The Godly Man's Picture

1. This hope comforts a godly man in affliction; hope doth lighten and sweeten the most severe Dispensations: A Child of God can laugh with tears in his eyes; the time is shortly coming, when the Cross shall be taken off his shoulders, and a Crown set upon his head: A Saint at present is miserable, with a thousand troubles, in an instant, clothed with Robes of Immortality, and advanced above Seraphims.

1. This hope comforts a godly man in affliction; hope doth lighten and sweeten the most severe Dispensations: A Childe of God can laugh with tears in his eyes; the time is shortly coming, when the Cross shall be taken off his shoulders, and a Crown set upon his head: A Saint at present is miserable, with a thousand troubles, in an instant, cloathed with Robes of Immortality, and advanced above Seraphims.

2. This hope comforts a godly man in death, Pro. 14. 32. The righteous hath hope in his death: If one should ask a dying Saint, when all his earthly comforts were gone, what he had left? he would say, the Helmet of Hope. I have read of a Martyr Woman, who when the Persecutor commanded that her breasts should be cut off, she said, Tyrant do thy worst, I have two breasts which thou canst not touch, the one of Faith, the other of Hope. A soul that hath this blessed ⟨p. 146⟩hope, is above the desire of life, or the fear of death: Would one be troubled to exchange a sorry Lease for an Inheritance that will be for him and his Heirs? Who would care to part with life, which is a Lease will soon be run out, to be possessed of a glorious Inheritance in light?

6. A godly man is heavenly in his Conversation; he casts such a lustre of Holiness, as adorns his Profession; he lives as if he had seen the Lord with bodily eyes; what zeal, sanctity, humility, shines forth in his life: A godly person doth emulate not only the Angels, but imitate Christ himself,