Fourthly, They are not great, if compared to the glory that shall be revealed, Rom. 8. 18. For I 1reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us, or upon us. The Apostle upon casting up of his accounts, concludes, that all the pains, chains, troubles, trials, and torments that they met with in this world, was not to be put in the balance with the glory of Heaven. As the Globe of the Earth, which after the Mathematicians account is many thousands of miles ⟨p. 248⟩in compass, yet being compared unto the greatness of the starry skies circumference is but a centre, or a little prick: So the troubles, afflictions, and sorrows of this life, in respect of eternal happiness and blessedness, are to be reputed as nothing, they are but as the prick of a pin to the starry Heavens; they that have heard most of the glory of Heaven, have not heard one quarter of that which the Saints shall find there; that glory is unconceivable, and unexpressable. Augustine in one of his Epistles hath this relation, that the very same day wherein Jerome died, he was in his study, and had got Pen, Ink, and Paper, to write something of the glory of Heaven to Jerome, and suddenly he saw a light breaking into his study, and a sweet smell that came unto him, and this voice he thought he heard. O Augustine! what doest thou? dost thou think to put the Sea into a little vessel? when the Heavens shall cease from their continual ⟨p. 249⟩motion, then shalt thou be able to understand what the glory of Heaven is, and not before, except you come to feel it, as now I do. Nicephorus speaks of one Agbarus 2a great man, that (hearing so much of Christs fame, by reason of the miracles he wrought) sent a Painter to take his picture, and that the Painter when he came was not able to do it, because of that radiancy and divine splendour which sate on Christs face; such is the splendour, the brightness, the glory, the happiness and blessedness that is reserved for the Saints in Heaven, that had I all the tongues of men on earth, and all the excellencies of the Angels in Heaven, yet should I not be able to conceive, nor to express that vision of glory to you; it is best hastening thither, that we may feel and enjoy that which we shall never be able to declare.
Fourthly, They are not great, if compared to the glory that shall bee revealed, Rom. 8. 18. For I 1reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to bee compared with the glory that shall bee revealed in us, or upon us. The Apostle upon casting up of his accounts, concludes, that all the pains, chains, troubles, trials, and torments that they met with in this world, was not to bee put in the ballance with the glory of Heaven. As the Globe of the Earth, which after the Mathematicians account is many thousands of miles ⟨p. 248⟩in compass, yet being compared unto the greatness of the starry skies circumference is but a center, or a little prick: So the troubles, afflictions, and sorrows of this life, in respect of eternal happiness and blessedness, are to bee reputed as nothing, they are but as the prick of a pin to the starry Heavens; they that have heard most of the glory of Heaven, have not heard one quarter of that which the Saints shall finde there; that glory is unconceivable, and unexpressable. Augustine in one of his Epistles hath this relation, that the very same day wherein Jerome died, hee was in his study, and had got Pen, Ink, and Paper, to write something of the glory of Heaven to Jerome, and suddenly hee saw a light breaking into his study, and a sweet smell that came unto him, and this voice hee thought hee heard. O Augustine! what doest thou? dost thou think to put the Sea into a li•tle vessel? when the Heavens shall cease from their continual ⟨p. 249⟩motion, then shalt thou bee able to understand what the glory of Heaven is, and not before, except you come to feel it, as now I do. Nicephorus speaks of one Agbarus 2a great man, that (hearing so much of Christs fame, by reason of the miracles hee wrought) sent a Painter to take his picture, and that the Painter when hee came was not able to do it, because of that radiancy and divine splendor which sate on Christs face; such is the splendor, the brightness, the glory, the happiness and blessedness that is reserved for the Saints in Heaven, that had I all the tongues of men on earth, and all the excellencies of the Angels in Heaven, yet should I not bee able to conceive, nor to express that vision of glory to you; it is best hastning thither, that wee may feel and enjoy that which wee shall never bee able to declare.
- 12 Cor. 4. 16, 17, 18
- 2Eccles. Hist.
