If an angel from heaven should preach the gospel, yet could he not deliver it according to its glory; much less we who never saw what they have seen, and keep this treasure in earthen vessels. The comforts that flow through sermons, sacraments, reading, conference, and creatures, are but half comforts; in comparison of those which the Almighty shall speak with his own mouth, and reach forth with his own hand. The christian knows by experience now, that his most immediate joys are his sweetest joys; which have least of man, and are most directly from the spirit. That is one reason, I conceive, why christians who are much in secret prayer and meditation, are men of greatest life; because they are nearer the well-head, and have all more immediately from GOD himself. And that I conceive the only reason, why we are more indisposed to those secret duties, and can easier bring our hearts to hear and read, than to secret prayer, self-examination and meditation; because in the former is more of man, and in these we approach ⟨p. 54⟩the LORD alone, ••d our natures draw back from the most spiritual duties. Not that we should therefore cast off the other, and neglect any ordinance of GOD: to live above them while we use them, is the way of a christian. But to live above ordinances, as to live without them, is to live without the government of Christ. It is then we shall have light without a candle; and a perpetual day without the sun: For the city hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it: for the glory of GOD doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof, Rev. xxi. 23. Nay, There shall be no night there, and they need no candle, nor light of the sun, for the LORD GOD giveth them light, and they shall reign for-ever and ever. We shall then have rest without sleep, and be kept from cold without our clothing, and need no fig-leaves to hide our shame: for GOD will be our rest, and Christ our clothing, and shame and sin will cease together. We shall then have health without physic, and strength without the use of food; for the LORD GOD will be our strength, and the light of his countenance will be health to our souls, and marrow to our bones. We shall then (and never till then) have enlightened understandings without scripture, and be governed without a written law.
If an angel from heaven should preach the gospel, yet could he not deliver it according to its glory; much less we who never saw what they have seen, and keep this treasure in earthen vessels. The comforts that flow through sermons, sacraments, reading, conference, and creatures, are but half comforts; in comparison of those which the Almighty shall speak with his own mouth, and reach forth with his own hand. The christian knows by experience now, that his most immediate joys are his sweetest joys; which have least of man, and are most directly from the spirit. That is one reason, I conceive, why christians who are much in secret prayer and meditation, are men of greatest life; because they are nearer the well-head, and have all more immediately from GOD himself. And that I conceive the only reason, why we are more indisposed to those secret duties, and can easier bring our hearts to hear and read, than to secret prayer, self-examination and meditation; because in the former is more of man, and in these we approach ⟨p. 54⟩the LORD alone, ••d our natures draw back from the most spiritual duties. Not that we should therefore cast off the other, and neglect any ordinance of GOD: to live above them while we use them, is the way of a christian. But to live above ordinances, as to live without them, is to live without the government of Christ. It is then we shall have light without a candle; and a perpetual day without the sun: For the city hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it: for the glory of GOD doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof, Rev. xxi. 23. Nay, There shall be no night there, and they need no candle, nor light of the sun, for the LORD GOD giveth them light, and they shall reign for-ever and ever. We shall then have rest without sleep, and be kept from cold without our cloathing, and need no fig-leaves to hide our shame: for GOD will be our rest, and Christ our cloathing, and shame and sin will cease together. We shall then have health without physic, and strength without the use of food; for the LORD GOD will be our strength, and the light of his countenance will be health to our souls, and marrow to our bones. We shall then (and never till then) have enlightened understandings without scripture, and be governed without a written law.
