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MEDITATIONS; 


REPRESENTING 


A  GLIMPSE  OF  GLORY; 

OR, 
A  GOSPEL    DISCOVERY  OF 

Wbereunto  is  subjoined  a  Spiritual  Hymn,  entitled 
THE  DYING  SAINTS  SONG, 

And  some  of  his  last  Letters, 


By  Mr  AJ^DREW  fVELWOOD, 

BROTHER  TO  MR.  JOHN  WtLWOOD,  LATt  MINISTER 
OF  THE  GOSPEL  IN  SCOTLAND. 


Col.  iii  4  ^Hien  Christ  who  is  our  life,  shall  appear  then 
sb.al'  ye  also  apoear  with  him  in  glory. 

Is.  Ix.  19. — 21,  The  Lord  sh -11  be  unto  thee  an  everlasfng 
light,  and  thy  God  thv  Glory.  Thy  sun  ■  h>ill  no  more  go 
do^vn,  ne'.ther  shall  th\  moon  withdraw  itself. —  ri.y  peo- 
pe  also  shall  be  all  righteous  tht  y  shf<ll  inherit  ihe  Und 
for  ever. 

Rev  xxi  22  2v'>.~The  Lord  God  Alnnighty,  and  the  Lamb, 
are  the  temple  of  it. — For  tlie  glory  ot  God  did  lighten  it, 
and  the  Lamb  is  the  light  thereof. 


PITTSBURGH: 

Printed  for  Robert  Wilson,  by 

J  B.BUTLER< 

1824v 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2009  with  funding  from 

University  of  Pittsburgh  Library  System 


http://www.archive.org/details/meditationsrepreOOwelw 


HECOJSIMENBATIOJ^S. 

THIS  rare  and  excellent  work  need  only  to  be  read, 
in  Older  to  be  admired  by  every  lover  of  genuine  piety. 

The  following  recommendations  hive  been  cheerfully 
given  by  men,  who  it  is  well  known  by  all  acquainted 
with  their  characters,  would  not  lend  their  names  to  re- 
commend any  work,  unless  it  were  highly  deserving. 


I  have  been  requested  to  give  my  opinion  about  the 
propriety  of  reprinting  a  book,  entitled,  "Meditations  re- 
presenting a  Glimpse  of  Glory,  or  a  Gospel  discovery  of 
Emmanuel's  Land,  by  Andrew  Welwood."  I  am  free  to 
say  that  the  truly  spiritual  and  pious  man  in  perusing  this 
treatise,  will  find  his  affections  elevated  above  the  world, 
and  his  heart  ravished  with  the  glories  of  the  heavenfy 
country.  A  strain  of  piety  and  heart  felt  religion  runs 
through  the  whole  work. 

The  writer  is  evidently  orthodox  and  generally  accu- 
rate. Any  inaccuracy  of  expression  that  may  appear, 
can  be  easily  remidied  if  the  book  be  reprinted.  The  au- 
thor was  a  young  man  preparing  for  the  ministry,  but 
finished  his  course  before  he  had  an  opportunity  of  preach- 
ing that  gospel  in  which  his  soul  delighted:  He  appears 
to  have  felt  the  full  force  of  what  he  wrote,  and  being 
dead  he  yet  speaketh. 

JOHN  BLACK, 
Pastor  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  in  Pittsburgh, 

I  cheerfully  concur  in  the  above  recommendation  of 
Welwood's  Glimpse  of  Glory. 

FRANCIS  HERRON, 
Pastor  of  the  1st,  Presbyterian  Church  in  Pittsburgh. 

I  likewise  concur  in  the  same  recommendation. 

ROBERT  BRUCE,  P.  A   C.  P. 

It  will  give  me  great  pleasure  to  see  the  above  work 
reprinted  and  widely  circulated. 

JOSEPH  STOCKTON,  A.  M. 

The  above  recommendations  are  cordially  approved 
by  ROBERT  PATTERSON,  A  M.  and 

JOSEPH  PATTERSON,  V.  D.  M. 


The  little  work  which  is  here  proposed  to  be  re-pul> 
lished  is  one  which  I  have  long  esteemed,  as  deserving  a 
iiigh  rank  among  that  class  of  practical  treatises,  few  in 
number,  but  of  sterling  worth,  which  ought  to  be  possessed 
and  often  read  by  all  such  as  are  waiting  for,  and  aspiring 
after  the  everlasting  enjoyment  of  the  glory  of  Heaven, 
i  highly  approve  of  the  attempt  to  reprint  it,  and  wish  the 
effort  may  be  successful 

E.  P   SWIFT, 
Paster  of  the  ^d  Preshjteriant  Churchy  Pittsburgh^ 

la  the  above  reeommendations  I  heartily  concur. 

JOSEPH  M'ELROY. 


THE  PUBLISHErr 

TO   THE 

E  E  A*D  E  B. 

Christian  Reader, 

Thou  hast  here  presented  to  thy  view,  A  Glimfise  of  Glory 
from  the  heavenly  Zion,  so  bright  and  lively,  as  nothing  of  hu- 
man composure,  yet  extant,  can  equal.  A  ray  of  such  heaven- 
ly fire,  as  being  received  into  a  heart  affected  with  eternal  ob- 
jects, may  prove  a  blessed  mean  to  inflam?"  it  into  a  divine  rap- 
ture of  holy  lf^nging>  to  see  and  enjoy  these  unseen  things,  which 
are  here  in  so  bright  colours  represented.  Whosoever  will  in 
sincerity,  md  with  attention,  peruse  this  small  treatise,  will  be 
led  into  such  a  delightful  contemplation  of  divine  -.^nd  heaven- 
ly things,  as  may,  in  a  manner,  transport  his  very  soul  into  that 
heavenly  paradise;  carry  him  along  the  beautiful  banks  of  that 
pure  river  of  the  water  of  life;  and  represent  to  the  eyes  of  his 
mind,  that  noble  and  glorious  company,  that  stands  about  the 
Lamb,  on  mount  Zion,  in  white  robe:?,  with  palms  in  thei"  hands 
singing  a  new  song  ot  praise  to  Jehovah  and  the  Lamb  Here 
shall  he  find  the  incomparable  beauties  of  that  upper  paradise, 
and  royal  palace  of  the  King  of  kings,  described  so  brightly,  in 
such  high  and  lofty  expressions,  as  well  suit  these  sublime  and 
supernatural  objects;  and  yet  withal  so  easy  to  be  understood, 
that  the  meanest  capacity,  exercised  in  spiritual  things,  may 
apprehend  the  true  fense  and  meaning  of  them.  The  holy 
heart  of  the  author  has  been  so  much  in  heaven,  that  from  the 
end  of  the  Prelude,  to  the  conclusion,  he  talks  altogether  like 
one  in  heaven  already,  and  as  a  possessor  of  the  glory  he  de- 
scribes: which  is  to  be  attentively  noticed,  for  the  better  un- 
derstanding of  the  scope  and  intent  of  the  discourse 

Besides,  the  description  of  heaven,  and  the  glory,  which  the 
saints  shall  enjoy  there;  (which  is  the  professed  subject  of  the 
book;)  there  are  not  a  few  other  excellent  subjects  interspersed, 
and  pretty  largely  handled.  How  ^weetly  doth  he  expatiate 
upon  the  praises  of  Chnst,  the  everblessed  Redeemer.^  How 
lively  doth  he  describe  him,  in  his  humbled  state;  his  humble, 
laborious,  sorrowtu*,  yet  holy  life;  his  painful,  shameful  and  ac- 
cursed death;  his  infinite  love  to  his  chosen,  that  put  him  upon 
all  that  voluntary  humiliation  and  suffering?  VViih  what  ravish- 
ment dotii  he  admire  the  difference  of  these  two,  so  uistant 
estates?  In  what  sweet,  lively  and  bright  expressions  dorh  he 
decb.rt  thi  mutual  Intercourse  betwixt  this  glorious  R^dt-iuer 
and  his  choSen,  especialW  in  tht  upper  house?  It  is  also  anothr 
A  2 


(        vi.        ) 

er  great  aim  of  the  author,  to  display  the  attributes  of  God,  to 
his  glory:  his  grace  and  mercy  towards  th^  elect;  his  sovereign 
ty,  in  his  works  of  creation,  providence,  and  especially  election;' 
his  truth  and  faithfulness,  in  making  good  all  his  promises;  his 
unchangeableness,  in  his  purposes  of  love  and  grace  to  liis  own; 
his  spotless  holiness  and  justice  in  punishing  the  wicked.  How 
lofty  is  hfc  in  describing  the  sovtreignty  of  God  over  his  crea- 
tures; either  to  create,  or  not  create,  elect,  or  pass  by,  as  he 
pleased?  How  sweet,  large  and  ravishmg  is  he,  in  holding  forth 
the  freedom  and  riches  of  redeeming  grace!  and  how  doth  he 
exult  and  gloiy  in  the  unchangeableness  of  God,  wbich  secures 
the  same  to  all  etei'nity?  His  wonderful  wisdom,  in  contriving 
the  saints  way  to  the  kingdom,  through  a  life  of  sufferings,  af- 
flictions, poverty  labours,  watchings,  sorrows,  8cc  is  pleasant- 
ly cleared  up;  and  many  mysterious  providences,  relating  there- 
unto, judiciously  unfolded;  which  may  serve  much  for  confir- 
mation and  consolation  to  many  poor  drooping  believers.  In 
describing  the  holiness  and  justice  of  God;  in  the  eternal  pun- 
ishment of  the  damned,  he  takes  occasion,  largely  to  delineaie 
ifce  miserable  estate  of  tlie  ungodly;  nor  is  this  improper  for  his 
subject;  for  contraries  set  beside  other,  serve  to  enlighten  one 
another.  He  sets  forth  their  extreme  misery  from  the  great- 
ness of  their  torments;  the  great  and  inconceivable  loss,  they 
undergo,  in  their  tternal  banisliment  from  the  presence  of  God 
and  the  Lamb;  the  eternity,  yet  justice  of  their  punishment 
which  justice  he  founds  not  on  arbitrary  constitution,  but  on  the 
•infinite  holiness,  justice  and  sovereignty  of  God,  against  whom 
sin  is  an  infinite  offence,  as  striking  against  his  very  being  and 
gloty;  and  therefore  deserving  an  infinity  ot  punishment.  Tii3 
blasphemies  they  continually  belch  forth  against  their  Creator, 
for  rns  punishing  them  though  at  the  same  time  their  conscien- 
ces approve  him  just;  and  their  horrid  inclination  to  fulfill  their 
kists,  though  they  cannot;  all  v.'hi©!!  he  reckons  their  punish- 
ment, as  well  as  their  sin;  for  he  was  f»t  no  loss  to  believe,  'I'haS- 
there  is  sinning  mJiell.  And  finally,  here  is  set  forth  the  holy 
triumph  of  the  righteous  over  the  wicked,  devils  and  men  once 
their  uicrtal  enemies;  now  laid  low  under  the  soles  of  their  feet, 
and  tor  ever  banished  their  holy  and  happy  society.  All  'vhich 
the  author  describes  in  such  a  moving  and  pathetic  manner  as 
jniv  h.t  cause  an  adamantine  heart  o  relent  and  tremble,  and  to 
inquire,  What  must  I'doto  be  saved?  Hoiv  shall  I  escape  the 
wrath  to  come} 

And  indeed,  to  bring  souls  to  such  a  serious  inquiry,  and  draw 
hearts  from  this  base,  empty  earth,  to  an  inquest  after  heaven 
and  salvation,  is  the  great  aim  of  the  author  through  all  tiiia 
V)Ook  And  hence,  how  pathetic  and  vigorous  is  he,  in  his  in- 
viting, persuading,  and  reasoning  with  the  unconverted,  fwhoni 
he  commonly  styles  worldlings,  because  yet  entangled  in  the 
lust:,  offhe  world,)  to  awaken  them,  to  a  due-  concern  about; 
l^eavenly  things,  and  w^an  theiv  hearts  from  earthly  vanities* 


C        rn-:       ) 

and,  by  lessening  their  esteem  of  them,  to  draw  their  affections 
from  them? 

And  that  such  as  are  persuaded,  seriously  to  mind,  and  ap- 
ply themsflves  to  this  noble  and  necessary  study,  mviy  not  want 
a  help  at  hand,  to  discover  to  them  the  goodness,  or  badness 
of  their  estate;  he  hath  added  in  the  conclusion  of  the  work  a 
considerable  nurnber  of  excellent  marks,  or  notes,  whereby  a 
Christian  may  discern  his  being  in  Christ,  and  whether  he  be 
in  a  heavenly  frame,  or  not;  also  by  them  a  formal  hypocrite 
may  be  detected 

If  there  be  any  flights  of  lofty  and  sub'ime  thought,  here  and 
there,  that  may  offend  the  censorious,  it  is  desired,  that  brfore 
they  censure,  they  would  first  compare  them  with  the  simili- 
tudes and  expressions  of  holy  scripture,  and  next  with  the  sen- 
timents of  sound  divines,  giving  some  grains  of  allowance,  in 
consideration  of  the  sublime  and  rapturous  way  of  wriiing-,  here 
used;  and,  it  is  confidently  presumed,  they  will  find  nothing  but 
■what  is  most  agreeable  to  truth,  in  this  whole  tractate.  There 
is  a  sentence,  page  14Q,  where  he  seems  to  make  sincerity  the 
condition  of  the  new  covenant,  as  perfection  of  obedience  was 
the  condition  of  the  covenant  qfivorks;  which  may  perhaps  of- 
fend some,  who  dislike  the  very  term  condition  in  a  covenant  of 
grace.  But  whosoever  considers  how  large  nnd  pathetic  he  is, 
in  dt  scribing  the  free  grace  of  God,  and  ascribing  all  the  glory 
of  redemption  and  salvation  to  Christ,  and  only  to  Christ,  must 
be  persuaded,. he  cannot  mean,  that  the  behevers  sincerity  or 
any  grace  of  his  whatsoever,  is  the  condition  of  the  new  coven- 
ant, in  a  legal  sense,-  for  so  Christ's  righteousness  alone  is  the 
condition  of  that  covenant.  Nor  can  we  charitably  judge,  that 
this  term  co?iditio?i,  is  in  any  worse  or  stricter  sense  affirmed  of 
sincerity,  which  presupposeth  and  includes  faith,  than  it  is  of 
faitli  Itself,  in  the  32d  answer  of  our  Larger  Catechism.  It  is 
€lear  then,  t  at  the  author  takes  condition  in  a  large  sense,  for 
any  thing  required  or  accepted  in  the  new  covenant:  and  so  it  Is 
true,  that  as  Adam's  works  were  to  be  perfect,  in  order  to  ac- 
ceptation; so  the  believer's  good  works  cannot  be  accepted  with- 
out sincerity;  and  will,  thro'  Christ,  be  accepted  when  sincere 
which  must  certainly  be  all  the  author  intends  by  condition  in 
that  place. 

He  is  also  pretty  positive  in  his  opinion  of  the  renovation  of 
the  earth  and  visible  heavens,  at  the  day  of  judgment:  which  he 
describes  in  bright  and  beautiful  emblems.  The  opinion  is  in- 
deed controverted  among  the  learned:  but  most  of  the  orthodox 
are  of  the  author's  s>ide.  Hence,  when  he  is  speaking  of  things 
in  that  renewed  state,  after  the  day  of  judgment,  none  needs 
marvel,  that  he  calls  sun.  moon  and  stars  everlasting,  and  the 
©artii  an  eternal  monument,  &s  in  page  94;  or,  stumble  at  any 
sucli  uncoiamcn  exprefsions:  for  he  speaks  as  one  beyond  time 
-dji  eternity. 


(     v^'"-     ) 

Moreover,  the  inteligent  anc  observing  reader  will  here  fin^ 
such  a  surprising  variety  of  the  most  profound  gospel  mysteries, 
interwoven  in  such  a  beautiful  and  artful  contexture,  as  will 
every  where  entertain  his  understanding,  with  an  uncommon 
delight. 

It  is  hoped,  none  will  desidei-ate  method,  or  quarrel  the  want 
thereof  as  a  defect;  if  it  be  but  reminded,  that  devotional  books 
amongst  which  this  may  justly  claim  a  chief  room,  are  not  usu- 
ally astricted  to  the  rules  of  art  and  logical  method:  it  being  the 
design  of  such  writers,  not  so  much  to  please  the  fancy,  or  en- 
tertain the  understanding  with  an  orderly  ranging  and  metho- 
dizing of  things,  as  to  quicken  and  inflame  the  aifections  with 
divine  and  sublime  meditations.'  where,  not  a  gingle  of  empty 
eloquence  fills  the  ear;  but  heavenlv  and  supernatural  objects, 
brought  down,  as  it  were,  from  the  eternal  world  of  spirits,  and 
made  familiar  to  the  understanding,  move  and  engage  the  heart, 
and  elevate  the  soul  to  follow  hard  after  these  only  worthy  and 
substantial  delights.  And  besides,  the  intelligent  reader  will 
find  upon  due  perusal,  that  it  is  not  a  mere  rude  heap  of  indi- 
gesied  matter;  but  that  ther  is  really  a  comely  order  observed, 
in  the  disposing  of  the  thoughts  herein  contained,  which  will 
sufficiently  gratify  the  understanding,  while  the  incomparable 
matter  melts  and  inflames  the  affections. 

As  for  the  titles  of  the  sections,  the  pubhshers  were  not  as- 
sured,  whether  they  were  added  by  the  author  himself,  or  by 
some  other  hand:  nay,  they  did  not  want  ground  of  suspicion, 
both  from  the  difference  of  expression,  and  sometimes  from  the 
unsuitableness  to  the  nnatter,  that  some  less  skilful  person  had 
added  them  Yet,  having  no  copies  save  one,  (except  the  let- 
ters and  saint'a  song,  whereof  we  found  several  copies  )  to  com- 
pare, it  was  thought  safest  to  retain  them,  lest  any  thing  might 
be  desiderate  that  was  in  the  manuscript:  and  the  judicious  rea- 
der is  left  to  his  choice,  whether  to  read  on  the  matter,  without 
regard  to  these  titles,  or  otherwise;  for  it  must  be  owned,  that» 
considering  the  variety  of  heavenly  purposes  sometimes  com- 
prise', in  one  of  these  paragraphs,  it  is  no  easy  matter  for  any 
man  to  devise  an  apposite  title,  to  express  the  substance  of  the 
matter  therein  contained. 

There  is  no  doubt,  but  the  reader,  by  this  time,  will  be  longing 
for  some  account  of  the  author;  and  it  were  to  be  wished,  that 
a  true  and  genuine  relation  of  the  life  of  that  pious  youth  could 
have  be^  n  recovered,  in  order  further  to  oblige  the  public, 
which  had  it  been  practicable,  no  pains  would  have  been  spared 
to  transmit  it:  and  without  all  doubt,  such  a  life  would  have 
been  a  rare  and  excellent  draught,  worthy  of  Christian  imita- 
tion. He  was  the  son  of  a  godly  father,  minister  of  the  gospel 
at  I'cndergirth  in  Annandale,  rorcerning  whom  there  is  rela- 
ted this  remarkable  passage.  V'^'hen  the  Lord  had  taken  away 
from  him  his  beloved  wife,  the  desire  of  his  eyes,  he  spent  the 
whole  ensuing  night  in  prayer  and  meditation  in  his  garden. 


(     &.    > 

One  of  the  elders  of  the  parish  coming  next  morning  to  visit  hiia 
and  condohng  his  want  of  rest  by  reason  of  the  dispensation  so' 
lately  befall-  n  him,  he  replied  thus,  or  to  this  effect:     "I  de- 

*  clare  I  have  not  all  tnis  night  had  one  thought  concerning  the 

*  death  of  my  spouse:  I  have  been  so  wholy  taken  up  with  the 

*  meditation  of  heavenly  things.    I  have  been  this  night  upon 

*  the  banks  of  Ulai,  plucking  an  apple  here  and  there."  This 
passage  plainly  shows  what  a  heavenly  soul  this  holy  man  hath 
been;  and  how  plentifully  this  gracious  youth  his  son,  hath  been 
blessed  wiih  the  same  spirit,  is  abundantly  evident  from  the  en- 
suing treatise.  His  brother  Mr.  John  VVelwood  was  a  person 
well  known  to  many,  and  his  memory  still  sovoury  to  all  that 
knew  him  for  his  hohness,  diligence  in  the  labours  of  the  minis- 
try, amidst  many  perils  from  bloody  persecutors,  and  false 
brethren,  his  undaunted  zeal  and  courage  in  the  cause  of  Christ 
though  under  a  very  weak  and  sickly  constitution  of  body, 
W  hat  a  bte  of  faith  he  lived  in  these  perilous  times,  is  evident 
from  several  letters  of  his  written  to  his  godly  acquaintances, 
and  friends,  y^^t  extant  in  manuscript.  And  as  he  excelled  in 
the  grace  of  faith,  so  this  holy  youth,  the  author,  seems  to  have 
peculiarly  abounded  in  that  of  love,  as  v^'ill  be  abundantly  man- 
ifest from  the  whole  of  this  heavenly  tractate.  And  how  seal- 
ous  he  was  for  the  royal  prerogatives  of  his  lovely  Redeemer* 
usurped  by  wicked  rulers,  and  the  public  concerns  of  his  house 
and  glory;  may  be  gathered  from  several  passages  in  this  trea- 
tise, though  the  nature  of  the  subject,  did  not  permit  him  to  en- 
large much  this  way.  It  appears  plainly,  from  his  letters  an- 
nexed to  this  treatise,  that  he  designed  to  have  served  the  Lord 
Christ  in  the  work  of  the  ministry,  if  it  had  pleased  the  Lord  to 
have  contmued  his  abode  here  below:  but  the  good  Lord  was 
pleased  early  to  transport  him  from  the  wilderness  of  earth  to 
the  paradise  of  glory;  and  to  accept  the  will  in  that  matter,  for 
the  deed,  as  himself  speaketh.  He  died  at  London,  in  time  of 
our  late  persecution,  as  would  seem^  of  a  consutnption;  under 
which  affliction,  how  much  he  profited  and  grew  in  grace,  ap- 
pears also  evidently  from  the  same  letters.  He  concluded  his 
holy  and  happy,  tho' short  life,  with  the  swettest  assurance  of 
obtaining  that  celestial  blessedness  he  here  describes,  and  quiet- 
ly slept  in  the  Lord.  And  tho'  the  rest  of  the  history  of  his  I'fe 
cannot  here  be  committed  to  writng,  (as  was  designed,  if  cer- 
tain information  could  have  been  obtamed,"^  yet  there  is  here  a 
genuine  transcript  of  it  to  be  read;  for  no  douot  he  endeavuur- 
ed  to  live  what  he  wrote,  and  such  a  lasting  monument  erected 
to  the  glory  of  his  Redeemer,  as  will  also  serve  to  transmit  tiia 
memory  embalmed  to  posterity,  without  needing  an  eulogium 
from  any  other  hand. 

To  conclude;  the  treatise  itself  will,  up'^n  due  perusal,  so  ap- 
prove itself  to  every  cracious  heart  by  its  heuvenly  and  di- 
vine strain;  the  noble  design  it  drives,  namely,  to  exalt  Christ, 


(    X.    ) 

ancf  allure  souls  to  him;  by  its  most  sweet  and  taking  compos- 
sure,  its  style  being  both  lofty  as  to  the  subject,  and  condescend- 
ing to  the  most  illiterate;  and  finally,  by  the  sweet  discoveries- 
it  makes  of  that  holy  city,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  the  hope, 
rest,  and  joy  of  all  the  saints:  the  treatise,  I  say,  will  so  recom- 
mend itself,  as  tliat  it  shall  need  no  ivy  to  be  hung  out  to  invite 
the  passenger;  and  will  only  need  to  be  known,  to  recommend 
it  sufficiently  to  every  devout  soul. 

That  the  Almighty  Lord,  with  whom  is  the  residue  of  the 
Spirit,  and  who  only  can  command  the  blessing,  may  make  this 
treatise,  a  blessed  mean,  in  the  hand  of  his  holy  Spirit,  to  build 
up  and  comfort  behevers,  to  quicken  them  to  heavenly  mind- 
cdness,  and  draw  them  from  the  too  eager  love  of  this  earth/ 
and  awaken,  allure  and  draw  sinners  to  Jesus  Christ,  charmed 
and  ravished  with  the  unspeakable  glory  of  the  great  reward, 
here  described,  which  he  hath  promised  to  all  them  that  turn 
irom  iniquity,  and  sincerely  love  him;  is  the  earnest  desire  of  the 
publishers. 


§>(Di^m9 


WRITTEN  fiY 

A  friend  of  the  Author^  upon  the  sight  of  this  rare  piece^ 
in  commendation  of  both, 

\OU  excellent  souls,' whose  lofty  minds  aspire 

To  higher  objects  only,  whose  desire 

Disdains  o'ervalu'd  dung,  vile  worldling's  choice. 

Is  not  allured  with  Siren's  empty  voice. 

And  scorns  to  aim  below  the  Zenith  him, 

Whither  refined  perfections  all  do  fly; 

Here  is  an  object  highest  thoughts  transcending, 

Yet  unto  mean  conceptions  condescending: 

Here's  heav'n,  and  glory,  higher  Eden  come 

T'  unhappy  earth,  a  sweet  Elysium: 

Here's  glory  brought  to  us,  or  happy  we 

To  glory  made,  by  nimble  wings,  to  flee. 

On  seas  of  brinish  tears,  poor  we  are  toss'd. 

With  boist'rous  winds,  and  lofty  waves  are  crossed; 

Can't  see  our  dearest  native  soil,  orloter: 

But  here's  a  curious  prospt  ct,  tn  discover; 

That  land  afar  off  those  sweet  b  li~ ,  and  vales. 

Where  blow  these  fragran:,  soul  refreshing  gales, 


(         xi.         ) 

Which  rouse  these  fainting  souls,  whose  feet  do  stand. 
Within  the  borders  of  Emmanuers  land; 
Where  shines  the  Eternal,  with  celestial  showers, 
Ne*eKs.ending  blessings  on  the  ransom'd  pours. 
The  soaring  author  hath  flown  up  above, 
Drawn  by  the  cords  of  his  Redeemer's  love; 
Hath  walked  alongst  the  green  and  flow'ry  banks 
Of  life's  sweet  river,  viewed  the  curious  ranks 
Of  glory^s  stately  fruitful  trees,  hath  tasted 
Their  fruits  most  pleasant,  and  delicious;  feasted 
His  eyes,  on  glory's  land,  most  lovely,  fair; 
His  taste,  with  Nectar,  and  Ambrosia  rare; 
His  smelling,  with  heaven's  spring's  embroidery,* 
His  hearing,  with  harmonious  raptures  high; 
His  touch,  upon  the  silkin  carpet's  lap. 
Which  glory's  fields  and  alleys  doth  inwrap; 
His  mind,   upon  the  elevated  things. 
And  deep  contrivance  of  the  King  of  kings: 
His  love,  on  joys,  which  eye  hath  never  seen. 
Which  man's  capacious  heart  did  ne'er  contain. 
He's  sad,  that  mortals  in  -smil  mire  should  wallow. 
And  greedily  vile  lumps  of  earth  should  swallow: 
Most  JFriendly  bids  you  share  some  drops  with  him 
Of  pleasure's  streams,  in  which  the  saints  do  swim: 
He  (Isr'els  spy)  ripe  grapes  from  promised  land 
Hath  brought  (t*  inflame  them)  with  a  liB'ral  hand* 
Thy  pen  mounts  higher  than  the  eagle's  far. 
Thy  sharpest  eye,  more  than  the  eagle's  dare. 
Thy  draught  Appelle's  tables  far  outives,  ^ 

More  curious  thy  picture  is  than  his. 
Thy  raptures  future  ages  shall  admire. 
And  these  sh^U  light  their  tapers  at  thy  fire. 
Thou'st  trode  a  lofty  path,  ne'er  trode  before. 
And  whicl>  shall  be,  it  seems,  by  none  trode  more; 
Thou  hast  outstript,  and  sham'd  the  ages  gone, 
And  by  thy  rarest  writings  grac'd  thine  own: 
The  times  to  come  may  trace  thy  stately  pace. 
But  still  thou 'It  get  the  honor  of  the  place. 
Who  would  see  glory  off  the  neareit  shores. 
Draw  near  it  with  these  curious  mighty  oars; 
Cast  out  on  glory's  beauteous  skirts  your  e>  e. 
And  there,  O  saints,  your  ravish *d  souls  shall  spy 
A  paradise,  whose  lowest  parts  excell 
This  vi!est  duaghill,  in  which  mortals  dwell: 
A  paradise,  each  glimpse  of  which  shall  fill 
Your  minds  with  wonder,  and  with  joy  your  will 
In  short  a  paradise,  whose  ev'ry  part 
Shall  so  inflame  your  ever  ravish'd  heart. 
That  longing  you  shall  never  rest  till  ye 
Have  heav'n  in  you,  or  you  in  glory  be. 


OR, 
A  GOSPEL  DISCOVERY  OF 

EMMAJVUEVS   L^JVD, 


THE  PRELUDE. 

KOTJSE  thee,  O  my  soul,  from  this  base  and  contagious 
earth:  why  should  lower  thoughts,  and  base  aims  pos-ess 
thee  thus?  Wbat  hast  thou  here,  that  may  draw  thee 
aside  from  the  centre  of  thy  felicity  but  for  one  moment? 
If  this  world,  in  her  rosy  and  youthful  constitution,  be  ve- 
ry vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit;  what  must  there  be  now 
in  her  sad  and  withered  state?  If,  in  her  smiles,  she  be 
not  worth  the  regarding;  vwhat  folly  is  it  to  court  a  frown- 
ing nothing. 

2.  Is  it  time,  O  my  soul,  to  place  one  beam  of  thy  affec- 
tion upon  such  a  silly,  base  dunghill,  so  as  to  give  it  an  af- 
fectionate look?  Trample  it  under  thy  feet:  carry  thyself 
after  the  manner  of  those  who  expect  the  kingdom  God 
hath  formed  thee  of  such  a  capacious  constitution,  as 
nothing  can  satisfy  thee  below  his  infinite  Self;  and  shouldst 
thou  be  confined,  in  thy  outgoings,  within  the  limits  of 
this  lower,  smok)-  region?  Mount  up  swiftly,  far  above 
the  sun,  moon  and  stars,  beyond  the  borders  of  this  nar- 
row vault,  where  thou  mayest  sweetly  bathe  thyself  ia 
those  oceans  of  joys  and  felicity,  that  know  neither  brim 
nor  bottom:  thou  art  not  to  waste  away  thy  conceptions 
on  things  to-day  in  their  vigour,  and  to-morrow  they  are 
not;  shadows,  empty  nothings,  night  dreams  and  vanities, 
insufficient  objects  for  the  faculties  of  such  a  noble  being 
to  fix  upon  Art  thou  not  beginning  to  consider  of  a  more 
enduring  substance?  the  kingdom  that  cannot  be  shaken, 
Emmanuel's  glorious,  statelv  and  ever-flourishing  land, 
the  smilmg  rosy  place,  where  his  servants  do  incessantly 
serve  iiim,  and  see  his  face  eternally,  without  a  cloud; 
where  our  all  lovely  Well-beloved  doth  corporally  dwell, 

B 


14  THE    PRELUDE, 

and  shall  forever  lake  up  his  eternal  abode;  a  fruitful, 
fragrant,  beautiful,  delightsome  soil,  overflowing  with  the 
true  and  real  nectar  and  ambrosia;  a  garden  of  delights, 
a  paradise  of  pleasures,  planted  at  the  beginnmg  by  the 
Almighty's  own  right  hand,  whereon  he  hath  manifested, 
in  an  high  and  transcendent  manner,  the  incomprehensi- 
ble glory  of  his  power,  love  and  goodness,  wonderfully 
above  what  eye  hath  seen,  ear  hath  heard,  or  the  mind  of 
man,  within  the  tents  of  n^ortality,  considered:  what  a 
■^vonderful  frame  is  this?  0  the  alluring  objects  up  above! 
the  first  thought  whereof  set  all  on  a  flame:  0  what  de- 
sires! O  what  longings!  when  shall  mortality  be  swallowed 
tip  of  life,  death  of  victory,  time  of  eternity,  miseries  of 
blessedness,  sorrows  of  joys,  pains  of  pleasures,  painted 
enjoyments  and  delights  of  his  love  and  eternal  sweetness? 

8.  All  creatures  are  ever  in  action,  especially  those  of 
the  highest,  and  most  noble  rank,  which  must  necessarily 
have  some  object  or  other,  to  fix  their  outgoings  upon: 
the  most  excellent  and  sublime  are  then  to  be  chosen;  and 
\vhat  more  excellent,  than  what  will  fill  all  the  powers  and 
faculties  of  blessed  men  and  angels  throughout  all  eternity? 

4.  To  take  a  view  of  the  higher  Canaan,  is  neither  cu- 
riosity nor  audacity,  but  a  necessary  duty  lying  upon  all, 
who  are  travelling  thither:  the  advantages  of  such  a  noble 
study  cannot  be  told, 'nay,  nor  conceived,  but  by  the  ex- 
ercise therein. 

5  According  to  the  knowledge,  so  are  the  affections, 
both  as  to  kind  and  degree:  what  we  knew  not,  that  we 
cannot  love;  and  what  we  behold  lovely,  we  cannot  but 
love  it.  Seraphic  spirits,  no  wonder  you  are  often 
ravished  from  yourselves!  Ah  silly  worldlings,  you  can- 
not but  have  a  drooping  life  of  it,  since  you  know  nothing 
but  earth:  had  you  an  half  glimpse  of  the  more  enduring 
substance,  of  the  ever-flourishing,  never-fading  glory, 
how  should  you  be  in  an  unexperienced  frame  of  joy  and 
admiration!  how  should  you  disdain  all  the  lesser  beauties 
on  this  side  of  time?  but,  ah!  you  never  saw  the  enduring 
glory;  and  what  wonder  you  are  as  you  are? 

6  Mortality  hath  no  greater  joy,  than  the  solid  hope  of 
glory ;  the  sweetness,  arising  from  the  solid  hope  of  so 
great  things,  fills  the  soul  »vith  wonderful  ravishments, 
and  perfumes  the  lowest  of  earthly  enjoyments:  surpassing 
joys  to  my  soul!  these  temporal  things,  my  Lord  bestows 


ON  Emmanuel's  land.  liSf 

updn  me,  are  as  pledges  of  the  fair  inheritauce.  And^ 
are  not  all  visible  things  as  so  many  emblems  of  the  invis- 
ible? Worldlings,  you  are  fools  to  imagine  we  have  a 
sad  and  melancholy  life;  none  live  but  us;  though  we 
may  be  said  to  be,  as  to  this  life,  of  all  men  the  most  mis- 
erable: it  is  only  as  to  the  bulk  of  externals;  you  know 
Bot  our  joys,  nor  the  manner  of  our  enjoyments;  neither 
can  ye  know  them. 

7.  Of  necessity  we  must  search  after  another  I'lfe^  than 
this  evanibhing  vapour 

May  not  the  vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit,  in  the  pursuit 
©f  every  sublunary  enjovment,  force  us  to  the  searching 
after  another  life?  If  we  search  not  ♦or  the  glory  to 
eome,  then  let  us  search  after  nothing  at  all  Sirs,  what 
madness,  to  notice  this  earrh,  unless  in  order  to  eternity? 
Do  you  not  clearly  see  all  your  temporary  enjoyments 
die  in  the  birth?  Are  not  the  glittering  shows  of  men  oa 
this  stage  of  the  world,  like  the  appearance  of  aerial  things 
in  the  clouds?  Here  are  armies  engaging  one  another, 
there  are  ships  under  sail,  yonder  are  men  riding  in  the 
equippage  of  kings,  queens,  &.c,  otherwheres  are  towns, 
castles,  rivers,  &lc.  All  appear  T'eal  to  the  spectators  but 
anon  all  evanishing  to  nothing,  and  where  are  they  ?  Fools? 
are  they  considering,  that  thus  it  is  with  all  the  glories  of 
time!  Verily,  to  all  eternity,  they  shall  be  as  if  they  had 
not  been. 

8  The  small  study  of  glory  proves  us,  in  a  great  part, 
carnal. 

Is  it  not  evident,  we  have  our  eyes  too  much  upon  shad- 
ows? and  that  we  divide  our  looks  betwixt  heaven  and 
earth;  since  our  joys  are  more  carnal  than  spiritual,  and 
our  longings  and  desires  run  so  little  heaven-ward?  Ah! 
our  love  to  the  only  Well-beh  ved,  is  not  unhke  that  which 
every  nation  carries  to  their  God;  else  we  would  be  of- 
ten crying  out,  "Is  not  my  Well-beloved  gone  unto  anoth- 
er country?  and  shall  not  my  heart  and  love  for  ever 
dwell  there,  and  only  there  ?"  Sit  I  down  here,  when  he 
hath  removed  himself  to  another  place?  Can  there  be 
any  thing  desirable  where  he  is  not?  0!  all  ye  beauties  of 
this  lower  world,  what  are  you  to  me,  if  my  Lord  be  ab- 
sent? Let  me  pass  through  all  possible  difficulties,  even 
through  ten  thousand  oceans  of  burning  fire  and  brim- 
stone ;  providing  I  land  at  last,  on  that  ten  thousand  times 


16  T«E    PRELUDE, 

happy  place,  where  he  forever  dwells;  that  these  arms 
may  be  blessed  in  embracing,  these  eyes  in  eternal  be- 
holding, and  all  my  faculties  may  be  filled  with  his  eter- 
nally ravishing  sweetness.  O,  when  shall  I  behold  thy 
countenance?  when  shall  I  hear  thy  voice'  when  shall  I 
stand  amongst  these  happy,  happy,  happy  ones,  who  stand 
in  the  immediate  presence  of  thy  all-glorious  Majf:sty, 
and  have  the  naked,  immediate  and  clear  vision  of  thine 
eternally  ravishing  Godhead!  Ah!  how  is  it  I  think  o^'any 
thing  but  heaven!  why  are  we  not  ever  in  an  impatient 
longing  to  be  in  his  everlasting  embraces?  Know  we  what 
it  is  to  take  him  for  our  only  Well-beloved?  Is  not  every 
pounding  of  his  very  name  melodious  harmony  in  our  ears? 
doth  not  every  hearing  or  reading  of  him  affect  us  with  a 
ivonderful  sweetness?  Do  not  the  thoughts  of  our  being, 
in  his  naked  embraces  ere  long,  fill  us  with  an  ecstacy  of 
joy?  Are  we  not  ofterji  challenging  years,  months  and 
days,  that  they  succeed  so  leisurely  one  another;  and 
Contending  with  sun,  moon  and  stars,  that  they  run  theiy 
course  so  slowly;  looking  upon  every  hour  as  an  age,  in 
his  absence;  and  death  as  of  a  sweet  and  lovely  counte- 
nance, since  it  opens  us  a  passage  to  tiie  fiili  enjoyment 
of  him;  and  the  marrow  of  all  creature  excellency,  as  a 
snass  of  deformity,  if  it  should  eclipse,  for  a  moment,  the 
sweet  enjoyment  of  his  all-sufficient  Self? 

9.  Students  of  glory  overlook  tlie  difficulties  and  vexations 
of  time. 

Sweet,  sweet  is  the  way  to  my  blessed  home!  can  the 
way  be  thought  tedious,  that  leadeth  to  such  boundless 
joy?  O  the  goodly  country  I  behold  lying  at  the  end 
of  my  race!  hell  in  my  way  should  be  as  a  pleasant  par- 
adise: what  though  sadness  assault  me?  yonder  are  oceans 
of  joy  at  the  end  of  my  journey;  though  weariness?  yon- 
der are  green  pastures,  with  an  eternal  May;  though 
death?  yonder  are  floods,  the  rivers  of  life,  of  which  I 
shall  drink,  and  drink  again,  for  evermore.  Doth  poverty 
and  contempt  intervene?  Lo,  the  rich  inheritance,  the 
golden  and  pearly  city,  the  splendid  household-stuff!  0  the 
rich  inhabitants!  How  do  mine  eyes  affect  mine  heart! 
O  blessed  Christ,  I  have  seeathee  in  thy  beauty;  and  O 
how  is  my  soul  in  an  iminterrupted  motion  to  be  ?1  thecal 
The  affairs  of  time  move  not  as  such.  0  what  allure- 
znents!    who  can  see,  and  not  run?    0  thy  violent,  sweetj 


ON    EMMANUEL'S    LAiND.  17 

attractive  vivtue!  how  strongly  and  quickly  dost  thou 
draw  thy  members  up  to  heaven  after  thee!  See  I  not 
thee,  O  Well-beloved,  standing  with  the  massy  crown  of 
glory  in  th^  hand,  crying,  run,  and  have  it?  And  shall  I 
not  run,  even  run  with  patience  and  cheerfully  unto  the 
death?  How  cheerfully  did  my  Lord  go  up  to  Jerusalem, 
to  purchase  the  crown  for  me!  a  crown  to  be  purchased 
through  a  world  of  sorrows  and  difficulties!  What  am  I 
doing?  why  stand  I  thus?  all  is  purchased  already,  and 
the  word  is  to  me,  enter  and  possess. 

10.  The  study  of  s^lorij  is  so  alluring^  that  the  more  we, 
study^  the  mort  we  love  to  study  it 

Had  we  a  discovery  of  the  only  excellent  things,  how 
difficult  would  it  prove,  to  get  our  thoughts  plucked  off 
them?  Most  lovely  things,  seen  in  their  lovehness,  capti- 
vate the  affections  mosf,  and  consequently  determine  the 
thoughts:  do  we  not  think  most  upon  what  we  love  most? 
W''orldiii!gs,  I  appeal  to  your  consciences,  if  your  thoughts 
run  not  out  most  upon  earthly  things:  why?  you  know 
them  only,  and  esteem  them  most*  but,  had  you  a  view 
of  the  real  world,  the  outgoings  of  your  soul  would  run  ia 
a  higher  orb.  Had  we  the  impressions  of  glory  on  our 
spirits,  lower  objects  should  not  easily  draw  down  our 
thoughts,  or  turn  them  aside;  yea,  cur  higher  powers 
should  be  so  strongly  affected,  as  that  the  lower  powers- 
should  be  regulated  even  in  sleep;  our  imaginations  would 
be  composing  and  dividing  the  ideas  of  the  life  to  come, 
they  received,  according  to  their  natures,  from  the  high- 
er faculties  How  oft  would  we  be,  in  our  dreams,  walk- 
ing up  and  down  the  streets  of  the  golden  city,  the  beas  of 
lilies  and  roses,  in  the  higher  paradise  of  glory,  the  banks 
of  that  river  of  water  of  life?  Day- thoughts  have  influ- 
ence upon  night-dreams;  the  disposition  of  the  fancy  fol- 
lows that  of  the  mind.  Ah!  ye  sons  of  men,  what  wonder 
your  fancy  run  out  after  ?o  foolish  a  manner!  the  strength 
of  your  .'ublinie  powers  is  wasted  on  dunghill  concern- 
ments, your  thoughts  are  full  of  earth,  and  ail  your  lower 
powers  are  full  of  it  also. 

1 1  Creatures  are  only  to  be  esteemed  more  or  less  excel- 
lent, aLcordin;j;  t-  their  kno.-Udge,  it  being  ttie  primum  mo- 
bile of  all  other  end  .icnitnts. 

Cre-ttures  are  excelieu-  according  to  their  knowledge: 
let  beasts  iniasincj   that  the  scenical  garbs  of  riches,  and 

B  2 


18  THE    PRELUDE, 

titular  honours,  add  any  thing  real  to  men,  it  Is  only  the 
knowledge  that  differenceth;  vviihout  it  a  man  is  hut  a 
beast;  and  with  it,  in  its  elevated  pitch,  he  is  a  glorified 
and  immortal  creature:  "This  is  life  eternal,  that  they 
might  know  thee,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent." 
And,  is  not  the  knmvledge  more  noble,  according  to  the 
excellency  of  the  objects,  they  being  taken  up  congru- 
ously? 0  then!  are  they  not  seraphic  creatures,  whose 
minds  are  set  upon  the  only  excellent  things?  Had  we  a 
sight  of  that  surpassing  glory,  how  would  our  minds  be 
elevated  wonderfully  above  this  base  dunghill?  how  should 
we  look  down  upon  the  greatest  things  of  earth,  as  incon- 
siderable trifles,  far  below  our  subhme  spirits?  how  should 
we  trample  on  crowns  and  sceptres,  yea,  many  worlds, 
though  existent,  when  elevated  on  our  high  places,  clo- 
thed with  the  sun,  and  having  the  moon  under  our  feet?  How 
should  we  laugh  at  silly  earth-worms,  crawling  over  one 
another  with  great  trouble  and  vexation?  \h  childish 
spirits!  are  you  contending  and  wasting  your  inch  of 
time  on  trifles  and  shining  nothings?  what  is  the  gain, 
when  all  your  projects  are  accomplished?  Heirs  of  glory, 
no  wonder  you  are  termed  by  truth  itself,  the  excellent 
ones  of  the  earth;  none  of  excellent  and  generous  spirits^ 
but  you.  The  opinion  of  blind  worldlings  concerning 
you  is  of  no  value;  the  excellency,  and  baseness  of  man- 
kind is  not  yet  laid  open;'  mortality,  and  its  black  retinue, 
obscyre  all;  a  little  patience,  and  the  Almighty  shall  un- 
mask the  whole  race  of  mankind. 

15.  A  clear  v'letv  of  so  great  rewards  heartens  to  all  duties. 

The  clear  sight  of  the  great  recompense  of  reward, 
makes  the  creature  cheerful  in  duty.  Am  I  so  slow  in 
my  race,  and  the  matchless  inheritance  at  the  stake? 
Cries  not  my  Lord  unto  me,  "  Be  thou  faithful  unto  the 
^eath,  and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life?"  Is  there  such 
a  necessary  connexion  betwixt  a  momentary  fight,  and 
an  everlasting  triumph?  O  the  disproportion!  who  would 
not  fight?  who  would  not  wrestle?  O  let  me  run  to  the 
death! 

13.  The  better  we  are  versed  in  the  study  of  heaven^  the 
more  we  are  f  tied  for  it. 

Is  not  grace  young  glory;  and  the  forethoughts  of  hea- 
ven, a  preparation  for  heaven?  even  as  black  nature  is  a 
preparation  for  fiell,  the  height  and  perfection  of  wicked- 


19 

ness:  a  suitableness  is  congruous  betwixt  the  creature' 
and  its  condition.  High  spirits  axe  notfor  ba<e,  low  things; 
as  creeping  spirits  are  not  for  high.  What  things  in  hea- 
ven can  delight  a  carnal  soul?  Earth,  earth,  and  only 
earth,  is  its  known  object:  give  him  earth,  and  he  desires 
no  more  There  is  congruity,  and  discongruity  betwixt 
the  capacity  and  object:  beasts  have  no  uptaking  of  in- 
tellectual things;  neither  carnal  men  (termed  beai^ts  in 
scripture)  of  the  things  of  God.  O  sweet?  how  do  the 
saints  smell  of  glory,  before  they  enter  in?  May  they 
not  say,  "  Whither  I  go,  I  know,  and  the  way  I  knowr'^ 
W^ere  I  ignorant  of  the  world  I  remove  for  ever  into, 
could  I  be  thus  in  so  joyful  a  frame?  my  soul  is  going  to 
the  place  where  my  heart  is  already:  I  know  in  whom  I 
have  believed,  and  what  is  his  reward.  "0  joy  unspeak- 
able, and  full  of  glory!" 

14.  JYoble  uptakings  ofglory^  make  us  in  part  possessors 
of  heaven  wf}.d  giory. 

Serious  meditating  on  heaven,  renders  us,  in  some 
manner,  possessors  thereof:  Our  conversation  is  in  hea- 
ven, saith  the  apostle,  and  again,  "  You  are  come  (not  to 
the  mount  visible)  unto  mount  Zion,  and  to  the  city  of 
the  living  God."  Converse  and  presence  is  only  by  ben- 
efit of  the  mind;  were  we  dwelling  in  heaven  by  faith, 
we  might  be  said  to  be  in  heaven  before  we  were  there; 
or  rather  heaven  would  come  down  unto  our  souls;  Christ 
and  all  his  glorious  train  would  be  intimate  unto  us.  0 
then!  we  might  say  my  company  is  sweet,  my  fellowship 
glorious:  he,  whose  presence  enlightens,  enlivens  and 
beautifies  heaven,  is  ever  present  with  me:  "I  have  set 
the  Lord  always  before  me,  because  he  is  at  my  right 
hand,  I  shall  not  be  moved.  A  bundle  of  myrrh  is  my 
Well-beloved  unto  me,  he  shall  lie  all  night  betwixt  my 
breasts.  0  passing  joys  and  sweetness!  the  source  of  all 
joys  and  sweetness  doth  possess  my  heart  Blinded 
worldlings,  you  see  but  the  outward  garb  of  sense;  saw 
you  what  were  within,  you  could  not  but  admire  their 
happiness:  the  King's  daughter  is  all  glorious  within  — 
Saw  you  your  own  selves  in  your  own  genuine  colours, 
ye  would  run  from  yourselves,  if  it  were  possible:  hell 
lodgeth  within  you,  and  you  know  it  not:  but  anon,  when 
the  conscience  is  awakened,  ye  &hall  know  it,  to  your 
dreadful  experience. 


iiO  THE    PRELUDE. 

15.  Heaven  is  the  proper plnce  where  all  excellency  dwells^ 
should  ive  not  then  dwell  mentally  there? 

As  tiie  fields  are  most  pleasant,  fertile  and  beautiful, 
^vhich  lie  nearest  the  perpendicular  rays  of  the  sun;  so 
the  more  nearly  we  approach  the  Sun  of  righteousness, 
the  more  vigorous  and  lively  shall  our  condition  be*  how 
shall  we  bloom  and  flourish  like  a  tree  planted  by  the 
rivers  of  waters?  0  how  beautiful  shall  we  become,  in 
the  eyes  of  God,  angels,  and  saints/  Worldlings  you 
]ive  in  a  cold  climate;  can  any  thing  befal  you,  except 
withering  and  decay?  Come  hither,  this  is  the  sunny  side 
of  the  world:  were  ye  here,  ye  could  not  but  cry  out, 
"  The  lines  are  fallen  to  me  in  pleasant  places,  yea,  I 
have  a  goodly  heritage,'" 

1 6.  We  are  allowtd  to  have  our  mind  no  where  else  hut  in 
heaven^  that  only  being  free  from  the  contagion  of  sin. 

To  have  the  mind  in  heaven  is  safe;  to  let  it  fall  down 
to  earth  is  most  dangerous:  mostly  from  this  do  S  itan, 
the  world,  and  our  vile  hearts  get  such  advantage  against 
us:  this  is  the  place  where  Satan  domineers;  to  dwell 
here,  implies  a  submission  to  the  sceptre  of  his  government. 
No  wonder  so  many  mischiefs  beial  earth-worms  Hea- 
ven is  the  saint's  proper  soii:Nif  ye  be  wise,  O  citizens  of 
the  new  Jerusalem,  range  not  without  the  borders  of  your 
kingdom,  lest  some  evil. befal  you.:> 

1 7.  jiccording  to  the  excellency  of  our  knowled^c^  accord- 
ingly ii>   the  sphere   of  our  activity;    and  consequently   our 

fitness  for  doing ^great  things  for  our  Lord'^s  glory. 

Who  are  most  accomplished  for  vhe  greatest  actions 
and  sufferings  for  Christ?  Who,  but  those  who  are  most 
above?  If  the  study  of  human  sciences  renders  a  man  in 
some  measure  excellent;  what  will  the  study  of  this  hy- 
perphysical  science  do?  gll  other  sciences  are  subordi- 
nate to  this;  it  being  a  practlc  science,  directing  and  illu- 
minating our  minds,  in  the  solid  uptaking  of  all  things. — 
Know  much  of     od,  and  knew  much  of  all  thntgs 

IS.  tVhat  u)e  know  and  affect^  that  ive  are;  if  earthy  uc 
are  earthly;  if  heavenly^  ice  are  heavenly 

The  difference  betwixt  suints,  and  ail  worldlings,  lies 
much  here;  as  the  nfian  is,  so  are  his  thoughts.  Do  the 
faculties  of  thy  f-oul  run  most  out  on  heaven  and  gh>ry? 
Doth  heaven  more  affec*  thee  than  earth?  1?  it  the  tirHma- 
ry  frume  of  thy  spirit?    0  the  blessedness  of  thy  condition' 


ON  Emmanuel's  land.  51 

little  canst  thou  conceive  what  thou  art  coming  to.  But 
doth  thy  mind  run  most  upon  earth?  Is  it  the  most  delight- 
some object?  and  Is  heaven  a  frem'd  and  strange  like 
subject  to  meditate  upon?  Is  that  the  ordinary  harmony 
of  thy  spirit?  O  thy  dreadful  condition f  who  can  con- 
ceive it  I  But  thou  shalt  know  it  before  long. 

