The fading of the flesh and flourishing of faith, or, One cast for eternity…

The Latter part of the Treatise containeth the Gracious Persons Glorious Portion. Therein I have endeavoured so to set forth the vastness of the Saints estate, (though I must confess neither men nor Angels can cast up its total sum) that I might prevail with you to desire the felicity of Gods Children, and the Inheritance of his chosen ones. This is the portion, which is as the Spanish Ambassador said of his Masters treasure in the Indies, without a bottom. Though the seven streams of Nilus are known, yet the head of it was never found out. Much of the riches and beauty and perfections of the ever blessed God may be read in the book of the creatures; more may be seen in the glass of the Scriptures, but the longest line of humane or Angelical understanding, can never fathom his boundless, bottomless nature and being, ⟨image 13⟩yet there is so much to be known of him even in his life, as may draw out your hearts to choose and close with him. The World is ready to wonder what the people of God see or enjoy in him, that they are so fearful of his fury, and so joyfully in his favour; as the ignorant wretch could see nothing in the Picture of Helena, why Nicostratus should admire it so much, but as Nicostratus told him, O friend if thou hadst my eyes, thou wouldst wonder at it as much as I do; so had the World but the Saints eyes, could they see what a Crown of glory, What a Paradise of pleasures, What a Mine of riches, What a loving, able, and faithful friend God is, could they but behold that beauty, and bounty, grace, and peace, love, and life, which are in the infinite God, they would admire him too; yea their eyes would affect their hearts,¹ that they could not but love him, and delight in him, but Satan with his black hand (like Swallows dung) puts out mens eyes, that they not seeing so great a good, might not desire him.

The Latter part of the Treatise containeth the Gracious Persons Glorious Portion. Therein I have endeavoured so to set forth the vastness of the Saints estate, (though I must confess neither men nor Angels can cast up its total sum) that I might prevail with you to desire the felicity of Gods Children, and the Inheritance of his chosen ones. This is the portion, which is as the Spanish Ambassadour said of his Masters treasure in the Indies, without a bottom. Though the seven streams of Nilus are known, yet the head of it was never found out. Much of the riches and beauty and perfections of the ever blessed God may be read in the book of the creatures; more may be seen in the glass of the Scriptures, but the longest line of humane or Angelical understanding, can never fathom his boundless, bottomless nature and being,