The child's portion, or, The unseen glory of the children of God asserted and…

2. How miserably mistaken shall the Saints Persecutors ere long find themselves to have been, about the Children of God, whom they persecuted? they think if they can but get the People of God under ground, if they can but see an end of them in this World, there is then an end for ever, and now they can triumph over them, and promise themselves henceforward never to be troubled with them any more; they have their wills and hearts desires, and are apt to boast over them, and say, where are now your great confidences, your faith, your hope? what is become of all your Prayers, and resolute ⟨p. 104⟩patient sufferings in expectation of a desired end? methinks, I see what blushing, what confusion of face, what dismal consternation these poor cheated wretches are filled withal, when, as soon as they look out of their Graves in the morning of the Resurrection, one of the first sights that accosts them is, those very Saints whom they oppressed, persecuted, slew, and hoped they had perished for ever, appearing before them in highest state and glory, shining in robes of Majesty, and blessed in the company of Jesus, coming to see the fearful judgement executed upon their proud Enemies: and it will be no little aggravation of their misery, to see those whom they despised, contemned and hated, made thus happy, when they themselves are for ever miserable, and when that shall be verified concerning them, Psal. 49. 14. The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning: then shall they confess, how foolish they had been so to despise and abuse those honourable and precious ones.

3. The Children of God ought not to value themselves according to what they are at present but what they shall be at Christs▪ appearing. If the present visible condition of the Saints were the only rule of judging themselves by, they might reckon themselves among the most unhappy of mankind; and hence when their judgments have been biassed that way, and they ⟨p. 105⟩