And  how  sweetly  and  cordially  are  we  invited  to  come 
up  from  this  ba«e  earth,  and  partake  of  that  noble  fellow- 
ship with  the  Father  and  the  Son?  the  gates  of  glory  are 
east  wide  open  to  all;  the  wells  of  salvation  are  not  seal- 
ed: if  you  be  eternally  thrust  out,  blame  yourselves.  He 
complains,  exhorts,  arguments  "  Ye  will  not  come  to  me, 
that  ye  might  have  Hfe  "  "  Why  ^\i\\  ye  die?  Whosever 
will,  let  him  come,  and  take  of  the  water  of  hfe  freely." 
Ah  fools!  what  are  ye  doing?  doubt  ye  whether  to  come 
up  or  not?  what  have  ye  there  but  broken  cisterns? 
Here,  O  here,  are  the  fountains,  the  rivers,  the  oceans  of 
living  waters.  Beware,  Sirs,  this  become  not  your  eter- 
nal complaint,  Heaven  was  wide  open,  and  I  would  not 
come  in;  and  now,  wo,  wo,  wo,  for  evermore!  the  gates 
are  for  ever  shut  against  me 

19.  It  IS  dar.gtvou^  io  take  a  superficial  view  of  gloiy^ 
and  no  more;  toe  are  to  svarch^  and  die  searching;  Sinc» 
eartli  liaih  so  skangQ  (i  poller  iipoii4creQtur^§  Qom^osed  of 
earth. 

0  heirs  of  this  never  fading  glory,  need  we  speak  of 
ihe  things  you  have  a  view  of,  far  above  all  our  expres- 
sions? See  you  not  what  is  inexpressible?  Are  you  not 
lavished  with  the  goodness  of  your  lot?  Have  you  not 
been  often  upon  the  top  of  mount  Pisgah,  viewing  the 
higher  and  lower  world,  the  vast  difference  betwixt  the 
children's  inheritance,  and  that  of  the  bastard's?  Have 
ye  not  received  a  taste  of  the  delicious  fruits  that  grow  on 
the  tree  of  hfe?  Have  ye  not  received  in  your  souls  some 
sparkles  of  that  heavenly  joy  and  love  ?  Have  you  not  ex- 
perimentally seen  the  nothingness  and  vanity  of  all  crea- 
ted enjoyments?  How  is  it  then,  that  so  many  of  you  are 
so  base  and  carnal  in  your  deportment,  as  it  is  difficult  to 
discern  betwixt  your  walk,  and  that  of  the  sons  of  the 
earth?  What!  back  to  the  earth  again,  after  yon  have  re- 
ceived so  high  an  elevation  ?  You  somewhat  resemble  the 
fallen  angels  Sirs,  (if  it  be  so,  that  you  nre  fallen  indeed,) 
it  is  an  hundred  to  one,  if  ever  you  approach  so  near 


2^  THE    PRELUDE, 

heaven,  on  this  side  of  time;  apostacy  in  the  smallest  de- 
gree is  very  dreadful.  Be  it  so,  you  cannot  totally  and 
finally  become  earth  again:  yet,  is  it  not  sad,  never  to 
come  near  to  the  first  attainments?  as  it  mostly  fc<lls  out 
in  fallen  saints:  even  David's  last  ways  were  below  his 
first.  But  however,  can  ye  endure  "^o  to  disgrace  your 
Lord's  glory,  before  the  eyes  of  vile  xvorkllings,  who  es- 
teem heaven  a  well-invented  chimera?  Can  you  feed 
their  Atheism?  and  dare  you  shake  the  faith  of  weak  ones? 
and  be  the  sad  occasion  of  many's  going  ba-^.k  at  the 
birth?  Either  walk  in  an  heavenly  manner,  or  profess 
no  religion  at  all:  if  your  converse  be  hke  that  of  dung- 
hill wretches,  wherein  do  ye  glorify  God  more  than  they? 
Tea,  you  do  dishonour  him  more  a  thousand  stages.— 
Christians,  can  you  forget  your  sweet  country,  in  this 
melancholy  wilderness?  Is  not  death  at  your  hand? 
Our  time  is  short,  for  making  ready  for  eternity;  ere  we 
get  a  sight  of  the  vain  world  death  will  assault  us.  What 
is  time  but  a  preparation  for  eternity?  Were  there 
ho  connection  betwixt  these  two,  verily  time  were  of 
no  consideration:  have  we  lost  the  real  use  of  our  senses? 
Do  not  all  we  see,  or  hear,  invite  us  to  go  up,  and  leave 
this  despicable  world?  Every  earthly  enjoyment  hath  van- 
ity written  upon  it;*  every  thing  here  hath  a  frowning 
countenance:  are  We  nM  Idolcing  for  a  city  whose  builder 
and  maker  is  God?  Let  us  be  persuaded  of  the  truth  of 
so  great  things;  let  us  embrace  the  promi.ses,  and  confess 
we  are  strangers  and  pilgrims  on  earth,  that  the  natives  of 
this  world  may  perceive  we  seek  a  country.  Cry  out, 
Sirs,  Adieu,  you  gilded  enjoyments,  abstracted  from  the 
life  of  all  enjoyments;  Ah,  glittering  nothings!  what  are 
you  all  to  me?  what  to  one  who  hath  found  the  enduiing 
substance?  welcome,  a  thousand  times  welcome,  eternal 
joys,  substantial  pleasures,  enduring  comforts!  welcome 
enjoyment  of  God,  in  any  measure,  though  through  a 
glass.  Mount  up,  0  my  soul,  on  the  scrapie  wings  of 
heavenly  meditation-  "Though  thou  hast  lain  among  the 
pots,  yet  shalt  thou  be  as  the  wings  of  a  dove,  covered 
with  silver,  and  her  feathers  with  yellow  gold."  Let  not 
a  low  sight  content  thee,  never  rest  until  thou  be  over  the 
borders  of  time,  where  thou  shalt  be  at  rest,  and  free  of 
trouble:  here  is  nothing  but  vanity  and  vexation  of . 'spirit, 

20.   Scripture  given  us  a  discovery  of  things  beyond  time. 

By  a  spiritual  uptaking  of  the  scriptures,  in  their  own 


ON   EMMANUEL^S    LAND.  23 

^€niime  sense,  we  might  attain  unto  the  sublime  knowl- 
edge of  excellent  things;  they  are  wisest,  who  are  best 
studied  in  them*,  faith  is  an  instrument,  whereby  the  soul 
takes  up  aright  the  things  contained  therein.  And  doth 
not  every  page  smell  of  heaven  and  glory?  The  glory  of 
God,  and  intellectual  creatures,  and  everlasting  enjoy- 
ment of  him,  is  the  subject  and  scope  of  all.  Nay,  this 
great  volume  of  this  visible  Ail,  demonstrates  somewhat 
invisible  of  a  far  higher  nature;  "The  heavens  declare 
the  glory  of  God:  the  invisible  things  of  him  from  the 
creation  of  the  world  are  clearly  seen,  being  understf>od 
by  the  things  which  are  made."  How  many  draughts 
and  emblems  of  glory  may  we  behold,  in  the  glorious 
fabric  of  heaven  and  earth?  Hovr  doth  the  spiiit  set  be- 
fore our  eyes,  that  inconceivable  glory  to  come,  in  types 
and  borrowed  terms,  drawn  from  the  glories  of  this  lower 
region?  Yerily,  they  have  the  advantage  of  others,  who 
have  spirit  and  opportunity,  for  searching  into  the  admi- 
rable works  of  God's  creation:  for  such  is  the  nature  of 
things  visible,  that  the^  lead  us  to  those  that  are  invisible. 

21.  Glory  is  not  to  be  considered  after  a  philosophical 
manner^  being  altogether  supernatural. 

To  inquire  metaphysically  into  the  nature  of  this  excel- 
lent glory,  is  not  our  intention;  we  desire  not  to  speak 
other  things  than  what  is  wriiten  Subtle  inquiries  are 
cold,  having  small  influence  on  the  afi'ections,  the  infla- 
ming of  which  is  oar  aim.  A  gospel  view  of  glory,  in  a 
scripture-dialect,  is  our  design.  That  the  scripture  term- 
eth  heaven  a  city^  and  again  a  bride^  siiows  that  all  em- 
blems come  wonderfully  short,  in  representing  such  in- 
conceivable things;  and  therefore,  discourses  thereof  are 
not  to  be  examined,  according  to  vulgar  rules  Glory 
may  be  understood,  either  formally,  or  subjectively; 
which  is  the  supernatural  elevation  of  the  creature;  or 
objectively,  which  is  the  manifestation  of  God  to  the  crea- 
ture: the  glory  then  to  be  revealed  is  a  supernatural  per- 
fection, and  that  in  kind  Natural  wisdom,  never  so  in- 
tense, is  not  glory;  the  splendor  of  the  sun,  though  a 
thousand  stages  gradualh  augmented  abovo  what  it  is,  is 
still  but  natural  glory,  and  not  a  supernatural  elevation. 
Every  ttyng  is  peiie'ct,  beautiful,  excellent,  or  glorious 
(which  terms  express  the  same'  in  its  own  kind;  but  in 
heaven  all  are  supernaturahy  excel  ent,  as  being  eleva- 
ted far  above  the  reach  of  their  natural  beings. 


«4  THE    PREtVDE, 

22.  M  creatures  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  are  paS- 
§ively  capable  of  supernatural  elevation. 

What  baser  things  than  dust?  and  yet  that  is  admitted, 
within  the  new  Jerusalem:  yet  may  intellectual  beings  be 
said  (Gr.  kaV  exochen,  i.  e.  by  way  of  eminence)  to  be 
only  capable  of  glory  and  then  we  may  say,  glory  is  the 
highest  elevation  attual)  of  a  creature,  in  its  being,  fac- 
ulties, virtues,  operations,  and  relations,  by  which  it  is 
enabled  to  enjoy  God  to  the  full. 

23  JVoihtng  leads  us  so  excellently  to  the  knowledge  of 
glory ^  as  grace  its  forermme,' . 

Grace  being  an  endowment  above  the  strength  of  na- 
ture, what  is  it  else  but  young  glory  ?  For  that  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  one  will  lead  us  by  the  hand  unto  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  other:  as  glory  is  grace  in  the  bloom  and  ful- 
lest vigour;  so  grace  is  glory  in  the  bud  and  first  spring- 
ing: the  one  is  holiness  begun,  the  other  holiness  perfect- 
ed*, the  one  is  the  beholding  of  God  darkly,  as  through  a 
glass,  the  other,  beholding  him  face  to  face  Christians, 
are  you  considering,  that  in  part  you  are  glorified  already? 
Though  it  be  small,  like  a  grain  of  mustard  seed,  and  ob- 
scured by  corruption  and  mortality;  a  little  patience,  and 
you  shall  see  it  grow  out  wonderfully,  in  all  dimensions, 
and  flourish,  and  bloom,  and  be  fruitful  and  fragrant 
through  never-ending  ages.  You  have  tasted  that  the 
liord  is  good,  you  shall  swim,  ere  long,  in  the  oceans  of 
goodness;  you  have  had  his  amiable  countenance  lilted 
upon  you;  a  little  hence  shall  ye  for  ever  dwell  under  the 
noon-day  rays  of  his  ravishing  face:  some  drops  of  celes- 
tial joy  have  fallen  into  your  hearts,  unto  ravishment;  you 
shall  enter  into  the  ocean  itself  ere  long:  you  are  walking 
with  the  Lamb,  in  the  days  of  your  pilgrimage  you  shall 
follow  him  anon  whithersoever  he  goes.  May  ye  not 
then  attain  to  some  conception  of  glory?  the  tree  maybe 
known  by  its  seed;  the  direct  rays,  by  the  reflex.  As 
for  you,  worldlings,  who  know  not  what  it  is  to  have  com- 
munion with  God,  the  very  natural  consideration  o^  such 
dazzling  glory,  may  rouse  up  your  senses,  and  cause  you 
to  understand  what  you  never  heretofore  considered 

24.   Saints  get  some  discoveries  more  evident  than  through 
a  glass,  which  may  be  termed  glimpses  oj  glory. 

The  saints,  on  this  side  oT  time,   are  not  .-eidom  more 
than  victors;  they  have  s.ghta  above  that  of  faith:    0  the 


ON  Emmanuel's  la.hd.  -95 

sights!  O  the  sweetness!  O  the  ravishments,  more  like 
those  of  oFercomers,  than  figthers,  which  the  saints  expe- 
rience! why  may  we  not  then  attain  to  some  apprehen^ 
sioQS  of  the  gk)ry  above?  may  not  the  experience  of  our- 
selves and  others  lead  us  into  the  discovery  of  wonderful 
things:  no  doubt,  the  new  creation  i:^  a  supernatural  ele- 
vation, which  we  bhail  never  be  able  to  attain  unto,  through 
the  ordmary  and  Cc-nnatural  influencing  of  the  spirit  on 
oarcongenit.e  faculties;  his  marvellous  light  is  of  another 
nature,  than  that  common  light  which  he  communicateth 
to  every  one  that  comech  into  the  world.  Natural  excel- 
lency, never  so  gradually  perfected  is  still  natural;  grad- 
ual difference  change th  not  the  kind;  join  all  common 
graces  of  reprobates  together,  could  they  make  up  a  sa- 
ving or  supernatural?  Many  carnals  make  not  a  heaven- 
ly; many  material  excellencies  make  not  up  a  spiritual: 
grace  is  a  heavenly,  new  principle  infused,  not  the  per- 
fecting of  what  hath  been  already  in  the  worldhng.  O 
Sirs,  beware  of  a  beguile  here :  the  intense  natural  knowl- 
edge of  divine  mysteries,  with  the  overflowings  of  love 
and  joy  arising  therefrom,  may  dazzle  our  own  eyes,  and 
the  eyes  of  the  spectators:  look  that  you  have  heaven  in- 
deed within  you,  else  you  cannot  enter  there.  0  to  be 
partakers  of  the  divine  nature!  0  for  the  noble  mind  of 
Christ!  O  to  be  transformed  in  the  spirit  of  our  mindsl 
'•  cause  thy  wind  to  blow  on  our  dry  bones,  and  we  shall 
live  "  Be  not  beguiled,  sirs,  as  ye  sow,  so  shall  ye  reap  : 
have  you  the  immortal  seed  within  you?  Look  well  to  it, 
let  it  not  be  choked  with  cares,  anxieties,  and  vanities; 
though  the  beginning  appears  small  and  inconsiderable, 
the  end  will  be  wonderfully  glorious  and  excellent:  the 
wonders  to  be  manifested  upon  thee,  will  be  the  perfection 
of  what  thou  ha^t  got  already;  "  If  the  spirit  of  him  that 
raised  up  J^sus  from  the  dead  be  in  you,  he  shall  also 
quicken  your  mortal  bodies,  by  the  spirit  that  dwelieth 
in  you. 

25.  All  things  invite  to  this  excellent  study,  and  no  argu- 
ment against  it. 

We  heartily  beseech  you,  to  step  up  to  the  top  of  mount 
Pisgah,  and  take  a  view  of  our  ravishing  coimtry-  what 
have  you  to  say  against  the  business?  Come  and  see,  will 
answer  all  your  objections:  whatever  you  can  say  against 
the  matter,  will  prove  it.      Speak  ye  of  melancholy?  O 

C 


QQ  THE   PRELUDE 


what  sweetness  is  here!  of  inability,  and  dimness  of 
knowledge?  0  the  lightness  of  this  city!  all  things  are  ob- 
scure and  smoky  below.  Speak  we  of  hindrances  from 
our  necessary  worldly  affairs?  O  how  doth  the  sight  of 
this  glory  oil  the  wheels,  and  cheer  up  to  every  duty? 
Will  any  term  it  an  unknown  subject?  Nothing  more 
fruitful  and  full  of  varieties ;  nothing  more  lightsome  than 
glory.  Art  thou  wordly- minded?  O  then  study  heaven; 
the  excellency  of  the  one  will  cause  the  other  to  disappear. 
Thinkest  thou  hell  and  destruction  are  more  to  be  con- 
sidered by  thee?  Come,  and  thou  shalt  behold,  that  the 
discovery  of  glory  discovers  all  things,  since  there  is  no 
danger  for  a  trembling  broken-hearted  sinner:  the  way 
to  glory  is  the  path  of  life,  the  new  and  living  way.  "We 
are  not  come  unto  the  mount  that  might  not  be  touched, 
and  that  burned  with  fire;  but  unto  mount  Zion,  th^ 
heavenly  Jerusalem,  the  innumerable  company  of  angels, 
and  to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  to  Jesus  the 
Mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  to  God  the  judge  of  all, 
and  to  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  that  speaketh  better  things 
than  that  of  Abel." 

26.  This  skill  is  only  from  above,  and  to  be  begged  of 
God. 

Thou  inexhaustible  original  of  all  light,  life,  and  fulness, 
draw  up  our  minds  to  thee,  from  this  proper  habitation  of 
the  devil  and  his  slaves;  and  hold  us  ever  with  thee,  lest 
ive  fall  down  to  this  dunghill  again:  "Then  shall  we  be 
joyful  in  glory,  we  shall  sing  aloud  on  our  beds,  we  shall 
speak  of  the  greatness  of  thy  kingdom,  of  the  excellency 
of  thy  majesty,  and  of  the  glory  of  thine  inheritance  in 
the  saints  in  light:  then  shall  we  go  out  with  joy,  and  be 
led  forth  with  gladness:  the  mountains  and  the  hills  shall 
break  forth  before  us  into  singing:  then  shall  we  renew 
our  strength,  we  shall  mount  up  with  wings,  as  eagles: 
we  shall  run,  and  not  be  weary;  and  walk,  and  not  be 
faint." 


UVriT^TlOM". 


Here  Tabor's  tops,  surmounting  far  the  inarches 
Of  those  etherial  most-  majestic  arches. 
Reaching  beyond  the  azure  canopy. 
Which  envious  mask  hides  glory  from  our  eye. 
Into  the  new  creation,  whose  bright  glory 
Would  cause  earth's  splendour  vanish,  make  us  sorry 
We've  plac'd  a  grain  of  love  on  tilings  below. 
Since  only  'bove  this  world  all  sweets  do  fiow. 
Ascend  the  mount,  aspiring  souls,  and  enter 
Within  the  cloud,  fear  not,  draw  near  love's  centre  : 
Go  in  to  th*  privy  chambers  of  the  King, 
If  princely  minds,  and  flowing  hearts  you  bring  : 
But  wanting  these,  I  straitly  you  command, 
In  my  Lord's  dreadful  name  aloof  to  stand. 
There  shall  you  see  your  lover's  lovely  face, 
His  heavenly  gesture,  his  divinest  grace  : 
There  shall  his  voice  melodious  charm  your  ears, 
And  from  your  heart  shall  banish  quite  all  fears  : 
There  shall  the  smell  oFs  garments,  all  perfum'd, 
Refresh  your  fainting  spirits,  with  cares  consum'd  : 
There  shall  you  feast  upon  the  cheering  wine, 
That  crimson  liquor  of  the  only  vine. 
You  and  your  Lord  shall  clasp  in  one  love-tie. 
Ne'er  to  be  loos'd  through  all  eternity. 
Your  thoughts  shall  dive  into  love's  deep  abyss,  * 

And  scan,  what  without  all  dimensions  is  : 
Your  heart  (surpassing  joy!)  in  your  love's  breast. 
And  his  in  your's,  eternally  shall  rest. 
In  fine,  your  senses,  soul  and  all  shall  lie. 
Bathing  in  sweetness  everlastingly. 


A 

GLIMPSE 'OF  GLORY, 

OR, 

A  Gospel  Discovery  of  Emmanuel's  Land. 


THOU  glory  and  beauty  of  the  higher  paradise,  ful- 
fil thy  promise  upon  me,  in  letting  me  see  thee  in  thy 
beauty,  and  that  land  that  is  very  far  off-  a  discovery  of 
thine  excellency,  a  taste  of  thy  sweetness  should  cause 
jne  to  overlook  all  sublunary  things,  should  enable  my 
:^lory  to  proclaim  thine  aloud  before  the  sons  of  men. 
Let  thy  strength  appear  in  weakness;  thou  canst  per- 
fect glory  and  praise  by  babes,  and  nothings*,  get  thyself 
glory,  and  I  have  all  I  can  desire. 

2.  All  joys!  am  I  not  exalted  on  the  high  places  of  the 
«5arth?  Wonderful!  what  strange  things  are  these?  What 
hath  God  done?  Shall  I  write,  or  shall  I  not?  W^hat 
avails  earth's  idiom  here,  which  falleth  short  in  the  full 
expression  of  earthly  things?  Shall  I  not  debase  my 
Lord's  glory,  if  I  endeavour  to  represent  it  by  the  low, 
.base,  and  childish  expressions  of  earth's  idiom?  But 
since  our  condescending  Lord  is  pleased,  in  borrowed 
terms,  to  express  these  inexpressible  enjoyments,  which 
neither  eye  hath  seen,  nor  ear  bath  heard,  or  the  heart  of 
man  conceived,  we  will  follow  his  footsteps;  being  cer- 
tain, though  our  expressions  reach  not  the  brim  of  that 
ocean,  yet  they  may  surpass  most  men's  esteem  of  it. 
May  we  not  then,  in  borrowed  speeches  and  dark  em- 
blems, delineate  the  glory  of  his  kingdom,  the  excellency 
of  his  person,  and  the  riches  of  his  inheritance  in  the 
saints  in  light,  until  we  come  unto  the  fulness  of  the  stat- 
ure of  Christ,  when  we  shall  see  and  express  him  as  he  is? 

8.  The  soul  must  be  elevated  on  the  tuings  of  heavenly 
meditation^  before  it  get  a  sight  of  the  promised  land 

Now  my  soul,  thou  art  got  up  to  the  top  of  this  su- 
blime and  majestic  mountain,  overlooking  the  celestial 


A   GLIMPSE   OP    GLORr.  2C^ 

Canaan.  Ah,  my  senses  are  not  celestial?  yet  do  the 
things  I  see  and  hear  fill  me  with  joy  unspeakable,  and 
full  of  glory:  I  cannot  tell  what  my  faculties  are  filled 
with.  Words  are  narrow  for  such  high  and  wide  things. 
But,  should  we  not  express  these  things  according  to  our 
measure? 

i.  Glory  is  rather  to  he  admired  by  mortals  than  under* 
stood. 

I  am  quife  amazed,  confounded  and  ravished  at  once. 
O  eternal  dwelling  place  of  blessed  men  and  angels!  and 
of  the  man  infinitely  more  excellent  than  all  I  How  am  I 
atfected  with  thy  various  beauty,  excellent  glory,  and  de- 
lightsome sweetness!  What  appearest  thou  now,  O 
lower  world?  Thou  art  the  dunghill,  this  the  palace-roy- 
al: thou  art  the  footstool;  this  the  throne.  Were  the 
curtams  betwixt  the  higher  and  lower  world  drawn  aside, 
all  lower  glories  would  disappear;  all  glories  are  here, 
and  only  here;  this  i^  the  world.  Where  shall  we  find 
emblems  any  where  else,  sufficient  to  represent  in  the 
thousand  thousandth  part  or  properly,  one  ot  the  infinite 
beauties,  various  glories,  adminible  excellencies,  trans- 
cendent virtues,  wherewith  this  land  is  stored?  Verily  it 
is  a  large  land  indeed,  like  a  confluence  of  infinite  num- 
ber of  worlds.  0  my  Lord,  thy  report  was  true,  ''  In  my 
Father's  house  are  many  mansions."  The  earth  is  noth- 
ing to  the  visible  heavens,  and  the  visible  to  the  invisible. 
0  vast  land!  are  they  not  shallow  fools,  who  boa«t  them- 
selves of  shovelfuls  of  earth?  But  worms  are  much  taken 
up  with  dunghills.  Nothing  below  this  narrow  vault  of 
the  visible  tieavens  can  bound  the  outgoings  of  capacious 
and  sublime  spirits. 

5.  We  may  huaglne,  m  this  our  childhood,  childishly; 
and  so  conceive  of  glory  in  a  metaphoric  way, 

A.nd  O  the  beaut)^  and  sweetness  wherewith  this  blessed 
land  is  adorned!  Earth  in  its  May-clothing,  with  its  va^- 
rious  beauties,  appeared  somewhat  delightsome  before; 
but  all  former  apprehensions  are  swallowed  up;  all  the 
senses  and  faculties  are  lost  in  the  endless  maze  of  infi- 
nite varieties  of  beauties  and  excellencies  Are  not  the 
eyes  almost  ravished  from  their  proper  orbs,  by  th^ 
strong  attractive  virtue  of  ravishing  objects?  Are  they 
not  dazzled  and  conf(miided?  W^hat  varieties!  what  glo- 
ries! what  numberless  numbers!  every  object  is  enough 
c  2 


30  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

to  allure  unto  ravishment:  but  the  conspiration  of  them 
all  cannot  be  to!d  How  are  the  ears  charmed  with 
numberless  variety  of  melodious  raptures!  so  that  the 
ears  become  harmony  itself  How  do  incessant  and  full 
gales  of  odoriferous  exhalations  perfume  and  fill  with  a 
passing  sweetness,  not  only  the  brain,  but  every  vein,  ar- 
tery and  sinew:  that  which  enters  the  moTith,  every  where, 
surpasseth  Ambrosia  and  Nectar.  The  circumjacent 
spirits  have  so  pleasant  embraces,  as  they  still  refresh  the 
body,  that  cannot  be  weary.  What  shall  I  say?  Am  I 
not  nonplussed  here?  Lo,  all  beauties,  both  material  and 
immaterial,  here!  All  things  are  here  in  an  eminent  for- 
mal manner.  G  mighty  God,  this  world  is  a  masterpiece 
of  thy  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness  indeed;  did  I  never 
see  more  of  thy  ravishing  attributes,  than  what  is  imprint- 
ed on  this  golden  w^orld,  should  I  not  be  ravished  with  an 
eternal  rapture?  This  is  a  land  befitting  the  inhabitants, 
all  things  are  ever  in  their  May-clothing,  do  bloom  and 
flourish  with  an  eternal  and  glorious  verdure,  seeming,  as 
it  were,  all  to  outbrave  one  another,  in  wonderful  beauty 
and  excellency:  what  would  an  earthly  paradise  appear 
here?  Shall  we  speak  of  gold  and  gems,  trampled  upon 
by  beasts?  Sure  the  sun  in  its  strength  would  blush  to 
let  forth  its  rays,  on  so  beautiful"  a  place,  the  least  stone 
here  would  look  him  out  of  countenance:  nothing  in  the 
lower  world,  which  is  not  here;  and  nothing  here,  which 
is  to  be  seen  in  the  lower  world.  If  we  speak  any  thing 
in  earthly  idiom,  it  must  be  in  perfect  contradictions;  all 
is  covered  over  with  all  varieties  of  beds  of  lilies,  and  ro- 
ses, and  dropping  sweet-smelling  myrrh;  every  v/bere 
the  vines  flourish,  the  mandrakes  send  forth  an  odoriferous 
exhalation,  the  pomegranates  bud,  the  grapes  and  all  fruit 
hang  in  goodly  order;  all  is  overflown  with  Ambrosia, 
milk  and  honey;  all  is  an  orchard,  all  a  cbampaigne  field, 
every  place  is  the  sunny  side  of  the  hill,  and  also  a  plea- 
sant shadow,  every  place  is  filled  with  odoriferous  gales; 
and  yet  there  is  nothing  but  one  sweet  and  endless  calm: 
the  winds  that  blow  here  are  like  vital  and  animal  spirits. 
Are  they  not  these  heart-refreshing,  and  soul-rejoicing 
breathings  of  the  Spirit  of  life?  All  are  planted  with  ti^es, 
every  one  of  which  doth  specifically  differ  from  one  anoth- 
er, and  bears  every  month,  every  hour,  every  minute, 
t^n  thousand  kinds  of  fruits j   and  every  fruit  containetb 


A    GLIMPSE    OP    GLORY.  S-1 

ien  thousand  qualities;  and  every  quality  ten  thousand 
virtues,  and  every  virtue  ten  thousaad  delights,  gnd  every 
delig;ht  is  enough  to  confound  myriads  of  worlds  of  men 
and  angels.  All  things  send  forth  melodious  notes,  odorif- 
erous perfumes,  and  what  may  charm  thousands  of  senses, 
differing  speciOcally  from  one  another:  all  things  here  do 
more  than  contain  all  the  virtues  and  excellencies  of  sun, 
moon,  and  stars.  O  what  every  thing  is,  how  inconceiva- 
ble, and  beyond  imagination!  this  world  is  all  thiiigs,  it  is 
a  palace,  also  it  is  a  glorious  and  stately  city,  decked  with 
the  glory  and  comeliness  of  her  builder;  whose  light  is 
like  unto  a  stone  most  precious,  whose  walls  are  high,  and 
beautified  with  twelve  gates,  and  at  the  gates  are  twelve 
angels:  whose  figure  is  four-square^  whose  circuit  twelve 
thousand  furlongs,  and  the  height  of  the  wall,  an.  hundred 
forty*  four  cubits;  the  building  thereof  is  of  jasper,  and 
the  city  of  pure  gold,  as  it  were  transparent  glass.  If  the 
foundations  thereof  be  of  pearl,  the  houses,  streets  and 
walls  of  gold,  what  must  the  deckings  of  the  houses  be? 
If  the  ordinary  stuff  exceed  the  price  of  the  diamond, 
who  can  weigh  our  most  noble  jewel  of  the  New  Jerusa- 
lem? 8ure  all  the  excellency  of  this  lower  universe  would 
be  of  no  reckoning  here;  yea,  many  worlds  are  not  to  be 
valued.  Must  not  this  be  a  glorious  and  dehghtsome  city, 
which  is  immediately  enlightened  with  the  uncreated  glory 
of  JEHOVAH,  and  the  Lamb?  ''  All  the  kings  of  the 
earth  bring  in  their  glory  and  honour  hither:"  All  other 
glories  and  excellencies  are  swallowed  up^  and  concen- 
tred here:  all  joys,  all  pleasures,  all  contentments,  all  de- 
sires are  forever  here 

6    fVe  cannot  he  so  his^h^  in  our  own  conceptions  ofgloi'ij^ 
hut  still  ice  may  he  higher. 

But,  let  us  draw  near,  that  we  may  discover  more  of  these 
wonderful  things:  what  ravishing  melody  is  this?  Were 
i'  not  heaven  to  dwell  withm  the  sound  of  heaven's 
melody?  I  um  altogether  ravished!  0  it  is  good  to  be 
here!  0  the  sweet,  sweet,  sweet  frame  the  inhabitants 
are  in'  their  hallelujahs  have  converted  me  almost  i;to 
joy  itself  But  what  can  I  say?  the  idiom  of  glory  hath  a 
wonderful  efficacy  and  deepness,  bsyond  our  shallow  up- 
taklngs,  as  far  transcending  earth's  language,  as  immor- 
tality doth  transcend  mortality:  and  I  want  an  ear  eles- 
tialj  musical,  to  perceive  distinctly,  and  understand  these 


S'2  A    GLIMPSE    OP     etORT. 

angelical  songs-  and  wonderful  expressions  of  joy,  love 
and  admiration,  in  the  higher  bousa:  but  the  very  sound 
is  enough  to  ravish  all  our  senses.  Pleat  I  not  something 
like  the  song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb? 

"  We  will  sing  unto  the  Lord;  for  he  hath  triumphed 
gloriously,  his  enemies  hath  he  overwhelmed  with  ever- 
lasting shame:  he  is  our  strength,  and  our  song,  and  he  is 
become  our  salvation.  Thy  right  hand,  0  Lord  is  become 
glorious  in  power;  who  is  hke  unto  thee,  glorious  in  holi- 
ness, fearful  in  praises,  doing  wonders?  Thou  in  thy 
mercy  hast  le'^  forth  thy  people,  which  thou  hast  redeem- 
ed; thou  hast  guided  them,  in  thy  strength,  unto  thy  holy 
habitation:  we  have  a  strong  city,  salvation  hath  our  God 
provided,  for  walls  and  bulwarks.  We  will  greatly  re- 
joice in  the  Lord,  our  souls  shall  incessantly  and  eternally 
be  joyful  in  our  God;  for  he  hath  clothed  us  with  the  gar- 
ments of  salvation,  he  hath  coveied  us  with  the  robes  of 
righteousness.  Thou  hast  awcked,  and  put  on  strength, 
O  arm  of  the  Lord;  art  not  thou  it,  which  dried  up  the 
Red  sea?  that  hath  made  ♦he  deeps  of  the  sea  a  wa)  for 
ihy  ransomed  to  pass  over?  Therefore  the  redeemed  of 
the  Lord  do  return,  and  come  with  singing  unto  Sion,  and 
everlasting  joys  upon  their  heads;  and  sorrow  and  sighing 
hath  fled  awav.  Sing,  ye  heavens,  shout,  ye  lower  parts 
of  the  earth,  break  torth  into  melody,  ye  moi.ntain'-;  for 
the  Lord  ha<h  redeemed  J^lCob,  and  glorified  himselt  in  Is- 
rael. Behold,  we  dwell  on  high,  our  place  of  defence  is 
the  munition  oi  rocks:  our  eyes  do  see  the  king  in  his 
beaut)  ;  our  eyes  do  behold  Jerusalem  a  q^uiet  habitation, 
a  taberiiacle  that  shall  never  be  taken  down.  And  in 
this  mountain  hath  the  Lord  of  hosts  made,  unto  all  peo- 
ple, a  feast  o(  fat  things;  and  hath  swallowed  up  deaih  in 
victory;  and  hath  wiped  away  all  tears  from  all  faces. — 
The  Lord  is  a  sun  snd  shield;  he  hath  <2;iven  grace  and 
glory;  no  good  thing  hath  he  witheld  from  those  who 
have  walked  uprightly  How  excellent  is  thy  loving 
kindness!  we  aie  abundintly  sati  tied  with  the  fatne=s  of 
thy  house,  and  thou  hast  made  us  drink  of  the  rivers  of 
thy  pleasures:  thou  liast  turned  our  mouf-ning  into  dan- 
cing; thou  hpst  put  off  our  sackclolh,  aiid  girded  us  with 
gladness:  fho  iines  arf>  fallen  to  us  in  pheasant  places;  yea, 
we  Ijave  p  goodly  herita«;e:  tliou  hast  showed  unto  us  th6 
path  of  lite;  in  thy  presence  is  fulness  of  joy,  and  at  thy 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  SS 

wght  hand  are  pleasures  forevermore.  Wortliy  is  the 
Lamb,  that  was  slain,  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and 
wisdom^  and  strength,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  blessing; 
for  thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God,  by  thy 
blood,  out  of  every  kmdred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and 
nation;  and  hast  made  us  unto  our  God,  kings  and  priests; 
and  we  shall  reign  for  ever  and  everi,  Cry,  and  shout, 
thou  inhabitant  of  Zion;  for  great  is  the  holy  One  of  Isra- 
el in  the  midst  of  thee."  What  a  golden  life  is  this?  Am 
not  I  come  into  mount  Zion?  Know  I  not  now  by  ex- 
perience, that  the  converse  of  mortals  may  be  above  ?  O 
what  a  ravishing  frame  am  I  now  in!  the  melody  of  hea- 
ven draws  me  nearer  and  nearer;  I  cannot,  I  will  not,  I 
may  not  rest,  until  I  look  within  the  vail 

7.  Christ,  the  desire  of  all  nations^  because  he  is  God^ 
most  fully  manifested  to  finite  capacities. 

O  strange!  nothing  but  w^onders!  are  not  the  whole  in- 
habitants of  the  higher  Canaan  all  in  a  sea  of  delight, 
Idvc  and  admiration?  Are  they  not  all  flocking  round 
about,  as  contending  who  shall  be  most  satiate  with  the 
matchless  beauty  and  lovehness  of  the  white  and  ruddy 
One,  the  standard  bearer  among  ten  thousand?  0  the 
Day's-man  betwixt  God  and  creatures!  the  w^onder  of 
wonders,  the  glory  and  triumph,  and  shame  of  creatures, 
the  beauty  of  heaven,  the  admiration  of  earth,  the  com- 
pend  and  model  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  all  things,  the 
life  of  all  joys,  marrow  of  all  loves,  flower  of  all  desires, 
fountain  of  all  sweetness,  sun  of  ail  glory,  the  everlasting 
delight  of  the  Father,  and  ravishment  of  men  and  angels, 
the  centre  whereunto  all  hearts,  all  loves,  all  eyes  do 
eternally  and  incessantly  run,  the  brightness  of  the  Fa- 
ther's glory,  the  express  character  of  his  person!  Christ 
Jesus,  God-man,  the  ever-flourishing  stock  and  the  stem 
of  Jesse,  the  plant  of  renown!    all  are  chanting  thus. 

Speak  no  more  of  beauties,  men  and  angels,  all  lesser 
■glories  are  quite  swallowed  up;  this  is  the  only  beauty, 
the  only  excellency,  by  the  borrowed  rays  of  whose  love- 
liness, we  are  all  rendered  glorious;  out  of  his  fulness 
have  we  all  received;  let  us  down  with  these  massy  crowns 
of  glory  at  his  feet,  "•  For  of  him,  and  by  him,  and  through 
bim,  and  to  him  are  all  !hings  " 

8.  JVo  manifestation  of  God^  so  full  and  sweet  to  creor 
htres^  as  through  Emmanuel  j   so  infinite  is  the  distance. 


34  A   GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

O!  my  only  Well- beloved,  thou  art  God,  thou  art  God 
the  infinite  Jehovah-^  and  therefore  thou  art  become  my 
All,  and  only  One;  none  but  him!  I  disdain  all  yesterday 
beings  for  a  Well-beloved:  yet,  since  thou  art  a  creature 
also,  thou  art  more  lovely  as  to  me;  wert  thou  not  man, 
as  well  as  ^od.  I  could  not  enjoy  thee  so  familiarly  and 
nearly:  though  sin  in  itself  cannot  be  the  object  of  joy, 
yet  the  result  thereof  is  passing  joyful:  this  world  of  free 
grace  transcends  never  so  many  worlds  of  another  kind. 
The  enjoyment  oi'  God,  as  a  Redeemer,  Husband,  Broth- 
er, is  another  manner  of  enjoyment,  than  of  God,  Creator. 
Happy,  happy  we,  that  ever  we  were  miserable!  we  had 
been  undone,  if  we  had  not  been  undone.  We  ruined 
ourselves,  but  thou  hast  made  us  up;  far,  far  above  all 
th'^t  we  had  to  lose:  O  sweet  debt  of  thy  free  redeeming 
grace!  shall  not  every  moment  of  eternity  augment  my 
obligation?  I  am  thy  bound  dyvour,  O  my  Lord:  and 
therefore  my  happiness  shall  grow  and  bloom  throughout 
all  eternity. 

».  One  sight  of  Christ  is  enough  to  ravish  never  so  many. 
The  first  sight  of  thine  eyes  hath  stricken  me  with  ever- 
lasting admiration!  Many  excellent  beauties  do  my  bles- 
sed eyes  behold,  but  thou  dost  infinitely  transcend  them 
all.  Thy  countenance  hath  a  beauty  and  excellency 
above  all  possible  created  glory!  Increated  glory  rays 
through  the  vail  of  his  human  nature!  my  blessed  eyes, 
a  thousand  times  blessed  eyes  which  behold  the  man  who 
is  God!  Fellow-beholders,  this  sight  hath  cast  us  for  ever 
into  a  wondering  frame!  the  more  we  behold,  the  more 
we  are  inflamed;   the  more  we  love,  the  more  we  behold! 

0  wonderful  eternal  circle!  hence  joys  unutterable,  inex- 
pressible, hence  the  sweet  praising  disposition,  hence  ad- 
miration, hence  beholding:  and  thus  throughout  eternity.  ' 

10.  w3//  our  enjoyment  nothings  till  we  see  him  face  to  face, 
O  flower  of  excellency/  O  ocean  of  loveliness!  mortal- 
ity could  take  up  no  considerable  portion  of  thee;  the 
most  excellent  of  their  discourses  was  childish  nonsense: 
nothing,  but  seeing  thee  face  to  face,  can  discover  thy 
worth.  Verily  I  never  saw  thee  until  now  and  therefore 
love  and  joy  were  never  in  their  highest  vigour.     I  love, 

1  love  now  indeed!  what  though  I  might  be  said  to  love 
thee  in  thy  absence,  and  to  be  filled  with  joy  unspeakable 
and  glorious,  with  the  very  sound  of  thy  name  ?     These 


«.   GLIMPSE   OP    GLORY,  S5 

drops  are  nothing  to  the  ocean,  the  tasting  to  the  banquet. 
O  sweet,  sweet/  nothing  but  joy!  who  can  stand  beside 
infinite  love,  and  not  be  inflamed!  Am  I  not  almost  con- 
verted into  love  itself?  O  delightsome  ravishing  fire! 
what  greater  happiness  than  to  burn  here  for  evermore. 

1 1 .  The  sml  is  not  perfectly  happy,  until  it  rest,  without 
interruption^  in  the  Well-beloved's  love. 

Now  we  are  forever  in  one  another's  arms;  the  days  of 
heaven  shall  not  put  a  period  to  these  love  embraces: 
"  Thou  hast  set  me  as  a  seal  upon  thy  heart,  as  a  seal 
upon  thine  arm:  for  love  is  strong  as  death,"  the  coals 
thereof  would  burn  up  hell  itself.  Nothing  but  full  eter- 
nity, incessant  enjoyment,  will  satiate  this  burning  lovej 
and  therefore  art  thou  unto  me,  "  as  a  bundle  of  myrrh, 
which  lyeth  for  ever  betwixt  my  breasts."  This  is  the 
place  where  love  doth  bloom,  with  an  eternal  verdure: 
no  ups  and  downs,  and  hidings  of  his  face;  no  love-sick- 
ness, through  the  want  of  personal  possession;  no  need  of 
apples,  or  flaggons  of  wine;  no  contending  with  time  and 
days,  because  of  their  seeming  lazy  pace ;  nor  with  inter- 
posing clouds,  lingering  death,  sin  and  mortality;  nothing 
but  full  enjoyment;  I  am  as  I  would  be;  I  see  thy  face 
to  the  full;  and  therefore  my  happiness  overflows  the 
banks. 

1 2.  The  mutual  intej  est  betwixt  Christ  and  his  chosen  is 
an  eternally  siceet  consideraiion. 

Thou  art  mine,  my  dearest  Lord,  and  I  am  thine;  I  was 
thine  from  eternity,  and  thou  art  become  mine  to  eternity. 
O  my  lar^e,  wide,  broad  inheritance!  thou  art  mine  in  full 
possession:  O  my  happiness,  my  happiness,  my  loves  ov- 
erflow, my  joys  are  in  th^ir  spring-tide!  "Even  thou  art 
mine,  and  thy  desire  is  towards  me."  No  wonder  I  am 
ravished  with  thy  beauty:  but,  art  thou  ravished  with  mine  ? 
Wast  thou  not  at  rest,  until  thou  hadst  brought  me  to  these 
higher  chambers  of  glory;  that  thou  mightest  be  delighted 
for  ever  in  my  fellowship?  What  am  I  to  thee?  If  there 
be  any  thing  in  me  can  draw  one  look  from  thee,  it  is  thine, 
only  thine,  and  not  mine  own.  If  the  rays  of  this  borrow- 
ed loveliness  in  me  redound  back  upon  thee,  thou  has-t  re- 
ceived but  what  is  thine  own.  Beholdest  thou  ravishing 
loveliness  in  me,  who  am  what  I  am  only  of  thee?  what 
a  boundless  ocean  of  sweetness,  what  infinite  worlds  of 
beauty  are  in  thy  matchless  Self!  many  an  excellent  ob- 


S6  A    GLIMPSE    OF    ^LORV. 

ject  have  l!»een,  but  thou  hast  ravished  my  heart  from 
them  all.  I  have  found,  I  have  seen  him,  who  is  only  love- 
ly: this  fair  One  hath  my  heart  for  evermore.  Choicest 
beauties  of  yesterday,  were  it  possible  for  you  to  draw  my 
affections  in  the  least  aside?  I  have  tasted  of  creature's 
sweetness,  but  they  could  not  satisfy:  shall  it  not  be  my 
endless  exercise,  incessantly  to  kiss,  and  draw  ravishing 
consolations  from  the  lips,  that  brought  the  jo3ful  tidings 
of  this  boundless  happmes?  None  but  thee!  if  I  love  and 
delight  in  other  beauties,  it  is  as  they  are  decked  with  thy 
loveliness;  as  they  are  emblems,  shadows  and  reflexions 
of  tbee,  who  art  altogether  lovely:  but  th'>u  art  the  sub- 
stantial beauty,  thou  art  the  beauty!  let  innumerable  mil- 
lions of  worlds  of  beauties  stand  round  about  thee,  one  ray 
of  thy  transcendency  would  eclipse  them  all  Beholders, 
can  you  tell  what  you  see  ^  0  his  beauty,  his  beaut) !  what 
more  can  be  said,  than  that  it  infinitely  transcends  the  con- 
ceptions of  men  and  angels? 

Other  loves  are  but  the  picture  and  resemblance  of  love 
to  this  sublime  and  noble  love  of  Jesus:  this  is  love  indeed. 
Should  I  speak  of  flames?  am  I  not  entered  into  the  ocean 
the  floods,  the  worlds  of  love?  "For  God  is  love,  and  he 
that  dwellelh  in  love,  dweileth  in  God,  and  God  in  him." 
Is  not  this  a  sweet  ravishing  habitation?  what  joy  to  think, 
this  is  my  eternal  repose  ?  I  dwell  in  the  midst  of  hot  burn- 
ing flames,  without  harm,  as  in  a  bed  of  roses,  and  an  or- 
chard of  delights. 

13.  The  glorified  soul,  rejiecting  on  former  things^  looks 
upon  all  as  childisli. 

This  is  the  fulness  of  the  stature  of  Christ;  how  capa- 
cious, to  receive  incessantly  floods  of  love!  before  my  soul 
was  narrow,  now  it  is  larger  than  the  heaven  of  heavens. 
Othe  outrunnings  of  my  soul  after  thee;  before  they  were 
smah  streams,  now  they  are  huge  floods;  small  things  are 
not  now  noticed;  all  our  desires  are  now  swallowed  up. 
What  is  the  moon  when  the  sun  doth  appear?  How  massy, 
massy  art  thou,  0  love  of  Jesus!  wouldst  thou  not  down- 
weigh  innumerable  worlds?  Had  I  known  in  the  ten  thou- 
sandth part  on  earth,  what  now  I  know,  the  world  would 
have  imagined  me  quite  beside  myself;  how  wonderfully 
would  I  have  spoken,  written,  and  done^  But,  ah!  how 
poorly  and  childishly  did  we  speak  of  thee?  What  joy,  Uiat 
mortality  is  done  away? 


A   GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  37 

14.  Saints  and  angels  stall  be  ever  going foflh  into  tht 
^latchless  excellencies  of  their  iveii  beloved;  and  ntaninsr. 
%hem^  us  it  were  over  and  over  again. 

