, and be driven among wild beasts into deserts; let us be scourged, and disgraced, stoned, sawn asunder, and burned; let us live in sheep-skins, and goat-skins, destitute, afflicted, tormented, (as who looks not for such days shortly?) yet oh brethren, the time is not long, but when we are at the worst, and death ready to swallow us up, we shall cry out, Oh glory, glory, oh welcome glory. If our miseries here be long, they shall be light; if very bitter, they shall be short; however, long or short, they cannot be to us long, who look for an eternal weight of glory. Who would not (that considers of these things) despise this world, and set it at his heels, who hath all these privileges and benefits with Christ in his eye? who would not abhor a filthy lust, to enjoy such a Christ? who would ever look back unto his flesh-pots, or fathers house, that hath such welcome made him the first moment he comes to the Lord Jesus, in having ⟨p. 327⟩present fruition of some of these benefits, but present right unto all; fruition of some by feeling, of all by faith. But oh the wrath of God upon these times, that either see not this glory, or if they do, despise so great salvation! Christ, and pardon, and peace, adoption, grace, and glory, is brought home to our doors, but their price is fallen in our market, and we think it better to be without Christ with our lusts, then to be in Christ with his benefits.
This is therefore the great glory of all those whom God hath called to the fellowship of his deare Sonne; and which is yet more, blessed be God the time is not long, but that we shall feele what now we doe but heare of, and see but a little of, as we use to doe of things afar off: We are here but strangers, and have no abiding city, we look for ⟨p. 326⟩this that hath foundations; and therefore let sinne presse us downe, and weary us out with wrastling with it; let Satan tempt, and cast his da•ts at us; let our drink be our teares day and night, and our meat gall and worm wood; let us be shut up in choaking prisons, and cast out for dead in the streets, nay upon dung-hils, and none to bury us; let us live alone as Pelicans in the wildernesse, and be driven among wild beasts into deserts; let us be scourged, and disgraced, stoned, sawn asunder, and burned; let us live in sheep-skins, and goat-skins, destitute, afflicted, tor•ented, (as who looks not for such dayes shortly?) yet oh brethren, the time is not long, but when we are at the worst, and death ready to swallow us up, we shall cry out, Oh glory, glory, oh welcome glory. If our miseries here be long, they shall be light; if very bitter, they shall be short; however, long or short, they cannot be to us long, who look for an eternall weight of glory. Who would not (that considers of these things) despise this world, and set it at his heeles, who hath all these priviledges and benefits with Christ in his eye? who would not abhor a filthy lust, to enjoy such a Christ? who would ever look back unto his flesh-pots, or fathers house, that hath such welcome made him the first moment he comes to the Lord Jesus, in having ⟨p. 327⟩present fruition of some of these benefits, but present right unto all; fruition of some by feeling, of all by faith. But oh the wrath of God upon these times, that either see not this glory, or if they doe, despise so great salvation! Christ, and pardon, and peace, adoption, grace, and glory, is brought home to our doores, but their price is falne in our market, and we think it better to be without Christ with our lusts, then to be in Christ with his benefits.
