I speak it to the praise of free-grace, God hath crowned your silver hairs with golden virtues, every one of which doth shine as those precious stones, the Sardius, the Topaz, and the Diamond, Ezek. 28.13. Holiness is a beautiful thing, it carries a majesty in the face of it; even those that oppose it, cannot but admire it. Grace ⟨image 5⟩differs little from glory; the one is the seed, the other the flower▪ Grace is glory militant, and glory is grace triumphant. Theodosius thought it a greater honour that he was a Christian, then the head of an Empire. Your piety is a greater glory to you, then your Parentage; it is more to be the daughter of faith then to descend from Nobles, or to have the blood royal running in your veins. Madam, There is a time shortly coming, when neither birth, estate, or any worldly embellishments will do us good; you have laid in provision against that time, and gotten the new birth, when all other birth and Nobility must lie in the dust. This is that which makes ⟨image 5⟩your name smell in Gods Church, as the wine of Lebanon. Go on, Right Honourable, in those paths which have an immediate tendency to life and blessedness. We are like to meet with many rubs in the way before we get to Heaven: It is said of Israel, their soul was much discouraged because of the way. 1Had we more grace, we should have need enough to use it: expect we must fiery serpents; but, the righteous will hold on his way, Job 17.9. Is not every Christian an Ensign-bearer to carry Christs Colours? We must resolve to be good in good earnest. The almost Christian shall be almost ⟨image 6⟩saved. It is wise counsel our Saviour gives, that we should count what religion will cost us, Luk. 14.28. It will cost us reproach; this is a part of Christs livery which we must wear. Think not that our innocency will privilege us from the reproaches and slanders of the world; Christ was the most innocent person upon earth, never did any unholy thought come into his mind, yet his innocency would not shield him from slander; he was called a friend of sinners. Let us not be discouraged; shall we cease from being Saints, because others will not cease from being Devils? Is it a wonder, when an army is in ⟨image 6⟩fight, to see the bullets fly abroad, and the fire-balls?
I speak it to the praise of free-grace, God hath crowned your silver haires with golden vertues, every one of which doth shine as thos• precious stones, the Sardius, the Topaz, and the Diamond, Ezek. 28.13. Holiness is a beautiful thing, it carries a majesty in the face of it; even those that oppose it, cannot but admire it. Grace ⟨image 5⟩differs little from glory; the one is the seed, the other the flower▪ Grace is glory militant, and glory is grace triumphant. Theodosius thought it a greater honour that he was a Christian, then the head of an Empire. Your piety is a greater glory to you, then your Parentage; it is more to be the daughter of faith then to descend from Nobles, or to have the blood royal running in your veins. Madam, There is a time shortly coming, when neither birth, estate, or any worldly embellishments will do us good; you have laid in provision against that time, and gotten the new birth, when all other birth and Nobility must lie in the dust. This is that which makes ⟨image 5⟩your name smell in Gods Church, as the wine of Lebanon. Go on, Right Honourable, in those paths which have an immediate tendency to life and blessednesse. We are like to meet with many rubs in the way before we get to Heaven: It is said of Israel, their soul was much discouraged because of the way. 1Had we more grace, we should have need enough to use it: expect we must fiery serpents; but, the righteous will hold on his way, Job 17.9. Is not every Christian an Ensign-bearer to carry Christs Colours? We must resolve to be good in good earnest. The almost Christian shall be almost ⟨image 6⟩saved. It is wise counsel our Saviour gives, that we should count what religion will cost us, Luk. 14.28. It will cost us reproach; this is a part of Christs livery which we must weare. Think not that our innocency will priviledge us from the reproaches and slanders of the world; Christ was the most innocent person upon earth, never did any unholy thought come into his minde, yet his innocency would not shield him from slander; he was called a friend of sinners. Let us not be discouraged; shall we cease from being Saints, because others will not cease from being Devils? Is it a wonder, when an army is in
- 1Num. 21.4.