Th  ugh  I  behold  thee,  as  thou  art;  yet  am  I  ever  sup* 
plied  with  new  matter  of  admiration:  nhen  more  ages  are 
past  than  atoms  in  the  creation.  I  shall  not  be  jejune,  to 
ex[iress  thine  infinite  excellency;  men-and  angels,  whea 
shall  you  dive  so  deep,  as  you  may  dive  no  further?  Bu<- 
shall  I  not  for  ever  delineate  thy  beauty  now,  when  I  have 
thee  in  my  arms?  Sirs,  shall  we  not  forever  speak  of  him. 
of  whom  too  much  cannot  be  spoken?  No  injury  is  here 
done  to  the  Father  and  blessed  Spirit;  their  glory  and  ex- 
cellency 3o  visibly  shine  here:  and  do  these  arms  embrace- 
God,  these  eyes  see  him?  O  the  mystery  of  godliness! 
men  and  angels,  you  are  all  astonished,  God  visibly  mani- 
fested! 0  wonder  of  wonders!  is  not  thy  name  rightly  termed 
WonderfuU  O  my  elevated  thoughts!  O  eternity!  eternity! 
thou  shalt  be  filled  with  wondering  what  glor^^  shines  in 
this  man's  face!  thy  countenance.  Well-beloved,  hath  a  non- 
such majesty.  The  saints  have  the  face  of  glorified  crea- 
tures, and  no  morfe;  but  the  majesty  of  thy  countenance 
is -altogether  divine.  O  perfection's  flower,  and  marrow 
of  loveliness!  none,  who  see  thee,  will  inquire.  "What  art 
thou  more  than  another  beloved?"  0  thy  face,  thy  ravish- 
ing face!  indeed  thou  art  the  white  and  ruddy,  the  standard- 
bearer  amongst  a  myriad:  thy  face,  my  Well-beloved,  is 
like  the  face  of  the  Son  of  God;  every  smile  is  full  of  in- 
expressible joy;  "For  God,  thy  God,  hath  anointed  thee 
with  the  oil  of  gladness,  above  all  thy  fellows."  Is  not  this 
he,  men  and  angels,  whose  visage  was  more  marred  ihan 
any  man's?  in  w-hom  the  world  saw  no  beauty,  or  desira- 
bleness? Is  not  this  he,  whose  face  was  spit  upon  by  the 
filth  and  offscourings  of  men  "^  Verily,  Well-beloved,  though 
ihou  art  the  same  yesterday,  to  day,  and  for  evermore;  yet 
appearest  thou  far  changed  from  what  thou  appearedst 
on  earth.  O  but  then  thou  didst  strangely  mask  thy  di- 
divine  beauty  with  the  veil  of  mortality,  which  now  thou 
hast  done  away,  that  thy  glory  may  shine  forth  in  its  full 
splendour  before  thy  choseni  O  ihy  stately  majestic  head, 
only  worthy  to  be  crowned  with  glory  and  honor,  to  be 
•'exalted  far  above  all  creatures'  strange!  this  majestic 
head,  ihat  was  once  beset  with  a  crown  of  tliorns,  is  now 
«-uriounded  vrith  the  briditness,  vshvih   carries  in  its  bo- 


3S  A    GL1M1>SE    OF    GLORY. 

som  boundless  joys.  This  was  the  joy  ihat  was  set  be- 
fore him.  0  blessed  we,  that  have  >.wh  an  head!  the 
head  of  this  golden  world  is  of  fine  gold.  0  how  beautiful 
are  the  adornments  of  thy  head!  O  thou  wouidst  entangle 
all  creatures  forever  in  the  folds  of  overcoming  love!  how 
am  I  f  avished  with  thine  eyes!  heaven  and  glory  dwells  in 
every  look;  the  first  glance  of  them  did  strike  heaven  and 
love  into  an  eternal  rapture-  nothing  can  resist  their  over- 
coming emenations  of  love.  And,  did  these  eyes  gush 
forth  tears,  through  bitter  grief  and  sorrow?  Could  ever 
the  least  sadness  and  darkness  enter  into  such  divine  orbs 
of  light  and  joy?  Thou  hast  overcome  me  with  thine  eyes 
my  fair  One  One  look  of  thee,  and  no  m-re,  would  rav- 
ish ten  thousand  worlds  of  men  and  angels.  O  the  noon- 
day lisjht  of  thy  countenance  for  ever  and  ever!  and  who 
canicUthe  comeliness  of  thy  fragrant,  beautiful  cheeks? 
And  what  can  be  said  of  thy  rosy  lips?  how  do  they  per- 
fume this  land  with  their  fragrant  myrrh,  that  incessantly 
drops  from  them?  O  what  a  boundless  ocean  of  grace  is 
poured  into  them!  Therefore  God  hath  blessed, tnee  for 
ever  more.  Every  kiss  of  them  is  an  heaven  of  sweetness. 
I  am  filled  and  overcome,  with  this  mirror  of  glory!  The 
smell  of  thnie  ointment,  afar  off,  did  ravish  my  heart;  but 
no^^  I  am  more,  ten  thousand  times  more,  than  ravished! 
one  drop  of  this  myrrh  would  sweeten  ten  thousand  oceans 
of  all  imaginable  bitterness.  And  O  thy  princely  hands, 
fit  to  sway  the  sceptre  of  this  ever- flourishing  kingdom, 
delightsome  habitation!  can  there  be  a  more  blessed  pos- 
ture? ''His  left  hand  is  under  my  head,  and  his  right  h.nd 
doth  embrace  me  "  Am  not  I  circled  in  the  arms  of  un- 
searchable love?  "The  eternal  God  is  my  refuge,  and  un- 
derneath are  everlasting  arms."  Those  blessed  arms, 
that  were  stretched  upon  the  cross  for  me,  do  embrace 
me  sweetly,  for  evermore.  Whether  thy  love  doth  more 
shine  forth  in  the  first,  or  latter  posture,  cannot  be  told; 
but  sure  thy  love  in  all  its  resplendency,  passeth  all  crea- 
ted understandmgs.  0  the  glory,  sweetness,  and  excellen- 
cy of  thy  belly!  O  thy  bowels  of  compassion!  0  what  riv- 
ers of  water  do  from  thence  flow  out  incessantly  upon  us! 
And  what  is  comparable  to  thy  stately  legs?  How  glorious 
are  Unne  outgomgs  amongst  us!  O  my  King  and  :*od, 
ivhen  thou  trode  upon  the  high  places  of  the  earth,  its  foun- 
dations were  shaken.     "How  didst  thou  trample  the  peo- 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  39 

pie  in  thine  anger,  and  the  kingdoms  in  thy  fury?  Thou 
ca;ne  skipping  over  the  mountains,  leaping  over  the  hills, 
for  the  salvation  of  thy  people  "  Blessed  men  and  angels 
ivhat  can  be  conceived,  or  expressed  of  such  a  wonder- 
ful person?  O  his  stately  deportment'  every  part  of  him, 
so  to  ipeak.  is  an  infinite  mass  of  beauty.  >Vhat  a  beau- 
ty then  must  all  these  numberless  beauties,  composed  in 
one  be?  Is  not  thy  countenance  as  Lebanon,  excellent  as 
the  cedars?  Thy  majesty  is  wonderfully  various,  and  ev- 
ery variety  the  height  of  excellency.  By  sweet  experience 
I  may  say,  Thy  mouth  is  most  sweet:  the  relics  of 
the  impression  of  one  of  thy  love-kisses  may  fill  the 
soul  with  pas^^ing  joys,  throu2;hout  endless  ages.  Suppose 
a  creature  filled  with  all  possible  creature  sweetness,  one 
kiss  of  thy  most  sweet  mouth  would  swallow  up  all  O 
the  words  of  thy  mouth,  passing  in  sweetness  the  honey 
distilling  from  the  honey -comb!  thy  voice,  thy  ravishing 
voice:  even  to  stand  without  the  gates  of  New  Jerusalem, 
and  hear  the  sound  thereof,  might  wrap  up  a  creature  in 
eternal  ravishment.  And  is  it  possible,  my  matchless  One 
to  attain  the  furthermost  of  thy  infinite  perfections,  though 
but  one  simple  excellency?  Let  me  rather  further  and 
further  into  the  ocean  of  thy  loveliness,  through  endless 
ages',  yet  shall  [  ever  be  in  the  entry:  nevertheless  will  I 
pay  thee  the  tribute  of  praises,  and  cry  up  to  thee  before 
men  and  angels;  and  speak  of  thine  excellency,  while  my 
being  remains.  I  praise  thee,  r^ot  because  I  am  able  to 
show  forth  thy  worth  fully;  but,  strong  love. doth  constrain 
me,  that  for  ever  I  must  be  expressing,  and  for  ever  the 
conclusion  must  be,  Thou  art  altogether  lovely,  for  to  thee 
alone  doth  Ihi^  epithet  appertain.  You  chiefest  of  crea- 
ted excellences,  can  this  agree  to  you?  Are  you  nothing 
but  masses  of  pure,  essential  and  unmixed  love?  Who 
but  he,  even  he  alone,  is  altogether  lovely?  He  is  all  love, 
all  sweetness,  all  ravishment:  nothing  but  lovehness 
in  him!  his  weakness,  infirmity,  poverty,  contempt,  cross- 
es, losses,  pains  and  death,  flash  forth  the  ravishing  re- 
splendencies of  surpassing  love  and  sweetness.  Heart 
and  love,  and  all  is  gone  from  me.  O  the  sublime  thoughts 
of  my  elevated  understanding!  O  this  frame!  this  love!  this 
sweetness!  all  are  unutterable;  all  are  inexpressible! 

15.      Even  to  stand  beside  the  Chief  of  ten   thousmd  is  a 
dignity  line  one  elv  ably  abova  the  cxcpHqucv  of  all  creature'i\ 


40  .\   GLiaiPSE    OF    GLORiT. 

That  we  might  be  everrvith  thee,  and  behold  thy  giory, 
jyas  one  of  thy  great  petitions,  in  the  days  of  thy  flesh; 
thousand,  thousand  times  blessed  I,  that  ever  this  was 
asked!  thou  asked  nobly,  and  thy  Father  granted  like  a 
JKing.  Can  we  have  more  than  to  dwell  in  thy  immediate 
pi  e^ence?  any  enjoyment  of  thee,  surpasseth  that  of  the 
:dower  of  created  sweetness:  a  sight  of  thee  in  a  vision  of 
ihe  night,  through  a  glass,  or  any  way,  is  ravishing,  as  I 
often  have  sweetly  experienced,  in  the  days  of  my  pilgrim- 
age: To  touch  the  hem  of  thy  garment,  or  to  see  thee  in 
ihy  mfancy.  was  a  happiness  inexpressible.  What  .>hall 
we  say  to  our  lot,  who  are  as  near  thee  as  our  heart  can 
desiic?  O  this  high,  high,  high  dignity!  0  beloved  estate! 
far  above  llie  heaven  of  heavens;  nay,  numberless  heav- 
ens superadded  to  one  another!  And  am  I  in  thy  imme- 
diate presence?  even  in  the  chambers  of  presence  with  thee 
O  lovely  One,  who  inhabits  eternity!  what  honour  is  this?* 
what  shall  I  say  of  it?  But  thy  ways  are  incomprehen- 
sible This  is  the  prerogative  of  the  saints,  this  is  it! 
"What  shall  be  done  unto  the  man,  whom  the  King  de- 
jighteth  to  honor?''  Spake  he  not  in  good  eanit.st,  when 
lie  told  us  of  dignities,  thrones,  crowns;  priesthoods,  and 
possessions  of  all  things?  shall  I  ever  enough  wonder  at 
the  honor  of  the  saints?  This  is  the  dignity  of  the  over- 
Comers,  to  wear  the  laurel,  the  badges  of  honor,  the  gar- 
lands of  glory.  How  came  thou  to  all  this,  O  silly  self? 
liast  thou  been  born  to  wear  an  immortal  crown,  to  be 
averla<Ien  within  and  without  with  so  great  a  weight  of 
glory?  Thou  appeurest  indeed  in  the  equippage  of  a  king, 
decked  with  majesty,  glory  and  honor,  arrayed  with 
wonderful  excellency  and  comehness.  Wast  thou  not 
once,  O  thou  silly  I,  a  base  worm,  defiled  with  the  very 
£lth  of  hell?  How  hast  thou  robbed  the  Almighty  of  his 
glory,  dishonored  his  excellency,  wronged  his  holiness, 
trampled  upon  his  most  precious  things,  on  his  blood; 
done  what  thou  couldst  to  precipitate  thyself  into  eternal 
perdition;  violented  the  gates  of  that  woful  prison,  0  un- 
done soul,  to  cover  thyself  with  utter  darkness  from  the 
charming  beams  of  the  Sun  of  righteousness?  yet  am  here, 
even  here,  surrounded  with  inexpressible  glory!  many 
thousands,  less  deserving,  are  in  the  place  of  utter  dark- 
ness. 0  thy  love!  thy  love!  which  passeth  all  under- 
standing!    0  thy  free,  free  grac^!     0  the  heighth,  and 


A  GLIMPSE    OP    glory:  41 

depth,  and  length,  and  breadth  of  thy  ways!  my  enjoy- 
ments are  luore  than  free;  hath  he  not  brought  me  oveii 
my  deservjiigs?  But  nothmg  can  stand  in  ihe  way  of  inti- 
iiite  love.  Tnou  loved  me,  because  ttjou  1  ved  me;  and 
because  thou  loved  me,  1  became  luvely  in  thy  si^ht  Not 
unto  us,  not  unto  us  be  the  glory;  but  unto  JLHOVAH, 
and  the  Lamb  be  praise  for  evei  and  ever. 

lb.  The  nearness  of  saints  and  ungeis  to  their  Creator^ 
and  Heaeemtr^  astonishes  them  eternaUy. 

What  astonistiing  condescendency,  to  admit  bits  of  noth- 
ing so  near  thee!  can  this  tby  way  be  ever  enough  r.dtni- 
red?  It  is  strange  thou  shouldstdeigo  creatures  v\i»h  either 
thy  love  or  th}  hatred!  '  What  is  man,  ihat  thou  shouldst 
visit  him?  that  th;u  shouldst  notice  him,  and  bring  him  in- 
to judgment^"  But  more  wonderful!  hast  thou  not  crown- 
ed him  with  glory  and  honor?  Thou  hast  made  (iim  sit 
down  beside  thyself!  he  treadeth  the  lower  world  uiu'er 
his  f<pet,  he  w  Jketh  on  the  high  places  of  the  crea'i(m: 
O  thy  bounty'  O  thy  condescenaeiicy!  should  I  stand  so 
near  my  Lord  the  King?  Since  free  love  will  have  it 
thus,  and  it  is  not  nis  way  to  crente  desires,  and  not  fulfil 
them;  strong  love  can  take  rest  no  where  but  in  hi'  na- 
iled embraces.  On  earth  I  was  unsatistied,  oftentimes 
coiiplaniing  of  distance  and  ab-sceiice;  and  when  I  found 
thee,  1  would  not  let  thee  go,  but  held  thee  fast,  until  we 
entered  into  tho-e  i;lorious  mansions*  and  how  are  my 
thougnts  heightened,  by  beholding  thee  face  to  face?  The 
nearer  ihee,  ihe  higher  esteem  and  reverence;  none  can 
have  low  thoughts  of  thee,  but  they  that  know  'hee  not 

1 7  JVo  knowledge,  no  evidence  unto  the  noon  day  evidence 
of  glory ^ 

T,ie  ii  st  ray  of  thy  infiilte  glory  upon  me  discovers 
infiiire  varieties  of  wonders!  Men  and  angels,  are  we 
not  all  an  assembly  <jf  eternal  won(Jer->?  ana  all  the  pro- 
diiCt  of  tlse  noon-day  vision  of  glory,  not  of  ignorance? 
All  the  things  of  time  from  the  greatest  to  the  smallest, 
are  now  seen  to  be  wonders;  howbei  that  little  of  hem 
was  discerned,  and  that  in  a  brutish  manner.  Strangle! 
O  Beloved,'  thou  art  anot;  er  manner  of  Christ  than  we 
spaice  of,  in  the  dajs  of  our  mortality:  thy  very  nf^me 
was  irarce  conceived.  How  came  I  hit'  er  with  so  h  tie 
concept!on>?  Hue  I  not  begun  to  know.  In  the  veiy  first 
entry  of  eternuy,  my  knowledge  on  earth  was  no  evidence^ 

P  2 


42  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

in  comparison  with  this  noon-day  vision  of  glory?  As  the 
man  looks  back  on  his  infancy,  as  a  mere  brutish  igno- 
rance; and  the  man  awakened,  on  his  bypast  dream;  so 
do  I  now,  on  my  most  refined  conceptions  on  earth.  O 
the  clear  and  sharp  uptaking  of  a  glorified  capacity!  do 
I  not  behold  every  thing,  as  it  is  in  its  proper  and  naked 
being?  All  shadows  have  fled  away,  what  wonder,  to 
think  what  we  were,  and  what  we  are!  O  the  infinite 
power  of  Omnipotent  JEHOVAH!  what  a  perfecting  is 
this!  but  what  cannot  my  Lord  do? 

18.  To  be  ivitnesses  of  the  glory  of  Jehovah  and  the  Lamb^ 
is  an  inexpressible  dignify- 

And  dost  thou  manifest  thyself,  in  such  a  manner  to  us? 
what  is  essential  eternity  to  beings  of  yesterday?  are  we 
fit  witr  esses  of  thy  glory?  O  infinite  Jehovah^  are  we  not 
before  thee  as  nothing  and  vanity?  May  not  the  great- 
ness of  thy  glory,  if  thou  shouldst  let  it  forth  to  the  full, 
confound,  even  confound  us  to  nothing?  Its  infiniteness 
nothing  can  comprehend,  but  an  infinite  understanding: 
the  furthermost  of  all  created  glory  is  nothing  and  vanity 
in  thy  presence,  though  it  might  seem  ssomewhat  among 
its  like.  Dart  forth  the  full  rays  of  all  your  glory,  all  you 
creatures,  you  shall  not  dazzle  these  eyes  which  are  fixed 
on  a  higher  object. 

19.  What  he  manifests  to  ns,  is  a  tconder;  but  the  way  of 
his  manifesting  U,  is  a  vsonder  of  wonders: 

Shall  we  not  wonder  again  and  again,  and  for  ever,  at 
the  way  thou  hast  taken  to  manifest  so  nearly  and  famil- 
iarly unto  us,  thy  incomprehensible  glory?  hast  thou  not 
assumed  the  nature  of  a  creature,  that  thou  mightest  con- 
verse the  more  intimately  and  condescendingly  with  us? 
To  enjoy  thee  any  way  requires  an  infinite  condescen- 
dency;  the  disproportion  being  infinite:  but  this,  this  is 
the  most  wonderful  condescendency  possible!  0  this  is 
the  most  excellent  of  all  possible  ways!  0  the  wonderful 
soul  alluring  glory  that  doth  most  sweetly  dart  upon  us 
from  the  man,  who  is  Go 3!  O  eternally  blessed  I,  who 
hav«  such  a  Well- beloved,  in  whom  is  all  fulness!  thou 
art  a  marrowless  one  indeed.  We  have  done  forever 
with  other  beloveds;  what  wonder  I  am  so  deeply  in  love 
"with  thee?  what  wonder  I  swim  in  floods  of  eternal  satis- 
faction, who  tnjoy  thee  so  familiarly?    Can  a  creature  be 


A     GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  48 

more  happy?  I  am  full,  I  am  full,  and  can  desire  no  more! 

20.  To  consider  ike  change  C/inst  hath  undei^goncj  is  an 
etejmally  ravishing  consideration. 

Is  this  he,  who  was  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  in  a  stable, 
and  laid  in  a  manger?  who  for  the  most  of  his  days  was 
in  a  poor,  obscure,  contemptible  condition;  who  was  a 
man  of  sorrows  and  acquainted  with  grief;  of  no  corpo- 
ral beauty  in  the  eyes  of  the  beholders;  and  subject  to 
all  the  infirmities  of  feeble  mortals,  except  sin:  who  was 
deserted  of  the  outgoing  of  the  sweetness  and  love  of 
God;  nay,  did  drink  from  brim  to  bottom,  the  bitter  cup 
of  his  Father's  wrath;  who  was  apprehended  in  an  igno- 
minious manner;  betrayed,  denied  and*  forsaken  of  his 
own  disciples;  violently  hauled  away  to  judgment,  reviled, 
mocked,  and  buffetted,  and  spit  upon;  accused  of  blas- 
phemy, treason,  madness,  and  whatever  helhsh  heads 
could  devise ;  then  scourged,  and  set  forth  to  the  oppro- 
bry  and  laughing  of  the  rascally  multitude;  then  condem- 
ned to  the  vile  and  shameful  death  of  the  cross,  for  blas- 
phemy and  treason;  and  that  by  the  petition  of  the  vast 
multitudes  gathered  together  to  the  passover,  who  pre- 
ferred abase  robber  before  him!  The  sentence  was  not 
sooner  pronounced  than  executed;  for  he  was  hanged 
betwixt  two  thieves,  in  the  sight  of  the  multitude,  to  the 
jnsultation  of  devils  and  their  slaves,  who  beheld  this 
matchless  one  nailed  to  the  cursed  tree,  and  bled  to  death 
in  great  torment,  and  auguish  of  spirit:  while  the  sun, 
clothed  in  mourning  for  his  Lord,  contrary  to  the  course 
of  nature,  sympathised  with  the  eclipsed  Creator,  and 
withdrew  its  beams  from  those  who  had  eclipsed  the  light 
of  the  whole  creation.  Thus  did  my  Well-beloved  con- 
tinue for  a  long  space,  and  gave  up  the  ghost  in  great  tor- 
ment of  body  and  spirit;  yea,  was  buried,  and  continued 
under  the  power  of  death  for  a  time:  and  this,  even  this 
is  the  same.  Behold,  men  and  angels,  behold  and  won- 
der at  the  man,  who  is  the  wonder  of  wonders,  and  whose 
name  is  termed  Wonderful!  Well-beloved,  thou  appear- 
est  to  be  far  changed,  though  thou  be  ever  the  same!  thou 
only  hast  done  heroically,  O  mighty  Captain  of  the  Lord's 
hosts:  this  was  thy  design  ftom  eternity:  oughest  thoa 
not  first  to  have  suffered,  and  then  to  entel"  into  this  in- 
comprehensible glory  .^     Thou  hast  graciously  overcome^ 


44  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY, 

and  satisfied  avenging  justice,  incensed  against  the  chil- 
dren of  thy  eternal  deligh's:  "  Hirving  spoiled  principalis 
ties  and  powers,  'hou  mad^st  a  show  of  them  openly,  tri- 
umphing over  them  on  the  cro&s:  for  though  thou,  being 
in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it  no  robbery  to  be  equal  with 
God;  yet  madest  thou  thyself  of  no  reputation,  and  be- 
came obedient  even  unto  the  death:  vvherelore  God  aiso 
hath  highly  exalted  thee,  and  given  thee  a  name  above 
every  name,  that  at  the  name  ol  Jesus  every  knee  should 
bow,  in  heaven,  earth,  and  under  the  earth.'"  Wast  thou 
not  as  low  as  the  grave?  and  yet  hast  ascendetl  on  high, 
le'i  captivity  captive,  and  received  g'fts  for  men?  Art  thou 
not  he,  who  Jiveth,  and  was  dead?  and  behold  thou  art 
alive  for  evermore!  Who  is  exalted,  and  wast  low  and 
despised;  and  behold,  thou  art  exalted  above  all  create^ 
heavens  for  ever!  who  rejoicest,  and  did  weep,  and  sigh, 
and  groan;  and  behold,  thou  art  surrounded  with  bound- 
1-ess  joys  for  evermore'  who  reignest  victoriously,  and 
wast  in  the  form  of  a  servant;  and  Dehold,  thou  reignest 
in  glorious  majesty  for  evermore!  Art  thou  not  a  won- 
derful One  indeed!  shall  men  a-'jd  avgels  ever  enough  ad- 
mire thee?  tho'gh  every  monier^t  of  eternity  shall  be  filled 
with  admiration  of  my  ravished  heart 

21.    God  manifested  ia  the,  jiesli  for  ever  a  mystery 

And  is  dust  and  ashes  for  evei'  exalied  t"  such  an  in- 
comprehen  ible  pitch  of  glory?  O  dust,  how  earnest  thou 
hither?  strange!  that  ttie  Almighty  hath  ex^^lted  thee 
above  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars;  and  hath  brou2;ht  thee 
into  his  immediate  pre^^ence,  to  carry  the  least  tircture  of 
Supernatural  heavenly  glory  upon  thee,  io  become  the 
temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost'  But,  men  and  angels,  vvliat 
are  J.  our  conceptions  of  Uusdust,  to  be  the  temple,  whf  re- 
in (he  high  and  loftv  On*-,  the  Almighty  JEHOVAH,  the 
eternal  consubstantial  Son  of  G  d,  dcth  personally  dwell, 
and  with  which  he  i"-  pciso'ially  united?  Is  not  this  a 
myster\  ?  U  not  this  an  irfinite  abyss,  men  and  angels, 
into  whose  furtlprmos'  you  shall  never  be  able  to  dive? 

"52.  That  Godsn.uld  bring  about  the  highest  ex  ttation 
of  human  nature^  thr>ughman\  horrid  ingrtliude^  ah  ocean 
of  ^venders. 

To  ihi  ik,  that  these  bodUy  eyes  behold  my  Redeemer, 
tmgl't  astonish  ten  thf)us,!nd  worlds:  are  we  not  all  over- 
whelmed m  astonishment?   is  not  every  one  crying,  what 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLOHl.  46 

bath  Goxl  done?  0  thy  incomprehensible  ways'  0  thyif- 
re?i«table  power!  O  thy  unsearchable  wisdom!  0  thy  love, 
th}  boundless  love.'  love  that  passeth  all  understanding! 
Strange!  hath  the  Almighty  exalted  thee,  0  man's  nature, 
unto  this  incomprehensible  dignity?  it  was  much  thou  re- 
eeivetist  the  characters  of  divine  majesty  and  excellency; 
yel  more  to  be  admitted  into  friendship  and  converse  with 
the  great  and  dreadful  Former  of  all.  0!  are  not  such 
gradations  of  wonder,  bke  millions  of  worlds,  placed  above 
milhons  of  worlds,  and  again,  and  again,  and  for  ever 
more?  Is  not  man  infinitely  obliged  to  such  a  Sovereign;- 
Mthe  crawling  worms  be  infinitely  obliged  for  their  being, 
what  shall  be  said  of  man,  created  with  so  noble  a  being, 
in  so  noble  a  condition?  Was  it  possible  he  could  ever 
Lave  loved,  feared,  praised  him  enough?  IVas  it  possible 
a  creature,  thus  dealt  with,  could  rebel?  Yet  strange? 
when  this  dreadful  prodigy  did  enter  the  creation;  0  as- 
tonishing rebellion!  monstrous  ingratitude!  from  thence- 
forth, what  could  be  expected,  but  puie  vengeance,  like 
an  overflowing  flood,  should  destroy  head  and  tail,  root 
and  branch,  with  an  eternal  destruction?  Could  any  mer- 
cy have  been  expected  from  heaven  to  earth,  when  earih 
had  denounced  open  enmity  against  heaven?  What 
shou'.dst  thou  have  done,  dread  Sovereign  of  all  things, 
with  base,  monstrous  and  ingrate  mankmd,  but  make  it 
wholly  the  butt  of  thy  unmixed  wrath  ?  What  are  never  so 
many  worlds  of  men  and  angels  to  thee,  that  thou  shouMst 
spare  them,  if  once  they  dared  to  uiter  one  word  against 
thee?  Shouldst  thou  reduce  to  nothing  what  thou  h;ist 
created,  what  hast  thou  lost,  since  thou  could&t  produce, 
in  this  very  moment,  millions  of  millions  of  worlds?  le.a, 
and  if  produced,  what  are  they,  but  as  so  many  millions 
of  shadows  and  nothings  before  thee?  O  the  condesccn- 
dency'  the  sweetness  of  thy  nature!  0  the  boundless 
riches  of  thy  grace!  "  O  the  height,  the  de- th,  the  length, 
the  breadth  of  thy  unsearchable  ways!"  Hast  tliou  be- 
come friends  with  man  again?  entered  into  a  treaty  of 
peace  and  reconciliation  with  him?  held  out  the  golden 
sceptre,  as  a  manifestation  of  the  thoughts  of  boundless 
love,  that  flamed  in  thy  heart  from  afh eternity?  erectii.g 
a  glorious  throne  of  free,  altogether  free  grace,  upon  ihe 
horrid  apostac}-  and  rebellion  of  ungrateful  man?  ^Vho 
qould  have  imagined  such  a  dispensation  as  this?    Were 


46  A    GLI3]rSE    OF  GLORY. 

you  expecting  this,  you  glorious  angels,  wlien  ye  behelu 
man  backslide  so  mon.vtrously?  vVere  you  thinking  so 
prniigious  ingratitude  would  come  to  this?  VVere  you  not 
amazed  at  a  second  covenant,  after  the  breaking  of  the 
tirsi?  Yea,  are  we  not  al!  in  the  same  admiring  frame? 
O  eternity!  thou  art  not  sufficient  to  make  the  impression 
old,  which  God  hath  enstamped  on  the  minds  of  men  and 
angels.  The  objects  are  wonderful!  Our  faculties  are 
wonderfully  elevated!    what  w'onder,  my  heart  is  fixed? 

0  this  frame  of  spirit!  1  sec,  I  see  that  a  world  of  alto- 
gether free  grace  was  the  only  design  of  eternity!  even 
that  heaven  should  be  filled  for  ever  W'ith  a  song,  "to  Him 
that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  to  the  Lamb,  for  ever  and 
ever."  Lord,  wliat  hast  thou  done?  Not  only  hast  thou 
become  friends  with  man  again;  not  only  hast  thou  made 
him  thine  everlasting  minion,  but  thou  hast  also  person- 
ally assumed  his  nature  that  thou  mightest  draw  him  ne'ai'- 
er  thyself,  and  manifest  tii^  glory  unto  him,  in  a  more  fa- 
miliar, intimate,  sweet  and  wonderfu-  way.  than  w^as  pos- 
sible in  the  first  dispensation!  Wonderful!  did  man  cast 
ofi'the  image  of  his  Maker?  and  did  his  Maker  take  upon 
him  man's  image,  to  restore  all  again?  Didst  thou.  O  my 
God,  assume  personally  our  natire,  even  in  its  lowest  es- 
tate, that  thou  mightest  weep,  and  sigh,  and  groan,  and 
sorrow,  and  die  for  undone  man?  Is  not  this  love  indeed! 
man  had  destroyed  himself  ^>ut  did  our  excellent  Well- 
beloved  step  in  betwixt  eternal  wrath  and  the  miserable 
sinner,  and  all  the  billows  of  divine  vengean<'e  did  he  re- 
ceive, till  divine  futy  was  pacified!  No  sorrow,  no  shame, 
iiu  pain  could  terrify  him;  infinite  love  is  invincible.  I 
will  not  spare  base  man,  said  offended  majesty,  in  the 
day  he  rebels  against  me,  as  I  have  said,  he  must  die  the 
death;  for  the  woid  hath  gone  out  of  my  mouth  Beit 
so,  saith  the  Son  of  God,  here  am  I,  a  man  ready  tosufTer 
all  sorrow,  grief,  and  pain  of  soul  and  body,  unto  the  very 
death:  hath  man  sinned?  man  shall  bear  the  punishment. 
J,  even  I,  vvill  die  the  death;  "Sacrifice  and  offerings  thou 
wilt  not  accept;  but  a  body  thou  hast  given  me-  I  will 
bear  their  grief;    I  will  carry  their  sorrows.      (Vly  Father, 

1  am  glad  thou  lay  upon  me  the  iniquity  of  them  all;  they 
are  tiiine  and  mine  from  eternity;  this  was  our  transaction 
before  all  ages,  that  in  the  fulness  of  time,  I  should  lay 
down  my  life   for  these  thou  hast  given  me  out  of  the 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORV  47 

worid;  ''Therefore  thou,  O  Father,  dost  love  me,  because 
I  lay  down  mj  life  for  my  sheep." 

23.  Hie  relations  belicixt  God  and  us  are  everlastinsr 
amazemejit. 

Who  can  search  into  the  depths  of  thy  boundless  love? 
Thou  hast  dehvered  us  from  going  down  into  the  pit;  thou 
hast  found  a  ransom:  this  is  a  draught  of  infinite  wisdom^ 
the  eternal  wonder  of  men  and  angels!  verily,  thy  loves- 
are  incomprehensible,  matchless,  boundless,  and  un- 
changable;  which,  though  we  sometimes  doubted,  in  the 
days  of  our  absence,  yet  all  are  now  evident,  as  the  noon- 
day light;  past,  present,  and  to  come,  pi  e>ent  themselves 
for  ever.  0  then,  my  happiness  overflows  its  banks! 
am  not  I  overjoyed,  as  at  the  first  entry?  How  fami-.ar- 
1}  and  sweetly  do  I  converse  with  thee,  O  excellent  Well- 
beloved.^  myriads  of  ages  appear  not  a  moment  in  thy 
^presence.  This  dispensation  is  an  eternal  wonder!  v.ould 
not  this  have  been  tliought  a  horrid  petition,  before  the 
promulgation  of  the  gospel.^  *■''  O  thou  that  wert  as  my 
brother,  that  sucked  the  breasts  of  my  mother?  when  I 
should  find  thee  without,  I  would  kiss  thee-  his  left  hand 
should  be  under  my  head,  and  his  right  hand  should  em- 
brace me.  I  am  my  beloved's,  and  his  desire  is  towards 
me."  Indeed  our  dis-nity  before  our  fall  was  hiirh  and 
glorious:  but,  O  this  dispensation  of  love!  Sirs,  is  not 
God  our  brother,  our  husband,  our  redeemer,  our  only 
^Veil-beloved?  0  our  happiness!  what  shall  we  do  through- 
out eternity  but  wonder?  God  manifested  in  the  fiesh,  O 
strange!  Lord  God  Almighty,  what  couldst  thou  do  more 
to  creatures? 

24.  Men  and  angels  run  themselves  in  an  eteimal  circle 
of  beholding  and  adniring  God  visibly  r.ianijested 

Shall  I  not  behold  and  admire,  admire  and  behold,  and 
flame  and  love,  while  this  immortal  Beicg  remains?  The 
veil  is  drawn  aside,  and  we  behold  clearly  the  m  .n,  Christ 
Jesus,  filled  with  the  Godhead!  Indeed  the  earth  i^  full  of 
a  divine  glory,  the  heavens  also  in  a  more  special  man- 
ner, saints  and  angels,  wonderfully  and  eminently;  yet  all 
in  measure:  but  glory  duells  in  this  man  above  all  mea- 
sure! he  is  God  equal  with  the  Father!  no  nearnesi-  to 
the  Fountain  of  all  glory,  unto  tiiat  nearness  of  the  human 
nature  of  our  Well-beloved  with  the  Godhead?  O  tjen 
the  emenations  of  thy  inexhaustible  fulness!  even  thy  glo- 


43  A    GLIMPSE    OF    tlLOliY. 

ly,  beaiily  and  sweetness,  shall  overflow  tlieir  banks  fon 
ever  and  ever!  we  are  ever  filled  and  over  filled  with  ^hy 
fulness;  yet  there  still  remains  as  much  behind  Inlj.nte 
worlds  of  men  and  angels  couldst  thou  satiate,  and  make 
to  run  over  with  thine  overcoming  love  and  sweetness. — 
Upon  whom  may,  and  doth  not  thy  light  shine?  Thou 
an  the  Sun,  we  are  the  stars:  wha*  should  we  be,  didst 
thou  draw  in  thy  glory?  where  ever  thy  glory  is  peculiar- 
ly manifested,  there  is  heaven:  let  me  beany  where,  so 
be  thou  shine  upon  me.  They  have  the  sunny  side  of 
the  world,  who  behold  thy  face  in  righteousness:  a  world 
of  all  creature  beauties  and  delights,  is  a  hell  without  thee; 
I  should  count  them  a  mass  of  deformity,  should  they  for 
one  minute  stand  m  i  etwixt  me,  and  thy  ravishing  coun- 
tenance. None  but  Jf.bovah  and  the  Lumb!  Hod  I  this 
sigiit  but  for  one  moment  on  earth,  would  I  in  the  least 
have  regarded  the  glittering  vanities  of  time?  In  thy  light 
I  see  light;  every  thing  appears  as  it  is:  they  are  enlight- 
ened to  the  full,  who  dwell  under  the  beams  of  thy  ravish- 
ing countenance.  Blessed  ones,  what  must  he  be,  whose 
glory  and  beauty,  dartnig  in  upon  us,  doth  beautify  us  alll 
What  were  we,  if  this  fair  One  were  not  amongst  us?  By 
thy  darting  upon  me,  I  am  partaker  of  the  divine  nature, 
even  transformed  from  glory  to  glory  0  thy  attractive, 
lovely  emenations!  I  cannot,  will  not,  but  follow  thee, 
"^vhithersoever  thou  goest,  thougii  without  the  borders  of 
ihh  great  all,  or  through  the  lake  that  burneth  with  fire 
and  brimstone;  these  then  should  be  no  more  what 
they  are,  but  worlds  of  joy  and  delights.  O  thy  glory, 
thy  glory,  thy  glory  I  cursed  monsters,  who  are  under 
eternal  vengeance,  for  your  hatred  to  his  excellency,  had 
you  a  glimpse  of  this  transcendent  glory,  should  not  your 
Jiiisery  and  torment  be  quite  forgotten?  But  ye  are  ban-* 
ished  from  his  presence  and  glory;  and  therefore  you  are 
unutterably  miserable.  O  my  happiness!  '^  Is  it  not  good 
to  he  here?"  Wonderful!  was  I  ever  loath  to  come  here? 
Xvly  Lord  is  here,  are  not  then  all  things  here?  Wasl 
ever  loath  to  come  here,  because  silly  harmless  death  did 
stand  in  the  way?  But  what  is  it  to  pass  through  ten  thou- 
sand black  deaths,  ten  thousand  ages  of  all  imaginable 
torment?  One  hour  here,  w^ill  do  more  than  make  up  all. 
O  massy,  real,  substantial,  enduring  glory!  an)  I  not  hap- 
py, eternally  happy!    happiness  is  here   in  its  full  bloom 


A    GLIMPSE    OP   GLORV.  49^ 

"Unil  verdure:  I  have  thee  iu  m^  arms,  O  Well-beloved, 
and  IS  it  (J  >ssible  I  can  be  more  blessed? 

25  The  gloHjied  only  capable  of  understanding  glor-y 
fully^  mortality  can  conceive  little. 

By  thy  blood,  and  only  by  thy  blood,  have  we  entered 
these  oceans  of  unspeakable  happiness;  through  thee  hare 
we  such  full  access  to  ^he  Father;  thou  art  our  wisaom, 
our  righteousness,  all  things  0  perfect  security  forever 
and  ever.'  what  wonder  this  could  not  ent^r  the  minds  of 
mortals?  This  is  only  to  be  conceived  by  manly  capaci" 
ties.  Before,  we  resembled  thee  in  part,  because  we 
saw  thee  by  faith,  as  through  the  glass  of  thy  word,  out  in 
part:  now  we  are*  capacious;  now  thou  shinest  upon  us 
in  full  splendour;  whereby  thine  image  is  fully  impressed 
upon  us;  we  know  thee  face  to  face,  as  thou  art,  without 
the  benetit  of  interposing  creatures,  and  ideas,  extracted 
from  other  things.  O  immediate  vision  of  God!  O  clear 
discoveries  of  infinite  perfections!  I  see,  1  see  the  uifijate 
One  face  to  face,  as  I  am  seen,  and  my  Ufe  is  preserved, 
I  am  fully  satiate,  ravished,  overcome,  with  thy  lovely 
image!  what  wonder  I  am  like  thee,  who  partake  of  thy 
nature,  xhe  beams  of  thy  excellency  every  where  darting 
upon  me!  0  this  illumination!  0  the  high,  high  pitch  of 
glory!  O  the  everlasting  smiles  of  my  Lord's  countenance! 
O  manifestations  of  ^lore  and  more  throughout  eternity) ! 
all  the  enjoyments  of  eternity  are  as  one  moment:  all 
ages  are  as  swallowed  up  in  the  infinite  depths  of  bound- 
less excellencies  Creature-enjoyments  are  empty,  and 
may  be  received,  but  infinite  love  ravisheth  throughout 
eternity:  when  more  a2;es  are  past  than  there  are  atoms 
in  the  creation,  then  shall  I  be,  just  as  I  am  now,  ever 
swimming  and  diving  in  the  depths  of  thy  infinite  perfec- 
tions, and  never  attaining  the  furthermost.  This  is  a  Hfe! 
how  sweet  to  dwell  under  the  noon-day  beams  of  thy  rav- 
ishing countenance?  All  darkness  and  ignorance  ace 
quite  dispelled;  every  thing  is  known  as  it  is  in  its  own 
proper  essence:  here  wisdom  flourisheth  in  its  highest 
region;  my  former  attainments  are  swallowed  up,  like  the 
light  of  a  candle  beside  the  sun.  O  this  light  day  of  eter- 
nity! 0  eternity,  thou  art  not  sufi^cient,  wherein  I  may 
delineate  what  my  elevated  heart  doth  conceive!  all  are 
inexpressible:  mysteries  are  no  mysteries,  and  yet  eter- 
nal mysteries!  how  wa^  I  beset  with  darkness,  and  could 
not  attain  suitable  iiptakiugs  of  thee?    how  was  I  vexed 


50  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

with  low  and  unbeseeming  thou2;hts  of  thy  all-glorious 
majesty?  whence  deadness  and  unfitness  of  spirit  for 
worshipping  of  thee  aright.  Now  I  am  enlightened  with 
the  full  and  immediate  beams  of  thy  glory:  and  O  how 
great  and  precious  are  my  thoughts  of  thee!  0  this  ravish- 
ed frame  of  spirit!  how  am  I  all  inflamed  with  divine  love? 
I  am  rendered  divine;  therefore  I  bend  to  thee  with  an 
incessant  and  eternal  propension:  holiness  before  was  in 
part,  now  the  copestone  is  upon  it.  How  beautiful  and 
comely  are  we  become,  through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb? 
I  see,  Well-beloved,  thou  canst  wash  black  hell  fair  and 
white,  till  it  become  a  lump  of  heaven  and  glory.  Sirs, 
are  we  not  far  changed?  may  not  every  one  of  us  say,  I 
am  not  I?  Might  we  not  misken  ourselves,  were  it  pos- 
sible such  a  thing  were  compatible  wuth  glory? 

26.  The  beholding  of  God,  in  his  way  of  subsistency^ 
nnd  outgoings  to  creatures,  is  endless  ravishment. 

The  wonderful  mystery  of  thy  being  One  in  essence, 
3'et  Three  in  the  way  of  subsistence,  was  only  to  be  be- 
lieved by  mortals;  and  not  to  be  understood  demonstra- 
tively: but  now  I  behold,  with  a  noon-day  evidence,  what 
I  believed.  Thou  art  One,  in  the  most  simple  manner; 
and  yet  there  are  Three,  in  the  blessed  Godhead;  every 
one  of  which  is  God;  who  are  only  distinguished  by  prop- 
er ways  of  subsistence.  I  believed  in  the  land  of  darkness, 
this,  as  all  other  mysteries,  should  be  fully  manifested  in 
the  land  of  glory:  now  all,  all  is  accompHshed!  ''My 
hope  hath  not  made  me  ashamed:  he  hath  fulfilled  the 
desire  of  those  that  fear  him  "  0  blessed  I,  for  ever- 
more! what  a  life  is  this,  thus  to  swim  in  the  oceans  of 
dehghts!  O  this  enjoyment!  O  my  heavenly  Father,  first 
person  of  all  this  adorable,  eternal,  co-essential  genera- 
tion! 0  thou  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory,  and  express 
character  of  his  person!  O  Hr.ly  Ghost,  the  eternal  con- 
spiration of  love  betwixt  the  Father  and  the  Son!  O  rav- 
ishing sights!  shall  I  not  behold,  with  an  eternal  over- 
coming delectation?  What  is  God?  will  take  an  eternity 
to  answer,  though  we  behold  thee  as  thou  art:  one  view 
of  thy  infinitely  amiable  essence,  and  way  of  subsistence, 
would  seal  up  innumerable  worlds  of  men  and  angels  in 
everlasting  ravishments.  Can  I  express  what  I  behold? 
Should  I  write  new  volumes  through  millions  of  ages,  un- 
til the  creation  were  filled,  they  should  contain  nothing  to 
tiiat  my  heart  is  filled  with:   should  I  write  to  all  eternity 


A     GLIMPSE    OF    GLORV.  51 

new  songs  of  thine  immortal  praises,  should  I  not  be  ever 
a  beginning',  and  never  fully?  O  sweet!  sweet  fellowship, 
with  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost!  0  my  Redeemer, 
do  I  not  behold  thee,  the  brightness  of  thy  Father's  glory, 
the  express  character  of  his  person,  his  efficacy  and  his 
wisdom,  by  which  he  made  all  things?  "  The  Lord  pos- 
sessed thee  in  the  beginning,  ere  ever  the  earth  was;  even 
then  thou  wast  by  him,  as  one  brought  up  with  him,  and 
was  daily  his  delight,  rejoicing  always  before  him;"  im- 
mortal blessings  and  praises  to  thee.  O  God  the  Father 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  art  thou  not  lovely,  excellent, 
full  of  all  delights  and  sweetness,  who  hast  begotten  such 
a  matchless,  superexcellent  one,  as  Christ  Jesus,  our  ex- 
cellent Well-beloved,  our  Hedeemer,  our  Head,  our  Days- 
man, our  all  in  all!  thy  substantial  image  is  lovely,  O  my 
heavenly  Father!  O  then  thy  loveliness!  Men  and  angels, 
you  are  but  as  so  many  painted  accidental  draughts  of 
God's  excellency;  but  Christ  Jesus  is  the  substantial 
image  of  God,  his  very  power,  efficacy,  and  exceilenoy, 
by  which  he  doth  all  things;  his  very  self.  None  but 
Christ!  Is  he  the  Father's  darling?  and  is  he  not  ours? 
Is  he  his  wisdom,  joy,  and  delight?  and  is  he  not  ours  also? 
O  eternal  ravishments?  God  hath  given  to,  and  for  us, 
the  Son  of  his  everlasting  love  and  delights!  sent  he  not 
his  only  Son  and  heir  into  a  base  and  inhuman  world, 
that  he  might  save  and  gather  together  the  sons  of  his 
eterr.al  choice?  O  blessed  counsel  from  eternity  of  the 
glorious  Trinity!  O  happy  Ave'  that  ever  free,  free  love> 
bowed  and  condescended  so!  what  could  Jehovah  do 
more  for  u^,  than  he  hath  done?  hadst  thou  any  greater 
gift,  than  the  only  Son  of  thy  love?  didst  thou  give  thy 
bosom  delight  to  be  a  propitiation  for  us,  the  ofiscourings 
of  all  things?  Is  not  this  love  infinitely  transcending  all 
finite  capacities?  That  thou  vouchsafed  a  being  on  us, 
was  a  great  bounty;  but  more,  that  thou  created  us  after 
thy  lovely  divine  ipiage;  yet  more,  thou  condescended  to 
enter  into  a  covenant  with  us;  and  yet  higher,  to  be  ap- 
pointed thy  everlasting  minions!  But  what  shall  we  think, 
men  and  angels,  hath  he  not  given  unto  us  the  Son  of  his 
everlasting  delight?  This  gift  can  never  be  enough  ad- 
mired and  esteemed;  O  Almighty  Jehovah^  thou  givest 
like  a  king'  too  great  a  gift  indeed  for  us  to  receive,  but 
n^t  too  great  for  thee  to  give.  Nothing  can  be  too  great 
for  thee;    and  this  was  the  greatest  gift  that  thou  couldst 


^  A    GLlSUfSE    OF    GLORT. 

give:  hadst  thou  gifted  us  ten  thousand  worlds  of  beauty, 
stored  with  all  imaginable  paradises  of  pleasures,  with  in- 
numerable fair  created  heavens  of  sweetness,  with  infinite 
legions  of  men  and  anj:;els,  should  they  not  have  been  es- 
1'e'emed  rich  and  noble  gifts?    But  all  is  just  nothing  to 
matchless  Jesus.       It  is  a  shame    to  lay  any  thing  in  the 
balance  with  him;    one  ray  of  his  Gc.d-head   would  con- 
found all  possible  created  excellencies  to  nothing.     O  thy 
excellency!    thy  excellency!    am  I  not  overjoyed,  am  I 
?jiot  overjoyed,  that  I  shall  cry  thee  up  through  number- 
iQss  ages?     Ye   may  hide   yourselves,  men   and  angels-, 
for  all  your  beauties  and  glory,  what  are  you  to  him?    It 
is  astonishing  condescendency,  he  admits  you  to  stand  be- 
side him!   I  cannot  but  extol  thee  before  innumerable  as- 
:?emblies  of  men  and  angels.     My  heart  is  fixt,  etefiially 
iiixi    shall  wc  not,  as  it  were,  contend,  who  shall  extol  thee 
■naovst?      And  said  thou,  Amen,  my  Well- beloved,  to  the 
blessed,  a  thousand  times  blessed  bargain  of  the  new  cor- 
.f^nant?    Verily  th^t  love  thou  manifested  in  the  fulness  of 
time,  did  show  the  love  that  flamed  in  thy  heart,  before  ail 
nges:  though  thou  wast  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  ever 
(•^.elighting  him,  and  dehghting  in  him;  je^^  didst  thou  come 
down  to  base  earth,   and  conversed  familiarly  with  silly, 
sinful,  frail  man;    and  was  found  to  be  a  man,  that  thou 
might  save  him,  lost  and  undone  to  the  uttermost.     Men 
and  angelsj  you  are  all  looking  in  with  astonishment:   to 
behold  God  personally,  clothed  with  the  human  nature,  is 
a  sight,  we  can  never  enough  view  and  admire;    the  mir- 
rour,  wherein  we  behold  the  love  of  God  to  creatures,  in 
its  full  splendour.     Wast  thou  never  enough  near  and  inti- 
mate with  us,  until  thou  becamest  bone  of  our  bone,  and 
flesh  of  our  flesh?  until  thou  becantest  one  with  us,  who 
.art  one  with  the  Father?    "For  both  he  that  sanctifieth, 
and  they  that  are  sanctified,  are  all  one:  for  which  cause 
thou  art  not  ashamed  to  call  us  brethren!"     0  essential 
love!    art  thou  not  here  manifested  transcendently?    that 
sentence  was  comely  in  your  mouth,  ''love  your  enemies  " 
Hast  thou  not  loved  thy  mortal  enemies  to  the  death? 
Were  we  not  heirs  of  wrath,  born  enemies  against  thy 
Highness?    But  in  despite  of  our  enmity,  didst  thou  love 
with  an  everlasting  love.     Nothing  can  stand  in  the  ^vay 
of  infinite  redeeming  love.     INo  matter  what  I  have  been, 
since  lam  lovely  in  thy  fight:    it  is  wonderful  loveliness, 
to  become  the  object  of  thy  eternal  love!    and  this  only 


A     GLIMPSE    OP    GLOUY.  53 

Will  I  glory  in.  The  more  vile  and  loathsome  I  have 
been,  the  more  doth  the  lovehness,  nobleness,  and  tVee- 
ness  of  thy  love  appear,  which  will  neither  be  budded  nor 
hired.  Sovei^ignty  shines  f^rth  in  all  thy  actings.  "Who 
shall  give  thee?  and  it  shall  be  recoaipensed  Not  luito 
us,  not  unto  us,  but  unto  him  that  sit'etu  upon  the  throne, 
and  unto  the  Lamb,  be  glory  for  ever  and  ever."  O  bles- 
sed Spirit  of  grace,  the  eternal  aspiration  of  love,  and 
outgoing  of  th«  Father  and  the  Son,  thou  great  Jehovah, 
blessed  for  evermore,  how  sweet  a  co-operation  ha^t  thou 
in  this  glorious  work  of  redemption!  this  transcendent 
manifestation  of  altogother-free  grace!  how  sweet  hast 
thou  been  unto  us,  in  the  days  of  our  pilgrimage.''  how 
didst  thou  convince,  convert,  enlighten  and  comfort.'  we 
should  have  perished,  in  our  jonrney  to  this  goodly  land, 
hadst  thou  not  strengthened  us  in  our  inward  man  And 
wast  thou  so  sweet  in  the  days  of  our  sinning.'*  Art  thou 
not  now  sweet,  infinitely  more  than  sweet.'  0  the  full, 
incessant,  eternal  flowings  of  the  Spirit  of  love!  this  south 
wind  breathes  strongly,  causing  the  spices  of  the  higher 
paradise  to  exhale  a  ravishing  fragrancy  every  where: 
how,  in  every  high  tide,  noi:  ing  but  ravishing  perfumes? 
no  winds,  but  the  breathin^^s  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  O  v#jat 
rivers,  oceans,  worlds  of  consolation!  one  drop  of  thi<  fal- 
ling upon  the  heart,  appeared  heaven  itself;  but  this  is 
more  than  heaven!  every  drop  of  this  boundless  ocean  of 
sweetness,  I  am  entered  for  ever  into,  would  ravish  tea 
thousand  worlds  of  men  and  angels.  This  could  not  be 
Conceived  by  mortals,  unless  in  a  childish  manner;  the 
first  fruits  surpas'sed  their  appiehensions,  and  yet  had  do 
proportion  considerable  with  the  harvest:  none  can  ap- 
prehend this,  except  thpy  oe  experienced  therein;  and 
none  can  be  capable  of  tliis  experience,  but  those  who 
are  .raised  to  this  wonderful  pit<  h  of  glory  These  floods 
of  sweetiiess  would  iia^e  undone  us,  in  a  moment,  had  we 
entered  thern  in  our  frail  mortal  estate*  0  miraculous 
elevation  of  glory,  which  can  bear  such  sweetness!  are 
we  not  as  so  many  trophies,  and  monuments  of  thy  trans- 
cendent power,  in  its  high  victory.'  much  of  thine  excel- 
lency was  to  be  seen  in  thy  kmgdom  of  nature;  much 
more  in  thy  kingdom  of  grace;  but  most  in  this  of  glory: 
h  re  shiae  'ovth  thy  infinite  excellencies,  in  their  noon- 
day splendour. 

