Religion our true interest, or, Practical notes upon the third chapter of Malachi the…Religion our true interest, or, Practical notes upon the third chapter of Malachy the…

But this is Comfort, God will shortly make up his Jewels: he will so gather his Saints together, that he ⟨p. 189⟩will unite them together, they shall be [Greek or Hebrew], all of one Heart, Act 2.46. What an happy time will it be when the Saints shall be as so many Pearls upon one string, and shall accord together in a blessed Unity!

But this is Comfort, God will shortly make up his Jewels: he will so gather his Saints together, that he ⟨p. 189⟩will unite them together, they shall be 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, all of one Heart, Act 2.46. What an happy time will it be when the Saints shall be as so many Pearls upon one string, and shall accord together in a blessed Unity!

2. Gods making up his Jewels implies his perfecting his Saints. Then a thing is said to be made up when it is perfected; you make up a Garment when you perfect it; you make up a Watch, when you put all the Wheels and Pins in perfect order: so Gods making up his Jewels signifies his perfecting them. The Godly in this Life are imperfect, they cast but a faint lustre of Holiness, they receive but the first-fruits of the Spirit, Rom. 8.23. that is, a small measure of Grace: the first-fruits under the Law were but an handful to the whole Vintage. This may humble us to consider if we are Jewels, yet imperfect: our knowledge is checkered with Ignorance, 1 Cor. 13.5. Our love to God is feeble. Behold here Clouds in the Diamond. This may take down our Top-sail of Pride, to consider how incomplete we are: but when God shall ⟨p. 190⟩