The sound believer. A treatise of evangelical conversion. Discovering the work of Christ's spirit,…

2. You shall then bless him, Eph. 1.6. and 4.13. and that with Ravishment; you shall come then to the full Acknowledgement of the Son of God; you shall see and say all this is the Work and Grace of Christ, and then shall cry out, Oh let all Angels, Saints ever bless him for this. What shall I speak any more? You will say, Is this certain? Can this be so? Yes assuredly, for Christ is gone to prepare this Place and Glory for you, John 14.2, 3. We have also the first Fruits of this Glory which we feel sometimes, whereby we see, and taste, and drink, and long for more of that Joy unspeakable, and Peace that passeth Understanding, that Triumph over the Rage and working Power of remaining Corruption, that dark Vision of God, and holy Glorying and Boasting in him as our everlasting Portion, &c. which cannot be Delusions and Dreams, which never feed, but ever leave the deceived Soul hungry, but are Realities and Things indeed, which satiate the weary Soul, and fill it up with the very Fullness of God himself, Eph. 3.19. and therefore 'tis certain, that we shall have the Harvest that ⟨p. 242⟩thus taste of the first Fruits, and the whole Sum paid us faithfully that have already the earnest Penny. The Lord also fits us for this, as the Apostle disputes, 2 Cor. 5.4.5. What Means the Lord to deny our Requests in many Things as long as we live? What is his Meaning not to let us see the Accomplishment of many of his Promises? Is it because he is unfaithful? Or because he would let us know there is a Day of Refreshing he hath reserved for us, and would have us look for, wherein we shall see it hath not been a vain Thing for us to pray, or him to promise? Why doth he afflict us, and keep us mor• miserable both by outward Sorrows and inward Miseries than any other People in the World? Doth he not hereby humble us, empty us, wean us from hence, and make us as it were Vessels big enough' to hold Glory, which we hope for in another World? But you will say, Can this Glory be thus great? We see 'tis certain it shall be so; but shall it be so exceeding great and endless? Yes, verily, because,