E  2 


64  A   Gtl^lPSR    OP    GLORY, 

27.  JSToihing  but  rivers,  oceans  of  joy,  overflow  Emrnau- 
ueVs  land. 

O  joy  inexpressible,  and  altogether  glorious!  now,  now 
I  find  to  tne  full,  by  sweet,  sweet  experience,  that  in  thy 
presence  there  is  fulness  of  joy,  and  at  thy  right  hand  are 
pleasures  lor  evermore/  in  the  days  of  my  pilgrimage, 
thou  put  more  joy  and  gladness  into  ray  heart  than  in  the 
time  when  worldly  enjoyments  abounded  in  worldlings: 
then  have  I  been  so  ravished  with  the  glimpses  of  thy 
countenance  that  earthly  joys  could  take  no  place;  so 
that  I  could  not  but  imagine  myself  in  heaven  already; 
thinking  that  the  vintage  had  come  in  place  of  the  first 
fruits:  Now,  O  now!  I  am  in  thy  immediate  presence. 
Thy  sweetness,  O  thy  ravishing  sweetness!  the  floods, 
oceans,  worlds  of  eternal  ravishing  dehghts  treasured  up 
at  thy  right  hand,  wherein  I  am  entered  and  swim  for  ever 
and  ever!  thy  land,  0  Emmanuel,  overflows  wi^^h  pleasures. 
Kever,  never  did  I  know  what  joy  was,  until  row.  Now 
1  feel,  light  hath  been  sown  for  the  righteous,  and  joy  for  the 
upright  in  heart.  Joy  is  come  to  its  May-blooming  vigour. 
O  the  rivers  of  pleasures,  that  isweetiy  run  through  all  the 
faculties  of  the  soul  and  body!  O  the  full  gales  of  the 
Sp»it  of  consolation/  am  I  not  almost  joy  itself?  are  the^e 
the  joys,  that  were  so  much  spoken,  and  written  of,  on 
the  other  side  of  the  water''  Surely,  earth's  idiom  hath 
come  wonderfully  short!  thy  word  was  written  to  children, 
and  therefore  did  express  all  in  a  manner  suited  to  child- 
ish capacities;  but  nothing  low  and  childish  here!  0  mas- 
sy, solid,  substantial,  enduring  joys'  O  sublime,  high,  man- 
ly frame!  none  to  the  joy  of  my  Lord!  heretofore  I  was 
sometimes  filled  with  joy;  but  now  I  am  entered  into  joy 
itself.  I  live  and  dwell  in  joy!  nothingbut  joy  for  ever- 
more! thou  hast  brought  me  into  these  glorious  mansions 
of  glory:  how  shall  we  for  ever  h&  glad,  and  rejoice  in 
thee!  "  As  the  apple-tree  among  the  trees  of  the  wood, 
so  art  thou  among  the  assembly  of  men  and  angels."  O 
surpassing  delights,  in  sitting  under  thy  shadow!  the  sweet- 
ness of  thy  fruits,  the  fragrancy  of  thy  perfume,  no  tongue 
can  express!  they  who  come  under  the  covert  of  thy 
wings,  never  desire  to  remove  from  thence.  *<irs,  is  not 
this  a  life  of  unmixed  joy  and  sweetness,  to  sit  under  the 
boughs  of  this  Tree  of  life?  Is  it  not  good  to  be  here? — • 
*'  Have  not  the  lines  fallen  to  us  in  pleasant  places?  Have 
wc  not  a  goodly  heritage?"  And  after  such  a  world  of  woe 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLOKV.  i»- 

and  tribulaHon,  to  enter  over  head  and  ears,  in  these  sii- 
per-abiindaut  joys!  O  sweet  dispensation!  first  to  be 
afflicted,  and  thf  n  comibrted;  to  weep,  and  then  to  re- 
joice; to  run,  and  then  to  rest!  O  high  tide  of  overflowing 
joys!  which  hath  swallowed  up  all  frmer  griefs  and  sor- 
rows The  first  sigh*  of  thy  ravishing  countenance,  0  my 
God,  made  me,  as  it  were,  forget  that  ever  I  was  on  earth! 
this  land  hatha  sweet- smelUng  countenance:  pain  and 
sadness  should  be  converted  here  into  joy  and  delight.— 
Here  is  an  eternal  spring:  ''  For  the  winter  is  past,  the 
rain  js  over  and  gone,  the  flowers  appear  on  the  earth,  the 
time  of  the  singing  of  birds  is  come,  and  the  voice  of  the 
turtle  is  heard  in  our  land."  Now  we  have  everlasting 
joys  for  sorrow,  the  oil  of  gladness  for  the  spirit  of  heavi- 
ness. We  exceedingly  rejoice  with  Jerusalem,  who  have 
loved  her;  '"  We  surk,  and  satiate  ourselves  with  the 
breasts  of  her  consolation:  we  milk  and  delight  ourselves 
with  the  abundance  of  her  glory:  for  the  Lord  extendeth 
grace  to  her,  like  a  river.  Our  eyes  do  see  this,  our 
hearts  do  rejoice,  and  our  bones  do  flourish  like  an  herb. 
He  hath  made  us  an  everlasting  excellency,  a  joy  of  ma^ 
ny  generations:  sing,  0  heavens,  for  the  Lord  hath  done 
it;  shout,  ye  lower  parts  of  the  earth;  break  forth  into 
singing,  ye  mountams;  for  the  Lord  JEHOVA-H  is  my 
strength  and  my  song,  he  also  is  become  my  salvation: 
therefore  with  joy  will  I  draw  water  out  of  the  wells  of 
salvation,"  Cry  out,  and  shout,  O  ye  inhabitants  of  the 
higher  city;  let  your  joys  sound  throughout  the  whole 
creation.  O  Sirs,  is  not  our  lot  far  changed.^  Nothing  on 
earth  was  heard  amongst  us,  but  the  confused  noise  of 
warriors,  the  sighs  and  groans  of  men  in  an  agony.  Now 
the  heavens  of  heavens  are  filled  with  the  jo}'ful  melody 
of  heroic  conquerors:  we  sowed  in  tears  for  a  moment; 
and  now  reap  m  joy  for  evermore!  "  Thou  hast  made  us 
glad  inconceivably  above  the  days  thou  hadst  afflicted 
us:  thou  hast  arisen,  and  thine  enemies  are  scattered,  and 
all  thy  haters  are  fled  before  thee;  as  smoke  is  driven 
away  befoic  the  wind,  so  are  they  evanished  before  thy 
terrible  presence:  but  all  the  righteous  are  glad,  and 
they  rejoic    before  thee;   yea,  they  exceedingly  rejoice. 

28.    2'his  land  of  joys  is  filled  with  undone  dyvours. 

Glory,  gl^ry,  glory  to  the  purchaser  of  this  everlasting 
blesiedness!  let  ihe  ciown  flourish  on  h'S  head  through- 
out all  ages.    0  mj  happiness,  who  shall  ever  praise  thee! 


66  A    GLIMPSE    or   glory: 

and  was  I  elected  before  all  ages,  to  be  the  everlasting 
beholder,  and  extoller  of  thy  infinite  glor;  ?  Iladst  thou 
such  wonderful  thoughts  of  love  to  me,  when  I  was  not? 
"Were  I  In  the  place  of  my  deserving,  should  I  not  have  been 
even  now  blaspheming  thine  ah  glorious  and  exalted  name  ? 
O  thy  free,  free  love!  O  the  un  earchable  riches  of  thy 
grace!  who  chose  abominable  me,  out  of  the  base  and 
hellish  mass  of  mankind,  to  be  a  vessel  of  glory  and  hon- 
or, in  the  hi^h  hall  of  glory.  Lord,  what  hast  thou  done  ? 
O  wonderful  bargain  of  the  new  covenant'  0  the  infi- 
nite depths  of  all  wisdom,  power  and  excellency,  to  be 
seen  in  thi?  great  salvation!  O  the  contrivance!  0  the  car- 
rying on!  0  the  copestone  thereof!  Strange!  how  hast 
thou  brought  me  hither?  I  see,  thy  counsels  cannot  m  the 
least  be  ^rustraced  by  all  ihe  power  of  creatures.  When  I 
was  a  wretched,  lost  creature,  lying  in  my  blood,  and  no 
eye  pitying  me;  then  didst  thou,  in  thy  by-going,  casta 
look  of  love  on  me ;  and  said  unto  me,  "live :"  and  that  time 
became  a  time  of  love.  Free  love  was  the  rule  thou 
walked  by;  not  my  deservings,  or  willingness.  Had  I 
been  lei^  to  my  hellish  will,  I  should  forever  have  destroy- 
ed myself;  but  thou  sweetly  and  connaturally,  ere  ever  I 
was  aware,  didst  ravish  heart  and  all  fiom  me;  so  that 
my  will  could  not  but  stoop  to  thy  overcoming  loveliness. 
When  I  was  follovving  after  the  monstrous  imaginations 
of  my  evil  heart,  <]ebauching  my  loves  and  joys  on  crea- 
ture-enjoyments, despising  the  only  excellent  things,  then 
didst  thou  discover  thy  irresistable  loveliness  unto  me; 
which  bowed,  transformed,  and  enamoured  all  tiie  facul- 
ties of  niy  soul;  so  that  I  could  not  but  yield,  most  willing- 
ly yield:  connaturally  did  the  influences  of  thy  Spirit 
work  on  the  powers  of  my  soul;  so  that  I  closed  with  the6 
on  thine  own  terms,  as  freely  as  I  had  been  absolute 
sovereign  of  myself;  and  yet  as  inlallibly  as  I  had  been 
no  intellectual  agent.  Verily  thou,  thou  alone  art  the 
absolute  Sovereign  of  all  things.  O  thy  wonderful  way 
of  working!  who  can  trace  thee  in  all  tliy  proceedings? 

29.  The  glorifird  reflecting  en  the  way  to  tne  kingdom^ 
see  it  to  he  an  iuc  ncnvable  dranghl  of  divine  uisciom. 

0  piercing  j;?ys  and  sweetne.'-s.  that  ever  I  heartily 
and  sincerely  received  thee,  on  thy  own  terras!  how  well 
ha^^t  thou  kept  what  I  have  committed  unto  thee,  and  pre- 
sented ir  spotless  and  glorious  before  the  Father?  Now  I 
behold  all  thy  promises  completely  accomphshed.     Thou 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORi.  57 

Uast  ever  held  me  in  thine  hand,  through  all  the  danger 
ois  wilderness  I  have  overpast;  Thou  hast  guided  me  by 
thv  counsel,  and  at  last  brought  me  to  glory.  ^  How  hath 
thv  strength  been  seen  m  weakness?  How  many  tempta- 
tions have  I  overcome?  How  many  crosses  have  I  wrest- 
led through?  How  many  floods  have  I  overpast?  How 
many  boisterous  storms  have  I  set  my  face  against?  How 
tave  1  escaped  through  all  the  assaults  of  the  devil,  the 
world,  and  the  flesh?  A.nd  yet  my  Lord  hath  set  me  fair- 
ly above  all  hazards  and  difficulties!  my  feet  for  ever 
stand  now  within  the  glorious  land  of  Emmanuel's  blessed 
conquest.  All  the  united  strength  of  blessed  saints  and 
angels  could  not  have  brought  me  hither.  Sirs,  shall  we 
not  be  telling  to  one  another,  throughout  eternity,  what 
Cod  hath  done  for  us  in  time?  that  eternity  may  be  filled 
with  a  song  to  Jehovah  and  the  Lamb  Who  should  ex- 
alt, and  love,  and  fear,  and  obey,  and  serve  thee,  if  not 
we?  Didst  thou  love  us  from  eternity?  and  shall  we  not 
praise  thee  to  eternity?  And  can  we  but  extol  thee?  not 
so  much  because  thou  art  good  to  us,  as  because  thou  art 
good  in  thyself.  But,  O  how  is  my  heart  inflamed,  to 
think  how  thy  love  from  eternity  brake  forth  in  time!  how 
didst  thou  show  forth  the  acts  of  thy  free  sovereign  love, 
in  that  thou  hadst  written  my  name  for  eternal  life!  How 
bravely  have  all  exigencies,  and  cross  dispensations  con- 
spired to  my  welfare?  Now  I  see  "  all  thuig  work  to- 
gether for  the  good  of  those  that  love  thee."  The  saddest, 
and  most  cross  junctures  of  providence  have  been  the 
best-  when  thou  seemedst  to  be  smiting,  thou  wast  heal- 
ing! when  thou  appearedst  to  be  destroying,  thou  wast 
making  up!  shall  I  not  for  ever  declare  thy  wonderful 
ways^  happy  I,  who  shall  ever  have  eternity  before  me! 
thy  ways  to  me  in  time,  are  the  ma.tter  of  an  eternal  song! 
all  exigencies  of  time  did  so  jump  together,  as  every  one 
Iiath  proven  a  step  to  this  inexpressible  glory.  Free  re- 
deeming love  hath  been  written  on  ail  the  passages  of 
my  pilgrimage!  and  most  in  the  last  water;  when  I  began 
to  sink,  thou  held  me  up  in  thy  arms,  and  put  my  head  in 
thy  bosom,  and  said,  ^^  Be  of  good  cheer,  ray  love,  thy  sins 
are  forgiven  thee;  fear  not,  my  dove,  but  rejoice  exceed- 
ingly; for  thy  God,  thy  Head,  thy  Lord,  thy  Husband, 
thy  Saviour  is  here,  holding  thee  in  his  arms.  Have  I 
bought  thee  so  dearly,  suffered  so  many  griefs,  and  woes, 
and  pains ; '  yea,  death  itself  for  thee  ?  carried  thee  through 


68  A    GLIMPSE    OF     GLORY. 

the  hazardous  wilderness,  so  circumspectly,  and  tenderly; 
and  vvUl  I  let  thee  perish  now?  Never  fear,  my  fair 
oiiCj  am  I  not  willing?  am  I  not  able?  have  not  I  over- 
come death  and  hell?  I  have  dried  up  this  river  with  the 
soles  of  my  feet;  nothing  remains  for  thee  to  do,  but  enter 
in,  and  possess." 

80.       The  fell oiMship  betwixt  Christ  and  every  one  ofhiSy 
as  inibnate  and  famillau  as  if  tie  had  but  one. 

And  hath  Lot  the  sound  of  thy  welcome,  on  this  side  of 
the  water,  an  immortal  permanency  on  my  heart?  The 
impression  is  indelible:  in  my  fsrst  landing,  on  the  shore 
of  this  sweet  land,  did  not  thou  run,  and  fall  on  my  neck, 
and  embrace  and  kiss  me?  saying,  "Welcome  a  thousand 
limes,  with  all  my  soul,  to  this  purchased  possession-  O 
my  fair  one,  it  ravisheth  my  heart  to  behold  thee  here! 
with  desire  have  I  desired  thine  intimate  fellowship,  and 
could  not  rest,  till  I  had  brought  thee  hither,  that  strong 
loves  misht  be  satiate  with  full  and  mutual  enjoyment. 
And  now  shall  these  arms  be  exercised  in  embracing;  we 
shall  for  ever  be  twisted  in  the  nearest  connexion  of  love, 
and  swim  in  the  boundlpss  ocean  of  dehgbts.  "  Hast  thou 
been  faithful  over  a  few  things?  and  shall  I  not  make  thee 
ruler  over  all  things?  Enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  ihy  Lord, 
thy  love  ■''  Seest  thou  not  the  treasures  of  all  joys  and 
blessedness  of  all  joys  and  ble-^sedness,  I  have  laid  up  for 
thee,  even  for  thee,  my  lovely  one?  I  had  not  forgot 
thee,  while  I  w^as  on  earth;  and  no  wonder,  since  from 
eternity  I  loved  (hee.  What  are  thy  thoughts  of  such 
great  preparation?  is  not  this  a  ravishing  place?  how  is  it 
stored  with  all  manner  of  delights,  suitable  to  thy  highest 
capacil)  ?  doth  not  thy  sight  show,  that  thy  imaginations 
of  the«e  on  earth  was  nothing?  Lo,  all  this  is  the  fruit  of 
jny  suffering?  and  death :  and  now,  how  shall  I  entertain  thee, 
since  thou  hast  come  hither?  Thou  longed  in  thy  pilgrim- 
age, for  the  naked  and  Immediate  enjoyment  of  me:  and 
now  enjoy  me,  as  thy  heart  can  desire.  Thou  art  mine, 
and  I  am  thine*  we  eternally  feed  among  the  lilies.  I 
will  satiate  thee  with  my  choicest  love-dainties,  and  fill 
thee  to  the  full,  with  my  eternal  overcoming  sweetness. 
These  victorious  brows  do  I  adorn  with  this  massy  diadem 
of  giory:  with  these  fair  and  resplendent  robes  of  righte- 
ousness do  I  array  thee,  that  all  the  spectators  shall  ad- 
rrdre  thy  majesty  and  glory.  I'hy  excellency  on  earth 
was  obscured,  by  the  veil  of  corruption  and  mortality:  v 


A    GLIMPiE    OP    GLORV.  59 

now  have  I  removed  all  thy  infirmities,  healed  all  thy 
diseases,  raised  up  thy  faculties  unto  such  a  wonderful 
pitch,  as  thou  art  fit  for  conversing  with  nie  face  to  face. 
And  didst  thou,  my  delight,  desire  nothing  more  than  the 
immediate  and  full  enjoyment  cfme?  and  despised  the 
world,  in  its  most  smiling  condition,  m  comparison  of  my 
matchless  excellency;  looking  on  all  pains,  sufferings  and 
difficulties,  for  my  name's  sake,  as  delightsome;  making 
my  glory  and  exaltation  thy  chief  joy  and  aim?  Aud 
shall  I  not  deck  thee  with  passing  majesty  and  glory"? 
This,  this  is  the  man,  O  my  friends,  whom  I  have  honour- 
ed, and  will  honour  him;  for  he  is  worthy;  '*•  Because  he 
set  his  love  upon  me;  therefore  have  I  delivered  him:  I 
have  set  him  on  high,  because  he  hath  known  my  great 
name.-'  This  is  the  man,  O  my  Father,  who  hath  been 
with  me,  in  my  temptations,  who  hath  glorified  me  on 
earth,  and  done  great  things  for  me;  even  this  is  the  man, 
who  hath  kept  the  word  of  iny  patience;  who  hath  known^ 
that  all  things,  whatsoever  thou  hast  given  me,  are  of 
thee;  fori  gave  unto  him  the  words  which  thou  gavest 
me,  and  he  hath  received  them;  and  did  know  surely, 
that  I  came  out  from  thee,  and  believed  that  thou  didst 
send  me-  How^  great  a  friend  was  he  to  me  on  earth? 
*'  When  I  was  hungry,  he  gave  me  meat;  when  thirsty,  he 
gave  me  drink;  when  a  stranger,  he  took  me  m;  when  na- 
ked, he  clothed  me;  when  sick  and  in  prison,  he  visited 
me."  Yerily,  in  my  eyes  he  is  worthy  of  eternal  glory. 
Whatever  thou  hast  been,  in  my  sight  thou  art  worthy  of 
eternal  glory  and  renown.  Heroically  done!  thy  suffer- 
ings and  actions  for  my  name's  sake,  I  heartily  acknowledge 
excellent  service:  receive  then  these  enriching  pahns  of 
victory  into  thy  valiant  hands,  as  an  everlasting  sign  of 
thy  conquest  over  the  devil,  the  world,  and  the  flesh:  and 
thy  majestic  head  be  graced  with  these  laurels  of  triumph, 
while  thine  enemies  shall  for  ever  lie  under  thy  feet.  All 
that  thou  beholdest  are  thine;  for  they  are  mine,  and  I 
am  thine:  and  now  thy  happiness  superabounds,  and  over- 
flows its  banks  Now  do  I  rest  in  my  love  to  thee,  and 
thou  dost  rest  in  thy  love  to  me ;  I  rejoice  over  thee ;  yea, 
I  exceedingly  rejoice  with  singing."  How  shall  we  ever 
dwell  in  these  everlasting  love'-embraces?  how  shall  we  be 
filled  with  love  Throughout  etp.rnit\  ? 

S 1 .      Visible  things^  a  mast  imperfect  representation  of  in- 
visible. 


60  A   GLIMPSE   OF    6Lt)!l¥. 

0  inexpressible  ravishments  of  love!  O  most  holy,  sweet 
and  condescending  nature  of  my  ^ell-beloved!  Every 
hour  of  eternity  is  like  the  first  hour;  thy  love  is  g)  een 
and  blooming  through  never-ending  ages.  Is  not  his  a 
swtet  life,  O  inhabitants?  this  soil  overflows  with  milk  and 
honey  Have  we  not  undergone  an  advantageous  trans- 
portation? the  outfields  of  this  land  vvonderfu'Iy  excel  the 
lower  world!  Indeed  the  very  eaith  is  full  of  tny  glory: 
wht^i  passing  delectation  have  1  ibund  in  meditating  oa 
tlijr  works  of  the  lower  world?  how  did  every  tt.ing  I 
heard,  or  saw.  show  forth  thy  eternal  power  and  Godhead? 
But,  O  the  diflference  betwix  heaven  and  earth,  coiild 
never  enter  within  my  conceptions  on  earth!  O  glorious 
world'  should  we,  in  the  state  of  mortalit)?,  have  strained 
our  conceptions  to  the  highest,  and  imagined  all  the  glory 
our  eyes  could  then  beh' Id,  augmtnted  and  perfected 
more  stages  higher  than  there  are  atoms  in  the  creation; 
yet,  should  such  a  world  have  been  a  deformed  mass  to 
thee.  Lower  excellency,  gradually  perfected,  will  never 
attain  unto  that  excellency  which  is  essentially  cf  a  high- 
er degree  I  thought,  in  my  childhood,  that  the  lower 
world  might  somewhat  resemble  the  higher^  howbeit,  I 
knew  the  diflerence  was  inconcpivable,  and  that  here 
should  be  no  ebbings  or  flowings,  bloomings  or  fadings, 
or  what  could  imply  the  least  privative  imperfection;  but 
now  [  see  they  have  no  likeness  to  "one  another,  either  in 
whole  or  in  part;  even  as  to  the  smallest  external  resem- 
blance. No  beauties,  no  comeliness,  no  joys,  no  delights 
here;  if  we  speak  according  to  earth's  dialect;  yet,  here 
are  all  things  in  an  hi^h  and  eminent  manner  0  my  God, 
how  imcomprehensible  art  thou  in  thy  works?  how  ravish- 
ing in  that  reflex  of  thy  glory,  which  shall  endure  for  ever? 
Thou  shalt  for  ever  rejoice  in  thy  works;  every  work  of 
thine  is  a  deepness,  a  ravishing  wonder  to  my  elevated 
capacity!  might  not  the  mediate  enjoyment  of  thee,  through 
thy  creatures,  render  a  creature  eternally  happy?  '^How 
excellent  is  thy  name  in  all  the  earth?  who  hast  set  thy 
glory  above  the  heavens  "  What  wonders  are  written  in 
those  heavens  of  heaven  «5?  the  choice  masterpiece  of 
thee,  who  art  perfect  in  knowledge,  and  excellent  in 
working.  This  is  a  world  sfored  with  all  manner  of  riches, 
the  inhabitants  here  inherit  all  things. 

32.  Jill  exc'llency^  spiritual  or  corporal^  on  earthy  i$ 
augmented  in  glory ^  by  myriads  of  stages. 


A  'GLIMPSE    OF    GLCRV.  61 

We  knew  on  earth  by  the  word,  that  when  the  clay- 
house  of  our  tabernacle  should  be  dissolved,  we  were  to 
receive  a  building  of  God,  an  house  not  made  with  hands^ 
eternal  in  the  heavens;  for  in  that  we  did  groan,  not  desiring 
to  be  unclothed,  but  clothed  upon  with  our  house  from 
heaven;  tha^  mortality  might  be  swallowed  up  of  life.  And 
now,  everj-  one  of  us,  in  our  own  kind,  appears  the  perfec- 
tion of  beauty!  whose  very  clay  tabernacles  are  now  con- 
formed to  his  glorious  b  >dy;  and  whose  souls  are  made 
perfect  in  holiness!  And  did  our  bodies,  when  terrestrial, 
so  degrade?  how  doth  the  celestial,  united  to  an  elevated 
soul,  perfect  with  passing  excellency?  Did  our  vile  club- 
bish  bodies  impede  the  sublime  operation  of  our  heaven- 
born  spirits?  how  do  these  glorious  bodies  perfect  perfec- 
ted souls,  in  all  their  outgoings?  If,  when  sown  in  corruption 
they  rendered  us  frail  and  contemptible,  in  many  ^things 
like  tlie  beasts;  how  excellent,  glorious,  and  majestic  are 
we  now,  when  vileness  and  corruption  is  swallowed  up  of 
glory?  Yea,  if  it  could  be  said  of  our  souls,  w^hen  dark- 
ened with  mortality  and  sinning,  they  were  in  their  oper- 
ation quick;  what  are  they  now,  when  exalted  to  such  a 
supernatural  high  pitch  of  excellency?  Did  we  behold,  by 
faith,  a  ravishing  fulness  and  beauty,  in  thy  face;  what  do 
we  now  behold,  when  made  so  capacious  and  divine?  Were 
our  bodice,  when  animal,  such  ^upendous  pieces  of  thy 
unsearchable  wisdom  and  power,  as  every  one  of  us  was 
amazed,  and  said,  I  am  fearfully  and  wonderfully  made! 
how  excellent  and  curious  are  these  heavenly  bodies,  con- 
formed to  the  glorious  body  of  the  Son  of  God?  Did  our 
wisdom  shine,  in  our  mortal  faces?  what  majesty  and  glo- 
ry dwells  in  every  cast  of  our  eye  now?  Were  the  pot- 
sherds of  the  earth  so  vi^ourous,  strong,  and  valiant,  that 
many  of  us,  through  faith,  excelled  in  these  perfections, 
which  brutish  meji  were  only  taken  with,  whereby  we  sub- 
dued kingdoms,  stopped  the  mouths  of  lions,  quenched,  the 
violence  of  the  fire,  escaped  the  edge  of  the  sword,  waxed 
valiant  in  %ht,  turned  to  flight  the  armies  of  tlie  aliens? 
0  now,  our  wonderful  strength  and  vigour,  when  our  very 
corporal  parts  become  spiritual,  and  of  a -divine  nature! 
Had  some  of  us  hearts,  in  our  dull  earthly  condition,  en- 
laiged  as  the  sand  on  the  J^ea-fehore?  how  capacious  are 
our  hearts  now  when  widened  above  the  dimensions  of 
m  II)  worlds'  what  is  earth  to  heaven?  what  is  darkness 
to  light?  what  is  childhood  to  manly^  estate?     O  high,  high 

F 


6)i  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

capacity  of  glory!  0  supcrexcellent  and  only  glory  in  its 
blooming!  O  the  ravishing  frame,  that  we  are  forever  into! 
are  we  not  the  self  same  persons  we  were  on  earth?  and 
yet  we  are  not  the  same.'  every  one  of  us  is  like  our  all- 
lovely  and  Well-beloved!  whom  we  eternally  behold,  with 
our  boldly  eyes,  according  to  our  proper  measure ;  every 
one  of  us  is  at  the  highest  pitch  of  created  perfection:  this 
is  a  wonderful  transformation  indeed!  O  sun,  sun  of  the 
lower  world,  I  can  look  thee  out  of  countenance,  and  daz- 
zle thee  with  every  cast  of  mine  eyes!  Is  this,  sometime 
poor,  frail,  despicable  I!  Surely  this  is  I!  the  self-same  I, 
who  was  so  silly  in  mine  own  eyes,  and  the  eyes  of  all  the 
beholders;  wonderful!  am  not  I  crushed  under  such  an 
exceeding  weight  of  glory?  But  glory,  and  only  glory,  can 
sustain  itself  Thy  eternal  power  and  God-head  is  man- 
ifested upon  us,  in  a  transcendant  manner;  thou  hast  gone 
beyond,  by  almost  infinite  degrees,  the  limits  of  nature: 
the  natural  world  is  quite  abohshed,  what  now  is  natural 
and  agreeable  to  created  beings,  before  was  miraculous 
and  naturally  impossible. 

34  The  highest  manifesiations  of  God  in  time ^  are  but 
mere  emblems  of  the  noon-day  manifestation. 

The  most  signal  foretaste  of  this  glory  on  earth,  was  thy 
transfiguration,  O  Well-beloved,  in  the  days  of  thy  mortal- 
ity, on  the  holy  mount,  when  thy  face  shone  as  the  sun, 
and  thy  raiment  was  as  ihe  light;  so  that  mortal  beholders 
were  amazed^  and  confounded:  such  an  unsuitableness 
there  is  betw^ixt  mortality  and  immortality!  weak  heads 
would  not  be  able  to  bear  one  draught  of  this  celestial 
wine.  And  was  thy  lace  so  majestic  and  glorious,  in  the 
days  of  thy  mortality  and  sorrow?  is  it  not  more  than  ma- 
jestic and  beautiful,  now  in  the  days  of  thy  joy  and  exhal- 
tation,when  thou  hast  seen  ali  tiie  travail  of  thy  sou),  and 
art  satisfied?  More  loveliness  is  to  be  seen  in  every  view 
of  thy  divine  countenance,  than  on  infinity  numbers  of 
excellent,  beautiful  wnid?.  One  sight  of  thee,  and  no 
more,  may  set  never  so  many  myriads  of  men  and  angels 
in  the  burning  flames  of  immortal  loves!  Much  was  spoken 
in  time,  of  thy  acts,  and  glory,  and  majesty;  but  lo,  the 
thousand  thousandth  part  hath  not  been  told!  indeed  thou 
aft  a  beloved,  more  than  another  beloved  All  joys,  that 
1  ever  took  thee  for  my  all,  and  only  one!  that  ever  I 
cried  heartily.  Amen,  to  the  blessed  bargain  of  the  new 
covenant,  and  renounced  my  vanities,  and  came  to  thee? 


A    GLIMPSE     OF    GLORY.  63 

fiiat  ever  I  subjected  myself  to  the  obedience  of  all  thy 
commandments!  that  ever  I  preferred  a  holy,  heavenly, 
mortified  walking,  in  time,  to  the  fulfilling  my  vain  flesh- 
ly inclinations!  that  ever  I  esteemed  the  reproaches  of 
Christ  greater  riches  than  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a  sea- 
son! Now  I  clearly  behold,  that  I  have  chosen  the  good 
part,  that  shall  never  be  taken  from  me.  0  happy  I!  that 
ever  I  sold  all,  and  bought  this  matchless  pearl  of  invalua- 
ble pric^!  O  my  riches,  my  riches!  since  I  have  thee^  O 
Well-beloved,  what  can  1  have  more?  strange!  wast  thou 
despised  by  base  worldlings?  But  they  knew  thee  not;  thy 
ravishing  loveliness  was  hid  from  their  blinded  eyes;  which 
if  they  had  seen,  how  should  the  whole  race  of  mankind 
i?un  after  thee?  Men  andcingels,  all  beauty,  all  loveliness, 
all  excellencies  are  here  to  be  seen.  Much  is  to  be  seen 
in  this  vissible  fabric  of  this  great  creation;  but  no  mani- 
festation of  glory  to  this!  who  can  desire  more,  than  to 
stand  beside  thee?  0  flower  and  only  beauty  of  heaven, 
what  are  all  created  heavens!  thou  art  only  heaven  thy- 
self No  wonder,  Mary  Magdalan,  you  inordinately  de- 
sired such  an  armful,  as  the  dead  body  of  this  lovely  Lord 
Jesus;  since  you  knew  it  was,  though  a  dead  lump  of  clay, 
the  body  of  the  man,  who  is  God,  infinitely  above  the  value 
cf  innumerable,  glorious  created  heavens — What  a  sweet 
armful  now,  when  exalted  to  such  a  high  pitch  of  glory? 

S4.  The  saints  are  everij  way  like  tkeir  fVell- beloved; 
mice  full  love  must  have  full  shniUtude. 

Love  oesires  the  nearest  similitude  and  conjunction: 
as  thou  became^t  like  us,  assummg  our  nature,  so  hast 
thou  made  us  like  thee,  both  in  spirit  and  body.  We  are 
in  every  part  transformed  into  thy  lovely  image:  what- 
ever beff  re  was  terrestial,  is  now  lovely  and  divine. — 
The.^e  tabernacles  were  sown  in  corruption,  dishonor,  and 
Weakness:  nou'  Ihey  are  raised  in  incorruptiou,  glory,  and 
power.  '*  They  were  sown  natural  bodies;  they  are 
raised  spiritual:  for  as  once  we  bare  the  image  of  the 
ca  thly  Adam,  so  now  we  beav  the  image  of  the  hea- 
venly." O  thy  vivifying  Spii^it,  that  raised  thee  from  the 
dead  I  by  whom  thou  hast  made  us  ii»capablc  of  any  the 
least  (ihange  tending  to  corruption!  And  what  though  it 
Were  not  so?  here  is  the  Tree  of  life,  whose  leaves  are 
medicines  for  mortality.  Thou  art  the  light  and  life  of 
the  higher  house,  thy  sweet,  lively  influences  can  make 
dead  clay  Hvc  eternally.     0  thy  sweet  shadow!  thy  plea^' 


64  A    CJUWPSE    OF  GLORY. 

sant  fruit  I  thy  ravishing  perfume,  filling  all  with  imwiar- 
tal  vivacity!  is  it  possible  any  can  die  beside  thee,  O  Foun- 
tain of  life?  What  wonder  I  am  so  lively,  who  have  the 
beams  of  life  ever  darting  upon  me?  The  Inhabitants 
here  cannot  say,  they  are  sick.  Here  is  perfect  secu' 
rity:  our  iniquities  are  Wotted  out,  and  quite  abolished. 
O  excellent  life  of  God,  in  its  perfection!  rendering,  not 
only  the  spirit,  but  also  the  body,  every  vein,  every  artery, 
every  sinew,  active  with  immortal  vigour;  for  all  is  filled, 
and  overfilled  with  joy.  O  my  beloved?  thou  art  excel- 
lently termed,  the  Frince  of  life,  the  Resurrection  and 
the  life.  Verily,  th'^u  wast  in  good  earnest  when  thou  <  ri- 
edst,  "  He  that  beiicveth  on  me,  out  of  his  belly  shaU 
flow  rivers  of  living  waters."  0  the  power  and  strength 
of  immortality!  v;xi  are  become  mighty,  we  have  the 
strength  of  an  unicorn;  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  heome  oub 
strength.  We  will  walk  upon  the  high  places  of  the  uni- 
verse. "  He  hath  given  power  to  them  that  w^ere  faint^ 
and  to  them  who  had  no  might,  he  increased  strength." 
What  was  the  strength  of  clay  to  heavenly  vigour?  Tlie 
dis-proportion  betwixt  the  excellency  of  the  terrestrial  and 
«?ele5tial  cannot  be  told:  and  no  wonder  we  are  so  vivaci- 
ous and  strongj  sine©  our  earthly  part  is  become  heaven- 
ly and  glorious:  flesh  and  blood  is  done  away,  as  incompa- 
tible with  such  heavenly  majesty.  These  bodies,  though 
substantial) V  the  s.ame,  yet  are  they  quite  other,  as  to  the 
qualities,  wnich  are  heavenly,  spiritual,  and  divine.  Na- 
ked beings,  considered  as  such,  are  endowed  with  no  ex- 
cellency: it  is  only  by  fiupervenient  codifications  they  are 
rendered  intrinsically  more  or  less  excellent,  or  base. — 
"What  wonder  we  are  thus?  whose  essences  are  clothed 
over,  and  perfected,  without  and  within,  with  superexcel- 
lent  perfections,  mertly  heavenly  and  divine.  O  the 
comeliijiess  and  beauty  wherewith  soul  and  body  is  adorn- 
ed! 0  what  beauty,  when  two  excellent  beauties  are  uni- 
ted in  one!  0  sweet  union!  0  pleasant  delightsome  fel- 
lowship! In  the  days  of  mortality,  the  consort  betwixt 
them  was,  in  a  great  part,  jarring,  and  unpleasant;  the  one 
did  obscure  the  excellency  of  the  other:  but  now  ti:je 
soul  in  the  body,  is  like  the  sun  shining  in  its  proper 
sphere;  or  like  the  hght  darting  through  a  perspicuous 
body  adorned  with  various  modifyiagbeauties,  whereby  the 
rays  are^  variously  perfected,  in  their  modified  outgoings: 
all  the  properties,  perfeo4ions,  faculties,  and  actions  o£ 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  6i 

soul  and  body,  are  modified  and  perfected  by  their  «;ub- 
stantial  connection.  Indeed,  my  Lord,  we  have  gained 
wonderfully  by  losing  our  first  excellency,  wiiichwas  ex- 
cellent in  itself,  and  glorious  and  heavenly,  in  comparison 
of  our  sinful  condition,  we  precipitated  ourselves  head- 
long into;  but  was  earthly,  base,  in  comparison  of  this. 
Who  could  have  imagined  that  an  earthly  animal  creature, 
should  have  been  exalted  to  the  state  of  angels?  how  sil- 
ly is  man,  in  an  earthly  state?  how  excellent  in  an  hea- 
venl)'?  and  all  by  the  power  and  virtue  the  of  Man,  who 
is  infinitely  more  than  a  msui. 

35.      iSomplete  blessedness  is  the   complete  enjoyment  of 
God^  evei^i  way^  mediately  and  immediately 

We  are  blessed,  and  more  than  blessed,  who  enjoy  thee 
every  way:  we  drink  abundantly,  both  out  of  the  fmo- 
tain  and  streams,  at  once  being  satiate  with  the  reflex  and 
direct  emanations  of  thy  eternal  sweetness.  Even  thou 
thyself  art  in  an  incomprehensible  way  delighted  with  the 
reflections  of  thy  glory,  where ivith  this  beautiful  all,  but 
especially  thy  spouse,  is  adorned.  Art  thou  not  enamour- 
ed with  thy  ravishing  image  imprmted  on  her?  so  that 
ihou  criest  out,  "  Thou  hast  ravished  my  heart,  my  sis- 
ter, my  spouse,  thou  hast  ravished  my  heart  with  one  of 
thine  eyes,  with  one  chain  of  thy  neck:  thou  art  all  fair, 
my  love,  there  is  no  spot  in  thee."  The  love  of  com- 
placency ariseth  fron;  similitude:  O  then,  show  thy 
love  to  us;  our  love  to  thee,  and  one  another!  we  are  be- 
come altogether  fair,  by  washing  ourselves  in  thy  most 
precious  blood.  What  can  be  our  exercise  through  eter- 
nity, but  sweet  embracing?  O  our  ravishing  sweet  enter- 
tainments of  love,  among  these  refreshing  mountains  of 
roses  and  spices!  O  what  compellations!  what  love- kisses  I 
O  thou  overcoming  perfume  of  the  vast  mountains  of 
myrrh,  and  hills  of  frankincense!  0  the  smell  of  his 
Lebanon-garments!  0  his  fragrant  oiniments!  O  his  soul, 
overcoming  emanations!  Every  hour  here  is  heaven,  and 
more  than  heaven.  What  joy  to  see  Christ,  and  all  his 
members  together,  in  the  royal  palace  of  glor}?.?— 
Are  we  not  all  gathered  up  to  these  heavenly  pastures? 
and  none  is  wanting.  We  all  longed  to  be  here,  sought 
to  be  here,  prayed  to  be  here,  ran  to  be  here,  groaned  and 
wept  to  be  here;  and  heboid,  we  are  all  here  for  ever- 
more! We  helped  and  comforted  one  another  in  our 
journey  hither;  and  behold,  we  are  here  for  evermore! 
F  2 


6Q  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORT. 

Satan  and  the  world,  our  corruptions,  yea,  and  oftentimes 
ourselves,  strove  to  hinder  our  course  hither;  and  yet  we 
are  here  for  evermore!  now  we  are  personally  all  come 
to  mount  Zion,  and  unto  the  city  of  the  living  God,  the 
heavenly  Jerusalem,  and  unto  an  innumerable  company 
of  angels,  to  the  general  assembly  of  the  church  of  the 
first-born,  which  are  written  in  heaven,  and  to  God  the 
Judge  of  all,  and  to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect; 
and  to  Jesus,  the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant;  to  the 
blood  of  sprinkling,  that  speaketh  better  things  than  that 
of  Abel.  0  sweet  converse!  0  excellent  fellowship!  O 
the  frame  of  nay  heart!  O  the  high  motions  of  joy  and 
love!  0  eternity!  is  it  possible  thou  canst  prove  weari- 
some? Ten  thousand  ages  seem  not  one  hour!  who  can 
set  forth  the  sweetness  of  thy  land,  O  Emmanuel?  Is  it 
not  an  house,  an  orchard,  a  city,  a  king<lom,  a  world,  a  com- 
monwealth of  a  most  comely  order?  "  How  good,  and 
how  pleasant  is  it,  for  them  to  dwell  together  in  imity?" 
It  is  as  the  everlasting  dwellings  of  the  Spirit,  that  dwells 
on  these  everlastir^  mountains  of  Zion;  for  here  hath  the 
Lord  commanded  the  blessing,  even  life  for  evermore. 

36.     Christ  is  the  everlasting  King^  Priest^  and  Prophti 
of  his 'people. 

Friends  of  the  Bridegroom,  are  you  not  overjoyed,  be- 
because  of  the  Bridegroom's  voice!  No  wonder  it  was 
said  of  him,  ^«  Nerer  man  spake  hke  this  man."  How 
doth  he  ravish  us  with  his  sweet  compellations  of  love? 
"  Our  souls  fail  us  not  when  he  speaks;  mortality  is  swal- 
lowed up  of  life."  Sirs,  is  not  our  Well-beloved  and  we 
in  these  green  pastures  together''  O  his  ravishing  smiles! 
O  hifi  looks  of  love  towards  us!  0  his  voice,  his  voice,  I 
am  inflamed!  is  he  not  sa/ing,  in  the  boundless  joj  s  of 
his  Spirit,  Father,  behold  me,  and  the  children  which 
thou  hast  given  me,  are  forever  in  the  most  intimate  fel- 
lowship of  one  another,  here  in  these  highest  mansions, 
which  I  have  prepared,  wherein  we  might  be  satiate  with 
loves,  throughout  eternity;  according  to  thy  promise,  I 
do  see  the  travail  of  my  soul,  and  am  satisfied ;  for  thou - 
hast  divided  me  a  spoil  with  the  great,  and  I  divide  a  por- 
tion with  the  strong,  because  I  poured  out  ray  soul  unto 
death.  We  all  reap  the  fruits  of  our  groans  and  tear.«, 
afflictions  and  labours:  rny  chosen  are  comforted,  and  I 
am  comforted.  All  the  children  of  our  everlasting  love 
are  here,  beholding  my  glory,  which  thou  hast  given  me; 
ibr  thou  dost  glorify  me  with  t^ine  own  self,' even  with  the^. 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY-.  0^ 

glory  I  had   with  thee  before  the  world  was.     Now  the 
copestone  is  upon  our  everlasting  contrivence  of  free  re- 
deeming grace:  those  whom  irom  eternity  we  chose  for 
our  minions,  have  I  effectually  called  in  to  me,  in  time; 
and  caused  them  willingly  and  sincerely  cry,  Amen,  to  the 
bargain  of  the  new  covenant;  and  I   have  brought  them 
through  a  world  of  temptations,  snares,  afflictions,  and  all 
imaginable  impediments,  into  this  heaven  of  everlasting 
blessedness;  as  from  eternity  I  loved  them,  so  to  eternity 
will  I  enjoy  them:  as  I  made  them  sharers  of  my  suiferings 
and  sorrow;  so  have  1  made  them  partakers  of  my  glory 
and  joy:  as  I  have  entered  iato   the  oceans  of  boundless 
joys;  so  have  I  made  them  to  enter  also.     The  desires  of 
my  soul   aye  fully   accomplished:  my  faip  ones' joys  are 
full:  as  their  afflictions  were  riiy  afflictions;  their  sorrows 
my  sorrows;  so  their  joys  are  my  joys:  for  we  are  one, 
and  they  are  one  in  us,  even  as  we  arc  one:  for  I  have 
given  them  the  glory  which  thou  has  given  me:  I  in  them, 
and  thou  in  me;  whence  they  are  made  perfect  in  one  — 
As  thou   hast  loved  me,  so  do  I  love  them,  and  they  eter- 
nally abide  in  my  love:  and  Thou  hast  loved  them;  for 
they  have  loved  me,  in  despite  of  all  opositioii,  in  a  vain 
world.     Behold,  my  Father,  how  fair,  and  beautiful,  and 
lovely,  and  sweet  I  have  made  my  spouse!  she  is  all  de- 
sirable and  comely;  no  spot,  no  blemish  is  to  be  found  in 
her.      Offended  majesty    hath   nothing   to  say,  I   have 
redeemed  her,  I  have  washed  her  in  my  own  blood.  Here  I 
stand  an  high  priest  forever  after  the  order  of  Melchiza- 
deck,   as  a  monument  that  justice  is  pacified,  and  all  is  in 
sweet  terms:  as  thou  lookest  upon  me  with  infinite  love 
and  delight,  and   art  well  pleased  with  all  my  sufferings 
and  actings  for  thy  glory,  and  on  her  behalf;  so  art  thou 
well  pleased  with  her.     Since  of  thine  own  good  pleasure, 
from  eternity,   thou  accepted  of  the  bargain,  vengance 
hath  nothing  to  exact:  I  was   wounded  for  my  chosen's 
transgressions,  I  was  bruised  for  their  iniquities;  and  in 
my  eyes  they  are  worthy  to  walk  in  glorious  robes,  up  here 
with  me,  before  the  throne.     They  kept  their  garments 
clean   in  the  midst  of  a  filthy  and   polluted  world;  they 
accounted  all  the  glory  and  excellency  of  time,  but  dross 
and  dung,  unto  my^lory  and  exaltation;  and  looked  on 
all  afflictions  and  dimculties,  as  easy,  for  my  name's  sake: 
they  subjected  themselves  to  the  universal  obedience  of 
all  my  commandments:     "They  fought  the  good  figh^ 


GS  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY, 

they  finished  their  course,  they  kept  the  faith."  O  how 
heroically  they  hive  dvjae,  for  the  crown  of  life,  which 
forever  adorns  their  victorious  head^!  as  thou,  O  Father, 
hast  set  nie  down  on  thy  throne,  so  have  I  given  unto  them 
to  sit  down  on  my  throne;  for  I  have  gloriiied  and  exalt- 
ed them,  as  thou  hast  highly  glorified  and  exalted  me:  and 
now  we  are  forever  exalted  ahove  all  our  enemies:  thou 
hajt  made  them  our  everlasting  footstool,  death  and  hell 
are  cast  into  the  lake  that  burneth  with  fire  and  brimstone. 
Our  joys  are  full,  our  glory  perfected,  our  happiness 
boundless,  our  praises  incessant  for  ever  and  ever, 

S7.  An  astonishment,  that  the  high  and  lofty  One  should 
look  on  ct  eatures. 

Men  and  angels,  are  we  not  all  amazed  and  confounded, 
with  this  infinite  love  of  Jesus?  What  are*  we  to- him, 
that  he  should  cast  one  look,  either  of  love  or  hatred,  up- 
on us?  What  are  our  thoughts?  0  the  wonderful  frame 
my  ravished  heart!  he  lovcs^  us,  he  delights  in  us,  his  eyes 
are  fixed  upon  us,  his  heart  is  opened  to  us,  his  arms  are 
stretched  forth  to  us,  his  voice  is  of  us,  and  to  us:  who 
but  we  I  0  my  Lord,  what  has  thou  done?  0  love  of  Je- 
sus! I  will  cry  the  up  again  and  again,  and  forever  1  will 
cry  thee  up.  Blessed  I,  who  have  such  a  glorious  assem- 
bly to  help  me,  with  an  high,  eternal  note  of  praise!  O 
this  is  fife!  O  more  than  joj'  more  than  happiness!  more 
than  full  satisfaction! 

38.     Earth  and  heaven  quite  opposite  things. 

Yea,  surely  they  are  lovely,  w-ho  are  arrayed  with  his 
comeliness;  and  what  doth  the  spouse  want,  that  the 
Bridegroom  hath  to  give?  O  then  slie  is  endowed  with 
all  possible  excellency!  this  is  an  assembly  of  kings,  and 
priests,  every  one  is  a  noble,  magnificent  and  royal  per- 
son; all  are  children  to  the  King  of  kings,  all  are  princes 
of  the  blood-royal  of  heaven;  all  are  possessors  of  all 
things.  Here  is  the  flower  and  perfection  of  all  beauties 
connected  together.  This  is  the  company  God  hath  cho- 
sen, and  with  which  forever  he  will  dwell.  Great  is  the 
Lord,  and  greatly  to  be  praised,  in  the  city  of  our  God, 
in  the  mountain  of  his  holiness.  Beautiful  for  situation, 
the  joy  of  all  nations,  is  mount  Zion:  how  compactly  is  it, 
built  t'jgethet?  It  lieth  foursquare.  "No  temple  here; 
for  the  Lord  God  Almighty,  and  the  Lamb,  is  the  temple 
thereof.'*  None  needs  teach  another;  we  are  all  filled 
with  thy  fulness!     We  behold  thee,  face  to  face. 


A   GLIMPSE    OF    GLOEY.  69 

No  hiore  mediate  enjoyment,  shadows  have  fled  away. 
Now,  and  never  until  now,  are  we  Hfted  up  above  ordin- 
ances. Prophesies  have  failed;  tongues  have  ceased, 
knowled«;e  hath  vanishGd  or»-ay;  we  knesv  in  part,  and 
prophesied  in  part;  but  that  which  is  perfect  is  come,  and 
that  which  was  in  part  is  done  away.  When  I  was  a  child, 
I  spake  as  a  child,  understood  as  a  child,  thouglit  as  a  child: 
but  when  I  became  a  man  I  put  away  childish  things: 
for  now  I  see  face  to  fa«e;  but,  in  my  childhood,  T  saw 
th?ough  a  glass  darkly;  now  I  know,  even  as  also  I  am 
known.  And  what  wonder?  since  our  minds  are  illumin- 
ated by  the  rays  of  thy  transcendent  glory.  No  deed  of 
created  light,  thou  art  become  all  and  in  all  unto  us. — 
We  wonderfully  enhghten  one  another,  men  and  angels; 
but  all  is  nothing  to  the  infinite  light  0  the  glory  of  Je- 
hovah, which  ever  shall  be  sdmired,  and  never  compre- 
hended! how  nearly  and  sweetl}  is  it  communicated  unto 
us  through  the  Day's  man,  Christ  Jesus?  And  how  richly 
isthy^ity  stored,  O  Emmanuel!  here  are  all  manner  of 
things,  Jlew  and  old,  which  thou  has  prepared  for  thy 
friends.  Were  they  fools,  who  forsook  all  they  possessed 
on  earth,  to  become  citizens  here?  Here  is  the  abun- 
dence  of  all  good  things,  all  joys,  all  delights,  a'.l  beau- 
ties; all  are  here,  in  a  most  eminent  and  superabundant 
manner:  nothing  like  imperfection  here;  no  darkness,  the 
Sun  is  ever  in  his  meridian,  the  light  of  his  countenance 
is  ever  lifted  up  upon  us;  forever  doth  he  look  upon  us, 
in  a  swee^,  smiling,  loving  manner;  for  his  an^er  ie  turn- 
ed away,  and  he  comfnrteth  \^s.  0  joyful,  O  white,  O  bless- 
ed, 0  radiant  day  of  endless  eternity!  This  is  the  day 
which  tlie  Lord  hath  made;  we  will  rejoice  and  be  giad 
in  it:  even  this  is  the  day  which  hath  taken  its  birth  from 
bis  infinitely  amiable  countenance.  O  these  rivers  of  con- 
solations, that  make  glad  the  city  of  God!  0  the  eternal 
emanations  of  all  fulness,  flowirg  out  from  the  throne  of 
God,  and  of  the  Lamb!  no  mixture  of  creature  imper- 
fections, all  proceed  immediately  from  the  fountain!  0 
my  (^od,  how  was  I  tormented  v.ith  thirst  in  the  vvilder- 
ness?  I  was  ever  full  of  wants,  and  desires;  but  0  now! 
now  I  am  drunk,  ravished,  liUed  and  satiate  with  the  eter- 
nal overflowings  of  fhy  surpassing  sweetness,  which  run 
over  this  vast  multitude  of  men  and  angels,  like  a  mighty 
inundation.  In  the  days  of  our  vanity,  we  sat  by  the 
rivers  of  Babylon,  and  wept;  when  we  thought  on  the 
sweet  lite  the  inhabitants  of  this  his/her  house,  this  highei" 


•  w  A    GLl3lrSE    OP    GLOIIV. 

