This is therefore the great Glory of all those whom God hath called to the Fellowship of his dear Son; and which is yet more, blessed be God the Time is not long, but that we shall feel what now we do but hear of, and see but a little of, as we use to do of Things afar off: We are here but Strangers, and have no abiding City, we look for this that hath Foundations; and therefore let Sin press us down, & weary us out with Wrestling with it; let Satan temp▪ and cast his Darts at us; let o•• Drink be our Tears Day and Night, and our Meat Gall and Wormwood; let us be shut up in choking Prisons, and cast out for dead in the Streets, nay, upon Langhils, and none to bury us; let us live alone as Pelicans in the Wilderness, and be driven among wild Beasts into deserts; let us be scourged, and disgraced, stoned, sawn asunder, and burned; let us Eve in Sheep-Skins▪ and Goat-Skins, destitute, afflicted, tormented, (as […] looks not for such Days shortly?) yet, O […], the Time is not long, but when we are […] worst, and Death ready to swallow us up; we […] cry out, Oh Glory, ⟨p. 244⟩Glory, Oh welcome Glory! If our Miseries here be long, they shall be light; if very bitter, they shall be short; however, long or short, they cannot be to us long, who look for an eternal Weight of Glory. Who would not (that considers of these Things) despise this World, and set it at his Heels, who hath all these Privileges and Benefits with Christ in his Eye? Who would not abhor a filthy Lust, to enjoy such a Christ? Who would ever look back upon his Flesh-pots, or Father's House, that hath such Welcome made him the first Moment he comes to the Lord Jesus, in having present Fruition of some of these Benefits, but present Right unto all; Fruition of some by Feeling, of all by Faith. But Oh the Wrath of God upon these Times, that either see not this Glory, or if they do, despise so great Salvation! Christ, and Pardon, and Peace, Adoption, Grace and Glory is brought home to our Doors, but their Price is fallen in our Market, and we thinkest better to be without Christ with our Lusts, than to be in Christ with his Benefits.
This is therefore the great Glory of all those whom God hath called to the Fellowship of his dear Son; and which is yet more, blessed be God the Time is not long, but that we shall feel what now we do but hear of, and see but a little of, as we use to do of Things afar off: We are here but Strangers, and have no abiding City, we look for this that hath Foundations; and therefore let Sin press us down, & weary us out with Wrestling with it; let Satan temp▪ and cast his Darts at us; let o•• Drink be our Tears Day and Night, and our Meat Gall and Wormwood; let us be shut up in choaking Prisons, and cast out for dead in the Streets, nay, upon Langhils, and none to bury us; let us live alone as Pelicans in the Wilderness, and be driven among wild Beasts into d•s•rts; let us be scourged, and disgraced, stoned, sawn asunder, and burned; let us Eve in Sheep-Skins▪ and Goat-Skins, destitute, afflicted, tormented, (as 〈…〉 looks not for such Days shortly?) yet, O 〈…〉, the Time is not long, but when we are 〈…〉 worst, and Death ready to swallow us up; we 〈…〉 cry out, Oh Glory, ⟨p. 244⟩Glory, Oh welcome Glory! If our Miseries here be long, they shall be light; if very bitter, they shall be short; however, long or short, they cannot be to us long, who look for an eternal Weight of Glory. Who would not (that considers of these Things) dispise this World, and set it at his Heels, who hath all these Privileges and Benefits with Christ in his Eye? Who would not abhor a filthy Lust, to enjoy such a Christ? Who would ever look back upon his Flesh-pots, or Father's House, that hath such Welcome made him the first Moment he comes to the Lord Jesus, in having present Fruition of some of these Benefits, but present Right unto all; Fruition of some by Feeling, of all by Faith. But Oh the Wrath of God upon these Times, that either see not this Glory, or if they do, despise so great Salvation! Christ, and Pardon, and Peace, Adoption, Grace and Glory is bro't home to our Doors, but their Price is fallen in our Market, and we think•t better to be without Christ with our Lusts, than to be in Christ with his Benefits.