Jerusalem  had,  xve  could  not  but  groan  forth,  When  shall 
the   night  be  gone,  and  shadows  evanished?     When  shall 
time  be  out  ot  the  way,  that  I  may  enter  into  the  pure  river 
of  the  waters  of  llfcj  and  satlafp  myself  with  all  the  fulness 
ot  Ood^'     My  soul  thirsteth  for  God,  the  hvm^  God  j  uiieri 
shall  I  come  to  appear  before    God?    'How  long- shall   1 
dwell  in  a  dry  and  parched    v*ilderncs's,  wherein  there  is 
no  water?     "  Wo  is  me,  that  I  sojourn  so  long  in  Meseeh; 
for  my  days  are  consumed  like  smoke,  and  my  bones  are 
burnt  as  an  hearth;  by  reason  of  th^  voice  of  my  groan- 
:ing,   my   bones  cleave  to   my  skin.     My  days   are  like  a 
shadow   that  declineth,  and  I  am  withered   like  grass." 
But    O,  now  is  the  joyful    and   white  side   of  providence 
^urned  up!  iny  youth  is  renewed  like  the  eagle's:     1  swim 
m  the  ocean  of  life.     Who  can  tpU  what  ravishing  solace 
is  under' the  branches  of  the  Tree"  of  life?     Divine  ven- 
gO:>.r:ce  cannot  dart  through;  yet  I  behold  fully  thy  coun- 
teuance,  O  Jehovah!  we  are   thy   seiTants,  eVer  serving 
thf  e,  and  beholding  thy  face;  having  thy  name  written  on 
GUI  foreheads.     I  went  mourning   to  the   grave,  because 
of  my  unfitness  for  serving  thee  on   earth:  but  0!  now  I 
serve  thee  in  as  heavenly  and  divine  a  naanner,  as  I  would: 
I  a^  become  altoo;ether  like  thee!     lam  filled  with  thy 
glory  and  thy  beauty:  no  need  to  ask,  Show  me  thy  glory; 
thy  -ace  incessantly  ard  eternally  do  I  behold,  and  Uvq. 
89     JYothing  in  glory  but  songs  to  Jehovah  mid  the  Lainli, 
Tliis  is  Zion.  the  perfection  of  beauty,  the  joy  of  the 
whoV-  worfd.-   this  is  the  city  which  God  hath  made,  even 
which  he  hath  made  in  a  peculiar  manner.     O  what  glo- 
ry!   O  what  majesty!     0  what  joy!    0  what  blessedness! 
"\s  we  have  heard,  so  have  we  seen  in   the  city  of  the 
Lord  of  hosts;  God  hath  established  it    forever.     The 
Lord  our  God  doth  save  us  this  day,  as  the  floclc  of  his 
people;    for  we  are  the  stones  of  a  crown  lifted  up  as  an 
•;nsign  upon  his  land:    for  how  great  is  his  goodness,  and 
how  fireat  is  his  beauty!  Sing,  O  daughter  of  Zion,  shout, 
O  Israel,  be  glad  and  rejoice  with  all  thy  heart.  O  daugh- 
ter of  Jerusalem:    for  the  Lord  thy  Gpd,  in  the  midst  of 
thee,  is  mighty;    he  hath  saved  thee,   and  rejoiceth  over 
thee  with  joy;  he  rests  in  his  love,  ho  joyeth  over  thee 
with  singing;    he   hath  healed  our  backshdings,  he  hath 
loved   us  freely;    for  his  arger  is  turned   away,  and  he 
comforteth  u?.     He  is  as  the  dew  unto  us,  we  grow  as  the 
liily,  and  cast  forth  our  roots  as  T^ebanon.    Ife  hath  made 


A    OLjaiPSE    OP    GLORY.  ,1 

\ls,  and  the  places  round  about  his  holy  hill  a  blessings 
and  causeth  the  showers  to  come  down  in  their  season; 
even  showers  of  b'essing  for  evermore  And  the  tree  of 
the  field  doth  yield  iier  fruity  and  our  land  doth  yield  her 
increase;  and  we  are  safe  in  our  land,  and  do  Jinow 
the  Lord.  Behold,  he  hath  brought  us  from  all  countrie?, 
and  gathered  us  from  tue  coasts  of  the  earth*  for  the  L«»rd 
hath  redeemed  Jacob,  and  rnnsomed  him  from  the  hand 
of  him  that  was  stronger  tlian  he;  therefore  are  we  come 
to,  and  sing  in  the  heighth  of  Zion;  and  fl"\v  togetlier  to 
the  goodness  of  the  Lord,  for  wheat,  and  for  wine,  and 
for  oil,  and  for  the  young  of  the  flock,  and  of  the  herd; 
and  our  soul  is  as  a  watered  gnrden:  and  we  shall  not  sor- 
row any  more  at  al!  for  behold,  the  Lord  hath  created  a 
new  heaven,  and  a  new  earth,  and  the"  former  is  not  re- 
membered, noi  doth  rome  into  mind  Our  gates  are  open 
continually,  they  shall  not  be  shut  day  nor  night;  for  bi-a&s 
we  have  gold,  and  for  iron  vre  have  sdver,  and  for  wood 
brass,  and  for  stones  iron.  Violence  is  no  more  heard  in 
our  land,  wasting  nor  destruction  within  our  borders;  but 
we  call  our  walls  salvation,  and  our  gates  praisf^.  The 
sun  shall  no  more  go  down,  neither  shall  the  moon  with- 
draw herself:  for  the  Lord  is  unto  us  an  Everlasting  light, 
and  the  days  of  our  mourning  rire  ended.  "We  are  all 
righteous,  we  inherit  the  land  for  ever:  we  are  the  branch 
of  his  planting,  the  work  of  his  hands,  that  he  may  be  glo- 
rified. Our  light  doth  break  forth  as  the  morning,  and 
our  health  .-^pringeth  forth  speedily:  and  our  righteous- 
ness doth  go  before  us,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  is  our 
reward.  We  are  saTed  of  the  Lord  with  an  everlasting 
salvation;  we  shall  not  be  ashamed,  nor  cocfoundeo, 
world  without  end.  O  Lord,  thou  art  my  God,  i  will  ex- 
alt thee,  I  will  praise  thy  name;  for  thou  hast  done  won- 
derful things:  thy  counsels  of  old  are  faithfulness  and 
truth:  for  thou  hast  been  a  strength  to  the  poor,  a  strength 
to  the  needy  in  his  distress;  a  reUige  from  the  storm,  a 
shadow  from  the  heat:  and  hast  brought  down  the  noise 
of  devils  and  their  slaves,  as  heat  in  a  dry  place:  and  hast 
s^vallowed  up  death  in  victory,  and  wiped  away  tears  from 
all  faces.  Lo,  this  is  our  God,  we  have  waited  for  him, 
lie  hath  saved  us;  ue  will  be  glad  and  rejoice  in  his  sal- 
vation: he  extendeth  peace  to  us  lik^.  a  river,  and  our 
glory  is  like  a  flowing  stream.  Our  heart  rejoiceth,  our 
bones  flourish  like  an  herb:    and  the  hand  of  the  Lord  is 


7i  A.   GMMPSE    OF    GfLORY, 

known  towards  his  servants,  and  hit^  indignation  toward^s 
his  enemies;  for  he  hath  punished  the  world  for  their  evil 
and  the  wicked  for  their  iniquity;  and  hath  caused  the 
haugtiness  of  the  proud  to  cease^  and  hath  laid  low  the 
pride  of  the  terrible,  and  broke  the  staff  of  the  wicked, 
and  the  sceptre  of  the  rulers.  Hallelujah,  salvation,  and 
glory,  and  honour,  and  power  unto  the  Lord  our  God: 
true  and  righteous  are  bis  judgments;  for  he  hath  jiidg- 
ed  all  his  enemies;  and  the  glory  of  avenging  justice  is 
for  ever  displayed.  Let  Israel  rejoice  in  him  that  made 
him;  let  the  children  of  Zion  be  joyful  m  their  King;  for 
the  Lordtaketh  pleasure  in  his  ^;eople:  he  harh  beautified 
the  meek  with  salvation  Praise  vhe  Lord,  O  Jerusalem; 
praise  thy  God,  0  Zion;  for  he  strengthened  for  ever  the 
bars  of  thy  gatcB,  he  hath  blessed  thy  children  with  thee; 
he  maketh  peace  within  thy  borders,  and  filleth  thee  with 
the  finest  of  the  wheat:  the  Lord  hath  chosen  (hee  for 
his  rest  here  will  he  for  ever  dwell;  for  he  haih  desired  it." 

40,  2%e  happiness  of  the  saints  superahundent,  since 
they  Iiave  all  manner  of  enjoyments. 

Are  we  not  more  than  blessed.?  United  happiness  hath 
the  greater  force  0  the  sweet  fellowship  of  blessed  men 
and  angels!  aJk  manner  of  enjoyments  are  here!  all  our 
natural  propensities  are  fully  satisfied,  and  we  are  every 
way  filled  with  God:  as  our  fellowship  with  him  was  in- 
terrupted, imperfect,  and  at  a  distance  on  earth;  so  our 
converse  with  creatures  was  of  small  profits  vanity  (as  to 
us)  was  poured  out  on  all  creature- enjoyments;  since 
our  faculties  were,  in  a  great  part,  vitiate,  was  not  our 
fellowship  on  earth  oftentimes  for  the  worse,  as  well  as 
for  the  better?  for  that  our  converse  savoured  strongly  of 
earth,  differing  little  from  that  of  worldlings.  But,  is  not 
this  a  wonderful  change!  We  look  like  an  assembly  of 
kin^s  and  priests  indeed  Are  we  not  all  one,  in  mind, 
in  love,  in  joy!  for  we  have  the  mind  of  ChristJ  All  of 
us  resemble  advantageously  that  perfect,  and  only  pattern 
of  holiness,  that  infinite  world  of  ravishing  beauty,  and 
boundless  ocean  of  overcoming  sweetness,  that  onlj  de- 
light, love,  satisfaction,  wonder,  and  all,  of  men  and  an- 
gels. I  am  like  thee,  0  my  Well-beloved!  I  am  like  thee, 
O  joy!  superabounding  joy!  this  one  thought  bears  in  its 
bosom,  ten  thousand  heavens.  O  Sirs,  are  not  his  glory, 
his  excellency,  his  sweetness  diffused  among  us?  We  are 
one  in  Christ;  and  therefore  ojxq  among  ourselves,  bein* 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  73 

united  by  the  Spirit  of  love  Tlaou  art  the  head^  we  the 
njei»ibers,  all  treasures  of  excellency  are  communicated 
from  thee  unto  us,  as  from  the  root  to  the  branchea^  which 
are  the  same  tree.  We  are  one  with  thee;  for  both  he 
that  sanctifieth,  and  they  that  are  sanctified,  are  one. — 
Are  you  not  excellent  then,  O  ye  angels?  were  ye  not 
passing 'excellent,  and  only  delightsome,  O  ye  excellent 
ones  of  the  earth,  when  encompassed  about  with  innumer- 
able infirmities?  and  are  you  not  now  so  many  masse  of 
excellency  and  delight^*  If,  when  clothed  with  mortality, 
you  were  of  sublime  and  princely  spirits;  what  are  yi<u 
now,  when  mortality  is  swallowed  up  of  life?  Was  our 
converse  sweet  m  the  valley  of  tears  and  sorrows?  and  is 
it  not  more  than  pleasant  in  ttiis  paradise  of  joys  and  de- 
lights? Was  our  lamenting  our  distance  from  God  to  one 
another  sweet?  what  ravishments  in  our  mutuai  congrat- 
ulations of  these  overflowing  delights,  and  happiness,  in 
the  immediate  presence  of  Jehovaii  and  the  Lamb?  what 
a  golden  life  is  this?  As  this  full  enjoyment  of  thpe,  O 
my  God,  doth  swallow  up  all  other  enjoyments;  so  doth  it 
perfect  them  also.  Until  our  love  to  thee  was  perfected, 
never  did  we  love  one  another  perfectly-  The  more  thou 
art  loved,  the  more  of  thy  image.  Thou  art  the  centre  of 
all  my  faculties  all  my  love  to  saints  and  angels  termi- 
nates in  thee;  thou  hast  clothed  them  with  thy  loveliness, 
and  they  are  become  lovely:  yea,  though  they  were  not, 
yet  since  they  are  the  object  of  thy  love;  therefore  will  I 
love  them:  but  because  thou  hast  loved  them,  therefore 
hast  thou  made  thein  wonderfully  lovely:  and  therefore 
how  are-  we  all  kindled  together  into  an  eternal  flame! 
O  what  a  wonderful  sympathy!  as  we  suffered  in  one 
another's  afflictions;  so  do  we  rejoice  in  one  another's 
joy.  O  this  superabundant  joy  and  happiness'  since  all 
your  joy  and  happiness,  men  and  angels,  are  mine;  even 
me  they  atfect;  I  am  as  filled  with  them:  the  happmess 
of  thousands,  and  myriads  of  thousands,  are  abridge<-l  into 
one  happiness.  And  how  discovering  is  the  light  of  thy 
glory  I  I  know  every  one  of  you  in  particular,  as  by  name, 
and  vvhat  was  your  lot  on  earth  When  our  converse  is 
more  joyful,  shall  not  our  fellowship  now  be  passing  ex- 
cellent? The  faculties  are  great,  the  objects  are  great, 
arr  great  is  eternity,  which  we  have  ever  before  us  in  our 
fellowship:  we  are  not  confined,  as  on  earth,  to  days, 
hours,  and  years;    but  shall   speak  to  one  another  of  his 

G 


74  A    GLIMPSE    or    GLORY. 

infinite  excellencies  again  and  again,  and  more  and  more, 
and  forever  speak:  and  what  new  delights,  since  earth's 
childish  dialect  is  done  away!  Words,  sentences,  orations, 
and  -f^olumes  were  as  dark  shadows,  of  little  or  no  signifi- 
cation: but  0  the  profound  idiom  of  Emmanuel's  country! 
every  word  is  like  a  talent,  representing  more  than  ten 
thousand  excellent  volumes  in  earth's  language.*  How 
admirably  do  mortality  and  immortality  differ  in  all  things! 
Cry  out  then  his  matchless  praises;  shall  we  not  contend, 
who  shall  speak  most  excellently  of  his  glory?  shall  we 
not  for  ever  be  recounting  his  wonderful  goodness  to  us, 
in  time  and  eternity?  0  ravishing  fellowship  with  men  and 
angels!  O  more  than  ravishing  voice  of  the  Son  of  God! 
were  it  not  the  prerogative  of  glory,  that  one  enjoyment 
cannot  divert  from  another,  I  should  for  ever  shut  all  my 
faculties  against  you,  0  fellow-creatures;  that  they  might 
only  be  filled  with  Jesus  my  only  Well-beloved.  What- 
ever I  enjoy,  still  I  enjoy  thee  perfectly  and  fully:  with 
whomsoever  I  converse,  continually  I  am  with  thee.— 
Thou  art  the  beginning,  middle,  and  end  of  all.  O  the 
eternal  high  tides  of  joys  in  my  heart!  nothing  can  sepa- 
rate me  in  the  least,  from  this  immediate  enjoyment  of 
thee  The  members  are  not  hindered  from  receiving  in- 
fluences from  the  head,  because  of  their  mutual  commerce 
among  themselves;  reflex  rays  hinder  not  the  direct;  the 
enjoyment  of  the  thing  included  eminently,  hinders  not 
the  enjoyment  of  that  which  includes.  I  enjoy  thee;  and 
therefore  I  enjoy  all  things;  and  my  enjoyment  of  crea- 
tures, is  no  new  enjoyment;  but  another  manner  of  en- 
joying of  thee ;  like  the  beholding  the  light  of  the  sun  dart- 
ing from  the  moon:  every  one  of  us  reflects  the  beauty 
wherewith  thou  adornest  us. 

41.  All  the  attributes  of  God  contribute  to  our  eternal 
blessedness,  hut  his  unchangeableness  is  the  crcin  of  all. 

How  do  all  smile  with  a  ravishing  countenance,  whe- 
ther we  view  in  time  on  earth,  these  present  enjoyments, 
or  their  flourishing  throughout  eternity?  The  considera- 
tion of  God's  wonderful  providences  in  time,  will  fill  the 
thoughts  with  endless  admiration.  And  am  I  not  ravish- 
ed in  looking  back  into  infinite  perfections,  before  all  ages? 
Here  there  is  ever  a  further;  but  it  is  according  to  a  finite 
conception,  to  look  upon  thee,  as  past,  present,  and  to 
come.  Thou  art  eminently  all  things,  yet  not  formally,  and 
in  their  own  proper  nature^:  we  change  every  moment,  an^l 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  7i> 

have  still  new  acting,  because  we  are  finite  beings;  but 
with  thee  there  is  no  variableness,  nof  shadow  of  turning. 
Whatever  thou  dost,  from  eternity  thou  dost  it:  thy  act- 
ing.s  have  neither  beginning,  middle,  nor  ending;  which 
are  but  one  simple  act,  the  sanie  with  thyself,  though 
vutually  and  equivalently  it  contains  in  its  boSom  innu- 
merable ach'ons;  even  as  thy  everlastingness,  innumera- 
ble days,  years  and  ages.  Who  can  admire  enough  thy 
simplicity?  All  thy  excellencies  are  but  one  excellency, 
equivalent  unto  infinite  worlds  of  excellencies  0  what 
a  blessed  life  have  we,  men  and  angels,  in  dwelling  in 
God,  the  Almighty,  all-sufficient  Je^oua/i.'  in  whom  is  con- 
tained infinite  varieties  of  all  joys,  all  pleasures,  all  sweet- 
ness, all  contentments,  all  beauties,  all  glories,  in  a  trans- 
cendent, eminent,  and  most  perfect  manner  0  happy  I! 
who  have  such  an  infinite  One,  boundless  One  in  all  per- 
fections, to  be  my  pordon!  0  thou  art  infinite,  eternal, 
unchangeable  in  4hy  wisdom,  power,  holiness,  justice, 
goodness  and  truth.  Everlastir^  ravishments!  he,  who 
loveth  us,  is  unchangeable;  he,  m  whom  we  trust,  is  the 
Rock  of  ages,  who*e.  goings  forth  have  been  from  eterni- 
ty. 0  then!  thy  smiles  are  everlasting  Our  happiness 
is  eternal;  it  is  joy  upon  joy,  to  consider,  this  life  can 
have  no  period;  it  hath  neither  middle,  progress,  nor 
ending;  but  shall  ever  be  a  beginning,  and  shall  be  ever, 
ever  alike  far  from  the  period  of  my  joys  and  happiness; 
ever  in  this  same  ravished  unspeakable  frame  of  divine 
love  and  joy,  I  am  just  now  into!  Shall  it  ever  be  high 
tide?  0  more  than  happiness!  it  overflows  its  banks:  it  is 
much  I  bear  this  joy!  0  my  joys!  my  joys,  you  are  of  an 
immortal  duration!  0  my  excellent  VVell-beloved,  now 
hast  thou  vvith  eternity  crowned  all  my  happiness!  to  think 
ever  to  be  disjoined  from  thee,  would  embitter  all  the 
present  sweetness:  the  greater  the  enjoyment,  the  greater 
the  loss.  Temporary  enjoyments  nothing  aflfect  me: 
what  will  end,  will  be  as  if  it  had  not  been.  Never  so 
many  ages  are  nothing  in  the  minds  of  elevated  ci^atures: 
only  brutes  are  taken  with  time.  Nothing  is  real  and 
substantial,  but  what  is  enduring  Nothing  vain  and  emp- 
ty now:  all  things  here  shall  be  ever  in  the  self  same 
state  we  are  now  in.  So  are  all  things  in  hell  also.  The 
fashion  of  this  world  shall  never  pass  away:  all  are  now 
soHd  and  enduring:  vanity  is  for  ever  banished  out  of  the 
'.miverse;    all  things  shall  be  forever  as  they  are.     O  my 


7^  A    GLIMPSE    OF     GLORY. 

joys!  though  you  were  low,  yet  the  thoughts  of  your  eter- 
nal permanency  may  cause  you  to  swell  over  your  banks. 
O  ^lory,  glory!  how  massy  art  thou?  Not  a  thing  ghtter- 
ing  now,  and  anon  evanished  0  the  more  enduring  sub- 
stance! the  kingdom  unmoveablef  these  everlasting  arms 
encircle  us  eternally!  For  *'th&  Lord  shall  reign  for  ever, 
even  thy  God,  O  Zion,  to  all  generations."  We  "that 
trust  in  the  Lord,  are  like  mount  Zion,  that  cannot  be 
removed,  but  abideth  for  ever:  the  glory  of  the  Lord 
shall  endure  for  ever;  he  shall  rejoice  in  all  his  works. 
The  children  of  thy  servants  «!hall  continue,  and  their  seed 
shall  be  established  before  thee:  with  long  life  dost  thou 
>^atisfy  them,  and  showest  them  thy  salvation.  Thou  art 
the  strength  of  their  heart,  and  their  portion  for  ever."— 
O  real,  solid,  substantial,  enduring  portion!  indeed,  thou 
art  the  Rock  of  ages.  All  the  innumerable  ages  past, 
present,  and  to  come„  do  roll  upon  thee  as  their  founda- 
tion '•'Thy  years  are  throughout  all  generations;  of  old 
didst  thou  lay  the  foundations  of  the  earth;  and  the  hea- 
vens were  the  work  of  thi'ne  hands;  they  did  perish,  but 
ihou  shalt  endure;  yea,  all  of  them  waxed  old,  like  a 
garment;  as  a  vesture  thou  changed  them,  and  they  were 
changed:  but  thou  art  the  same,  and  thy  years  shall  have 
jio  end."  O  my  passing  happiness  shall  have  no  end!  O 
life,  and  marrow  of  joys!  I  shall  be  ever  with  thee,  O 
T^ost  lovely  Well-beloved!  some  transient  glimpses  of  thy 
loveliness  upon  my  soul,  was  an  heaven  upon  earth:  but 
0,  the  permanent  and  full  outlettings  of  thy  beauty,  sweet- 
ness, and  all  excellencies,  are  more  than  ten  thousand 
heavens  of  happiness!  I  am  here  dwelling  within  the 
boundless  circle  of  eternity!  O  sweet  for  evermore!  only 
because  of  my  sweetest  Well-beloved,  whom  I  fully  and 
eternally  enjoy!  what  good  would  my  life  do  unto  me, 
were  I  pot  to  enjoy  him  throughout  eternal  ages.''  Not, 
that  I  account  it  not  an  invaluable  happiness,  to  receive 
one  love-kiss,  and  no  more,  from  thy  sweetest  mouth; 
should  not  its  wonderful  impression  leave  a  passing  rav- 
i"shing  sweetness,  throughout  endless  evermore.'*  One 
sight  of  thy  only  excellent  beauty,  one  smell  of  thy  rav- 
ishmg  fragrant  garments,  one  love-smile  of  thy  overcom- 
ing lovely  face,  transcendently  excels  the  height  of  all 
creature-enjoyments.  Any  thing  of  thee,  my  matchless 
One,  is  of  incomparable  excellency:  thy  very  frowns  are 
inconceivably  sweet,  because  thine. 


A    GLIMPSE    O^SS^jORi.  77 

4"2.  That  we  are  altogother  Chnst%  and  not  our  own^ 
is  our  only  happiness.  ^ 

Thy  kingdom,  O  Emmanuel,  Is  an  everb.stiHgkinocdom; 
the  sceptre  <  f  glory  do«t  thou  sway  to  all  generations.— 
Indeed,  when  time  and  days  came  to  a  period,  anoHl^u 
hast  put  down  all  rule,  and  all  authority  and  power,  thdii 
delivered  up  the  commis.-ion  of  governing  the  church, 
and  (in  part)  bringing  the  world  back  to  thy  Father:  and 
art  subject  as  Days-man  betwixt  God  and  creatures,  that 
God  may  only  fill  the  faculties  of  men  and  angels,  with 
his  uncreated  sweetncsi  yet,  as  Days-man.  thou  art  for 
ever  King,  Priest,  and  Prophet  of  thy  chosen;  the  eternal 
Head  of  men  and  angels;  "the  first-born  among  many 
brethren,  having  the  pre  eminence  in  all  things:"  thou  art 
the  great  Lord  Mediator,  the  crowned  Kng  of  Zion,  for 
ever  and  ever:  we  are  under  thee  so  man}  crowned  kings 
in  Zion;  but  thou  art  exalted  above  all;  upon  the  throne 
of  thy  father  David  dost  thou  sit;  and  of  tny  kingd  >ni 
there  shall  be  no  end.  The  Lord  harh  laid  help  upon 
one  that  is  mighty,  he  hath  exalted  o:.e  chosen  out  of  the 
people;  he  hath  made  him  his  first-bi-rn,  higher  than  the 
kings  of  the  earth:  his  mercy  doth  he  keep  for  him,  for 
ever,  and  his  covenant  standeth  fast  with  him:  his  seed 
also  hath  he  made  to  endure  forever,  and  his  children,  as 
the  days  of  heaven:  all  kings  fall  down  bef  >re  him;  all 
nations  serve  him.  Tl  erp  is  an  handful  of  corn  in  the 
earth,  on  the  top  the  mountains;  the  fruit  thereof  doth 
shake  like  Lebanon:  and  they  of  the  city  do  flourish  like 
grass  of  the  earth."  0  Plant  of  renown,  men  and  angels 
are  as  so  many  branches  ingrafted  in  thee  eternally!  ou 
else  we  should  in  a  moment  wither;  to  all  eternity  we 
stand  in  need  of  a  Day'--man,  we  are  not  able  eternally 
to  stand  on  our  own  legs;  neither  are  we  able  to  behold 
God  so  fully  and  familiarly,  as  in  the  face  of  Emmanuel, 
the  white  and  the  ruddy!  and  what  amazing  dignity,  men 
and  angels,  for  us  to  reign  over  all,  as  co-heirs  with  this 
essential  Heir  of  all  things?  Do  I  reign  with  thee,  O  King 
of  kings?  wonderful!  thou  hast  given  me  "power  over 
the  nations,  and  I  do  rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron;  as  the 
vessels  of  a  potter  are  they  broken  in  shivers;"  even  as  he 
received  of  his  Father!  What  were  earthly  kingdoms  and 
princlpali  les,  but  evanishing  vapours,  nig:ht-dreams  and 
vanities?  ^Vhat  were  the  shields  of  the  earth,  but  bits  of 
half- dead  clay,  breathing  for  a  few  hours,  days  and  yea^-s, 
G  2     ' 


*     78  A     GLIMPSE    OF    GLORV. 

at  the  most,  and  then  returned  to  dust  again?  No  woader 
he  loaded  the  basest  of  men  with  the  greatest  portion  of 
thick  clay;  such  a  dunghill  was  a  fit  portion  for  dunghill 
worms:  no  wonder  he  gave  so  httle  of  earth  to  his  chosen; 
such  gifts  are  below  sublime,  heavenly  and  divine  spirits. 
Sirs,  have  w'e  not  been  ordained  for  far  better,  and  more 
excellent  things  than  earth's  silly  glory?  It  was  not  our 
Father's  will  we  should  be  troubled  with  many  nothings*- 
much  clay  would  have  clogged  us,  in  our  way.  He  knew 
best  what  was  for  us,  who  cut  us  short  of  creature-enjoy- 
ments. What  have  we  lost,  who  have  received  gold  for 
clay,  diamonds  for  common  stones,  solid  satisfaction  for 
vexing  vanities,  heaven  for  earth,  eternity  for  time,  all 
things  for  nothing?  All  glory  to  him,  that  sits  upon  the 
throne,  and  the  Laijib.  Let  the  crown  eternally  flourish 
on  the  head  of  the  purchaser  of  such  superabundant  hap- 
piness. O  the  great  things  we  have  escaped!  0  the  great 
things  we  have  attained!  And  were  these  joys  purchased 
by  sorrow?  this  golden  life,  by  a  shameful  and  cruel 
death?  this  glory,  by  shame  and  contempt?  this  rest,  by 
labour  and  wrestling?  this  exaltation,  by  lowliness  and 
submission?  O  the  price,  the  price!  every  sight  of  the 
man,  who  is  God,  would  overvalue,  and  over-buy  ten 
thousand  excellent  worlds.  O  my  happiness!  art  thou 
not  of  infinite  value,  though  thou  wert  not,  in  the  thoU" 
sandth  part,  what  thou  art?  "  What  can  we  render  unto 
the  Lord  for  his  wonderful  goodness?"  What  can  we,  thy 
eternally  bound  dyvours,  do  but  cry  aloud  thy  excellency? 
And  th«  more  we  praise  thee,  the  more  our  obligation 
grows  upon  our  hand.  0  let  us  ever,  in  this  manner,  run 
ourselves  into  thy  debt.  No  greater  liberty,  no  higher 
prerogative,  than  to  be  eternally  obliged  debtors  to  thy 
free  grace,  redeeming,  exalting  grace.  O  then!  shall  I 
not  praise  thee,  my  Kedeemer,  my  exalter?  shall  not 
boundless  eternity  be  filled  with  thy  praises?  Is  my  hap^ 
piness,  life  immortal?  and  shall  not  my  praising  be  immor- 
tal also?  0  this  high,  high  praising  frame!  Nothing  but 
ravishing  hallelujahs  throughout  eternity.  O  Sirs,  is  not 
this  frame  altogether  inexpressible,  wholly  inconceivable? 

48.  The  manifestation  of  God,  in  time,  nothing  to  that 
of  eternity  J  and  that  of  eternity,  nothing  to  what  dwells  hid' 
dep,  in  tiimself 

Even  the  small  breathings  of  these  full  gales  of  the 
S>pirit,  that  blows   strongly  in  this  higher  region,  falling 


A  OLIMPSE     OF    GLOSTi.  79 

down  upon  the  land  of  ^race,  filled  my  heart  ^\uth  such 
passing  sweetness,  that  I  could  not  but  cry  ouf^  Lord,  my 
heart  is  fixed,  I  will  sina;  praise  unto  thee.  0  letali  rrea- 
ture?,  in  all  places  of  thy  dominion,  sing  forth  thy  excel- 
lencies. Let  me  behold  thy  name  set  on  high,  and  the 
desires  of  my  soul  are  accomplished  I  am  ravished,  I 
am  ravished  with  thy  surpassing  sweetness,  thy  overcom- 
ing loveliness!  Is  not  this  heaven,  even  glory  come  down 
to  grace's  rigion?  Or,  what  can  glory  be  more?  But 
now,  n6w  I  clearly  find  these  have  been  but  the  first  fruits; 
some  drops  falling  from  this  boundless  ocean;  and  no  won- 
der little  seemed  exceeding  great  to  a  little  child;  then  I 
could  not  be  capable  of  glory,  in  the  perfection  and  bloom 
thereof.  The  ground  sufficient  to  bear  a  tree,  in  its  first 
arising  through  the  earth,  would  not  be  able  to  bear  the 
least  branch  when  it  attained  its  perfect  pitch.  Yet  the 
remembrance  of  thy  ways  to  me,  in  my  childhood,  is  full 
of  delectation.  How  thou  hast  brought  thy  sons  to  glory, 
is  an  eternal  wonder.  0  to  think  of  the  wonderful  dis- 
coveries of  thyself  to  weak  mortals'  whence  thou  evi- 
denced, that  thou  couldst  show  forth  thine  excellency  by 
weakness  and  emptiness.  Did  I  not  sometimes,  even 
when  a  blockish  mortal,  live  rather  by  sight,  than  faith.** 
0  the  strange  discoveries  of  thy  infinite  beauty!  from 
whence  arose  high  flaming  love,  then  zeal  for  setting  thee 
on  high,  far  above  all.  Continually  were  thy  praises  ia 
my  mouth;  I  desired  that  all  I  thought,  spake,  or  did, 
should  tend  to  thy  glory,  for  whom  are  all  things.  How 
tormented  was  I,  to  see  so  few  on  earth,  for  extolling  thee! 
to  see  almost  all  minding  their  own  things,  and  very  few 
thine.  How  vexed  was  I,  that  my  heart  was  so  shallow, 
and  my  faculties  so  unfit  for  glorifying  thee!  Therefore 
did  I  long  to  be  here,  for  nothing  more  than  to  praise  thee 
aright,  before  this  glorious  assembly  of  men  and  angels. 
How  oft  have  I  been  crying  out,  0  to  be  an  instrument 
of  his  superexcellent  glory!  Let  me  be  eternally  con- 
founded, (abstract  from  sinning),  if  thereby  his  excellen- 
cy may  be  manifested.  What  are  all  creatures  to  him.^ 
Let  him  be  exalted,  let  him  be  praised,  though  we  all 
should  be  abased  forever  more.  0  the  inexpressible 
sweetness  my  soul  finds  in  praising  thee!  in  the  bosom  of 
this  divine  exercise  is  contained  a  great  reward.  It  is 
both  the  work  and  the  wages;  it  is  happiness  to  extol  thee  5^^ 
it  is  only  hell  not  to  be  for  thy  glory.    0  praise  him,  foi> 


86  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

ever  praise  liim,  all  his  works.  It  is  a  light  thing  that 
thou  alone  shouldst  praise  him^  O  silly  I!  O  when  shall 
I  stand  among  the  innumerable  assembly  of  praisers?  and 
tell,  and  hear  told  over  thine  acts,  and  glory,  and  wis- 
dom, and  infinite  excellencies  forever  and  ever?  verily 
all  thy  j^romises  are  Yea,  and  Amen,  to  those  who  put 
their  trust  in  thee.  Thou  hast  given  unto  me  all  the  de- 
sires of  my  heart:  now,  0  now,  I  am  in  the  land  of  prais- 
es, in  the  midst  of  you.  O  glorious  creatures,  who  for- 
ever sirg  forth  hallelujahs  to  hin^^hat  sits  upon  thethrone, 
and  the  Lamb!  it  was  but  the  weakness  of  mortahty 
caused  small  stirrings  "apper  high  and  mighty  overflow- 
ings, O  glory,  glory!  thou  art  indeed  substantial  and 
massy.  Since  glory  cannot  fully  delineate  thy  excellen- 
cy, I  behold  thy  amiable  countenance  to  the  full,  O  God 
of  glory;  and  O  then  the  enlargement  of  my  heart!  O 
then  the  wonderful  flames  of  love!  nothing  was  known, 
was  felt,  until  now:  I  have  heard  some  rumour  of  thee; 
but  now  I  behold  and  perceive,  that  all  possible  creatures, 
exalted  to  the  highest  pitch  of  excellency,  can  never 
be  able  to  praise  thee  to  the  full:  even  because  of  this  I 
"will  praise  thee,  that  thou  art  infinitely  above  all  praises. 
Wert  thou  not  infinite,  thou  shouldst  not  be  the  eternal 
object  of  my  praises:  created  enjoyments  cannot  satiate 
forever.  How  am  1  overjoyed;  thou  hast  thus  fitted  me 
for  setting  thee  on  high!  how  am  I  hfted  up  in  my  capa- 
city, almost  infinite  stages  above  the  highest  pitch  of  mor- 
tality! S"rs,  this  is  another  manner  of  praising  than  was 
to  be  found  within  mortality's  tents:  our  songs  can  only 
be  learned  by  those  who  have  attained  the  height  of  wis- 
dom; even  who  are  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of  God.— 
What  are  finite  things  in  the  way  of  our  conceptions.^ — 
We  are  past  from  the  low  conceptions  of  mortals:  earth's 
putrid  idiom,  in  its  highest  strain,  composed  and  divided 
by  all  possible  ways,  or  pourtrayed  down  in  as  many  books 
as  would  fill  the  creation,  shoitld  not  express,  in  the  thou- 
sandth part,  so  much  of  the  excellency  of  our  never 
enough  exalted  One,  as  one  sentence  of  this  song  of  glo- 
ry. What  is  expressed  by  dull  sound,  or  tuned  out  in 
black  and  white,  is  not  now  worth  the  noticing;  yet,  had  I  no 
other  way  of  expressing  thy  excellency  before  men  and 
angels,  I  should  forever  and  ever  be  writing  songs  of  thy 
matchless  praises,  that  all  the  beholders  might,  in  some 
jueasure,  conjecture   the  high  thoughts   of  my  heart. — 


A    GJJMPSE    OP    GLORX.  '         81 

Were  there  oceans  of  ink  greater  than  ten  thuosand 
worlds,  and  paper  pens  conformable  thereunto,  I  should 
soon  exhaust  them,  writing  new  songs  of  thy  matchless 
praises:  and  yet  the  thoughts  of  mj  elevated  heart  should 
not  in  the  least  be  diminished;  but  should  be  Hke  an  eter- 
nal fountain,  ever  ir.diting  new  matter,  ever  sending  fourth 
uew  streams  of  praises.  What  wonder?  I  am  filTed  with 
thine  image,  I  behold  thee  face  to  face,  and  therefore 
see  more  and  more  of  thee  to  all  eternity  Ever,  ever 
shall  I  have  new  discoveries;  and  yet  forever  shall  I  have 
the  same;  for  I  behold  thee  as  thou  art  What  wonder 
we  are  in  such  an  high  praising  frame?  0  blessed  ones! 
who,  being  framed  so  capacious,  to  receive  the  full  eman= 
ations  of  his  infinite  glory  and  sweetness,  stand  continu- 
ally in  his  immediate  fellowship.  Are  we  not  ravished  m 
piaising?  It  is  the  only  happiness  to  be  thus  exercised.* 
the  only  misery,  to  have  the  faculties  exercised  in  other 
things.  No  monster  to  a  creature  careless  of  thy  glory! 
You  abominable  prodigies  of  nature,  who  are  not  for  ex- 
tolling your  Creator,  Preserver,  and  Benefactor;  can  the 
desperateness  of  joui  state  be  told?  should  you  not  praise 
him,  etei'nally  praise  him?  He  is  the  Potter,  you  are  the 
clay;  he  is  the  absolute  Sovereign,  you  his  eternal  bound 
vassals:  all  that  you  are,  and  have,  is  of  him:  if  you  arc 
miserable,  it  is  only  of  yourselves:  nothing  from  him, but 
that  which  is  good.  He  is  a  pure  mass  of  holiness,  ex- 
cellency, and  desirableness,  O  cursed!  O  desperate!  O 
astonishing  frame!  to  have  the  heart  hardened  against  the 
original  of  all  joys  and  blessedness.  Thousand  times 
happy  I,  who  am  thus!  thus  conformed  unto  the  divine 
nature.  0  this  sweet,  sweet  frame  of  heart!  I  am  alto- 
gether for  praises:  this  is  the  land  of  praises;  the  whole 
assembly  resounds  v/ith  praises.  O  my  blessed  ears! 
which  are  eternally  filled  with  the  melodious  raptures  of 
Emmanuel's  ravishing  world.  Is  it  possible  sorrows  can 
enter  here?  All  is  filled  with  superabounding joys:  every 
where  thy  beauty  is  fully  manifested.  Let  us  dive  deep, 
and  look  &  look  again,  ever  shall  we  find  new  matter  for  love 
songs  Doth  not  a  sweet  willing  constraint  lie  upon  us  to 
praise  thee?  Inundations  of  all  goodness  do  flow  out 
from  thee,  O  inexhaustable  ocean  of  all  excellency:  and 
must  they  not  incessantly  run  back  to  thee  again?  Yea, 
who  can  but  extol  thee,  0  all  sufficient  Jehovah?  because 
tilou  art  essentially  beautiful  and  excellent.   What  thoug^h 


92  A    GLIMPSE    OP    GLORY. 

little  of  thy  goodness  were  let  forth  on  creatures?  the 
manifestation  of  thy  goodness  to  creatures  adds  just  noth- 
ing to  thee:  whether  thou  create  or  not  create  one  crea- 
ture, or  a  world,  or  millions  of  worlds,  all  is  the  sanae  to 
thee.  Thou  art  infinitely  above  the  praises,  or  the  blas- 
phemies of  creatures:  thy  glory  is  unchangeable",  before 
all  ages  did  thy  infinite  perfections  shine  forth,  in  the 
same  infinite  splendor;  so  that,  in  the  fulness  of  time, 
when  it  pleased  thee  to  show  forth  thy  glory,  in  the  pro- 
duction and  adorning  of  finite  beings,  nothing  in  the  least 
was  added  to  thy  boundless  excellency;  thy  creating  was 
the  manifestation  of  what  was  from  eternity;  not  the  bring- 
ing forth  of  what  was  not  at  all;  as  when  the  sun  should 
dart  forth  his  light,  which  before  he  kept  within  himself; 
or  a  box  of  precious  ointment,  when  broken,  exhales  a 
perfume,  which  before  lay  hidden. 

And  what  hast  thou  manifested  on  creatures,  to  that 
which  thou  mightst,  if  so  it  had  pleased  thy  sovreign 
'will?  What  is  this  world  existent,  but  as  a  vast  ocean 
should  let  forth  one  drop,  when  it  might  pour  forth  mil- 
ilons  of  millions  of  showers  forever  and  ever?  What  are 
these  handful  of  creatures,  unto  these  vast  numberless  ar- 
mies, eminently  contained  within  the  campass  of  thine  in- 
finite power?  whence  thy  dominion  over  things  that  are 
not  created  is  greater,  than  over  things  that  are:  from  all 
eternity  hadst  thou  the  sovereign  disposition  of  all  possi- 
t>le  beings,  and  ihey  are  forever  at  thy  beck.  Hadst  thou 
never  determined  to  create  any  creature,  thy  power  and 
sovreignity  should  ever  have  shined  forth  in  as  full  a  splen- 
dor, in  order  tojthese  self-same  creatures  exisrtent,  as  now  it 
doth:  to  restrain  a  being  from  existing,  or  to  cause  it  to 
exist,  are  alike  acts  of  infinite  sovreignty.  Men  and 
angels,  shall  we  not  cry  up  the  incomprehesible  excel- 
lency of  our  God?  What  can  we  contribute  even  to  his 
declarative  glory?  Are  we  any  thing,  to  the  infinite  ar- 
mies in  the  womb  of  his  omnipotency?  and  yet  hath  he 
appointed  us  the  only  criers  up  of  his  praises,  the  only 
spectators  throughout  all  ages.  O  how  inconceivable  are 
thy  ways?  hast  thou  chosen  these  few  out  from  among 
innumerable  armies  of  excellent  creatures,  contained 
within  the  bosom  of  excellency?  mightst  thou  not  have 
numberless  worlds  of  men  and  angels  just  now  serving 
thee,  and  not  one  of  us  existent?  How  is  absolute  sov- 
reignty, and  free  grace  to  be  seen  every  where?  Crea- 
tion is  an  act  of  free  grace  and  goodness.     0  thou  whole 


A    GXIMPSE    OP    GLORV,  8S' 

handy  work  of  God,  how  oughtest  thou  to  praise  thy  sov- 
reigxi  Lord?  You  sun,  moon,  and  stars,  forever  exalt  nim, 
who  conferred  upon  you  an  everlasting  being,  passing 
by  infinite  numbers  of  others;  and  only  you  hath  he  chos- 
en, as  never-ending  monuments  of  his  transcendent  ex- 
cellency Thou  earth,  with  thy  various  beauties,  praise 
thy  bountiful  Creator,  who  hath  appointed  thee  an  eter- 
nal monument  of  his  justice  and  mercy,  passing  bv  innu- 
merable possible  ones  O  thou  glorious  and  majestic 
heavens,  sing  forth  the  high  praises  of  thy  almighthy 
Former;  though  thou  art  the  top  and  flower  excellency 
of  this  vast  all,  what  art  thou  to  these  innumerable  possi- 
ble heavens,  Jehovah  could  produce  ?  Thou  whole  crea- 
tion, though  thou  art  exact  in  number,  weight  and  mea- 
sure, what  art  thou  to  what  incomprehensible  Jehovah 
can  effect?  What  are  you,  O  all  ye  creatures?  you  are 
infinitely  every  way  within  the  hmits  of  his  infinite  pow- 
er, yea,  though  it  were  not  so,  one  blast  of  his  nostrils 
could  confound  you  to  nothing  in  a  moment.  Down 
with  your  glory  before  him,  all  creatures,  acknowledge 
jour  eternal  Sovreign:  shall  not  eternity  resound  with 
his  incessant  praises?  shall  not  this  gi  eat  all  be  ever  in  a  re- 
joicing, praising  sound?  shall  not  the  earth  clap  its  hands, 
the  heavens  leap  for  joy  before  him,  who  hath  formed 
them  eternal  monuments  of  his  superexcellent  glory? 
this  is  the  only  world  God  hath  been  pleased  to  make; 
from  eternity  to  eternity  there  is  no  other;  neither  shall 
this  undergo  changes  any  more:  how  sweet  a  savour  doth 
the  Almighty  smell?  pronouncing,  that  the  vicissitudes  of 
day  and  night,  seed  time  and  harvest,  winter  and  summer, 
shall  forever  cease;  and  that  an  eternal  spring  tide,  an 
endless  summer,  an  incessant  havest  shall  remain  This 
is  the  golden  world;  all  things  have  a  smiling  countenace: 
wickedness  shall  triumph  no  more  It  was  but  for  a  mo- 
ment they  opened  their  eyes,  and  behold  they  are  not: 
but  the  righteous  are  in  everlasting  rememberance.-— 
Thou  lower  world,  how  art  thou  loosed  from  that  bitter 
servitude  to  the  filth  and  offscourings  of  all  things?  be- 
ing the  stage  of  horrid  rebellion  against  thy  great  Form- 
er", the  place  where  created  enjoyments  were  preferred 
before  thai  fulness  of  all  sweetness  in  the  all-sufficient 
Jehovah,  Our  eyes  behold  what  we  believed,  and  hoped 
for:  O  glorious  new  heaven  and  new  earth,  wherein  dwel- 
eth  righteousness!    are  we   not  now  masters    of   all? 


84      >  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

through  the  heir  all  thin2;Si  do  we  inherit  all  things.  All 
things  bet'>rf  were  ours  in  title,  now  thej  are  ours  in  full 
possession ;  for  our  rairi'^rity  is  expired.  ' 

4h  ill  the  promises  are  in  part  fulfilled  in  time,  and 
fully  m  eternity. 

Your  folly  is  even  manifested  to  yourselves,  cursed 
Worldlings,  who  imagined  us  fools,  who  laid  our  hope  and 
confidence  on  the  great  promises  «^f  the  Almighty:  lo,  all 
that  ever  he  promised  unto  us,  he  hath  performed  t'  the 
full,  and  more  than  to  the  full.  Lo,  we  inherit  heaven 
and  earth,  and  all  things,  and  delight  ourselves  in  ahun- 
dance  of  peace.  We  behold  the  floods  of  honej  and  but- 
ter, and  heap  up  gold  as  the  dust:  yea,  the  Almighty  is  our 
defer.ce,  and  we  have  plenty  of  silver:  our  eye  is  clear, 
as  the  noon-day,  we  shine  forth,  and  are  as  the  morning: 
our  flpsh  is  fresher  than  a  child's,  and  we  return  unto  the 
days  of  our  youth-  The  Lord  is  our  keeper,  the  Lord  is 
our  shade,  on  our  right  hand :  the  sun  doth  not  smite  by  day, 
nor  the  moon  by  night  And  the  Lord  preserveth  our 
going;  out,  and  our  coming  m,  from  this  time  forth  and 
forever  more.  Behold,  we  eat,  cursed  wretches,  but  ^e 
are  hungry:  behold,  we  drink,  but  ye  are  thirsty:  behold, 
we  rejoice  and  triumph,  but  ye  sorrow  and  are  ashamed. 
Lo,  he  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  hath  made  all  things  new; 
and  the  former  things  shall  not  come  into  mind  -^  Be- 
hold, a  new  heaven  and  anew  earth!  for  the  first  heaven, 
and  the  first  earth  are  passed  away,  and  there  is  no  more 
sea  Behold,  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  he 
doth  dwell  with  us,  and  we  are  his  people,  and  he  is  our 
God.  and  he  hath  wiped  away  all  tears  from  our  eyes: 
and  there  is  no  more  death,  nor  sorrows,  nor  cries,  nor 
pains,  for  the  former  things  are  passed  away "  Yile 
wretches,  though  your  everlasting  dungeon  be  situate 
within  the  verge  of  that  dunghill  you  adored' heretofore; 
yet  shall  you  never  set  your  head  withing  this  glorious 
labric,  but  shall  abide  forever,  in  utter  darkness:  ye  pos- 
ses*-ed  the  earth  for  a  moment,  and  carried  yourselves,  as 
all  had  been  yours,  bearing  dow  the  excellent  ones  of  the 
earth:  but  now  we  have  you  under  our  feet  forever  more. 
Now  it  is  manifest,  who  were  the  true  heirs  of  the  earth: 
now  it  is  clear,  who  were  really  excellent.  What  think 
ye  n  'W  f;f  your  pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season?  Have  ye 
not  buili  \our  house,  as  a  moth,  and  as  a  booth  that  the 
keeper  maketh?    As  drought  and  heat  consume  the  snow 


A    GLIMPSE    OP    GLOnV.  §5 

water;  so  hath  the  grave  coasumeJ  you.  Your  triumph- 
ing hnthbeen  .short,  and  your  joy  but  for  a  moment.— 
Though  your  excellency  might  s^em  to  mount  up  to  the 
heavens,  and  your  heads  reach  unto  the  clouds;  yei  are  you 
perished  forever,  like  your  own  dung;  you  are  fled  away, 
as  a  dream,  and  are  not  found;  all  darkness  is  hi>^  in  your 
secret  places,  a  fire  not  blown  hath  consumed  you  — *« 
I'our  strength  is  hunger  bitten,  and  de^^truction  is  ever  at 
your  side,  it  doth  devour  the  strength  of  your  skin;, 
even  the  first-born  of  death  doth  devour  your  strength: 
brimstone  is  scattered  upon  your  habitation,  your  root  is 
dried  up  beneath,  and  above  your  strength  is  cut  off:  you 
are  driven  from  light  into  darkness,  and  chased  out  of  the 
world:  for  God  is  jealous  and  revengeth,  the  Lord  re* 
vengeth,  and  is  furious,  and  will  not  at  all  acquit  the  wick- 
ed: the  mountains  quake  at  him,  and  hills  melt,  and  the 
earth  is  burnt  at  his  presence;  yea,  the  world  and  all  that 
dwelleth  therein:  with  an  overflowing  flood  doth  he  make 
an  utter  end  of  the  wicked;  and  darkness  doth  forever 
pursue  his  enemies.  The  Lord  is  good  to  all,  and  his  ten- 
der mercies  are  over  all  his  works:  he  hath  fulfilled  the 
desire  of  them  that  fear  him,  he  hath  heard  their  cry,  and 
saved  them.  All  thy  works  shall  praise  thee,  O  Lord,  an*! 
all  thy  saints  jshall  bless  thee-  Thou  hast  delivered  us 
from  our  enemies.  We  have  fled  unto  thee,  and  under 
the  shadow  of  thy  wings  we  ever  rejoice.  Thou  hast  led 
us  unto  the  lard  of  uprightness;  and  as  for  the  head  of 
those  that  compassed  us  about,  the  mischief  of  their  own 
lips  hath  covered  them;  burning  coals  have  fallen  upon 
them,  they  are  cast  into  the  fire,  into  deep  pits,  thatttiey 
rise  not  again.  But  the  righteous  give  thanks  unto  thee; 
the  upright  forever  dwell  in  thy  presence:  many  a  time 
have  the  wicked  afflicted  us  from  our  youth,  yet  have  they 
not  prevailed:  but  all  that  hated  us  are  confounded,  and 
turned  back,  and  are  as  the  grass  on  the  house  tops,  that 
withereth  before  it  be  grown  up.  When  the  wicked  did 
spring  as  the  grass,  and  all  the  workers  of  iniquity  did 
flourish,  it  was  that  they  might  be  destroyed  forever. — 
The  Lord  is  a  sun  and  shield;  he  hath  given  grace  and 
glory;  no  good  thing  hath  he  withholden  from  those  that 
walked  uprightly.  Blessed  is  the  man  that  trusted  in 
thee!  we  trusted  in  thee,  and  we  vvere  delivered,  for  thou 
hast  considered  our  trouble,  thou  hast  known  our  oul  in 
adversity,  and  hast  not  shut  us  up  into  the  hand  of  the 

H 


86  A   GLIMPSE    OF  GLORY. 

enemy:  thou  hast  set  our  feet  in  a  large  place.  We  Were 
m  trouble,  our  eyes  were  consumed  with  grief;  yea,  our^ 
soul  and  our  belly:  our  strength  failed,  because  of  our 
iniquity,  and  our  bones  were  consumed:  we  were  a  re- 
proach to  our  enemies,  a  derision  to  a  fanatic  world.  But 
we  trusted  in  thee,  O  Lord,  we  said,  Thou  art  our  God; 
and  lo,  thou  hast  dehvered  us  forever,  from  the  hand  of 
all  our  enemies;  thou  hast  made  thy  face  to  shine,  in  its 
full  splendour,  eternally  upon  us;  thou  hast  saved  us,  for 
thy  mercy's  sake.  O  how  great  is  thy  goodness,  which 
thou  hast  wrought  for*them  that  trusted  in  thee,  before 
the  sons  of  men!  0  love  the  Lord,  all  ye  his  saints;  for 
the  Lord  preserveth  the  faithful,  and  plenteously  reward- 
eth  the  proud  doer:  his  anger  endureth  but  a  moment;  in 
his  favor  is  life.  Weeping  may  endure  for  a  night,  but 
joy  cometh  in  the  morning.  Surely  goodness  and  mercy 
shall  follow  us,  all  the  days  of  our  hfe,  and  we  will  dwell 
in  the  house  of  the  Lord  forever. 

45.  Jill  the  attributes  of  Jehovah^  especially  his  justice 
and  sovereignty,  are  seen  evidently  in  the  damnation  of  the 
wicked. 

All  joys!  how  doth  the  glory  of  mercy  and  spotless  jus- 
tice shine  forth  before  the  eyes  of  all?  within  the  limits 
of  time,  some  small  forerunners  there  were,  of  what  we 
now  most  evidently  behold.  How  didst  thou  drown  al- 
most a  whole  generation,  for  their  iniquity?  How  didst 
thou  make  thine  earth  to  devour  and  swallow  up  thy  re- 
bellious blasphemers?  Yea,  in  all  ages  thou  broughtest 
down  signal  strokes  of  fhy  displeasure  on  a  vile  world; 
burning  up  their  cities,  destroying  their  fields,  and  mak- 
ing their  cursed  carcasses  to  be  like  dung  upon  the  earth: 
so  that  thy  most  impious  enemies  could  not  but  say,  Verily 
there  is  a  God  that  judgeth  in  the  earth  And  every 
stroke  of  thy  vengeance  was  mercy  to  thy  chosen;  for, 
how  often  hast  thou  compelled  thy  sworn  enemies  to  come 
bending  unto  thy  people?  Such  were  small  skirmishes, 
and  partial  victories  over  parties  of  thy  foes.  Since  earth, 
by  thine  appointment,  was  the  place  where  every  one  was 
to  act  their  part,  in  order  to  eternity;  and  the  wicked  to 
fill  up  their  cup  of  wrath  against  this  eternal  day  of 
wrath;  is  not  hell  a  part  of  our  heaven?  is  not  the  display- 
ing of  the  banner  of  justice,  matter  of  eternal  exaltation? 
By  the  horrid  rebellion  of  wicked  men  and  devils,  thou 
appeared  to  be  robbed  of  that  honor  and  glory,  due  to 


A     GLIMPSE    OP    GLORY.  87 

thee,  from  all  thy  creatures.  How  dolh  thy  excellency 
forever  break  out  from  under  the  clouds,  that  seemed  to 
darken  it  heretofore?  Thy  vile  enemies,  through  thy 
long  suffering,  did  pass  on  in  their  rebellion,  some  time 
unpunished:  nay,  in  their  ab<  minable  ways,  throus;h  thy 
wonderful  providence,  they  prospered,  they  lived,  they 
became  old;  yea,  were  mighty  in  power:  Their  seed 
was  established  in  their  sight,  and  their  offspring  before 
their  eyes:  their  houses  were  safe  from  fear,  neither  was 
the  rod  of  God  upon  them;  they  spent  their  days  in 
wealth,  and  in  a  moment  went  down  to  the  grave.  Yea, 
one  event  happened  to  all:  he  destroyed  the  perfect  and 
the  wicked;  when  the  scourge  slew  suddenly,  he  did 
laugh  at  the  trial  of  the  innocent.  In  the  place  of  judg- 
ment wickedness  dwelt:  yea,  there  were  just  men,  to 
\Nhom  it  happened  according  to  the  work  of  the  wicked; 
again.  There  were  wicked  men,  unto  whom  it  happen- 
ed according  to  the  work  of  the  righteous.  No  man 
knew  either  love,  or  hatred,  by  all  that  was  before  him. 
The  wicked  were  buried,  who  had  come  and  gone  Irom 
the  place  of  the  holy.  O  golden  year  of  jubillee!  where- 
in every  thing  is  reduced  to  its  proper  order;  every  man 
rewarded  according  to  his  work;  the  most  hidden  things 
of  darkness  are  laid  open:  the  innocency  of  the  righteous, 
and  the  perverseness  of  the  w-ickcd,  are  laid  open,  before 
all.  All  things  are  in  a  right  order  now.  No  more  to  be 
seen  exalted  folly,  or  debased  wisdom:  the  histrioanic 
fancies  of  riches,  and  titular  honors,  are  quite  done  away; 
fools  shall  no  more  rule  over  the  wise.  Heroic  spirits 
eternally  the  state  of  princes;  and  slavish  spirits  are  bound 
in  everlasting  chains  of  darkness.  How  doth  the  equity 
of  thy  proceedings  appear?  O  righteous  God!  what 
though  monstrous  reprobates  roar  out  their  horrid  blasphe- 
mies against  thy  spotless?  Thou  art  of  purer  eyes,  than 
to  bel^old  iniquity;  and  wilt  not  at  all  acquit  the  guilty  — 
What  joy!  to  behold  truth  vindicated  from  all  the  horrid 
aspersions  of  hellish  monsters.  I  am  overjoyed,  in  hear- 
ing the  everlasting  bowlings  of  the  haters  of  the  Almigh- 
ty; what  a  pleasant  melody  are  they  in  mine  ears?  O 
eternal  hallelujahs  to  Jehovah  and  the  Lamb!  0  sweet, 
sweet!  my  heart  is  satisfied.  We  committed  our  cause  to 
thee,  thatjudgeth  righteously;  and  behold,  thou  hast  fully 
pleaded  our  cause;  and  shalt  make  the  smoke  of  their 
torment  forever  and  ever  to  ascend  in  our  sight:     "For 


8d  A   GLIMPSE    OF    &J.ORYr 

righteous  art  thou,  0  Lord,  and  just  in  all  thy  ways." — • 
Cursed  creatures,  your  consciences  tell  you  the  equity  of 
Jehovah's  ways.  Are  you  not  the  creatures  that  banish- 
ed God  out  of  your  thoughts?  and  it  is  most  equal  you  are 
banished  eternally  from  the  presence  of  God,  and  the 
glorj  of  his  power;  being  given  up  to  a  reprobate  mmd, 
hardened  against  your  great  Former  and  Preserver:  are 
you  not  all  most  worthy  of  divine  vengeance,  who  hate 
your  Creator,  and  preferred  youF  base  selves  before  him*, 
who  in  the  midst  of  his  bounty,  when  he  gave  you  aboun- 
dance  of  created  enjoyments,  contemned  and  abhorred 
bim^  who  are  so  desperately  mad  against  that  infinite  ori- 
ginal of  all  goodness,  that  though  he  should  remove  from 
^you  his  just  punishments,  and  restore  unto  you  your 
former  enjoyments;  yet  should  you  stand  out  ungratefully 
•against  him?  0  horrid  monstrosity!  that  which  might  be 
Ifuown  of  God  was  manifested  unto  you;  For  the  invisi- 
ble things  of  him  from  the  creation  of  the  world  were 
clearly  seen,  being  understood  by  the  things  which  were 
;made  even  his  eternal  power  and  God-head:  so  that  you 
were  without  excuse;  because  that  when  you  knew  God^ 
you  glorified  him  not  as  God,  neither  were  thankful;  but 
uecame  vain  in  your  imaginations,  and  you*  foolish  heart 
Avas  darkned;  professing  yourselves  wise,  ye  became  fools, 
and  worsbinpedj  scvveu  and  ioVGd  the  Cl'^atui'e,  more  than 
tii6  Creator,  who  is  God  blessed  forevermore.  Even 
your  own  selves  being  judges,  vile  wretches,  is  not  your 
lot  suitable  to  your  abominable  nature,  which  showed  its- 
self,  in  your  way  of  walking  in  time  ?  The  characters  of  a 
Deity  were  so  written  on  your  hearts,  as  it  was  impossible 
to  cancel  them;  yet  ye  sacrilegiously  strove  to  eradicate 
such  noble  draughts,  written  by  the  finger  of  God:  and 
banished  from  your  minds  the  thoughts  of  his  mercies,  or 
judgments:  self,  and  only  self  was  the  ultimate  centre  of 
all  your  designs  and  projects:  whence  you  preferred  the 
enjoyment  of  creatures,  before  that  of  the  all  sufficient 
Creator;  esteeming  it  a  more  desirable  lot,  to  live  eter- 
nally in  the  midst  of  eathly  riches,  honors,  and  pleasures, 
than  in  an  immediate  fellowship  with  God. 

And  is  it  not  most  just  he  remove  these  enjoyments 
you  basely  placed  in   his  room?     Your  own   glory  was 
more  designed  by  you  than  his;  and   should  not  he  con- 
found, and  put  to  shame  the  nothing  beings  you  adored, 
and  set  above  him?    What  should  he  otherwise  do  unto 


.     A    GLIMPSE    OF   GLORY.  Sii 

you,  -monstrous  wretches!  Should  he  restore  the  enjoy- 
ments you  used  against  him?  Should  he  cut  you  ofi'  o 
notiiing,  who  have  desired  to  be  his  eternal  enemies,  and 
would  have  essential  eternity  destroyed?  Did  you  not 
care  to  see  his  cause  and  people  debased?  and  is  it  not 
most  just  you  should  be  spectacles  of  shame  and  vileness, 
throughout  eternity?  Would  you  be  above  the  Mcst 
High?  and  should  ye  not  lie  under  his  feet,  while  his  glo- 
ry remains?  Are  you  stated  enemies  against  him?'  and 
may  not  your  adversary  use  his  power  against  you,  and 
tread  you  under  his  feet  ,  as  you  would  do  to  him,  if  your 
power  did  answer  your  monstrous,  abominable  will?  Do 
you  curse  him,  and  want  a  relenting  heart  to  acknowledge 
your  madness?  and  are  so  dreadfully  hardened  against 
him,  that  ye  would  despise  and  blaspheme  mercy,  evea 
mercy  offered  unto  you?  and  is  it  not  most  just  yt/u  con- 
tinue forever,  in  that  most  terrible  condition?  No  won- 
de?"  your  consciences  gnaw  you  so  fearliill}  ;  you  cannot 
but  be  dreadfully  affrighted  at  your  monstrous  selves; 
God  in  his  equity  having  so  wonderfully  sharpened  your 
faculties,  as  that  you  are  able  to  underst-nnd  your  own 
wickedness  most  clearly  and  fully.  Youv  wickedness^ 
in  time,  was  in  its  bud,  now  it  is  at  its  heigth;  the  smell  of 
hell  was  upon  you  even  then,  but  now  you  are  so  many 
black  lumps  of  death  and  hell-  cas<^  into  the  lake  of  fi'^^e. 
You  were  not  afraid  fo  speak  irreverently  o;  him;  now  you 
directly  (0  monstrous  madness!)  curse  him  to  his  .ery 
face.  The  sentence  is  now  fully  accomphshed,  •■'  To 
him  that  hath  shall  be  given-  and  from  him  that  hath  not, 
sha;l  be  taken  away,  even  that  which  he  hath."  Did  you 
hate  the  lovely  image  of  God?  and  is  it  not  most  just, 
the  remainders  thereof,  you  had  on  earth,  be  quite  abol- 
ished? Some  loveliness,  some  excellency  you  were  en- 
dowed with,  through  the  Creator's  bounty:  now  you  are 
stript  of  all,  aiid  are  nothi.ig  but  vile  lumps  of  deformity. 
Your  torments  on  earth  might  have  raised  compassion  in 
the  hearts  of  feUow  creatures,  but  now  your  malice  and 
deformity  is  so  monstrous,  as  you  cannot  became  objects 
of  compassion:  no.  tlie  beholding  of  the  smoke  of  your 
torment  is  a  passing  delectation.  O  my  God,  thou  art  ho- 
ly in  all  thy  ways,  and  righteous  in  all  thy  works:  thou  art 
not  the  cause  of  their  evertasting  ruin,  though  they  blas- 
phemously 'ather  it  uijofi  thee.  Cursed  wretches,  vvho 
hath  turned  your  hearts  against   God.^  hath  he   turned 

H    SI 


so  A    GLIMPSE    OP    GLORIV 

Ihem  agajnst  himself?  This  is  repujrnant.  Or,  was  he 
obliged  to  hinder  your  rebellion,  or  to  turn  your  minds  a- 
gain  towards  him,  when  you  sought  against  him  with  all 
your  strength,  soul,  and  mind? 

46.      Sovereignity  the  first  mover  of  all  things. 

How  gloriously  doth  thine  absolute  sovereignity  shine 
forth  in  all  thy  ways?  "  Thou  art  worthy,  0  Lord,  to  re- 
receive  glory,  and  honor,  and  power;  for  thou  hastcrea«r 
ted  all  things,  and  for  thy  pleasure  they  are  and  were 
created."  Because  so  it  pleased  thee,  will  abundantly 
answer  all  questions  concerning  thy  proceedings.  Why 
are  we  here,  such   and  such   by   name?     Because   so   it 

E leased  thee.  We  that  are  praising  thee,  might  have 
een  thine  "eternal  blasphemers;  and  those  who  are  curs- 
ing thee,  might  have  been  thine  eternal  praisers:  but  ab- 
solute sovereignty  would  have  it  otherwise.  That  all 
things  are  thus,  is  because  of  thy  free  will:  these  creatures 
might  have  been  in  another  state;  or  othersMn  their  room, 
or  none  at  all;  if  so  it  had  pleased  thee.  All  the  external 
lots,  in  time,  the  most  contirgent  things,  were  eternal 
draughts  of  absolute  sovereignty  Is  not  the  eternal  re- 
sound of  our  endless  songs,  JNot  unto  us,  not  unto  us,  but 
unto  thee,  O  absolute  Sovereign  of  all  things,  be  the  glo- 
ry forever?  Wicked  men  and  devils  have  mightily  endea- 
voured to  obscure  the  glory  of  thy  absolute  sovereignity, 
by  ascribing  undetermined  and  absolute  sc  vereignty,  to 
intellectual  agents,  over  their  actions:  stupid  madness! 
are  not  all  things  at  thy  beck?  Whatever  pleased  thee, 
hast  thou  done,  in  heaven  and  on  earth:  the  hearts  of 
men  are  in  thine  hands,  as  the  rivers  of  waters,  thou  turn- 
est  them  withersoever  thou  wilt.  Thou  removest  the 
mountains,  and  they  know  it  not;  thou  overturnest  them 
in  thine  anger;  thou  takest  away  the  heart  of  the  chief  of 
the  people  of  the  earth;  they  groupe  in  the  dark  without 
light.  Though  thou  art  not  the  cause  of  such  a  monster 
assin;^etsin  could  never  have  entered  within  thy  crea- 
tion, without  thy  infinite  counsel;  its  existency,  or  not  ex- 
tency,  was  at  thy  disposing;  for  thou  wilt  have  mercy  on 
"whom  thou  wilt  have  mercy;  and  whom  thou  wilt  thou 
hardeneth  Hast  thou  Jiot  power  over  the  same  lump, 
O  great  Potter,  to  make  of  it  any  vessel  thou  pleaiest,  ei- 
Ihef  ef  honor,  or  dishonor?  Mayst  thou  not  do,  in  thine 
ow^n  things  what  thou  wih?  Blasphemous  miscreants, 
your  blasphemies  redound  to  his  glory ;  for  this  n•er^'  you 
treated,  that  his  absolute  soyereignty  might  be  cleaily 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  91 

luanifestetl  over  you,  the  vessels  of  wrath,  fitteu  to  des- 
truction: and  that  sovereignty  is  cast  in  justice's  mould;  so 
that  ye  most  deservedly  undergo  eternal  wrath:  he  shall 
have  eternal  glory  over  you.  O  haters  of  his  glory!  these 
beings  of  yours  are  so  many  ever-standing  mon\iments  of 
his  ravishing  perfections.  O  the  depths  of  the  riches,  both 
of  thy  wisdom  and  knowledge!  how  unsearchable  are  thy 
judgments,  and  thy  ways  past  finding  out?  For  who 
hath  known  thy  mind?  or  who  hath  been  thy  counsellor? 
For  of  thee,  and  through  thee,  and  to  thee  are  all  things- 
Here  is  my  heart  satisfied,  since  the  disputers  of  thy 
ways  are  eternally  confounded.  Roar  out  now  your  blas- 
phemies, vile  creatures;  you  are  indeed  in  your  enemie's 
hand,  divine  justice  hath  overtaken  you:  every  billow  of 
vengeance  that  runs  over  soul  and  body,  might  dash  to 
nothing  ten  thousand  worlds.  But  he  holds  you  up  with 
one  hand,  and  dashes  on  with  the  other;  strong  influences, 
for  sustaining  a  being,  are  ever  showered  down  upon  you. 
Why  strive  you  against  him,  silly  bits  of  nothings?  For 
he  gives  not  account  of  any  of  his  matters:  far  be  it  from 
him,  that  he  should  do  wickedly;  for  the  work  of  a  man 
is  rewarded  unto  him.  For  he  layeth  not  upon  man  more 
than  right,  that  he  should  enter  into  judgment  with  him. 
Can  a  creature  be  more  just  than  God?  can  a  creature  be 
more  pure  than  his  Maker?  Behold,  he  putteth  no  trust 
in  his  servants,  and  his  angels  he  chargeth  with  folly:  be- 
hold, he  taketh  away,  and  none  can  binder.  Who  may 
say  unto  him.  What  dost  thou ''  Can  we  by  searching  find 
out  him?  Can  we  find  out  the  Almighty  unto  perfection? 
Shall  creatures  shape  thee  out,  according  to  their 
infinite  conceptions?  shall  they  think  to  comprehend  thy 
ways?  art  thou  not  altogether  wonderful  in  thy  working, 
O  Infinite'*  What  comprehendeth  infinite  excellency,  ex- 
cept an  infinite  understanding?  Shall  we  not  be  ever 
diving  further  and  further,  and  ever  a  beginning  to  dive? 
Wert  thou,  and  thy  goings  out  from  eternity,  comprehen- 
sible by  us,  then  wert  thou  not  God,  the  infinite  Jehovah; 
thou  dweUeth  in  light,  which  no  man  can  approach  unto*, 
thou  art  he,  whom  no  man  hath  seen,  or  can  see  Can  we 
stoop  low  enough  before  thy  throne?  What  are  beings  of 
yesterday  to  thee?  what  are  never  so  many  worlds  before 
thee?  Shall  empty  nothings  quarrel  at  what  they  cannot 
comprehend?  Thy  thoughts  are  not  as  our  thoughts,  nei- 
ther are  thy  ways  as  our  ways  Who  hath  directed  thy 
Spirit,  or  being  thy  counsellorj  hath  taught  thee?    Who 


92  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

instructed  thee,  and  taught  thee  in  the  path  of  judgment: 
Behold,  all  creatures  are  before  thee  as  nothing,  less  than 
nothing:,  and  vanity.  O  boundless  ocean  of  all  perfec- 
tions! we  are  forever  swallowed  up  in  thy  infinite  f  .ilness. 
O  superabundancy  of  all  happiness  and  joys!  O  more 
than  perfect  satisfaction,  in  the  full  accomplishment  of  all 
desires!  O  more  than  sweetness,  surpassing  all  sweetness! 
O  heaven!  O  glory!  how  massy,  solid,  real,  substantial, 
and  enduring  art  thou;  O  only  life!  O  marrow,  flower  and 
vigour  of  all  lives!  O  life  of  beholdins;,  praising,  rejoicing, 
wondering!  0  life  of  ravishments!  Olife  of  living'  O  life 
of  lives? 

47.  A  world  of  free  redeeming  grace,  the  most  excellent 
ivoi'ld  possible. 

What  speak  we,  men  and  angels,  of  the  limits  of  di- 
vine power?  what  talk  we  of  his  manifesting  his  excellen- 
cy in  one,  or  manya  or  innumerable  worlds?  Is  it  not 
manifested  to  the  uttermost?  The  production  of  never 
S!«  many  armies  of  creatures  can  add  nothing  thereto, 
sincfe  the  manifestation  of  God  in  the  flesh  is  the  princi- 
pal design  of  eternity;  and  all  other  manifestations  are  in 
order  to  this.  Thre  stands  one  among  us  all,  who  is  the 
fivst-born  of  every  creature  existent,  or  possible;  here  is 
the  man,  in  whom  is  vissibly  to  be  seen,  such  glory,  ma- 
jesty, iovilirtess,  sweetness  compassion,  mercy,  justice, 
wisdom,  and  all  treasures  of  overflowing  fulness  of  ex- 
cellency, in  such  an  incomprehensible,  transcendent,  emi- 
nent and  superabundant  manner,  as  all  the  behoMers  are 
overwhelmed  in  a  sea  of  delightsome  ravishments  forever 
more  Couldst  thou,  O  my  God,  manifest  thyself  more 
clearly,  familiarly,  sweetly,  condescendingly?  Away  with 
other  worlds,  though  they  were;  this  is  the  only  one,  since 
my  all  lovely,  Well-beloved  dwells  here.  Thy  beafuty, 
my  fair  Oie  darts  round  about  thee,  and  fills  this  world 
with  passing  glory,  yea,  were  this  world  myriads  of  my- 
riads of  stages,  ai  d  never  so  many  times  greater  than  it  is, 
one  ray  of  thy  countenace,  o^ie  glance  of  thine  eye  would 
enlighten,  and  adorn  it  all.  What  though  we  could  view 
and  comprehend  at  once  thousands  of  thousands  of  crea- 
ted paradises  of  beauty;  one  sight  of  God- like  visage 
would  swallow  up  all.  Angels  had  you  such  a  sweet 
manifestation  of  divine  beauty  in  the  beginning,  as  now? 
Is  not  our  heaven  now  two  heavens?  since  the  essential 
image  of  God  standeth  here;  cloathed  with  the  human  na- 


A   GLIMPSE    OF    GLORy.  ^ 

ture,  as  our  everlasting  King,  Priest  and  Prophet,  the 
great  Lord  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant  the  boundless 
treasure  of  all  fulness,  out  of  which  we  shall  be  filled  and 
satiate  forever  more.  Are  we  not,  as  it  were,  constrain- 
ed betwixt  standing  aback,  and  drawing  near?  Those 
who  behold  thee,  what  can  they  think  of  themselves? 
Yet,  who  can  see,  and  take  rest  until  they  be  folded  in 
thy  ravishing  embraces?  Verily  thou  art  both  the  shame 
and  glory  of  creatures;  created  excellency  is  exalted  in 
thee,  to  the  highest  pitch;  and  all  created  excellency  is 
beautified  and  obscured  before  thee.  This  is  the  man, 
men  and  angels,  by  whom  all  things  in  heaven  and  earth 
do  flourish  and  bloom:  this  is  the  Tree  of  life,  the  great 
Vine  of  glory,  into  which  we  are  all  ingrafted,  as  so  many 
boughs  and  twigs;  all  the  glory  of  his  Father's  house 
hangs  upon  him;  the  offspring  and  the  issue,  as  so  many 
chips  and  pieces,  darting  out  from  him.  This  is  he,  in 
whom  we  have  been  ordained  to  this  blessedness  from  e- 
ternity:  this  is  he,  who  was  promised  to  the  people,  under 
the  first  dispensation  of  the  gospel,  who  was  held  forth  by 
types  and  shadows  unto  them.  This  is  he,  by  whom  the 
carnal  and  beggarly  elements  of  the  world  were  destroy- 
ed; the  clear,  evident  gospel-despensation  was  brought  in; 
the  hand  wrighting  of  the  law  cancelled;  the  vail  betwixt 
Jew  and  Gentile  was  rent  asunder;  the  nations  were  in- 
grafted into  the  old  stock  of  the  peculiar  people;  the  ab- 
struse secrets  of  eternity  were  opened;  the  kingdoms 
were  shaken,  the  princes  of  the  earth  were  set  up,  and 
pulled  down;  the  church  was  preserved,  and  flourished,  in 
despite  of  all  the  world,  This  is  the  Man,  who  wounded 
the  heads  over  many  countries;  who  trode  the  wine-press 
alone,  and  trampled  the  people  in  his  fury,  until  alibis  rai- 
ment was  stained  with  blood  This  is  he,  whose  name  is 
called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the  almighty  God,  the  ever- 
lasting Father,  the  Prince  of  peace:  of  the  increase  of 
his  government  and  peace  there  is  no  end.  This  is  the 
Stone  cut  out  without  hands,  which  smote  all  the  power, 
strength  and  might  of  kingdoms,  nations  and  languages: 
and  lo,  all  principalities,  and  thrones,  and  powers,  and  do- 
minions are  broken  to  pieces  together,  and  become  like 
the  chaff"  of  the  summer  threshing-floop,  that  the  wind 
hath  carried  away  And  behold,  this  Stone,  which  hath 
smitten  to  nothing  all  transitory  glory,  is  become  exceeding 
great,  and  filleth  all  in  all     This  is  he,   whom   nothing 


9\ 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 


could  overcome;  he  entered  the  lists  with  death  and  hell, 
and  gave  them  an  eternal  foil:  so  that  they  lie  under  his 
feet,  and  the  feet  of  his  chossen,  forever  and  ever  — 
Could  ten  thousand  deaths  overcome  him?  Were  not 
devils  and  wicked  men  fools,  that  imagined  to  bind  him 
with  any  ties?  What  would  chains  greater  than  many 
worlds?  what  would  infinite  numbers  of  mountains  of 
brass, be  to  hold  him  down  that  he  rise  not  again?  How 
did  this  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  rouse  himself  from 
the  sleep  of  death,  like  a  mighty  man  after  wine;  and 
made  heaven  and  earth,  and  all  to  quake?  Who  but  the 
Standard-tearer  among  ten  thousand?  who  but  the  Prince 
of  the  kings  of  the  earth?  who  but  the  mighty  Captain  of 
the  Lord's  hosts,  could  have  done  so  valiantly?  Thou 
only  hast  done  heroically,  0  Well- beloved  You  little 
heroes  of  time,  your  magnanimity,  and  heroic  acts  evan- 
ish here:  even  though  you  had  done  all  you  did,  in  your 
own  strength,  and  not  by  his:  what  though  you  subdued 
kingdoms,  wrought  righteousness,  stopped  the  mouths  of 
lions,  quenched  the  violence  of  fire,  through  weakness 
became  strong,  put  to  flight  the  armies  of  the  aliens?  All 
these  were  done  through  faith  in  him-  Yet  what  have  ye 
done?  Could  you  have  trode  the  wine  pi  ess  alone,  and 
drunk  the  cup  of  wrath  of  the  Almighty,  from  brim  to  bot- 
tom? Could  you  have  stood  in  the  gap,  when  infinite, 
eternal  vengeance,  like  a  mighty  flood,  was  rushing  in 
upon  rebelhous  mankind?  Who  else  could  have  turned 
back  the  mighty  current  of  such  floods  of  wrath,  and  pa- 
cified offended  Majesty,  bringing  rebels  to  stoop,  and  be 
received  into  mercy  and  favour  again?  Who  other  could 
have  given  hell  such  a  blow,  as  it  shall  never  be  able  to 
rise;  and  raised  men  and  angels  to  such  a  pitch,  as  that 
they  shall  never  fall?  Who  other  could  have  led  captivity 
captive,  and  purchased  gifts  for  men,  even  for  the  rebelli- 
ous? Who  other  could  have  opened  the  gates  of  this 
celestial  paradise,  shut  up  base,  ungrate  man;  and  exalt- 
ed him,  by  thousands  of  stages,  to  more  glory  and  excel- 
lency, than  he  fell  from?  Thou  art  all  in  all  thou  art  mar- 
rowless,  O  Well-beloved!  no  more  comparisoris  betwixt 
thee  and  creatures.  Hide  yourselves,  and  be  confound- 
ed, all  lower  excellencies:  be  ye  silent,  all  creatures,  when 
he  begins  to  speak;  cover  your  faces,  all  you  little  glories 
and  beauties,  when  he  d'  th  show  his  face:  you  are  noth- 
ing, you  are  vanity  compared  to  him:  he  is  all  things.— 


A    GLIMPSE    OJP    GLOI^Y.  ^ 

Verily,  in  him  dwells  all  fulness.  Thou  art  not,  0  hea- 
ven of  heavens,  worthy  to  be  a  footstool  for  his  glorious 
feet.  Infinite  worlds,  erected  above  one  another,  were 
low  for  hira  to  tread  upon.  What  are  you,  men  and  an- 
gels, that  you  should  thus  stand  beside  him?  that  you 
should  set  your  head  within  that  world  he  is  pleased  to 
dwell  in?  Did  he  not  wonderfully  condescend,  you  might 
run  out  without  the  very  creation?  What  is  our  strength 
and  beauty?  on  whose  legs  do  we  stand?  are  we  able,  foi' 
one  moment,  to  persevere  in  our  integrity  without  him? 
should  we  not  all  become  deformed,  and  fall  a  sinning, 
did  he  draw  into  himself  what  he  darts  forth?  How  is 
this  paradise  of  God  planted  with  goodly  trees,  blossom- 
ing and  flourishing  with  an  eternal  verdure?  But  did 
they  not  receive  sap  and  life,  and  all  from  this  golden 
branch  of  the  stem  of  Jesse,  how  in  a  moment  should 
their  golden  blossoms  wither,  their  fruit  fall  off,  their  leaves 
decay,  and  their  root  dry  up?  It  is  ten  heavens  of  joy, 
O  Well-beloved,  to  know  that  thy  love  is  unchangeable, 
anu  that  these  that  are  united  to  thee  by  faith  in  time, 
and  immediate  beholding  in  eternity,  shall  never  be  dis- 
joined from  thee,  but  shall  ever  remain  close  locked  in 
the  arms  of  eternal  love.  What  are  your  thoughts,  O  ye 
ransomed  ones,  of  this  astonishing  dispensation?  what  an 
inconceivable  transportation  is  this,  that  any  of  the  cursed 
stock  of  mankind  should  be  adopted  co-heirs  with  the  es- 
sential Heir  of  all  things!  Of  him  are  we  in  Christ  Jesus, 
who  of  God  is  made  unto  us  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanc- 
tification,  redemption,  and  all.  Thousand  times  blessed 
counsel  of  eternity!  that  chose  us  m  him  before  the  foun- 
dation of  the  world:  having  predestinated  us  unto  the 
adoption  of  children  by  Jesus  Christ  unto  himself,  accord- 
ing to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will,  to  the  praise  of  the 
glory  of  his  grace;  wherein  he  hath  made  us  accepted  in 
the  beloved  having  made  known  unto  us  the  mystery  of 
his  will,  according  to  his  good  pleasui^e,  which  he  had  pur- 
posed in  himself i  that  in  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of 
time,  he  might  gather  togather  in  one  all  things  in  Christ, 
both  which  are  in  heaven,  and  which  are  on  earth.  It 
was  not  thy  purpose,  dread  Sovereign,  that  any  should 
inherit  glory,  through  their  own  obedience:  a  w^orld  of 
working  was  but  for  a  time,  that  this  of  altogether  f;  ee 
grace  might  shine  forth  more  gloriously  Free  grace's 
bannei'  is  the  only  pavilion  we  should  forever  abide  un- 


-96  A   OLIMrSE   OP    GLORV* 

der  How  greatly  did  the  divil  befool  himself,  In  eBSea:* 
vouring  to  obscure  the  glory  of  his  Maker,  by  the  rebel- 
lion of  man?  was  he  not  herein  an  instrument  in  the  liand 
of  the  great  Sovereign,  whereby  he  made  way  lor  his 
chief  and  only  purpose?  what  should  our  blessedness  have 
been,  to  what  now  it  is,  if  we  had  wanted  thee,  O  Em- 
manuel, the  man  of  God's  right  hand,  the  very  breath  of 
our  nostrils?  our  eternal  songs  should  not  have  been  so 
melodious;  the  praises  of  free  redeeming  grace  should 
noi  have  been  heard  here:  glory  to  the  Lamb  that  was 
slain,  and  lives  forever,  should  never  have  been  sung.  No 
worlds  to  this  world!  no  happiness  to  this  happiness!  this 
is  the  flower  and  top  of  all  possible  dispensations!  here  is 
a  confluence  of  innumerable  providerces,  that  shall  ne- 
ver be  comprehended.  Many,  O  Lord  my  God,  are  thy 
wonderful  works,  which  thou  hast  done;  and  thy  thoughts, 
which  are  to  us  ward,  they  cannot  be  reckoned  up  in  or- 
der to  thee.  How  evidently  do  I  now  see,  that  thy  love 
passeth  ull  understanding;  that  thy  \vays  are  innumerable; 
and  thy  thoughts  unsearchable?  My  eyes  are  eternally 
fixed  upon  thee,  0  flower  of  all  beauty  and  loveliness; 
thou  art  the  centre  whereto  all  desirableness  and  excels 
lency  betakes  itself:  in  beholding  thee,  I  behold  all  things. 
Art  thou  not  love,  discovered  to  the  full?  mercy  manifest- 
ed in  its  highest  perfection?  judgment  and  righteousness 
vissibly  in  its  full  splendour?  What  have  we,  which  is  not 
in  thee?  and  what  can  creatures  want  which  is  not  in  thee  ? 
Shall  we  not,  O  enjoyers,  be  satiate,  beautified,  ravished, 
blessed,  forever  more,  with  that  infinite  fulness  of  all  ex- 
cellency which  dwells  in  him?  We  behold  to  the  full,  thy 
glory,  as  the  glory  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  the  Father, 
full  of  grace  and  truth;  and  of  thy  fulness  have  we  all  re- 
ceived, and  grace  for  grace.  We  have  received  thy  tes- 
timony, have  set  to  our  seals  that  God  is  true;  that  thou 
whom  he  sent  into  the  world,  speakest  the  things  of  God: 
for  he  giveth  not  the  Spirit  by  measure  unto  thee.  0  how 
great  is  the  mystery  of  godliness!  God  manifested  in  the 
flesh,  justified  in  the  Spirit,  seen  of  angels,  preached  un- 
to the  Gentiles,  believed  on  in  the  world,  received  up  into 
glory.  If  this  was  wonderful  in  time,  is  it  not  ten  thou- 
sand times  more  now,  when  the  bright  day  of  eternity 
hath  broken  up?  If  a  sight  of  this,  by  faith,  was  ravish- 
ing, am  I  not  now  passed  all  the  limits  of  such  motions? 
O  this  frame!  0  glory,  glory!  thou  art  massy  indeed? 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  9i 

-4"S  The  worJc  of  salvation^  a  never  enough  admired 
f^raught;  and  all  drawn  through  tke  channel  of  exigencies. 

Immortality,  gloiy,  praise,  and  dominion  to  the  Highest, 
that  ever  it  pleased  him,  thus  to  communicate  himself  to 
men  and  angeisj  that  ever  he  proposed  in  himself  to  give 
unto  us  the  eternal  Son  of  his  delight?^,  as  our  everlasting 
Days  man,  Redeemer,  Husband,  Head,  Lord,  and  all 
thing?.  To  have  enjoyed  thee,  according  to  the  first  dis- 
pensation, had  been  uspeakable  happiness;  but  to  be  cho- 
sen in  Christ,  is  overflowing  happiness!  O!  were  we  pre- 
destinate to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of  thy  Son,  which, 
in  time,  was  begun,  and  now  is  perfected?  Any  tincture 
of  thee,  O  Weli-beh  ved,  any  perfume  of  by  garments,  is 
passing  glorious  and  excellent  O  then,  thousand  times 
blessed  I!  who  am  clothed  with  the  robes  of  thy  righteous- 
ness, the  garments  of  thy  beauty;  who  am  satiate  with 
thy  likeness,  filled  with  thy  sweetness,  adorned  with  thy 
loveliness,  decked  with  thy  ravishing  graces.  I  am  like 
Ihee!  I  am  like  thee!  here  is  all  my  happiness.  This,  thy 
ravishing  image,  was  begun  in  me,  in  time;  and  now  thou 
has't  brought  it  to  the  high  bloom  and  perfection  What 
■passing  joys!  to  think  how  thou  hast  made  me  grow  up, 
from  my  childhood,  to  this  manly  constitution?  how  hast 
thou  been  making  me  grow  up,  until  thou  transplantedst 
me  fromthv  lower  garden  of  grace,  to  thy  higher  paradise 
of  glory!  Once  I  was  a  small  shrub,  s(*arce  discernible 
from  the  base  throrns  and  briar>  that  overgrew  the  earth: 
but  now  I  am,  through  thy  infinite  excellency,  a  mighty 
and  flourishing  cedar  in  this  higher  Lebanon.  Strange! 
bow  thou  hast  brought  me  to  this  glorious  condition;  and 
still  from  lesser  to  greater,  until  I  have  arrived  at  perfec- 
tion. Is  it  not  most  evident,  that  the  path  of  the  just  is  as 
the  shining  lis;ht,  that  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  per- 
fect day?  Though  our  beginning  was  small,  yet  our  lat- 
ter end  is  greatly  increased;  our  beginning  was  full  of  ig- 
norance and  infirmity;  now  our  age  is  clearer  than  the 
noon-day.  We  shine  forth  as  the  morning;  thou  hast 
brought  forth  our  righteousness  as  the  light,  and  our  judg- 
ment  as  the  noon-day.  And  thus  hath  been  thy  way  in 
all  thy  proceedings.  How  «mr»ll  was  thy  church  in  the  be- 
ginning? how  few  in  number  among  the  numerous  mulli- 
tude  of  mankind?  Yet,  how  didst  thou  increase  and  mul- 
tiply lier,  as  the  sand  in  the  sea-shore,  in  despite  of  devils 
aad  wicked  men?    And  appearedst  thou  not,  O  W^il-bs- 


98  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORV.' 

loved,  as  a  small  stone   cut  out  without  hands?  and  yet 
hast  become  great,  and   filled  all.     Thou  showedst  thj- 
seif,  ut  thy  first  manifestation  in  the  flesh,  unto  the  s<ms  of 
men,  in  the  iorm  of  a  servant;  so   that   thou  wast  ot  no 
reputation  in  the  eyes  of  a  stupid  world,  who  are  only  af- 
fected with  external  shows:  how  didst  thou  make  thy  gos- 
pel to  go  through  the  world,  without  any  earthly  pomp  or 
observation?  so  that  the  wise  men  of  the  world,  for  a  long 
time,  did  little  notice  it;  yet  did  thy  name  break  forth  be- 
fore all  nations;  the  whole  world  spake  of  thy  glory.     It 
had  been  a  light  thing,  ihat  thou  shouldst  only  have  rais- 
ed up  the  tribes  of  Jacob:  but  thy  God  did  also  give  thee 
for  a  light  unto  the  Gentiles,  that  thou  mighiest  be  his  sal- 
vation unto  the  ends  of  the  earth.     When  darkness  did 
cover  the  earth,  and  gross  darkness  the  people,  thou   til- 
ledst  them  with   thy  glory,  and  madest  the  place  of  ihy 
feet  glorious;  for  the  Lord  sent  the  rod   of  thy  strength 
out  of  Zion,  and  caused  thee  rule  in  the  midst  of  thine 
enemies;  and  made  thy  people  willing  in  the  day  of  thy 
power;  and  at  thy  right   hand  did  strike  through  kings  in 
the  day  of  his  wrath;  thou  judgedst  among  the  Heathen; 
thou  filledst  the  places  with  the  dead  bodies;  thou  wound- 
edst  the  heads  over  many  countries.     How  vain  hath  the 
judgment  of  worldings  proven,  who  despised  the  seeds  of 
glory,  sown  in  the  hearts  of  the  chosen?  they  consicered 
not   the    noon  day    brightness  succeeding   the  dawning; 
fools!  were  only  taken  with  what  filled  the  external  sen- 
ses: transitory  glory  was  a  dying  blaze.     It  is  gone,  eter- 
nally gone?  the  bastard's  portion  did  flourish,  and  seem  to 
eclipse  the  children's  for  a  moment;  because  it  was  then 
the  bastard's   harvest,   but  the  children's  seed-time*  be- 
cause thou  wouldst  show,  thou  couldst   lead  thy  chosen, 
in  their   weak   and    childish   estate   mto   this    kingdom, 
through  fighting,  and  wrestling,    and   great  opposition  of 
all  kinds:  whereby  our  eternal  song  is  drawn  up  higher,  in 
exalting  thy  wonderful  providence,  in  bringing  us  to  glo- 
ry.    What  astonishing  things  do  I  behold,  concerning  my 
pilgrimage,  which  then  I  could  not  perceive!  O  time,  time! 
thou  filest  eternity  with    admiration      Wonderful!    thou 
brought  us  not  hither  at  the  first  production   of  our   be- 
ings: and  was  an  inch  of  lime  a  prelude  to  eternity?  did  a 
m«»nient's  fighting  usher  m  an  eternal  triumphing?  a  life  of 
faith,  a  life  of  beholding?  a  snnll   intercours^e  by    letters 
and  love-tokens,  an  eternal,  full  and  naked  enjoyment? 


A    GLIl^PSE    OF    GLORV.  99 

O  wonJerful'  O  sweet  dispensation!  O  pleasant  conspi- 
ration of  diverse  providences,  and  all  linked  together  in 
the  most  comely  order!  what  an  excellent  connection  be- 
tween time  and  eternity?  what  joy,  to  be  viewing  them 
both  at  once,  and  comparing  them  together?  It  is  won- 
derful! to  consider  the  difference  betwixt  the  workings  of 
thy  Spirit  upon  me  now,  and  then  together |  was  it  not  the 
day  star,  that  arose  then  in  my  heart?  now  all  is  fully  il- 
luminated. I  am  placed  under  the  full  rays  of  thy  glory. 
How  is  this  being  of  mine  filled  with  tby  divine  nature? 
All  is  perfected!  O  my  elevated  faculties!  all  my  accom- 
plishments in  time,  are  so  perfected,  as  they  are  swallow- 
ed :  and  so  may  be  said  to  be  done  away,  as  a  small  drop, 
by  the  approach  of  a  vast  ocean.  What  higher  happi- 
ness, than  thus  to  resemble  thee,  O  fulness  of  all  happi- 
ness! O  ever  flourishing  estate  of  joys!  every  moment  is 
a  golden  hfe,  every  day  is  ten  thousand  heavens  of  bless- 
edness. 

49  Out  blessedness^  one  eternal  act  of  marrying y feast' 
vig,  triumphing^  solacing  in  the  bed  of  love. 

This  is  the  day  of  our  King's  espousals,  and  the  day  of 
the  gladness  of  his  heart!  this  is  the  day  we  longed,  prayed, 
sighed,  weeped,  and  wrestled  for:  artd  may  not  every  min- 
ute obliterate  millions  of  millions  of  ages  of  sorrow  and 
tormenting  labour?  This  is  the  day  wherein  it  is  ever 
m  rn,  ever  noon- day,  but  never  a  declining  shade.  You 
sorrows,  you  griefs,  you  labours,  you  cannot  enter 
this  thrice  blessed  day  of  eternity!  It  is  our  marriage-day, 
the  day  of  the  gladness  of  our  hearts.  No  nights,  weeks, 
months  or  ages-,  all  is  after  the  same,  eternity  is  but  one 
day;  the  day  of  the  great  consummation  of  the  match, 
betwixt  our  glorious  Bridegroom  and  us.  In  time  we 
were  betrothed  unto  him,  by  the  mediation  of  his  ambas- 
sadors, and  there  passed  love-tokens,  as  a  seal  of  the  wiil- 
ingiiess  of  parties;  and  such  were  sufficient  until  the  full 
accomplishment,  N  jw,  O  now!  are  we  met  together,  in 
this  majectic  .  marriage-hall  of  glory,  prepared  for  the 
solemnizing  of  this  eternal  mari  iage.  All  are  now  in  the 
marriage-robes.  Attendants  of  the  Bridegroom,  you  are 
majestically  arrayed,  as  it  well  becomes  the  ministers  of 
so  magnificent  a  Prince  O!  how  doth  the  Father  «  f  the 
Prince,  the  Bridegroom,  appear  in  his  glory  and  majesty? 
what  wonderful  majiifestations  of  Jehovah  are  here?  and 
how  is  the  Bridegroom  adorned?   O  my  Head  and  Hus- 


100  A  GLIMrsE    OF    GLORV.. 

band!  how  hast  thou  arrayed  thyself  in  thy  royal  and  gor- 
geous apparel?  thou  appearest  indeed  like  a  prince  in  his 
marriage-day!  O  but  thy  raiment  is  far  changed!  thou, 
has  cast  from  thee  (he  base  garb  of  mortality,  that  in  a 
part  obscured  thy  matchless  glory  and  loveliness,  Piid  hast 
decked  thyself  with  ravishing  divine  majesty  and  leveli^ 
ness  as  with  a  garment.  Thou  sought  and  wooed  thy 
bride  in  a  low  and  contemptible  equipage;  thou  madest  it 
known  thou  could&t  draw  hearts  to  thee,  in  the  most  low 
and  despicable  condition:  it  would  not  have  been  so 
wonderful,  if  thou  hadst  allured,  and  gained  consent,  ap- 
pearing in  thy  royal  and  majestic  estate.  But  here  is  the 
wonder!  yet,  no  wonder,  since  lowness,  weakness,  shame 
and  contempt,  cannot  but  change  their  nature,  and  be- 
come exaltation  vigour,  glory  and  renown,  if  once  thou 
assume  them.  But  now,  thou  art  altogether  gloriously 
arrayed,  suitable  to  the  porson  and  the  day  0  the  beau- 
ty! 0  the  ravishing  perfume  of  thine  apparel!  all  thy  gai^ 
ments  smell  of  myrrh,  aloes  and  cassia;,  out  of  the  ivory 
palaces,  whereby  they  have  made  thee  glad.  The  very 
perfume  of  his  raiment  is  two  heavens!  what  sweetness 
then,  to  stand  within  the  place  filled  with  such  ravishing 
iYagrimcy'*  But  0  to  be  ever  thus,  in  an  eternal  act  or 
marrying,  espousing,  embracing,  kissing,  and  full  commu- 
nications of  love,  is  ten  thousand  lives  of  satisfaction,  ten 
thousand  worlds  of  perfect  blessedness,  all  beaten  in  one 
mass.  Who  but  Christ,  and  us!  how  hath  he  arrayed  us, 
according  to  his  grandour  and  excellency.'*  all  is  embroi- 
dered with  gold  and  gems;  every  diamond,  every  ruby, 
every  sapphire  transcends  by  innumerable  stages,  the 
sun  of  the  lower  world,  shining  in  his  strength.  And  doth 
not  this  great  all  appear  in  joyful  apparel,  as  befitting  the 
espousals  of  so  gloriou.^  a  couple  ?  All  things  dance  an4 
sound  forth  melodiously,  our  epitlialamium!  what  a  life  is 
this.''  ever  to  be  marrying!  ever  to  be  at  the  marriage- 
feast!  ever  to  be  entei'mg  the  bed  of  love!  this  feast  is 
furnished  with  all  delights,  it  ravishes  every  moment,  and 
throughout  all  eternity!  O  what  variety!  0  what  efificacy 
in  every  delicate!  everyone  doth  forever  satiate;  and  yet 
dehghts  are  renewed!  this  land  is  nothing  but  a  table  fur- 
nished with  all  abundance  of  fruits  always.  All  miik^ 
all  spices,  all  delights,  every  where  superabound  eternal- 
ly. And  in  what  a  ravishing  manner  art  thou  ever  invit- 
in.^?     Eat,  Q  friends,  drink,  yea,  drink  abundantly,  0  bo- 


A    GUMPSE    OF    GLORVl  101 

ioved;  drink,  and  drink  again,  and  forever  drink.  T  i  s  is 
a  day  of  gladness  and  rejoicing;  tliis  is  the  day  of  the-  .^c- 
coiriplishnient  of  ail  our  desire??.  Tlie  pomp  of  tliis  day 
is  glorious  indeeii!  verily,  my  God,  t'ou  hast  maie  us  na 
happy  as  can  be!  this  dispensation  transcends  inconceiva- 
bly all  other!  this  delight  and  love  is  ever  bloonnng  and 
green!  O  this  sweet  and  uelightS'^me  bed  of  love!  one 
sight  and  smell  of  it,  afar  off,  is  ravishing.  How  is  it 
all  strewed  over  witli  ever  flourishing  and  overflowing 
roses  and  lilies?  with  infinite  kinds  of  odoriferous  and 
beautiful  flowers,  of  infinite  virtues?  all  my  faculties  are 
filled,  and  overfilled  with  all  manner  of  delights  and 
swee  ness!  is  not  this  wine  of  glory,  0  enjoyer  ,  of  won- 
derf.  1  elBcacy?  who  can  endure  to  pull  the  cup  from  the 
mouth?  and  yet  every  draugiit  doth  satiate  to  the  full.  And 
is  it  not  endowed  with  ail  possible  virtues?  do  not  its  spir- 
its fill  all  the  faculties  and  powers  with  an  immortal  vi- 
gour? an  uuspeakable  sweetness,  and  surpassing  joys? 
great  things  hast  thou  prepared.  O  Well-beloved,  tar  a- 
bove  all  our  concepti.'us!  what  shall  be  my  never  ending 
exerci«.e,  but  o  be  satiate  and  ravished  with  thine  unci  ea- 
ted  sweetness?  If  my  closing  with  thee,  though  absent, 
was  passing  joyful,  how  shall  I  now  ejoice,  ani  exuh,  in 
solemnizing  the  bargain,  in  satiating  my-elf  forever  with 
fully  manifested  loves,  in  this  bed  of  love?  the  wooing 
time  seemed  small  and  incosiderabie;  O  the  marriage  is 
wonderfully  glorious  and  excellent^  What  esteemed  a 
base  world  of  thy  great  calP  when  thou  sent  thine  ambas- 
sadors to  call  them  unto  this  everlasting  supper;  how  did 
they  slight  such  an  astonishing  dispensation,  as  a  well  in- 
vented fancy;  and  turned  themselves  wholly  to  their  ea  th- 
ly  enjoyments,  as  being  the  only  real  things,  which  aff'er.t- 
ed  their  brutish  minds?  Do  you  not  now  see  your  des- 
perate madness,  O  vile  worldings?  is  not  your  apprehen- 
sion wonderfully  chariged?  did  you  shght  the  sweet  invi- 
tations of  trie  Almi2;hty,  to  such  boundless  happiness? 
Well,  you  shall  never  taste  it,  through  all  eternity  You 
have  gotten  your  choice,  a  momentary  enjo}  meni  of 
eai^h  have  }  ou  received:  this  boundless  joy  you  never 
cared  for.  If  you-  have  done  wisely,  rejoice  therein 
throughout  eternity.  O  happy  I!  that  ever  t  gave  up  my 
name  into  the  number  of  thy  espoused  ones!  that  ever' 
thou  Inclined  my  heart  to  take  thee,  for  my  Lord,  Head 
and  Husband!  blessed  choice!  thousand  times  blessed 
I  2 


102  A.   GLIMPSE    OF  OLORY; 

choice!  had  I  known  in  time  how  happy  a  bargain  I  hati 
made,  should  I  not  have  been  overjoyed  unto  the  death?' 
and  was  there  such  difficulty,  to  get  the  children  of  men 
to  say,  Amen,  to  such  an  advantageous  bargain?  didst 
thou  knock,  and  knock  again,  O  Well-beloved,  at  the 
doors  of  our  hearts,  before  we  would  heartily  accept? 
didst  thou  argument,  beseech,  threaten,  and  weep  for  a 
consent?  who  would  have  thought  but  one  serious  invita- 
tion had  been  enough  for  all  mankind!  O  blockish  mor- 
tality! 0  stupid  brutish  madness!  thou  hast  not  cause  here 
to  exalt  thyself,  0  empty  self,  who  despised,  and  over- 
looked, so  much,  this  glorious  match:  who  stood  more 
out  against  these  glorious  offers?  didst  thou  not  play  fast 
and  loose  with  Jesus,  as  all  others?  When  he  saw  he 
could  not  prevail  with  thee,  more  than  others,  (all  man- 
kind being  alike  in  their  original)  he  put  in  his  hand  by 
the  hole  of  the  door,  and  then  caused  thy  bowels  be  mov^ 
ed  for  him:  he  filled  thine  heart,  ere  ever  thou  wast  a- 
ware,  with  his  overcoming  love  and  sweetness:  thou  wast 
hearing  the  sound  of  this  gospel  in  a  dead  and  natural 
way,  but  he  breathed  upon  all  thy  faculties,  and  said  un- 
to thee.  Live;  and  thou  arose  from  the  dead,  and  heard, 
and  saw  wonders  in  the  gospel,  that  blind  stupid  worldings 
could  never  perceive.  Had  he  suffered  thee  to  follow 
thy  natural  inclinations,  thou  hadst  marched  on,  to  end- 
less destruction,  contrary  to  all  his  loving  invitations. — 
Nay,  but  since  from  eternity  he  had  chosen  thee,  of  his 
own  good  pleasure,  out  of  the  mass  of  mankind,  he  could 
not  but  manifest  his  love  to  thee,  in  time,  in  a  special  man- 
ner; and  therefore  he  past  from  intreaty  to  ravishments, 
and  drew  thee  with  such  strong  cords  of  love,  that  thou 
Qouldst  not  but  yield.  O  my  holy  One,  no  creature  can 
resist  thy  overcoming  beauty:  when  thou  dartest  forth 
thy  love,  all  is  set  in  a  frame;  hell  and  death  could  not  re- 
sist thee.  Ever  hast  thou  been  drawing  sinners  up  to 
heaten  afte^  thee,  imto  this  great  marriage;  and  now  we 
are  all  within  the  bed  of  love  Love!  nothing  but  rav- 
ishing love!  0  what  looks  of  love!  nothingbut  kisses,  but 
eternal  embraces!  men  and  angels,  is  it  possible  we  can 
be  more  happy?  what  can  creatures  have  more?  is  there 
any  more  sweet  and  lovely  than  the  Chief  of  ten  thou- 
sand? can  there  be  any  greater  and  nearer  fellowship  with 
him  than  this?  He  is  our  friend,  our  most  intimate  friend; 
ive  speak  with  him  face  to  face.    Nay,  he  is  our  brothcF^ 


&   GLIBIPSE    OF  GLORY.  103 

near  of  blood  unto  us;  we  mil  kiss,   eternally  kiss,  and 
shall  not  be  ashamed.     Nay,  he  is  our  husband,  one  with 
us,  as  he  is  one  with  the   Father,  one    in  nature,   spitit, 
mind,  andaiFections:  He  is  ours,  and  we  are  his.    O  what 
great  communications  of  love  shall  we  eternally  be  filled 
with!     Are  you  not  chanting  forth  marriage  songs,  O  ye 
angels?  are  ye  not   forever  inventing  love-songs  of  your 
matchless  Bridegroom,  0  ye  saints?    0  thou  whole  crea- 
tion of  God,  art  thou  not  in   a  smiling   exulting  posture? 
And  is  not  all  this  glory  and  blessedness  the  object  of  your 
grief  and  sorrow,  vile  miscreants?  are  you  gnashing  your 
teeth  through  torment,  and  sorrow,  and  envy,  when  the 
whole  creation  claps  its  hands,  for  exceeding  joy?     Is  it 
not  most  just,  that  you  are  the  curse  and  the  dirision  of 
all?  you  judged   yourselves  unworthy  of  this  boundless 
happiness,  and  are  you  not  justly  shut  out  from  this  joyful 
marriage- supper  of  the  Lamb?  no  more   crying,  Ctme 
unto  the  marriage;  all  is^ past  and  done,  nothing  to  do,  all 
things  continue  in  this  very  condition  they  are  into      0 
now!  who  but  Jehovah  and   the   Lamb?   who  but  the 
Lamb  and  his  spouse?  who  are  now  masters  of  all,  who 
are  now  the  eternal  triumphers.     Behold,  men  and  angelsy 
behold   your  King,   and  Head,  and  Well-beloved,   in  his 
robes-royal,  with  such  a  massy  diadem   of  glory  on   his 
majestic  head,  as  would  crush  in  pieces  ten  thousand  my- 
riads of  worlds:  every  ruby  of  his  crown  transcends  all 
valuation;  the  diamonds  and  pearls   for  ever  dazzle  the 
eyes  of  the  beholders:  all  the  spectators  are  amazed  and 
confounded;  they  sparkle  and  ray  forth  beauty  and  love- 
liness throughout  all  generations.     Is  it  possible  you  can 
restrain  your  eyes,  O  spectators?  must  not  all  your  facul- 
ties bend  thither  eternally?  who  can   express  the  thoughts 
of  his  heart?  who  can  tell  what  he  clearly  beholds?  who 
can  behold  enough  what  appears  most  evident?     This  is 
the  sight,  the  only  sight!  what  greater  happiness,  0  Prince 
of  glory,  than  to  follow   thee  whithersoever  thou  goestT 
What  glory,  to  run  after  thy  chariot,  in  this  day   of  thy 
glory  and  power?     What  honor,  to  bear  up  thy  train,  in 
this  thy  marriage-day?  follow  thee!  could  we  but  follow 
thee,  though  it  were  but  through  innumerable  worlds!  ne- 
ver, never  shall  we  be  disjoined  from  thee.     O  strange 
world!  O  wonderful  estate!  ever  to  be  triumphing!    ever 
to  be   marrying!  ever  to  be  solacing  in  the  paradise  of 
lovfes!  ever  to  be   riding  in  the  chariot  of  honor!  this 


104  A     GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

chariot  is  of  the  wood  of  Lebanon,  the  pilUirs  thereof  are 
of  silver,  the  bottom  of  gold,  the  covering  of  purplf^;  the 
inidst  thereof  being  paved  with  love  for  the  daughters  of 
Jerusalem  Is  not  this  a  majestic  chariot,  that  contains 
such  a  great  company  of  kings  and  priests?  What  a  hfe 
is  this.'  thus  to  ride  in  the  chariot  with  the  great  King  of 
glory,  whose  goings  forth  have  been  from  eternity?  is  this 
the  honor  of  the  saints?  is  this  tfie  glory  we  heard,  and 
spake  so  much  of,  on  earth ^  is  this  the  accomplishment 
of  my  expectation?  This  is  more  than  ever  I  could  ask, 
or  think;  thus  to  triumph  in  at  the  gates  of.  this  golden  ci- 
t}^,  up  and  down  its  golden  streets,  along  the  border  of 
this  pure  river  of  living  water,  overshadowed  with  this  de- 
lightsome Tree  of  life?  O  astonishing  exaltation!  O  siJIy 
I,  art  thou  not  highly  exalted?  It  was  much  thou  couldst 
expect  this,  but  more  than  can  hear  it.  One  beam  of 
thine  infinite  exceilency,  0  my  ^cellent  Well-  beloved, 
hath  a  wonderful  efficacy  that  can  render  dunghill  wretch*- 
es  of  such  sublime  royal  spirits,  as  that  they  can  carry, 
bravely,  the  highest  exaltation  and  glrry!  thou  art  worthy, 
O  Flower  of  excellency,  thus  forever  to  ride  gloriously, 
and  all  thy  redeemed  ones  after  thee!  thou  fought  and 
overcame;  and  shall  not  all  be  crowned  with  immortal  glo- 
ry and  honor,  thou  art  pleased  to  cast  thy  favour  upon? 
Thou  wooed  and  sought  thy  bride  through  labour,  and 
sliame,  and  pain,  and  «^orrow,  and  death,  though  defo-^med 
and  vile,  slighting  all  the  manifestations  of  thine  infinite 
love;  and  shait  thou  not  deck  and  beautify  her,  and  be  de- 
lighted in  her  eternally?  O  this  sweet,  sweet  union  and 
communion!  O  the  mutual  compellations  of  vehement 
and  mutual  love!  nothing  but,  "•  O  thy  fairness,  thy  beau- 
ty! behold,  thou  art  fair,  my  love,  behold,  thou  art  fair! 
behold,  thou  art  fair,  my  beloved!  thou  art  all  fair,  my 
love;  there  is  no  spot,  no  spot  in  theel  thou  hast  ravish- 
ed my  heart  with  one  of  thine  eye^,  with  one  chain  of  thy 
neck!  O  the  fairness. of  thy  love,  ny  sister,  my  spouse! 
the  most  rejoicing  liquors,  the  most  refreshing  fragrancies 
are  nothing  comparable  thereunto:  O  thy  honied  lips! 
O  thy  ravishing  sweet  tongue-  passing  all  rivers  of  sweet- 
ness! O  thy  Lebanon  garments!  they  smell  like  a  field 
which  the  Lord  hath  blessed.  I  am  my  beloved's,  and 
my  beloved  is  mire;  he  feedeth  among  the  lilies  fJome, 
my  beloved,  le^  U!n  enter  the  bed  of  loves,  and  eternally 
satiate  ourselvesvvilh  overcoming  delightb:  0  theiij  I  will 


A    GLIMPSE    OP    GLORY.  10:5 

be  satfate  with  love-kisses  and  embraces!  I  will  cause 
thee  to  drink  of  all  my  delicacies:  thy  left  hand  shall  be 
eternally  under  mine  head,  and  thy  right  hand  shall  em- 
brace me.  I  shall  be  forever  a  seal  upon  thine  arm,  upon 
thme  heart."  Strong  burning  love  requires  the  nearest 
enjoyment.  O  what  a  green  and  blooming  love  is  this! 
we  are  ravished  with  the  l<»ve  of  e<^pousals!  throughout  e- 
ternity,  every  hour  is  as  the  first  hour,  every  enjoynipn^ 
as  the  first  enjoyment!  all  is  like  the  lilieSs  roses,  paradise- 
flowers  round  about  us,  that  laugh  and  smile,  with  aa  im- 
mortal verdure!  dance,  and  dance  eternally,  thou  whole 
creation  of  God;  let  the  manifestations  of  thy  joy  be  for- 
ever manifested;  rejoice,  even  rejoice  forever,  in  these 
wonderful  glorious  espousals  of  the  Lamb;  for  upon  every 
part  of  thee  hath  its  excellency  an  influence.  Had  Je- 
hovah so  admirably  adorned  thee,  O  thou  heaven  of  hea- 
vens, were  it  not  for  the  glory  and  majesty  of  these  ever-* 
las  ing  espousals.?  would  he  have  adorned  thee  with  such 
glorious  and  delights  of  his  bride  .^  would  the  mountains  of 
myrrh  and  frankincenes  been  filled  with  such  passing  ra- 
vishments, all  the  gardens  of  love  with  such  rarities  of 
beaties.''  Would  the  wall,  the  houses,  and  streets  be 
made  so  wonderfully  excellent  and  delightsome,  were  it 
not  for  the  honor  and  delight  of  such  a  glorious  couple? 
Wouldst  thou  been  renewed  after  so  glorious  a  manner, 
O  thou  lower  world,  w^ere  it  not  that  thy  Maker  will  have 
all  to  smile,  and  appear  in  a  sweet,  joyful,  and  marriage- 
apparel,  in  this  day  of  the  boundless  joys  of  his  heart? 
0  joyful  creation  of  God!  O  my  heart,  thou  overflows 
with  ravishments!  0  flower  and  excellency  of  all  lives! 
O  highest  top  of  all  felicity!  0  boundless  oceans  of  eter- 
nal ravishments. 

50.  The  full  enjoyment  of  Godj  consisls  in  the  nearest 
mutual  conjunction. 

0  blessed  self!  that  rests  so  sweetly  in  the  arms  of  thy 
only  Well-beloved!  thy  head  eternally  lies  in  his  bosom: 
the  heat  and  fife  arising  from  his  flaming  heart,  hath  a  vir- 
tue, would  cause  death  and  sorrow  to  live  and  be  cheer- 
ful. Hell  and  devils,  though  I  were  in  the  midst  of  you 
all,  I  could  not  fear  you,  who  rest  within  these  invincible 
arms.  You  flower  and  excellency  of  all  creature-beauty 
and  loveliness,  you  could  not  allure  me,  to  leave,  for  one 
moment,  this  ravishing  repose.  This  W'as  a  counterpoise 
i^  all  thy  dif^ulties  tiiroug^h  the  valley  of  tears:,  tb^e  fore« 


106  A  GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

thou2;hts  of  this  added  strength  and  courage,  in  all  thy 
iaintings  and  infirmtles:  the  hope  of  this  sweet  rest  hath 
not  been  vain  Had  I  had  suitable  apprehensions  thereof, 
bow  valiant  had  I  been  for  the  truth  upon  the  earth?  how 
phould  I  ever  contended  to  the  uttermost,  for  the  smallest 
things  of  my  Well-beloved?  how  should  I  raised  up  against 
me  the  tongues  and  opprobries  of  the  most  excellent  saints 
on  earth?  how  should  I  have  been  so  couragous,  aad 
:^ealous,  for  his  interests,  as  that  I  should  have  proven  a 
man  of  contention,  in  the  purest  times?  the  tbreatenings, 
opprobries  and  mockings  of  of  either  friend,  or  foe,  should 
have  been  nothing  regarded  by  me  but  I  should  have  so 
carried,  that  I  should  have  scarce  escaped  capital  punish- 
ment,  in  the  best  of  times.  How  shoulu  T  have  acted  to 
admiration?  how  should  I  have  run  and  fought,  and  fought 
and  run,  ever  with  joy  unspeakable  and  glorious?  Can 
there  be  greater  blessedness,  than  to  dwell  within  these 
arms  of  love?  My  labour,  my  grief,  my  sorrow,  hath  been 
just  nothing;  one  moment's  repose  in  thy  bosom,  sweet- 
est vVell-beloved.  might  swallow  up  ten  thousand  ages  of 
all  labour,  pain  and  sorrow.  Now  I  need  no  more  pray 
for  kissc;  and  I  will  also  kiss,  and  be  ever  drawing  sweet- 
ness from  these  blessed  lips;  for  we  shall  never  change 
this  bles  ed  posture.  No  need  to  charge  any,  that  my 
Beloved  be  not  provoked  to  arise,  till  he  please.  I  am 
overjoyed,  that  all  sinning  and  vanity  is  done  away,  which 
did  much  separate  us  asunder!  O  sweet,  sweet!  that 
thou  hast  made  me  pleasant  and  desirable  in  thine  eyes! 
what  can  I  desire  more,  than  that  I  am  lovely  and  de- 
lightsome in  the  eyes  of  my  Lord  the  King?  Rejoice 
and  be  glad  in  what  is  thine  own:  even  rejoice  over  me 
wiih  singiig,  and  rest  in  thy  love  towards  me.  Diink, 
and  drink  again  of  that  sweetness,  wherewith  thou  hast 
filled  me;  be  delighted  always  with  this  loveliness  1  am 
partaker  of  by  thy  bounty  favour.  Let  mine  eyes  for 
ever  ravish  thee,  for  ever  dart  forth  rays  of  loveliness 
upon  thee;  and  be  satisfied  with  my  breasts,  at  all  times. 
My  blessedness  can  be  no  greater;  Thou  art  mine,  and 
thy  desire  is  towards  me.  Wonder,  and  be  greatly  ama- 
zed, O  all  creatures;  the  eternal  One,  and  yesterday-be- 
ings are  for  ever  in  the  mutual  delights  of  love,  in  the 
ravishing  solaces  of  one  another!  dive,  and  dive  eternal- 
ly, men  and  angels,  you  shall  ever  be  infinitely  from  the 
fiirtbermost  of  this  abyss  of  wonders:   who  can  compre 


A  GLIMPSE  OP    GLORY.  107 

bend  this  exaltation?  who  can  conceive  this  condescenden- 
cy?  what  think  you,  that  God  and  creatures  conveis'^  so 
familiarly  together?  what  think  you,  that  he  is  ourBr-th- 
er,  our  Husband,  one  like  us,  one  with  us,  one  for  us, 
one  ravished  with  our  fellowship,  for  evermore?  who  can 
show  the  thoughts  of  his  ravished  heart?  who  can  fully 
reflect  on  the  astonished  apprehensions  of  his  elevated 
mind?  Hast  thou  not  shown  what  infinite  power  can  do? 
how  low  infinite  love  can  stoop?  how  highly  infinite 
bounty  can  exalt?  how  wonderfully  infinite  excellency 
can  make  beautiful  and  excellent?  O  my  facultie;?!  you 
shall  be  ever  filled  with  astonishment,  ever  satiated  with 
his  uncreated  sweetness!  Can  I  suffer  any  want  in  thy 
bosom,  O  Fountain  of  excellency?  shall  I  not  be  filled, 
who  am  set  down  beside  this  well  of  living  water,  under 
the  boughs  of  the  tree  of  life,  whose  delicious  fruits  are 
ever  falling  upon  me?  I  am  satiate  with  thy  love,  my  fair 
One;  some  glimpses  thereof  on  earth  were  ravishing, 
wonderfully  above  what  the  abundance  of  corn  and  wine 
could  prduce:  the  report  of  thine  excellency  and  glory 
filled  the  heart  with  passing  sweetness:  thy  ravishing  em- 
anations could  not  be  contained  within  this  large  land, 
but  had  influence  upon  the  lower  world,  causing  many  of 
the  inhabitants  to  be  deeply  in  love  with  thee,  whom  they 
never  saw;  so  that  they  renounced  the  love  of  all  tilings 
for  thee,  strove  exceedingly  to  be  like  thee,  and  please 
thee  in  all  things:  fought  against  all  opposition,  endea- 
voured to  the  uttermost,  for  exalting  thy  glory,  and  con- 
tinued in  a  longing  frame,  to  behold  thee  face  to  face: 
and  so  remained  faithful  unto  the  death.  Thy  lovers  are 
never  satiate,  till  they  have  thee  in  their  arms:  the  en- 
joyment of  thee  afar  off  is  ravishing  sweet,  and  cannot 
"but  cause  the  beholder  run  with  all  his  might,  until  he  be 
at  thee,  even  innected  in  thine  eternal  embraces.  O  my 
life,  my  life!  O  sweet,  sweet,  sweet  for  evermore! 

•i.  Tlie  life,  ofgloi'y,  the  only  life ,  that  overtops  all 
other  lives^  and  swallows  ttiem  up. 

Ail  creatures  live  according  to  th-e  capacity  of  their  be- 
ing, but  no  life  to  that  which  is  divine!  the  animal  life  is 
dead  and  dark,  and  without  efficacy  and  beauty;  the  in- 
telie^'tual  is  a  low  and  base  thing:  but  this  life  of  glory 
doth  only  excel  all  other  excellencies.  All  other  lives 
are  swallowed  up  here!  that  which  is  in  part,  and  imper- 
fect, is  done  away,  by  that  which  is  the  perfection  of  ex- 


l'{}^  A  "GLIMPSE  OF    GLORir. 

cellency.  O  my  lovely  Oue,  thoM  art  indeed  the  Prince 
of  life:  thou  art  the  hfe  ol  all  the  iiii.abit:in1s  c.f  this  ma- 
jestic icity:  didst  thou  withdraw  what  tl;';u  hast  commu- 
nicated, should  we  not  be  so  many  lump^.  of  death  and 
deformity?  Thou  art  my  All  in  all,  my  fair  One'  thou 
art  my  life,  and  vigour  ot  all  my  joys  and  desires  That 
divine  life,  by  which  thou  eternally  livest,  hast  thou  breath- 
ed into  me;  so  that  I  am  become  inconcievably  above  a 
living  soul,  or  an  intellectual  creature:  this  noble  divine 
life  didst  thou  communicate  unto  me,  in  my  dead  and 
sensual  condition,  but  in  a  small  measure,  that  it  was 
much  obscured  by  sin  and  corruption;  then  being  the 
time  of  childhood  and  wrestling:  but  how  hath  it  gjown 
more  and  more,  until  it  bath  overtopped,  and  sw^al lowed 
up  all  other  lives?  so  that  now  I  am  filled  with  all  thy  full- 
ness, even  thy  nature,  thine  image,  thine  excellency  hast 
thou  fully  impressed  upon  me:  so  that,  as  thou  art,  so  am 
I.  0  secure  estate!  Christ  is  my  life;  is  not  then  my 
iife  eternal?  My  life  lies  in  the  fountain,  and  shall  it  not 
be  ever  in  its  vigour  and  full  strength?  Other  lives  are 
like  small  drops,  separated  from  the  ocean  and  may  evan- 
ish: how  soon  did  animal,  rational  and  intellectual  lives 
fall  from  their  native  constitution?  Nothing  permanent, 
which  is  not  divine;  nothing  everlasting,  which  lies  not 
:;ma!ed!ately  without  the  mixture  of  creature-imperfec- 
tions: the  nearer  -bee,  the  safer;  the  further  off  thee, 
the  more  dangerous,  to  be  quite  cut  off  from  thee,  is 
perfect  and  only  miser3\  Cursed  men  ^nd  angels  have 
IK)  other  influence  from  the  fountain,  but  that  which 
conserves  their  natural  beings,  in  their  natral  operations. 
O  Weil- beloved,  not  only  m  thee  do  I  live,  move,  ■  nd 
have  my  being,  but  thou  art  my  All  in  all!  I  am  filled 
with  all  thy  fulness.  0  my  life,  ray  life  I  do  I  not  live 
for  evermore? 

52.  JVo  necessUij  of  creatures  in  heaven:  Jehovah  is  em- 
inently  all  timigs. 

All  things  ate  swallowed  up  in  thine  infinite  excellency! 
created  enjoyments  are  cried  down;  times  and  days  are 
for  ever  fled  away:  all  things  are  immediately  subjected 
leto  Jehovah,  even  the  Son  himself.  All  rule,  all  authori- 
ty is  put  down  no  subordinations  among  creatures;  one 
thing  stands  not  in  need  of  another;  every  thiiig  would 
be,  as  it  is,  though  all  other  creatures  were  done  away; 
•aj.l  flourish  by  the  immediate  rays  of  the  Sua  of  righteous- 


A     GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  109 

iiess;  GoJ  doth  maint»in  all  creatures  without  the  con- 
currence  of  creature^  n  connections  of  second  causes^ 
no  dependencies  of  one  creature  upon  another:  nature's 
world  is  quite  abolished;  the  conditions  of  beings  are  al- 
together changed:  yet,  in  how  sweet  an  order  do  all 
thingsagree?  all  are  independent;  yet  all  conspire  in  one: 
the  bond  of  love  betwixt  all,  is  strong  and  imuiort.;!;  the 
mtitual  aspects  of  all  are  pleasant  and  superaliounding, 
in  beings  accomplished,  every  one  in  their  own  measure, 
immediately  from  the  original  of  all  perfections.  You 
creature-beauh'es,  the  full  emanations  of  your  loveliness 
and  sweetness  are  ever  darted  upon  me  with  delight,  yet 
am  I  happy  to  the  uttermost,  whether  I  enjoy  you  or  not: 
time  was  when  I  could  not  well  have  wanted  you:  but 
now,  whether  I  enjoy  you,  or  not,  I  am  ever  the  same; 
being  filled  and  satiate  with  his  eternal  sweetness:  you 
are  the  adornaments,  outfields  and  pendicles  to  my  great 
inheritance,  and  no  addition  thereunto.  And  arl  thou  O, 
my  God,  become  all  unto  me?'  The  want  of  all  my  tem- 
poral enjoyments  is  a  gain  that  cannot  be  toidi  how  have 
I  been  vexed,  and  wearied,  with  being  occupied  about 
vain,  empty,  unsatisfying  nothings!  so  that  I  was  glad  of 
a  borrowed  vision  of  thee,  of  a  reflex  manifestation  of  thy 
glory  and  excellency;  and  was  so  covered  over  with 
shadows,  that  I  could  neither  order  right  expressions,  nor 
conceptions,  because  of  darkness.  How  oft  have  I  be- 
moaned, '^When  shall  the  day  dawn,  and  the  shadows  fly- 
away, that  I  may  be  filled  immediately  with  his  glory? 
This  sight  of  his  beauty,  this  taste  of  his  sweetness  is  tor- 
menting, as  well  as  delightsome;  I  cannot  rest,  until  I 
get  full  enjoyment:  still  I  would  have  more  and  more  of 
God,  until  I  be  filled  with  all  his  fulness:  butohJ  I  can- 
not; ten  thousand  things  stand  in  betwixt  me  and  him, 
through  this  earthly  and  sinful  estate;  so  that  I  am  oft- 
times  so  confused  and  disordered,  that  I  can  desire  noth- 
ing at  all:  how  doth  this  poor  life  depend,  every  moment, 
on  ten  thousand  things?  Here  am  I  diverted,  through  mor- 
tality, by  every  thing  that  comes  in  my  way ;  innumera- 
ble creatures  having  a  commanding,  diverting  influence 
over  me;  must  I  be  ever  sleeping,  eating,  drinking,  con- 
versing in  this  and  that  trifle?  must  I  draw  consolations 
from  this  and  the  other,  and  the  third  creature;  and  have 
a  fellowship  with  my  God,  by  benefit  of  means  and  ordi- 
nances, ^rhich  ever  have  the  tincture  and  savour  of  im- 

K 


110  A    GLOIPSE    OP    Gl.ORy. 

perfection?  and  are  not  the  conduits  oft-times  so  corrupt, 
as  that  they  imbitter  my  enjoyments?  and  are  they  not- 
so  f  topt,  as  that  I  am  almost  dead  for  want?  How  am  I 
diawn  aside  hither  and  thither;  this  feeble  flesh  being 
apt  .0  receive  new  impressions,  every  moment,  from  eve- 
ry thing  that  comes  in  the  way?  and  how  vexing  are  all 
these  enjoyments,  though  most  necessary?  what  a  nause- 
ating round  do  I  run,  ever  tossing  the  same  stone?  That 
"  which  hath  been,  is  that  which  shall  be,  and  there  is  no 
new  thing  under  the  sun.  What  profit  hath  a  man  of  all 
his  labour?"  For  though  the  eye  is  not  satisfied  with 
seeing,  nor  the  ear  with  hearing,  so  that  new  enjoyments 
are  ever  required;  yet  must  the  same  thing  be  run  over, 
and  over  again:  and  what  might  seejn  more  excellent 
than,  by  the  serious  search  and  study  of  things,  to  have 
the  heart  filled  with  great  experience  of  wisdom  and 
knowledge?  yet  I  perceive,  that  this  also  is  vanity  and 
vexation  of  spirit;  lor  in  much  wisdom,  is  much  grief,  and 
he  that  increaseth  knowledge,  increaseth  sorrow.  Run 
fast,  0  time,  and  <lays,  that  this  world  may  be  cried  down 
for  ever,  and  God  may  become  All  in  all.  Silly  world- 
lings desire  to  have  these  enjoyments  eternally;  because 
they  know  no  better;  some  tlung  the  faculties  must  be 
exercised  with,  though  with  vexing  vanity.  O  but  I  have 
a  sight  of  the  only  satisfying  object!  O  to  have  all  these 
out  of  the  way!  were  it  not  thy  good  pleasure  I  should 
continue  thus  for  a  time,  I  could  not  but  die  through 
longing  for  the  immediate  vision  of  God.  Scattered 
i-streamsand  drops  are  become  bitter;  when  shall  I  enter, 
body  and  soul,  into  the  ocean,  and  be  filled,  and  swallow- 
ed up  for  ever  and  ever?  when  shall  T  receive  the  direct 
rays  of  all  excellency  from  the  Sun  of  righteousness;  no 
clouds  intervening  throughout  eternity?  O  Flower  of  all 
blessedness!  O  golden  life  of  all  my  desires!  I  am  past 
from  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  of  the  moon;  I  am  part 
from  the  necessary  help  of  shadows,  and  nothings:  the 
Lord  Jehovah  is  my  only  strength,  and  light,  and  life,  and 
joy,  and  song,  and  ail  things.  Is  it  not  sueet  living  thus, 
in  the  immediate  presence  of  Jehovah  and  the  Lamb?  O 
Emmanuel's  world,  thou  art  an  excellent  habitation!  how 
sweetly  and  commodiously  art  thou  situate  directly  against 
the  Sun,  and  original  of  all  light,  and  life,  and  joy  and 
sweetness?  Who  can  but  be  lively  and  joyful  here?  In- 
deed, this  is  the  smiling  world,  the  rosy  and  sunny  side  of 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLOEV.  Ill 

the  creation.  What  more  can  be  said  of  uiy  overflowing 
happiness,  than  that  I  am  here  for  evermore? 

53.     Glory  is  an  etemallij  blooming  tking. 

Is  not  the  fountain  of  life  deep?  men  and  angels,  is  it 
possible  you  shall  ever  draw  it  dry?  nay,  is  it  possible  you 
can  draw  so  much,  that  less  remains  behind?  yea^  what 
eould  millions  of  millions  of  angels  multiplied  do  here? 
Kot  only  drink,  and  forever  drink;  but  enter  in,  and  you 
shall  be  as  so  many  nothings,  swallowed  up,  as  it  were, 
and  lost  for  ever.  What  infinite  springs  of  sweetness 
and  consolation  lie  hid?  Dig  further  and  deeper,  for  ever, 
and  still  you  shall  find  new  springs:  still  there  remain  as 
many  hid  as  at  the  first  searching.  Vfhat  boundless  va- 
rieties of  joys  and  sweetness?  Every  draught,  every 
tasting  may  eternally  ravish;  yet,  every  moment,  every 
instant  is  fijlpd  with  new  delights,  new  ravishments*  for 
what  can  exhaust  infinite  delights  and  sweetness »*  We 
may  feel,  and  taste,  and  enjoy  it,  as  it  is;  but  can  we 
comprehend  it,  and  search  it  out  unto  perfection?  When 
we  are  all  filled,  the  boundless  ocean  is  nothing  diminish- 
ed: and  since  we  are  ever  drinking,  ever  drawing  in  floods 
of  uncreated  sweetness,  are  not  our  delights  infinitely 
various,  and  recewed  every  moment?  which  is  an  enjoy- 
ment of  the  same,  after  diverse  manners,  according  to  its 
infinite  varieties  of  perfections,  which  eminently  and  vir- 
tually dwell  therein,  O  then,  the  various  and  wonderful 
conceptions  of  men  and  angels!  G  the  ever  green  and 
flourishing  communications  of  ravishing  loves,  and  joys! 
shall  there  not  be,  every  moment,  a  new  love-song  of 
praises?  shall  not  infiuite  perfections,  more  and  more 
seen,  supply  for  ever  with  new  expressions  of  the  excel- 
lency, giory,  loveliness,  sweetness  and  kindness  of  Him 
that  sits  upon  the  throne,  and  the  Lamb?  We  are  past 
from  augmenting  of  our  knowledge,  by  borrowed  visions  j 
or  perfecting  it,  by  striving  to  know  more,  and  more  evi- 
dently, and  distinctly:  all  confusion  and  darkness  is  done 
away;  error,  ignorance,  and  false  uptakings,  are  no  more: 
we  know  as  we  are  known,  even  nakedly,  immediately, 
and  face  to  face;  without  a  prospective  representation,  or 
clouds  intervening:  so  that,  as  to  kind,  knowledge  is  per- 
fect; yet,  shall  we  not  ever  be  searching  into  the  unsearch- 
able riches  of  this  bottomless  mine,  filled  with  all  varities 
af  silver,  gold,  gems,  diamonds,  rubies  and  sapphires,  of 
iuconceivable  value  and  excellencv?      Are  we  not  as  so 


312  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

jnany  divines,  searching,  preaching,  discoursing  more  and 
more  <'f  the  transcendent  excellency  of  that  fountain  ojf 
all  fullness?  do  wc  not,  in  this  ravishing  exercise,  run 
over  again,  in  the  same  round?  O  then,  throughout  all 
eternity  our  happiness  shall  ever  be  increasing.  In  the 
very  first  entry,  all  superabounds  and  overflows  its  hanks; 
so  taat  nothing  is  wanting,  in  the  least,  to  perfect  happi- 
ness, satisfaction  and  fulness;  yet  shall  these  overflowing 
tides  of  loves,  and  joys,  and  ravishments  for  ever  swell 
higher  and  higher;  so  that  the  succeeding  moments  shall 
be  more  superabounding  than  the  immediately  preceding. 
O  then,  the  growth  and  flourishing  often  thousand  myri- 
ads of  ages!  and  doth  not  this  river  increase  proportiona- 
lly to  its  greatness?  0  then!  after  myiiads  of  ages,  ac- 
cording to  the  number  of  the  atoms  of  the  creation,  how 
shall  it  be  augmented  above  the  number  of  all  these  atoms, 
thousands  of  times  multiplied  by  themselves?  So  that,  to 
all  eternity,  we  ?^e  ever  changed  from  glory  to  glory, 
and  ever  ascend  higher  and  higher,  and  still  the  steps  be- 
come widep  and  wider;  the  faculties  ever  are  more  and 
more  clear  and  extended;  and  the  discoveries  more  and 
more  wonderfully  ravishing.  This  infinite  world  of  all 
perfections  is  beheld  clearly  and  immediately  as  it  is; 
yet  who  can  comprehend  all  the  beauties,  delights,  excel- 
lencies and  infinite  perfections,  wherewith  it  is  stored?  or, 
who  can  reach  the  infinitude  number  of  paradises,  moun- 
tains, valHes,  rivers?  yea,  who  can  reach  the  ten  thou- 
sand th'ousandth  part  of  its  immensity?  So  that  eternally 
we  shall  follow  the  Lamb,  through  new  gardens,  orchards, 
paradises,  mountains,  and  ever  be  going  directly  forward, 
making  greater  and  greater,  and  more  wonderful  discov- 
eries. All  the  powers  and  faculties  become  more  and 
more  powerful  and  vigorous;  so  that  joy,  and  delight, 
and  love,  and  ravishment,  shall  swell  more  and  more  in 
height,  and  breadth,  and  length,  and  depth,  throughout 
eternity.  Men  and  angels,  is  not  our  inheritance  incon- 
ceivably large  and  fertile,  rich  and  beautiful,  and  dehght- 
some?  can  we  among  us  all  but  reckon  over  our  palaces, 
cities,  paradises,  countries,  kingdoms  and  worlds?  O 
what  high  stretchings  of  mind!  and  what  further  and  fur- 
ther stretchings,  to  let  In  these  boundless  inundations  of 
increated  sweetness,  that  overflow  incessantly,  rapidly, 
and  eternally?  0  my  God,  this  happiness  is  more  than 
superabounding!    who  can  express,  who  can  conceive. 


A    GLIMPSE    OT    GLORY.  1  IS 

what  a  life  It  Is,  to  be  received  into  th«  bosom  of  thy  iaii- 
nite  excellencies!  to  be  admitted  into  tlie  eternal  enjoy- 
ment of  thy  incomprehensible  Self!  O  what  eternal  man- 
ifestations of  the  GoU-head,  to  men  and  angels,  in  the  face 
of  Christ!  what  outlettings  of  new  and  various  intiucnces 
from  the  Sun  of  righteousness!  what  incessant  showers  of 
the  dew  of  our  Well-beloved's  youth!  what  high,  full, 
constant,  hvely  and  cherishing  o;a!es  of  the  sweet  ravish- 
ing breath  of  Jehovah]  what  wonder  then,  all  the  trees  of 
this  paradise  of  glory  ascend  higher  and  higher;  spread 
their  branches  further  and  further,  and  increase  eternally 
in  their  strength,  verdure,  blooming,  and  fruilfu}nes>? — 
Poor  life,  that  depends  on  creature-influences,  and  crea- 
ture-enjoyments! neither  are  they  satisfying  in  themselves; 
nor  can  they  yield  new  sweetness  etcr-ially.  Was  it  not 
the  highest  of  all  madness  and  folly  to  forsake  the  eternal 
Fountain  of  Hvmg  waters,  and  rest  on  broken  cisterns, 
that  can  hold  no  water?  0  joy  of  all  joys,  that  ever  I 
rested  upon  tiiee,  as  my  only  portion!  0  my  happiness! 
my  happiness  surpasseth  all  expression! 

54.     EnimanuePs  land  is  altogether  of  free  redeeming 
grace^  yet  is  it  given  by  way  of  reward. 

And  what  is  this  great  assembly  of  such  glorious  and 
majestic  creatures,  but  a  number  of  bound  debtors  to  the 
free  grace,  altogether  free  redeeming  grace  of  Jehovah 
and  the  Lamb?  Are  ye  not,  O  blessed  creatures,  so  ma- 
ny monuments  of  trie  free  and  undeserved  bounty  and 
love  of  him,  whose  love  passeth  all  understanding?  Away 
with  deserving  and  merit!  what  can  creatures  do  to  thee? 
what  can  their  acting,  or  sulfering  for  thee  merit  at  thy 
hand?  If  any  have  any  thing  of  its  own,  or  can  do  any 
thing  of  itself,  then  may  it  glrrv  in  what  is  its  own.  If  all 
creatures  are  not  eternally  obliged  to  lovg,  and  obey,  and 
serve  thee,  with  all  their  might  and  vigour;  then  let  them 
ask  wages  for  obeying.  Yea,  is  it  not  an  eternal  wonder, 
thou  shouidst  make  men,  or  angels,  actors,  or  witnesses 
of  thy  infinite  glory  and  excellency?  what  are  all  crea- 
tures to  thee,  that  thou  shoiddst  open  thine  eyes  upon 
them?  what  unspeakable  dignity,  to  be  allotted  to  the 
lowest  piece  of  service  for  thee?  The  more  creatures 
adore,  and  love,  and  obey  thee,  the  more  they  are  run 
into  the  debt  of  thy  free  grace:  yea,  though  creatures 
could  deserve,  tne  very  active  glorifying  of  thee  carries 
m  its  bosom  full  and  overrunning  recompense.  And 
K  I 


U4  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

what  proportion  imaginable  is  there  betwixt  the  acting 
or  suffering  of  a  finite  creature,  and  one  moment  of  these 
boundless  joys?  the  service  is  finite,  but  the  reward  is  in- 
valuable. Though  it  had  been  possible  for  creatures  to 
persevere  under  a  covenant  of  works;  yet  could  they 
not  have  deserved,  nor  earned  wages,  except  by  virtue  of 
paction,  a  product  of  wonderfully  free,  and  condescending 
grace:  which  way  of  earning  is  under  this  second  cove- 
nant, and  that  in  a  more  sublime  and  glorious  manner. 
Perfect  obedience  w'as  the  condition  of  the  first;  sinceri- 
ty of  the  second.  Continuation  of  a  rational  life,  in  an 
earthly  paradise,  so  long  as  the  creature  persevered,  was 
the  reward  of  the  first;  eternal  duration  of  a  divine  life, 
in  this  celestial  paradise,  the  reward  of  the  second.  The 
first  was  made  with  the  earthly  Adam,  as  the  head,  and 
principal  person  of  the  earthly  house;  the  second,  with 
the  heavenly  Adam,"  as  head,  and  principal  person  of  the 
heavenly.  But  the  first  ruined  both  himself  and  his,  not 
being  able  to  fulfil  the  bargain;  the  second  hath  made  up 
both  himself,  and  his,  for  evermore,  by  perfect  obedience, 
and  full  satisfaction,  and  excellency  of  power,  in  trans^ 
forming  his  children  into  his  heavenly  image,  and  bring- 
ing them  all  infallibly  to  glory.  The  covenant  was  prin- 
cipally made  with  our  Well-beloved;  all  the  promises  of 
the  new  covenant  were  made  to  him,  as  the  chief  and  first- 
born of  many  brethren;  so  that  it  was  impossible,  that 
any  of  his  chosen  from  eternity  could  be  lost;  being  put 
into  so  sure  an  hand,  who  was  accountable  to  the  Father 
for  every  one  of  them:  .having  from  eternity  received 
them  from  him,  as  his  spouse,  his  children,  his  brethren, 
his  co-heirs,  his  pupils,  to  be  guided  and  tutored  by  him, 
in  time  and  eternity  :  so  that  all  the  stress  and  care  of  our 
salvation  was  laid  upon  our  great  Lord  Redeemer's  shoul- 
ders; according  to  whicli  trust,  he  hath  called  justified, 
sanctified  us,  enabled  us,  kept  us  from  falling  away,  in 
the  mif^st  of  infirmities,  difficulties,  temptations,  and  pre- 
sented us  without  spot  or  blemish,  before  his  Father. — ' 
Ounj^rst  earthly  father  played  the  bankrupt  with  all,  and 
left  us  poor,  vile,  miserable  wretches,  lying  in  our  blood, 
and  no  eye  pitying  us;  our  nature  being  in  his  loins,  as 
the  root,  and  original  of  us  all.  Did  he  not  degrade  and 
debase  us,  so  that  from  excellent  rational  creatures, 
created  after  the  ravishing  image  of  our  Maker,  we  be- 
came brutisii,  vain,  foolish,  and  vile?     But  in  came  our 


A   gIimpse  of  glory.  115 

\V  ell-beloved,  and  assumed  our  nature,  ir  its  low  and  base 
condition,  with  all  its  infirmities,  and  passions,  yet  without 
sin.    and  raised  it  up  to  a  far,  far  higher  pinnacle  of  ex- 
ceiiency,  than  ever  it  fell  from.     Before,  its  excellency 
Avr=s  natural,  but  now  it  is  supernatural;    before  earthl}-, 
now  heavenly  and  divine.     What  are  our  thoughts  of  the 
inconceivable  rays,  and  ravishing  resplendencies  of  free, 
free,  free  grace,   shining  from  the  God-head,  in  the  face 
of  Christ,  to  undone   creatures?     What  could  we  do  for 
ourselves,  when  broken  and  lost?    was  not  our  condition 
most  desperate  like?   we  couU  not  keep  ourselves  in  our 
first  condition,   when  entire  and  in  our  full  vigour;  what 
then  could  we  do,  when  broken  in  pieces  and  destroyed? 
Had  we  not  been  obliged  to  him,  who  had  restored  us  to 
our  former  estate,  or  merely  saved  us  from  eternal  wrath, 
though  no  more?  But  0!  what  astonishing  bounty,  love, 
mercy,   condescention,   compassion,  kindness,   patience, 
and  infinite  wonders  shine  here!    Sirs,  what  have  we  lost 
by  our  great  and  unspeakable  loss?     Our  fall  was  abomi- 
nable, dreadful,  monstrous,  ungrate,  and  astonishing;   yet 
■what  have  we  lost?     Ah,  no  thanks  to  us,  that  we  are  not 
eternally  undone:    utter  destruction  may  be  ascribed  for 
ever  to  us,  though  the  guilt  thereof  is  eternally  cancelled; 
let  all  the  glory  and  praise  rest  upon  his  head,  unto  whom 
it  doth  alone  appertain;    even  on  his  glorious  and  majes- 
tic head,   who  is  the  author  and  finisher  of  this  great  sal- 
vation.    We  are  thine!    we  are  thine!    0  excellent  Well- 
beloved;    even  thine  upon  all  possible  accounts/    In  our 
first  condition  we  were  thine  by  creation,  thine  by  cove- 
nant, and  these  were  sweet;   but  O  now!   now  we  are  al- 
so thine  by  redemption,  thine  by  purchase,  thine  by  a  bet- 
ter covenant  foundation,  a  better  foundation  than  by  con- 
quest: ihine  by  a  new  creation,  thine  by  exaltation  to  this 
glorious  and  divine    estate.     O    sweet,   sweet!     we   are 
altogether  thine,  and  nothing  our  own!  0  boundless  joys! 
I  am  eternally  tied  to  thee,  by  all  obligations?   0  my  in- 
couceivable  happiness!  self  hath  not  the  least  occasion  t^ 
boast  of  itself:  no  creature,  man,  or  angel,  hath  any  thing 
to  glory  in,  before  thy  presence.     0  thou  heaven  of  hea- 
vlus,  shalt  thou  not  be  filled  with  songs  of  free  redeem- 
ing 2;race?  what  should  we  do  with  our  diadems,  our  scep- 
tres, our  palms,  our  robes,    our  glorious  adoraaments? 
what  should  we  do  with  ah  that  we  are  and  \xx\e,  but  cast 
them  down  at  the  feet  of  him,  who  hath  created,  redeem- 


ilO  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLOnY. 

ed,  and  sanctified  us?  even  at  the  feet  of  him,  who  hath 
redeemed  us  to  God  by  his  own  blood,  and  made  us  to' 
our  God  kings  and  priests;  and  we  shall  reign  for  ever 
and  ever.  0  excellenti  the  less  our  own,  tiie  better;  the 
more  thine,  the  more  blessed  condition!  we  are  altr>geth- 
er  thine,  all  our  excellency,  all  our  actings,  all  our  suffer- 
ings, all  our  glory,  is  only  thine.  This  kingdom  thou 
alone  didst  purchase,  without  the  help  of  any:  all,  all  are 
the  product  of  free,  eternally  free  love!  all  is  given  to  us 
tiiOf-t  freely!  from  eternity  were  we  chosen  to  all  this 
blessedness,  most  absolutely,  without  respect  to  foreseen 
excellency,  or  deserving  Ail  is  mo^.t  free  to  us;  but  dear 
lo  our  Well- beloved!  what  couldst  thou  give  more,  my 
dearest  Lord,  than  thy  life,  thy  blood,  thy  very  self? 
couldst  thou  lay  down  a  greater  pawn  for  our  salvation, 
than  thy  noble,  supcrexcellent,  and  glorious  Self?  could 
love  have  been  manifested  in  a  more  transcendent,  glo- 
rious and  excellent  way?  what  couldst  thou  have  done 
more  than  thou  hast  done?  Is  not  tnis  an  excellent  inheri- 
tance, men  and  angels?  is  not  this  land  a  beautiful,  rich, 
and  pleasant  land  indeed?  doih  this  look  like  the  field  of 
blood?  our  Emmanuel  conquered  all  this  by  biood  and 
death:  he  rode  over  hell  and  devils,  and  vanquished  all 
the  opposers  of  this  boundless  blessedness:  thousands  and 
ten  thousands  were  nothing  in  his  way.  He  made  na- 
tions and  languages  saciitices  to  divine  justice.  '*  He 
rent  the  heavens,  and  came  down,  the  mountains  flowed 
down  at  his  presence:  he  trode  down  the  people  in  his 
anofer,  and  made  them  drunk  in  his  fury;  and  did  bring 
down  their  strength  to  the  earth.  He  gave  Kgypt  for  our 
ranbom,  Ethiopia  and  Sebah  for  us,"  Were  not  these 
great  things?  Hath  he  not  redeemed  Zion  by  blood? 
hath  he  not  made  a  noble  conquest?  yea,  he  slew  death 
itself;  he  went  to  th«  land  of  death  and  destruction,  and 
vanquished  his  strongest,  and  most  cruel  enemies,  in  their 
own  native  soil.  O  wonderful!  he  led  captivity  captive, 
b}  being  led  captive'  by  undergoing  shame,  and  pain, 
and  grief,  and  ignominy,  he  conquished  boundless  joys, 
and  delights,  and  glory,  and  renown;  by  dying,  he  van- 
quished death,  and  h'm  that  had  the  power  thereof  Here, 
O  here  is  the  m valuable  price!  the  life,  the  hfe,  the  blood 
of  God'  wonder,  and  stand  in  an  eternal  amazement,  all 
creatures!  the  life  of  the  Lord  of  life  was  laid  down  a 
ransom  for  us,  as  the  price  of  our  eternal  blessedness! 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  lit 

Who  can  value  the  life  and  blood  of  the  man  who  is  God, 
blessed  for  evermore?  shall  we  speak  of  ten  thousand 
millions  of  millions  of  excellent  men,  of  glorious  angels? 
That  is  just  nothing.  Shall  we  speak  of  myriads  of  tny- 
riads  of  worlds,  more  excellent  every  one  than  another? 
That  is  just  nothing  also:  so  many  creatures,  so  many 
nothings.  IN  ever  so  many  worlds  are  so  many  shadows, 
in  comparison  of  the  enduring  substance.  O  the  price, 
the  price!  do  not  the  thoughts  thereof  heighten  the  con- 
ceptions of  men  and  angels  beyond  all  conception?  What 
strange  flamings  of  love!  what  high  motions  of  joy?  what 
overllowing  tides  of  admiration,  at  every  thought  of  the 
wonderful  way,  wherein  God  hath  done  all  this  to 
us!  all  this  honor  saith,  behold  the  Son  of  God  sham- 
ed! all  this  gloiy  saith,  behold  eternal,  essential  glo- 
ry obscured!  and  this  joyful  and  flourishing  life  saith,  Be- 
hold the  Prince  of  hfe  in  a  great  agony,  bleeding  to  death, 
even  the  shameful  and  painful  death  of  the  cross!  0  bigh- 
e-st  manifestation  of  infinite  love!  all  is  come  through  the 
bowels  of  our  dearest  Lord  Jesus,  whose  love  to  us  was 
so  strong,  that  nothing  could  in  the  least  quench  it:  he  la- 
boured through  love,  sorrowed  through  love,  wept  through 
love,  he  died  of  love-  When  cold  death  began  to  seize  on 
his  heart,  he  found  it  all  flaming  with  the  love  of  his  dear-^ 
est  spouse;  neither  could  he  destroy  these  immortal  flames, 
which  flash  and  dart  forth  their  overcoming  rays,  through- 
out eternity  O  thy  incomprehensible  love!  bend  hither 
all  your  faculties  men  and  angels,  and  be  amazed  for  ever- 
more! O  my  heavenly  Father,  by  thy  infinite  gift,  thou 
hast  lost  nothing;  the  Son  of  thy  everlasting  love  and  de- 
lights is  ever  in  thy  presence.  O  my  Redeemer,  thou 
lost  thy  life,  yet  thou  hast  not  lost  it;  behold  thou  art  alive 
for  evermore.  The  price  of  all  doth  eternally  remain, 
else  should  the  things  bought  be  nothing.  Let  no  crea- 
ture speak  of  its  excellency,  or  acts;  what  can  they  con- 
quest? what  can  they  purchase?  Our  Emmanuel  hath 
purchased  all  things:  indeed  by  birth-right  he  is  the  eter- 
ual  and  essential  Heir  of  all;  yet  hath  he  added  a  new- 
right,  and  made  all  his  over  again  by  conquest.  ''  Not 
unto  us,  not  unto  us,  but  unto  thee  be  all  the  glory,  do- 
minion, and  praise,  for  ever  and  ever.  Yet,  O  wonderful 
bounty,  condescency  and  love!  thou  hast  put  on  our  heads 
the  crowns  of  conquerors,  the  laurels  of  tiiumph:  thou 
bast  put  in  our  hands  the  never-fading  palms  oi  victory: 


118  L    GLIJMrSE    OF   GLORY. 

Ilast  thou  done  all?  and  shall  we  bear  the  honor  of  Well, 
and  heroically  done,  for  the  great  and  massy  diadem  of 
glory?  Hast  thou  conquered?  and  shall  we  triumph,  as 
purchasers  of  heaven  and  all?  Hast  thou  suffered^  and 
»hall  we  enter  into  this  glorv,  as  having  undergone  all  the 
assaults  of  hell  and  death,  in  our  own  proper  strength? 
This  is  a  sweeter,  more  condescending  and  wonderful 
dispensation,  than  if  thou  hadst  brought  us  immediately 
out  of  the  state  of  nature  into  this  state  of  glory;  or  crea- 
ted us  in  the  midst  of  this  incomparable  happiness.  O 
sweet,  sweet!  to  think,  that  grace  bath  ushered  in  glory; 
a  life  of  believing,  a  life  of  immediate  vision;  a  hfe  of  la- 
bour and  of  difficulty,  this  life  of  eternal  repose;  a  life  of 
shame  and  reproach,  this  life  of  immortal  glory  and  re- 
nown; a  life  of  fighting,  this  life  of  everlasting  triumphing; 
a  hfe  of  tears,  pain  and  sadness,  this  life  of  boundless  joys 
and  delights;  a  hfe  of  fears  and  weakness,  this  hfe  of 
perfect  security  and  might!  how  wisely  hath  my  Lord 
connected  all  things  together?  that  our  glory  might  be 
more  than  glory ;  our  happiness,  more  superaboundin^ 
happiness.  This  glory,  this  incomprehensible  glory  and 
renown  will  he  have  to  rest  for  ever  upon  our  heads: 
■worlds  of  amazement!  to  hear  my  Lord  say,  in  the  pre- 
sence of  all,  to  every  one,  "  Well  done,  good  and  faithful 
servant,  thou  hast  been  faithful  over  a  few  things,  I  will 
make  thee  ruler  over  many  things;  enter  thou  into  the 
joy  of  thy  Lord:"  heroically  done,  for  this  massy  diadem 
of  glory:  "  Worthy  art  thou  to  walk  with  me  in  white;  for 
thou  hast  kept  clean  garments,  in  the  midst  of  a  polluted 
world:  thou  hast  valiently  fought  and  overcome;  and  art 
not  worthy  to  triumph  with  me,  throughout  the  vast  ages, 
of  endless  eternity?  As  I  have  done,  so  thou  hast  suffered 
patiently,  even  unto  the  death;  and  therefore  it  well  be- 
comes thee  to  enter  into  this  unspeakable  glory."  What, 
Lord!  must  I,  poor  silly  I,  once  base,  sinful,  wretched 
and  undone  I,  nuist  even  I  possess  this  undefiled,  incor- 
ruptible, never  fading  inheritance?  What  have  I  done? 
or,  what  have  I  suitered  for  thy  excellent  name?  yea, 
what  have  I  not  done,  endeavoured  and  desired  against 
thy  holiness?  Yet,  even  I  must  enter  here,  as  worthy  of 
all!  I  must  wear  the  conqweror''s  crown!  I  must  bear  the 
palms  of  victory!  even  thus  it  must  be,  thus  it  should  be, 
since  it  is  the  good  pleasure  of  my  Lord  the  King.  When 
6ur  Bridegroom  hath  made  his  spouse  the  perfection  of 


A    GLIMPSE    OJ?    GJ.OJIV.  119 

beauty,  how  is  his  mystical  body  composed  of  various 
members,  every  one  endowed  with  its  own  proper  beauty? 
Every  one  is  not  graced  with  the  same  measure  of  excel- 
lency, since  every  member  conduceth  to  the  beautifying 
of  the  whole;  varieties  of  glories  in  the  same  is  wonder- 
ful, ravishing  and  pleasant.  Even  on  earth  the  spouse 
was  adorned  with  various  excellencies,  chiefly  for  beauty, 
and  not  for  necessity  nay,  the  heavens  and  the  earth  are 
not  defective  herein:  were  every  star  like  the  sun,  or  all 
the  stars  of  equal  glory,  or  the  whole  expansion  adorned 
with  equal  glory;  or  were  every  part  of  the  earth  cover- 
ed over  with  the  same  beauties,  so  that  nothing  did  excel 
another;  were  all  heaven,  or  all  earth;  or  were  earth  of 
equal  glory  with  heaven;  or  wer /  all  a  sun;  oi-  were  the 
higher  and  lower  world  nothiag  differing  in  glory;  all 
would  be  every  way  the  same;  and  so  nothing  so  beauti- 
ful as  it  is.  Indeed,  the  head  is  loving  to  all  the  members, 
and  is  alike  affected  with  them  ail;  yet,  every  member  is 
in  its  own  order,  according  to  his  good  pleasure,  which 
from  eternity  he  purposed  in  himself  As  he  distributed, 
after  diverse  digrees  aQd  manners,  his  gifts  and  graces,  to 
his  chosen  in  time;  so  doth  he  make  the  harvest  corres- 
pondeijt  to  the  seed-time,  the  manly  constitution  to  the  in- 
fancy, the  vigour  and  blooming  to  the  buddi)ig  and  first 
spiinging  forth.  According  to  the  grace  given  unto  us, 
in  time,  and  the  improvement  thereof,  in  acting,  or  suffer- 
ing for  his  glory ;  accordingly  is  every  one  of  us  rewarded: 
as  he  did  promise  and  testify,  that  as  every  man  should  re- 
ceive according  to  his  works;  so  they  that  are  wise,  shall 
shine  as  the  lirmament,  and  they  that  turn  many  to 
righteousness,  as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever.  The 
connection  betwixt  time  and  eternity  here,  is  not  natural, 
from  the  nature  of  things,  as  if  so  much  grace  deserved  so 
much  glory;  so  much,  or  so  long  acting,  or  suffering,  such 
or  such  a  diadem  of  honor;  but  merely  from  his  good 
pleasure,  who  dispo^eth  all  things  most  absolutely  and  free- 
ly. If  it  so  pleased  him,  he  might  have  disposed  other- 
wise; but  this  is  the  most  excellent,  because  he  hath  done 
it.  All  our  excellency,  and  all  our  acting,  or  suffering, 
was  only  of  him,  and  not  of  ourselves:  he  alone  did  work 
in  us,  both  to  will  and  to  do,  of  his  good  pleasure.  The 
more  we  were  graced,  the  more  we  were  enabled,  the 
more  we  were  obliged;  onl^  it  hath  pleased  his  iniinite 
'  bounty  to  perfect  in  eternity,  according  as  he  did  begin  in 


120  A    GLIMPSE    OF    CLOHi*. 

time;  and  to  2;lve  us  the  purchased  possession,  by  way  oi' 
reward  In  our  Lord's  distribution  of  his  reward 'i,  he 
considers  the  multitudes  of  talents,  and  the  improvement 
of  them,  and  way  of  improvement;  as,  if  with  vigour  and 
great  sincerity;  also  perseverance  therein,  and  duration, 
with  more  and  more  magnanimity  unt  •  the  death;  uiso 
the  greatness  of  the  opposers  is  considered;  also  the  ef- 
fecls,  and  extending  of  talents,  for  the  good  of  others;  as 
when  the  man  acts  bravely,  before  sun  and  moon,  where- 
by great  glory  doth  redound  to  him,  for  whom  ,'.re  all 
things;  and  many  are  strengthened,  and  converted  unto 
righteousness:  suffering  is  considered  in  itself,  as  such, 
excelling  acting;  which  is  more  or  less  excellenJ,  even  as 
acting,  according  to  other  various  circumstances.  O  the 
wonderful  way  thou  hast  taken  to  beautify  thy  spou>^e' 
how  doth  the  head  shine  most  eminently  above  all  the 
members;  and  every  member  according  to  its  measure, 
allotted  from  eternity?  Every  one  of  us  was  appointed, 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  to  this  measure  of 
glory,  most  absolutely  and  freely,  without  any  respect  to 
excellency,  or  good  works  in  time:  and  yet,  O  eternal  ad- 
miration! He  hath  rewarded  every  one  of  us,  according 
to  our  righteousness;  according  to  the  cleanness  of  our 
hands  he  recompensed  us;  for  we  kept  the  ways  of  the 
Lord,  and  have  not  wickedly  departed  from  our  God:  for 
all  his  judgments  were  before  us,  and  we  did  not  put  away 
his  statutes  from  us;  we  were  also  upright  before  him,  and 
we  kept  ourselves  from  our  iniquity :  therefore  hath  the  Lord 
recompensed  us,  according  to  our  righteousness,  accord- 
ing to  tlie  cleanness  of  our  hands  in  his  eye-sisht;  for 
with  the  merciful  thou  hast  showed  thyself  merciful;  with 
the  upright  man  thou  hast  showed  thyself  upright;  with 
the  pure  thou  hast  showed  thyself  pure;  and  with  the  fro- 
ward  tiiou  hast  showed  thyself  froward;  for  thou  hast  lor- 
ed  the  afflicted  people,  and  hast  brought  down  the  high 
looks.  All  thy  promises  to  the  overcomers  hast  thou  per- 
fectly accomplished.     Boundless  happiness  for  evermore! 

55  ^11  ihings  are  fully  discovered  In  glory,  ivlikk  li& 
hid  in  lime. 

All  things  are  laid  open  before  the  eyes  of  all:  how 
passing  clear  and  evident  is  the  light  of  glory?  Do  I  not 
know  you  all,  and  every  one?  not  only  according  to  your 
proper  essences,  and  weight  of  ^lo>y;  but  also',  what  man- 
ner of  persons  yo.ii'  were  in  time,  as  to  all  these  circum- 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  121 

stances,  by  which  men  were  differenced  from  one  another: 
so  that  we  may  say,  This,  and  this  is  the  man,  who  was 
such  and  such  an   instrument  in  time,  for  the  incompre- 
hensible glory  of  our   never-enough   exaUed  Redeemer; 
w^ho  wiU  manifest  all  the  good  works,  and  excellency  of 
every  one  before  his  Father,  and  before  his  angels.     He 
from  eternity  knows  by  name,   and  hath   manifested   the 
name  of  every  one,  before  the  whole  creation.     Are  ^ou 
not  eternally  shamed  and  confounded,  you  haters  of  the 
only  excellent  One?     You  are  declared  by  name  before 
all,  and  every  one  in  singular;  the  most  hidden  things  of 
darkness  are  now  laid  open   forever  and  ever:  all  your 
thoughts,  your  words,  your  deeds:  all  your  incHnations, 
your  purposes,  your  projects,  your  impieties  are  made 
known  perfectly  to  the  consciences  of  every  one   of  you, 
to  O'  e  another,  and  to  us  all      Hide   your^^elves    now,  if 
you  can;  neither  yourselves,  nor  your  wickedness,   shall 
ever    hencelorth   escape  our  view      Now  we  are  incon- 
ceivably elevated  above  all  natural  sagacity,  natural  illu- 
mination was   wonderful  discovering,  as   the  sagacity  of 
man  in  his  first   estate  did  show;  the  hght   of  grace   was 
more  piercing,  as  discerning  things  far  above  the  reach  of 
nature;  but  all  are  scarce  emblem?  of  this  light  of  glory. 
How  just  and  holy  art  thou,  in  all  thy  ways,  O  my  holy 
One!     Thou  hast  forever  unma^ked   the  two  great  c  m- 
panies  of  men  and  angels;  all  now  appear  in  their  genuine 
colours:  our  innocency  is  manifested,  and  their  wicked- 
ness is  laid  open.     How  manv  things  did  we  refer   unto 
this  day,  as  indiscussable  by  dim-eyed  mortals,  who  judg- 
ed according  to  externals,   conjectures  and  probabilities; 
and  not  according  to  the  things  as  they  were  in  themselves? 
whence  the   condemning  of  the  innocent,  and  justifving 
of  the    guilty;  whence   many  went  off  the  stage   of  the 
world,  branded  with  the  approbrious  names  of  hypocrites, 
new  gospellers,   traitors,  seditious,  factious,  fanatics,  and 
whatnot;  who  were  the  glory,  flower  and  excellency  of 
the  generation:  how  m.any  of  the  most  excellent  of  the 
earth  were  cried  out  against  on  every   side,  because   of 
their  singular  holiness,  and  fervency  of  spirit,  for  the  in- 
terests of  Christ,  and   power  of  godliness,  above  others; 
because  of  their  testifying  against  tne  proper  sins  of  their 
generation;  that  even  some  of  the  weakest  of  the  fsaints 
did  cast  abroad  f'.,ui  aspersions  of  fhem,  did  hate  and  per- 
secute them,  as  troublers  of  the  world?     And  how  many 
Li 


122  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

were  accounted,  by  the  generality,  true  and  sincere  saints, 
because  of  their  selfish  prudential  way  of  carriage,  in  all 
exigencies,  and  among  all  sorts  of  persons;  because  of 
their  large  recommendations  of  all,  and  baseness  of  spirit, 
in  the  pubhc  interest  of  God,  though  rejected,  deserted  blas- 
phemed and  troden  upon  by  almost  all;  because  of  their 
compliance  with  the  humours  of  most,  and  insinuating  of 
themselves  upon  both  good  and  bad,  in  an  humble  and 
loving  manner;  because  of  their  sinful  reseivedness,  in 
the  matters  of  God,  in  a  declining  time;  because  of  their 
keeping  themselves  free  from  gross  outbreakings;  because, 
of  their  counterfeiting  ot  real  saints,  by  acquiring  a  fine 
outward  carriage,  and  a  huge  literal,  notional  knowledge 
of  divine  things;  that  they  might  pray,  write,  and  discourse 
like  men,  much  in  the  intimate  fellowship  of  Jesus:  as 
also  because  of  their  outward  prosperity,  which  give 
men  a  brave  lustre  in  the  eyes  of  dull  mortals.  All,  all  is 
now  unmasked!  now,  now  it  is  manifest,  who  were  excel- 
lent, who  were  not;  who  have  been  the  real  friends  of  the 
Bridegroom,  and  who  have  been  counterfeit.  How  sweet 
is  the  righteousness  of  God,  now  vindicated!  what  delec- 
tation to  behold  all  things  drawn  out  of  darkness!  my  ha- 
tred to  impiety  and  hellish  madness  is  so  great,  and  my 
zeal  for  the  glory  of  my  never-enough  exalted  Lord  and 
Redeemer,  is  so  violent  and  strong,  that  all  natural  afifec- 
tions,  in  their  highest  bensil,  would  here  be  s\vallov>ed  up 
to  nothing:  to  see  the  glory  of  divine  vengeance  manifest- 
ed on  father,  mother,  sister,  brother,  son,  or  dau^jh^er, 
now  black  and  ugly  lumps  of  hell,  and  haters  of  the  foun- 
tain of  all  loveliness  and  sweetness,  is  a  sight  enternally 
dehghtsome. 

66.  Amotig  the  many  pendicles  of  U id  fair  inheritance  ^ 
ike  sweet  fellowship  of  men  and  aigtls  Is  very  considerable. 

O  how  sweet  a  despensation!  how  wonderful  is  divine 
providence!  you  who  were  sweet  and  profitable  company 
to  me  in  my  pilgrimage,  forever  walk  with  me  on  the  tops 
of  glorious  and  majestic  mount  Zion  Sirs,  I  esteemed 
and  loved  you  above  all  then,  as  the  only  excellent  ones 
of  the  earth,  in  whom  was  all  my  delight.  But  now,  love 
is  in  its  bloom  and  full  perfection  What  a  golden  life 
would  I  have  esteemed  it  on  earth  to  live  in  the  company 
of  the  most  \\ise  and  excellent  in  all  ages?  O  now,  all  the 
excellent  of  the  world  are  my  companions;  every  oue  of 
^vhich  transcends,  by  millions  of  stages,  in  wistiota   aad 


A    GLIIMPSE    OF  GLOEl*.  123 

excellency,  the  most  excellent  mere  man  on  earth.  0  ye 
beloved  ones,  is  not  our  fellowship  far  changed?  Old 
things  are  passed  away,  all  things  are  become  new!  All 
earthly  ties  are  broken  asundei,  which  did  much  hin- 
der the  fello\v-ship  of  saints  on  earth:  we  are  every  way 
free!  spiritual  relation  hath  swallowed  up  all  other.  No 
obligation  betwixt  us,  but  that  of  love:  we  hold  not  any 
thing  mediately,  Jesus  the  first-born  of  the  Almighty 
King  IS  our  immediate  superior  in  all  things  O  glorious 
magnific  kingdom?  O  let  the  crown  forever  flourish  on  the 
head  of  the  Conqueror!  what  though  all  this  assembly  of 
men  and  angels  should  be  abased,  if  he  be  exalted?  what 
though  all  should  decrease,  if  he  increase?  what  is  the 
flower  and  chief  excellency  of  all  created  glory?  He  is 
the  beauty  and  triumph  of  all  creatures,  the  head  and 
first  born  of  every  creature,  infinitely  more  than  all  crea- 
ture^;  he  is  Jehovah. 

57.  The  saints  are  eternally  acquitted;  and  all  their 
facnllies  are  filled  up  with  liis  ravishing  voice. 

All  things  are  eternal:  the  saints  are  eternally  acquitted 
and  justified;  and  all  the  wicked  are  ever  impanelled 
and  condemned  la  how  ravishing  a  manner  doth  our 
"Well-beloved  smile  upon  us?  forever  doth  he  stretch  forth 
the  arms  of  his  love  to  embrace  us?  O  the  sweetness  of 
his  lips!  the  loveliness  of  his  voice!  honey  and  butter  is 
imder  his  tongue,  and  the  smell  of  his  nose,  is  as  the 
smell  of  Lebanon:  his  eyes  are  ever  fixed  upon  usj  eve^ 
ry  look,  every  beckoning  of  the  hand  manifests  a  love, 
ever  to  be  admired,  and  never  to  be  comprehended  0  his 
voice,  his  voice!  is  he  not  saying.  "  Behold,  and  forever 
behold  your  Lord,  your  Head,  your  Husband,  your  King, 
youf  Maker,  your  only  Well-beloved,  who  lovad  you  with 
an  eternal  love;  washed  you,  when  polluted,  in  mine  own 
blood;  and  made  you  kings  and  priests  to  my  Father  and 
your  Father? 

Did  I  love  you,  w^hen  vile  and  abominable?  and  shall  I 
ever  hate  you,  when  made  fair  and  lovely,  through  my 
perfect  comehness?  Come,  my  fairest  spouse,  come  my 
lQ%|jy  one,  let  us  satiate  ourselves  with  ravishing  loves, 
v/hile  the  heavens  remain.  Behold  these  arms,  that  were 
stretched  out  upon  the  cross,  for  your  sakes,  are  ever 
ready  to  embrace  you:  with  desire  have  I  desired  this 
golden  day  of  mutual  loves  and  delights;  even  this  day  of 
my  espousals  and  gladness  of  heart;  and  therefore  I  have 


134  A    GLIMPSE    OF  GLORY. 

put  on  my  marriage- robes,  arrayed  myself  with  glory  and 
mujesty,  as  with  a  garment-  and  you  also  have  I  decked  ^ 
"with  passing  glory.  And,  can  we  be  but  ravished?  Thou 
hast  ravished  my  heart,  my  sister,  my  spouse!  even  wiien 
thou  wast  black,  thou  wast  precious  in  my  eyes:  sin  and 
vileness  is  nothing  in  the  way  of  my  infinite  love-  1  lov- 
ed thee,  because  I  loved  thee:  and  because  I  loved  thee, 
therefore  hast  thou  become  exceeding  lovely.  Are  you 
not  dear  unto  me?  are  you  not  my  delights  and  rejoicing? 
you  are  the  fruits  of  my  labours,  sufferings^  sad  heans, 
tears,  sighs,  groans,  fear,  pain,  shame,  reproach-  in  see- 
ing you,  I  behold  my  seed,  the  travail  of  my  soul,  and  am 
satisfied:  enjoy  me  now,  as  much  as  your  soul  desires. — 
All  mountains  are  removed,  all  shadows  are  fled  away;  the 
occasionsof  your  doublings,  jealousies,  despondencies,  are 
no  more  *  we  shall  enjoy  one  another  lothe  full.  Love  shall 
be  no  more  pained  and  sick  of  delays  Have  1  not  hast- 
ed to  this  eternal  day  of  enjoyment?  how  have  I  dis- 
patched much  in  a  small  time?  I  have  come  skipping 
over  the  mountains,  leaping  over  the  hills.  I  swimmed 
through  seas  of  blood,  oceans  of  tears,  worlds  *  f  woes 
and  griefs;  trode  the  wine-press  of  the  wrath  of  God  Al- 
mighty; crushed  the  people  in  mine  anger,  and  trampled 
them  in  my  fury;  made  my  name  to  sound  throughout 
the  whole  would;  filled  the  earth  with  the  knowledge  of 
my  name;  erected  a  glori' us  church  on  earth,  of  Jew  and 
Gentile;  put  away  time  and  days,  cried  down  forever  all 
earthly  pleasures,  pomps,  glory,  that  we  might  enjoy  this 
eternal  day  of  love's  fullest  manifestations:  and  behold,  I 
am  become  all  in  all  unto  you  forevermore.  Rest,  my 
dearest  spouse,  in  my  bosom:  rest  in  your  love  unto  me; 
behold.  I  rest  in  my  love  unto  thee,  and  rejoice  over  thee 
with  singing.  Hast  thou  laboured  with  me?  here  is  an  e- 
ternal  repose.  Hast  thou  mourned?  partake  of  my 
boundless  joys.  Hast  thou  suffered  for  my  name's  sake? 
thou  shalt  eternally  ride  with  me  in  my  majestic,  triumph- 
ant chariot  of  glory:  thou  shalt  no  more  be  sick  of  love, 
through  absence  and  want  of  the  light  of  my  counren- 
ance;  whence  ill  thoughts  of  mine  unchangeable  love-.-— 
Kiss,  and  kiss  forever,  and  take  thy  fill  of  love-embraces. 
His  banner  of  love  shall  ever  overspread  us!  it  is  nothing 
what  thou  hast  been;  since  I  have  elected  thee,  and  wash- 
ed thee,  and  made  thee  passing  beautiful  and  ex'  elient; 
and  thou  hast  become  mine :  my  life,  my  blo(?d,  my  soul 


A     GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  125 

di3  I  give  for  thee:  I  have  become  like  thee,  acd  made 
^hee  like  unto  me,  that  our  fellowship  might  be  most  inti- 
mate and  sweet:  and  what,  my  fair  one,  could  I  have  done 
more,  to  make  thee  superabundantly  blessed?  have  I  not 
fitted  thee  for  my  fellowship?  have  I  not  adorned  thee 
with  superexcellent  beauty,  glory,  and  majesty?  Nothing 
can  show  forth  thy  pleasantness,  thy  surpassing  excellen- 
cies: all  trees,  all  flowers,  all  roses,  and  lilies,  all  the  bea- 
ties  that  adorn  the  spangled  heavens,  would  blush,  to  con- 
tend with  thy  surpassing  beauty;  all  their  perfections  are 
but  emblems  of  that  substantial  excellency,  wherewith  I 
have  beautified  thee.  Thine  eyes  would  overcome  me,  I 
could  not  look  upon  thy  beauty,  if  thou  didst  not  draw 
near;  that  love  may  be  satisfied  with  full  enjoyment." 
Can  there  be  greater  blessedness?  can  there  be  more  in- 
timate fellowship?  0  what  love-embraces!  what  love- 
kisses!  what  overcoming  smiles!  we  bathe  ourselves  in 
the  oceans  of  pure  unmixed  love!  "  The  very  smell  of 
thy  garments,  my  fair  one,  ravish  my  heart,  they  exhale  a 
fragrancy  like  a  field  which  the  Lord  hath  blessed!  even 
my  Father  hath  blessed  thee,  and  thou  art  blessed  for- 
evermore.  All  who  have  cureed  thee,  have  been  cursed; 
and  all  who  have  blessed  thee,  have  been  blessed.  The 
eternal  God  is  thy  refuge;  and  underneath  are  everlastmg 
arms:  and  he  hath  cast  out  the  enemy  from  before  thee; 
and  hath  said,  Destroy  them.  Thou  dwellest  in  safety, 
alone;  the  fountain  of  Jacob  is  open  unto  thee.  O  peo- 
ple saved  of  the  Lord,  the  shield  of  thine  help;  and  who 
is  the  strength  of  thine  excellency:  and  thine  enemies  have 
been  found  liars  unto  thee;  and  thou  hast  troden  them  up- 
on their  high  places.  0  are  you  not  blessed,  eternally 
blessed,  who  have  been  appointed  to  so  great  things? 
Glory,  excellency,  strength,  beauty,  honour,  and  all  are 
yours!  behold,  beheld,  ye  children  of  my  everlasting  loves 
and  delights,  these  precious  crowns,  these  garlands  of  glo- 
ry, wherewith  I  adorn  you!"  Behold,  behold,  all  crea- 
tures, devils,  and  wicked  men,  thus  is  it  done  eternally  un- 
to the  men  whom  the  King  delighteth  to  honour.  "  This 
is  the  majesty  I  clothe  them  with,  who  have  loved,  feared, 
and  obeyed  me,  unto  death,  in  their  generation.  This  is 
the  kingdom,  these  are  the  glorious  mansions,  I  have  set 
them  down  into.  I  spake  not  to  you,  my  fair  ones,  of 
earthly  kingdoms,  and  possessions:  these  celestial  habita- 
tions were  you  ordained  unto,  as  your  everlasting  country. 
h  3 


126  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

I  told  you  of  worlds,  and  kingdoms,  and  crowns,  and 
sceptres,  and  cities,  and  glorious  mansions;  and  behold, 
inconceivably  more  than  I  promised:  yea,  did  you  not  in- 
herit time  also?  did  you  ever  want  journey  bread,  as  long 
as  on  the  way  to  this  country?  though,  for  your  good,  I  did 
not  laden  you  with  the  thick  clay  of  the  earth,  I  ever  cut 
out  that  lot  which  was  best  for  you,  which  was  not  a  life 
of  earthly  abundance :  if  it  had  been  otherwise,  I  should 
have  made  you  the  only  sharers  of  earth,  the  only  poten- 
tates of  time;  but  dunghill  earth  was  far  below  your  di- 
vine minds.  How  degrading  had  it  been,  to  see  my  fel- 
low heirs  vexed,  turmoiled,  and  distracted  with  dunghill 
concernments?  No,  your  generous  spirits  were  exercis- 
ed with  high  and  excellent  things,  and  were  not  brought 
down  by  the  empty  concernments  the  sons  of  the  earth 
were  only  occupied  with.  My  way  to  this  unspeakable 
glory  was  through  contempt,  reproach,  afflictions,  poverty, 
shame;  I  could  not  dignify  you,  mere  than  by  making  you 
partakers  of  my  lot,  my  excellent  ones:  if  I  had  plunged 
you  in  the  midst  of  earthly  prosperity  and  abundance, 
you  should  have  missed  the  greatest  glory,  which  is  suffer- 
ing for  my  name's  sake ;  your  crown  should  not  have  been 
So  massy  and  glorious:  and  where  would  have  been  the 
exercise  and  trial  of  all  your  graces?  your  patience  in 
tribulations,  your  meek,  quite,  and  contented  spirit,  when 
the  vilest  of  men  were  exalted,  and  did  abound  in  tem- 
poral enjoyments,  sharing  the  earth  among  them,  as  if 
they  alone  had  only  derived  their  pedigree  from  Adam? 
where  had  been  manifested  your  confidence  in  your  hea- 
venly Father,  if  sense  had  not  seemed  to  contradict  the 
promises?  Thus  was  the  draught  of  my  infinite  wisdom, 
that  your  way  to  the  crown  should  be  through  all  manner 
of  trials,  afflictions,  and  oppositions.  Great  was  your 
agony  with  devils,  with  wicked  men,  with  your  inbred 
corruptions,  with  many  external  disasters;  even  unto  hun- 
ger, thirst,  nakedness,  and  sore  trouble  for  your  daily 
bread:  and  should  it  not  have  been  thus?  for,  if  no  ene- 
anies,  no  fighting;  if  no  fighting,  no  victory;  and  if  no  vic- 
tory, no  triumphing:  is  not  here  a  golden  chain  of  won- 
derful wisdom  and  love?  Possess  forever  this  glorious 
kingdom,  my  valiant  ones,  a  kingdom  ordained  for  you 
anost  freely  and  absolutely,  without  respect  to  work  or 
excellency:  yet,  possess  it  by  way  of  conquest:  my  free 
grace,  given  to  you  in  time,  do  i  crown  with  this  eternal 


A  GLIMPSE  OF    GLORY.  1-27 

and  exceeding  weight  of  glory:  all  tijis  kingdom  is  for 
every  one  of  you,  as  if  there  were  none  else;  all  of  you 
are  possessors  of  all  things.  I  have  redeemed  you  from 
eternal  wrath,  misery,  and  sinning;  I  have  purchased  all 
things  for  you;  I  have  prayed  to  my  Father,  that  you, 
whom  he  had  given  me,  might  be  forever  with  me  where 
I  am,  to  behold  my  glory,  which  he  hath  given  me ;  for  he 
loved  me,  before  the  foundation  of  the  world.  These,  lo, 
all  these  are  your  portion.  Earth  was  a  portion  for  the 
bastards  only;  and  therefore  I  divided  it  most  largely  a= 
mongst  them,  casting  crowns  and  principalities,  and  the 
greatest  earthly  things  of  time,  to  the  vilest  of  them:  to 
indulge  your  childishness,  I  gave  sometimes  to  some  of 
you  large  portions  of  the  earth;  for  many  ends,  known 
only  to  myself,  and  for  giving  you  a  breathing  time,  lest 
the  spirit  that  I  had  made  should  have  been  brought  to 
nothing:  but  earthly  portions  were  only  fit  for  base  spirits; 
poor  and  empty  were  the  donations  I  vouchsafed  upon 
them,  in  comparison  of  this.  When  I  give  to  you.  I 
give  like  a  king  indeed:  when  I  have  ascended  on  high, 
and  led  captivity  captive,  i  share  no  less  among  my 
friends,  than  everlasting,  ever- flourishing  kingdoms  and 
principalities;  and  this  is  the  manifestation  of  free  love, 
before  the  corner-stone  of  the  earth  was  laid:  here,  as 
every  where,  doth  my  absolute  sovereignty  shine.  I  am 
Alpha  and  Omega.  No  cause  of  my  actings  without  my- 
self: by  me,  through  me,  and  for  me  are  all  things:  for 
you  have  I  chosen  vessels  of  glory  and  honor,  that  on  you 
I  might  show  forth  that  infinite  bounty,  love,  and  compas- 
sion that  dwelleth  in  me." 

58.  Reprobates  are  already  judged,  and  condemned; 
and  all  their  faculties  are  filled  with  the  dreadful  roanngs 
of  the  Lion  of  the  ttibe  of  Judah, 

How  doth  our  holy  One  fill  the  senses  of  cursed  repro- 
bates with  his  dreadful  voice,  wherewith  ten  thousand 
worlds  might  be  shaken  to  nothing!  how  doth  the  Lion  of 
the  tribe  of  Judah  roar  forth!  "Be  eternally  confound- 
ed, from  my  amiable  presence,  vile  wretches,  you  are 
a  smoke  in  my  nostrils,  a  fire  that  burneth  all  the  day  long. 
Your  soul  abhorreth  me,  O  prodigious  monsters!  and  my 
soul  abhorreth  you.  Betwixt  us  this  unquenchable  hatred 
shall  increase  throughout  eternity:  as  your  hellish  vio- 
lence, and  monstrous  abominations  do  increase,  eternally 
will  I  kindle  the  flames  of  my  fury  upon  youj  so  shall  I 


128  A  GLIMPSE    OF    GLORT. 

be  eased, refreshed,  and  comforted-  I  have  been  wearied 
with  refraining:  now  is  this  unquenchable  fury,  th'^t  burn- 
ed in  my  breast,  broken  forth,  and  my  soul  is  delighted. 
Did  such  an  hellish  madness  possess  you,  as  to  think  you 
might  escape  my  avengeful  hand  ?  And  know  ye  not  your- 
selves, bits  of  creatures,  rebelling  against  me,  the  omni- 
potent Sovereign  of  all  things?  Let  your  ownselves  ac- 
cuse  yourselves  of  your  horrid  villany  against  me,  the 
l^undless  original  of  all  excellencies,  loveliness,  and 
sweetness,  which  you  experienced,  ungrate  wretches:  did 
you  prefer,  and  love,  and  desire  only  yourselves?  shall 
the  creature  be  set  up  above  the  Creator?  The  mon* 
strousity  of  this  doth  eternally  affright  you.  Yourselves 
are  intolerable  torments  to  yourselves:  for  you  behold 
your  vileness  as  it  is.  Did  you  think,  because  of  my  si- 
lence, that  I  was  like  to  base  you?  But  now  I  will  eter- 
nally reprove  you,  and  set  your  sins  before  your  eyes: 
now  you  see  your  wretchedness.  What  think  you  of  your 
holding  the  truth  in  unrighteousness?  so  that  you  became 
vain  in  your  imaginations,  and  your  foolish  heart  was 
darkened;  professing  } ourselves  wise,  you  became  fools, 
and  changed  the  glory  of  the  incorruptible  God,  into  the 
vain  fancies  of  your  desperately  deceitful  hearts;  still 
looking  upon  him,  as  one  like  yourselves.  What  think 
you  of  delighting  more  in  created  enjoyments,  than  in 
me,  the  fountain  of  all?  Your  affections  bended  most  to 
nothings  and  vanities;  the  fountain  of  all  blessedness  you 
abhorred.  Did  you  not  say.  Let  him  depart  from  us; 
for  we  desire  not  the  knowledge  of  his  name  ?  What  pro- 
fit is  there  in  serving  him?  what  pleasure  in  being  in  his 
fellowship?  yea,  what  a  weariness  is  it?  Let  us  have 
earthly  enjoyments,  and  we  desire  no  more:  these  are  the 
only  things  we  delight  in.  What  think  you,  that  you  are 
born  enemies,  haters  of  me  from  your  very  first  original? 
With  your  first  breathings  of  life,  did  you  breathe  forth 
malice  against  your  Creator,  Preserver,  and  Benefactor; 
and  what  can  you  do  eternally,  but  roar  with  your  mali- 
cious blasphemies?  But  what  availeth  either  your  mal- 
ice,*or  goodness?  I  am  infinitely  above  all  creatures. — 
WVat  is  that  to  me,  whether  creatures  obey,  or  disobey.^' 
What  are  you  that  I  should  be  mindful  of  you,  and  bring 
you  into  judgment?  What  are  >ou,  that  my  anger  should 
burn  eternally  against  you?  Yet  is  it  my  pleasure,  that 
upon  you  be  manifested  the  glory  of  my  avenging  justice: 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  129 

As  I  have  sworn,  so  have  I  performed,  that  every  knee 
shall  bow  to  me  You  stifTnecked  wretches,  would  ye  not 
yield  to  the  sceptre  of  my  p;oveinment?  I  will  make  you 
stoop  and  lick  the  dust  like  serpents,  under  my  feel,  and 
the  feet  of  my  chosen,  whom  you  hated  and  despised,  in 
a  vain  world.  I  alone  will  be  exalted,  and  my  glory  will 
I  Dot  give  unto  another.  Would  you  not  be  the  ^^ctual 
instruments  of  my  glory?  I  will  eternally  make  you  the 
passive  proclaimers  thereof;  your  cursings  and  bowlings 
shall  set  me  on  high,  even  proclaim  the  glory  of  my  holi- 
ness, throughout  all  ages.  Cursed  creatures,  whom  my 
hands  formed  to  serve,  and  obey,  and  glorify  me;  shall^ 
I  not  recompense  your  hatred  and  rebellion  upon  your 
own  heads.>  shall  not  my  soul  be  fully  avenged  upon  you? 
You  3rp.  the  abomination  of  my  soul;  and  therefore  ven- 
geance shall  be  my  eternal  delight.  I  am  of  purer  eyes 
than  to  behold  iniquity:  triumph  I  not.^  I  the  righteous 
Lord  love  the  righteous;  my  countenance  doth 'behold  the 
upright:  but  the  wicked,  and  him  that  loveth  violence,  my 
soul  abhorreth.  According  to  my  absolute  sovereignty, 
might  I  have  made  out  of  you  any  thing  I  pleased;  but  thus 
have  I  done,  that  the  glory  of  my  spoiless  holiness  might 
eternally  shine  forth:  but  as  I  said,  so  have  I  done;  and  it 
is  known,  wh  >se  word  stands,  yours  or  mine.  Said  you, 
in  the  stoutness  of  your  hearts.  Our  tongues  are  our  own, 
who  are  lords  over  us?  We  are  lords,  we  will  no  more 
come  unto  thee.  And  shall  you  not  find  to  your  eternal 
misery,  who  is  the  great  Former,  and  absolute  Soverf  ign 
of  all  ifhings?  And  you  the  vilest  of  all  vdeness,  to  whom, 
most  lovingly  I  offered  my  heart,  my  blood,  my  hfe.  ray 
kingdom,  and  ail  things;  and  yet  you  slighted  and  neglect- 
ed all,  as  things  of  no  great  excellency:  0  mine  enemies,' 
muie  enemies!  slain  and  destroyed  ye  shall  be  eternally 
before  mine  eyes  I  have  no  enemies  like  you,  unto 
whom  I  most  condecendingly  revealed  my  will,  appoint- 
ing your  lot  within  the  pale  of  the  church.  I  have  fou-id 
you,  O  rtiine  enemies,  you  haters  of  my  holiness,  and  des- 
pisers  of  mine  excellency,  who  at  the  most  loved  a  form 
of  godliness,  but  denied  the  power  theieof.  Did  I  ise 
up  early  and  late,  crying  unto  }ou''  did  I  beseech,  intreat, 
protest,  obtest,  sigh,  weep  and  groan  over  you,  tha'  sou 
would  come  out  from  your  vain  conversation,  and  p  rtake 
of  n  blessed  communion  with  my  Fatiier  ad  nic?  ^nd 
shall  I  not  cause  you  howl,  and  rear,  and  weep  and  gnash. 


130  A    GLIMrSE  OF    OLORi'. 

your  tefttb,  in  utter  darkness  for  ever  and  ever?  Have  I. 
not  intreated  long?  slioiild  I  wait  forever  upon  crerstiire^ 
ma<!ly  furious  against  me?  I  have  sworn  by  my  hoiiiiess, 
that  alter  death  no  more  forbearance;  the  word  hath  gone 
out  of  my  mouth,  it  canno^  be  recalled:  I  am  not  a  man, 
that  I  should  change.  I  appointed  a  time  for  every 
thing;  a  time  of  forbearance,  and  a  time  of  punishment. 
This  is  the  eternal  day  of  wrath;  the  endless  day  of  ven- 
geance is  in  my  heart;  The  j  ear  of  my  redeemed  is  come: 
I  curse  you,  bitterly  xurse  you;  all  the  woes  that  ever  I 
pronounced  fall  upon  you;  let  them  be  written  upon  your 
foreheads,  and  on  your  hands,  and  fill  all  the  powers  and 
faculties  of  soul  and  body:  Wo,  wo,  wo!  world  of  woes 
and  curses  fall  down  incessantly  and  eternally  upon  you 
all,  according  to  your  wickedness:  as  every  one  of  you 
hath  sown,  so  shall  you  reap  Wo  unto  you,  who  have 
joined  house  to  house,  and  field  to  field,  extruding  Adam's 
fellow  heirs.  Wo  unto  you,  tha^  have  mingled  strong 
jilriik.  Wo  unto  you  that  have  drawn  iniquity  with 
CO!. is  of  vanity;  who  have  called  good  evil,  and  evil 
good  W^c  unto  you  who  were  wise  in  your  own  eyes, 
•-and  prudent  m  your  own  sight.  Cursed  be  you  that 
placed  _your  confidence  m  creatures,  and  not  in  the  Lord 
Jehovah.  Wo  unto  you,  that  shut  heaven  both  upon  your- 
selve-  arid  others:  wo  unto  you,  who  devoured  the  need^^, 
and  for  a  pretence  made  long  prayers.  Wo  unto  you, 
Tvh'  compassed  sea  and  land,  to  draw  others  unto  your 
fa'-tion,  under  the  pretence  of  the  salvation  of  souls:  wo 
unto  you,  who,  by  your  foolish  subtleties,  did  cast  a  mist 
upon  all  the  duties  of  religion:  wo  unto  you,  who  wei\f 
strict  in  the  circumstantials  and  externals  of  religion,  and 
careless  of  the  power  and  life  thereof:  wo  unto  you,  who 
pretended  love  and  reverence  to  the  dead  saints,  because 
they  could  not  testify  against  you;  but  maligned,  perse- 
cuted, and  contemned  the  living  ones,  because  of  their 
standing  out  against  the  sins  of  the  generation  wheieiu 
they  lived.  0  cursed  wretches,  the  flaoies  of  my  rage 
shall  feed  themselves  upon  you:  try  your  stoutness  and 
magnanimity  now;  the  threatening  of  my  fury  and  indig- 
nation did  little  affect  you;  you  gave  me  the  lie,  and  said, 
it  is  not  the  Lord,  neither  shall  evil  Defal  us.  When  my 
hand  was  slretched  out,  you  would  n^-t  see;  but  now  you 
see,  and  feel,  and  are  everlasting  ashamed.  Your  Athe- 
ism is  quite  done  away:  kriow  ye  not  now,  that  I  am  a 
fcrod  of  truth  and  equity?   have  I  not  performed  all  U:»on 


A    GLIMPSE    OP    GLORY.  131 

you,  that  ever  I  spoke?  are  you  not  filled  with  wrath? 
is  not  soul  and  body  tormented  with  the  dreadt\ii  flames 
of  my  fury?  shower  I  not  d  wu  upon  you  incessantly  fire 
and  brimstone,  and  an  horrible  tempest  of  all  manner  of 
pains,  griefs,  and  torments?  Devils  and  wicked  men, 
tear  and  torment,  and  curse  one  another:  you  concurred 
bravely  in  sinning,  concur  in  your  punishing^  you  loved 
the  fellowship  of  one  another,  be  eternally  together:  com- 
panions in  time,  and  companions  in  eternity.  The  fel- 
lowship of  my  hoi}  ones  you  little  esteemed-,  I  have  made 
betwixt  them  and  you  a  vast  gulf  of  eternal  separation: 
had  you  known  their  dignity,  you  should  have  wondered, 
that  I  sutiered  you  to  abide  in  the  same  world  with  them. 
IVliat  think  you  now  of  provokmg  mc,  vile  wretches?  are 
you  the  creatures  that  thought  highly  of  sinning?  are  you 
able  to  despise  and  mock  at  the  just  punishment  thereof? 
No  more  vain  laughing  and  jollity;  the  fewel  of  your  base 
and  sinful  delights  have  I  taken  for  ever  from  you;  not 
one  smile  of  joy  from  henceforth.  All  the  mercies  I  voucii- 
safed  upon  you,  did  ye  use  against  me;  the  more  I  c  m- 
tinued  my  bounty,  the  more  you  rebelled  an'l  vexed  my 
holy  Spirit;  though  in  me  you  hved.  moved,  and  had  your 
bcmg,  yet  you  forgot  me^  and  minded  your  own  woildly 
thinsis  more  than  my  glory  and  interest  through  the  world. 
All  }our  actions  were  subordinate  to  base  self,  even  your 
most  excellent-like  :?.ctings  and  sufferings  for  my  cause, 
were  ever  out  of  one  selfish  design  or  other:  J  will  fiU 
you  wi<h  your  own  ways.  You  shall  not  be  troubled  with 
offers  of  mercy  any  more,  or  with  the  exercises  of  godli- 
ness any  more:  nothing  but  blasphemy  fills  your  hellish 
mouths.  You  shall  not  be  vexed  with  the  company  of 
my  saints  an}-  more:  you  shall  have  your  fill  of  one  anoth- 
cr''s  hellish  fellowship  throughout  eternity  your  choice 
and  delight  shall  not  be  taken  /rom  you.  Know  you  not 
who  I  am?  Am  I  not  he  whom  you  despised  and  forgot.^ 
am  I  not  he  whose  yoke  you  brake  asunder  from  }our 
necks?  am  I  not  he  whom  you  defied  and  proclaimed  war 
against?  Gird  up  now  your  loins,  like  men,  and  main- 
tain your  quarrel  valiantly;  show,  by  your  magnanimous 
deportment,  the  justness  of  your  enmity  against  me.  Des- 
perate wretches,  you  have  not  the  heart  to  subniit;  nei- 
ther are  you  able  to  stand  against  one  billow  of  my  indig- 
nation. Ft  was  plainly  manifested  unto  you  all  would 
come  to  this;    but  your  minds  wevQ  filled  with  vanity:    I 


1S2  *  A  GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

Ii 

am  free  from  tbe  ruin  an<i  unspe  >kv'ble  miser}'  of  you  all;  f 
only  youT?elve«   hnve  destroyed  yourselves:    m-iiiy    and  | 
desj.reraleiy  have  you     un  to  your    )vvn  destruction j  and  | 
who  was  obliged  to  stand  in  your  wa}  ?    Who  hath  struck  i 
you  »vith  such  a  monstrous  hatred  to  all  good,   and  incli-  \ 
nation  to  all  evil?  are  ye  not  ic  Rurally  wicked  and  ab  'm-  1 
inab?e?  are  you  not  haters  of  my  holiness  and  excellency?  ' 
had  ye  not  from  the  beginning  i  strange  averseness  from  i 
my  spotless  holiness?   Blasphemous   wretches,    you    see  j 
my  ways  are  equal,  to  your  etern:il  torment  and  confusion ;  \ 
your  mouths   are  for  ever  stopped,    and   you   are   lound  j 
guilty:  nothing  have  you  to  say  for  yourselves,  your  mon-  j 
strous  hellish  frame  is  a  thousand  witnesses  against  you.  ' 
Should  not  F  alone  be  exalted?  should  I  not  crush  to  pie-  ' 
ces  all  the   despisers   of  my  glory?  shall   I  not  for  ever  ' 
cause  you   to  drink  the  pure  and  unmixed  wrath  of  the 
Aimighty,  that  is  poured  forth  without  mixture?  that  ye  ! 
nia)  Oe  filled  with  my  fury  and  indignation,  and  may  be 
drunk,  and  made  mad,  and  torment,  and  tear,  and  devour, 
and  cur-e  }  ourselves,  and  one  another;  tha.  every  thought 
may  bring  in  a   dreadful  horror,  and   hellish   pangs.     O 
mine  enemies,  mine  enemies!  whom  I  made  the  shields  of 
the  earth,  who  became  greater  in  wickedness,  than  in 
your  worldly  greatness;    you  ringleaders  of  iniquity,    be- 
trayers of  the  great  trust  I  dignified  you  with;  the  ruin  of  ] 
thousands  shall  fall   on  your  heads.      Did  you  tyrannize  1 
without  law  or  reason,  alledging  you  were  accountable  to 
none  for  outrages,  but  into  me?    that  you  might  fulfil  \ 
your  wicked  desires  without  controlment?      O  vilest  of  I 
wretches,  whom  I  se^  over  my  church,  to  defend  her  from  i 
ali  external  dama2;es,  to  hold  her  in  all  her  glorious  priv-  ^ 
ileges,  that  I  leH  her  in  my  legacy,  and  to  hold  the  crown 
upon  my  head,  iii  despite  of  the  opposers;  did  you  make 
havock  of  her?    did  you  rob  her  of  her  adornments?    did  ' 
you  pull  the  crown  off  my  head,  and  put  it  on  your  own?  ! 
did  you  neglect  the  affairs  of  my  church,  and  subordinate  ] 
them   to  your  own  temporal,  vain,  transient  affairs'*  did  ' 
you  put  the  sv/ord  in  the  bowels  of  my  chosen,   which  I  > 
gave  you  to  protect  them  with?     0  mine  enemies!     I  will  i 
neither  fight  with  small  nor  great,   in  comparison  of  you;  { 
even  you  I  will  fo>'  ever  be  avenged  upon;    you,   and  all  \ 
joMi  parasites   executors   applauders,  connivers  and  con- 
sulter^^  to  3 our  hojrid  rrbellio!'.      Durst  you,   vou   base,  , 
you  vile  wretches,  be  so  monstrously  audacious,  as  to  i 


A     GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  133 

usurp  my  prerogatives?  durst  you  destroy,  imprison, ban- 
ish, torment,  and  be  as  triorns  in  the  sides  of  my  excellent 
ones?  What  you  did  to  every  one  of  them,  you  did  to 
me;  I  will  recompense  it.  It  had  well  become  you,  to 
stocp  and  lick  the  dust  at  the  feet  of  my  brethren;  it  had 
well  become  you  to  hold  up  the  train  of  my  robe  royal, 
in  the  day  of  my  woundmg:  it  had  well  b?.come  you,  to 
have  honored,  and  reverenced  every  one  of  them,  from 
the  highest  to  the  least:  had  you  considered  their  dignity, 
you  would  have  wondered  I  permitted  you  in  m}  provi- 
dence, to  dwell  in  that  world  they  inhabited;  far  more  to 
have  had  any  manner  of  superiority  over  them.  Here  I 
*meet  you,  my  cursed  enemies;  know  you  with  whom  you 
contended?  Am  not  I  He,  whom  you  contemned,  despi- 
sed, impoverished,  imprisoned,  banished,  maligned,  and 
spewed  out  the  venom  of  hell  against?  I  am  He  whose 
blood  you  esteemed  as  water;  my  brethren  you  hated- 
bftcause  they  bare  my  image:  for  my  sake,  even  for  my 
sake,  you  persecuted  them;  whatever  were  your  preten- 
sions, the  power  of  godliness  was  the  Butt  of  your  malice: 
durst  you  malign  the  exercising  of  my  Spirit  of  grace,  in 
its  highest  actings,  as  a  spirit  of  sedition,  and  rebellious 
combmations?  did  you  take  it  upon  you,  to  shape  out  the 
government  of  my  church  according  to  your  foolish  fancy, 
as  an  indifferent  thing?  as  if  I  had  left  any  blanks  in  my 
testament,  for  you  to  fill  up  according  to  your  hellish 
pleasure.  You,  even  you,  with  the  betrayers  of  my  in- 
terests and  people,  will  I  place  eternally  in  the  brunt  of 
my  fury:  be  eternally  confounded,  all  mine  enemies  to- 
gether; sects,  ranters,  civilians,  devout  naturalists,  for- 
malists, carnal  gospellers,  latitudinarians;  you  have  I  cho- 
sen, before  all  ages,  vessels  of  wrath  and  dishonor,  fit- 
ted to  destruction;  that  over  you  I  might  show  forth  my 
absolute  sovereignty,  long-suffering,  power  of  my  wratb, 
purity  of  my  holiness,  and  infinite  perfections. 

59.  jlll  the  creatures  are  sharers  of  this  eternal  day  of 
joy^  except  reprobate  men  and  angels. 

Clap  your  hands,  and  be  exceeding  joyful,  0  thou  cre- 
ation of  God,  who  art  forever  loosed  from  vanity  and 
bondage:  This  is  the  day  which  the  Lord  made,  rejoice 
and  be  glad  in  it:  This  is  the  eternal  day  of  the  restitution 
of  all  things:  shout  and  cry  aloud,  ye  lower  heavens,  and 
dance,  thou  earth;  sing  melodiously,  0  ye  heavenly  hosts, 
sun,  moon,  and  stars:  O  ye  mountains,  are  ye  not  eternal- 

M 


134  A   GLIMPSE    Oy    GLORY. 

\y  skipping,  like  lambs?  You  valies,  you  pleasant  fields, 
are  you  not  ever  smiling,  and  shouting  for  joy?  you  have 
been  wearied,  and  worn  out,  in  serving  sinful  creatures, 
you  have  been  defiled  and  written  over  with  vanity;  but 
now  are  you  renewed,  and  made  pure  and  clear.  How 
earnest  was  your  expectation  of  the  manifestation  of  the 
sons  of  God!  for  you  were  made  subject  to  vanity  not 
willingly,  but  by  reason  of  him  who  had  subjected  you  in 
hope;  because  you  were  also  to  be  delivered  from  the 
bondage  of  corruption,  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the 
children  of  God.  O  fair,  beautiful,  and  dehghtsome  cre- 
ation, all  things  now  are  thousands  of  stages  more  excel- 
lent than  at  the  beginning.'  nothing  dwells  here  but  right- 
eousness! thou  art  not  now,  0  earth,  the  stage  of  all  wicked- 
ness and  rebellion  against  thy  Creator;  thou  groanest  not 
under  the  weight  of  sinful  abominable  wretches.  You 
fields,  you  are  not  divided,  and  possessed  by  the  vilest 
of  men,  who,  by  the  benefit  of  the  revenues  c«,st  out  of 
your  finiitful  womb,  were,  in  their  own  eyes,  and  in  the 
eyes  of  silly  fools  Hke  themselves,  excellent  and  consider- 
able persons;  you  furnish  not  fewel  for  their  stinking 
pride,  tyrannizing,  and  villainous  pleasures.  It  was  by 
you,  under  the  appointment  of  your  Creator,  the  vile 
worms  of  the  earth  appeared  somewhat;  being  clothed 
over  with  the  scenical  garbs  of  riches,  and  titular  honors, 
else  they  had  been  vile  in  one  another's,  as  now  they  are 
to  all  eternity;  having  no  internal,  real,  or  personal  ex- 
cellency worthy  to  be  accounted  of  Out  of  thee,  0  earth, 
do  not  come  the  precious  fruits,  for  filling  the  bellies  of 
wretched  miscreannts,  who  did  eat  and  drink  largely,  and 
wallowed  in  all  earthly  dehghts;  when  the  only  excellent 
of  the  earth,  through  oppression,  were  sometimes  pinched 
in  the  necessaries  of  a  mortal  life:  out  of  thee  do  not 
come  instruments  of  cruelty,  the  weapons  of  war,  with 
which  the  seed  of  the  serpent  did  kill,  and  torment,  and 
persecute  the  blood  royal  of  heaven;  out  of  thee  do  not 
come  the  beasts,  wearied  with  serving  and  holding  up  the 
filth  and  offscourings  of  all  things;  the  horses  are  not  groan- 
ing under  lumps  of  death  and  hell,  riding  in  a  brave  and 
gallant  manner,  with  a  fine  train;  joining  battle  with  the 
camp  of  the  saints,  that  they  might  destroy  the  righteous 
from  the  earth,  and  have  none  to  stand  in  the  way  of 
their  hellish  endeavours,  their  monstrous  triumphing  and 
tyrannizing,  as  absolute  sovereigns  of  all:  the  sheep  are 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  185 

not  wearied  in  furnishing  coverings  and  ranting  apparel 
for  the  vilest  of  creatures;  noiv  they  have  not  a  rag  to 
cover  their  nakedness;  no  silk  and  brave  embroideries 
tor  the  vile  carcasses  of  hellish  monsters:  the  excellent 
creatures  are  not  now  slain  to  hold  in  the  Hfe  of  base 
miscreants,  ten  thousand  stages  below  the  lowest  of  beasts. 
Thou  air,  thou  art  not  an  instrument  any  more,  whereby 
the  wretched  souls  and  carcasses  of  cursed  sinners  are 
kept  together,  in  a  tolerable  condition;  base  and  treach* 
erous  enemies  to  God  and  man,  do  not  now  defile  thee, 
by  drawing  thee  in,  and  out,  for  the  conservation  of  their 
abominable  life.  Thou  water,  thou  art  not  now  used,  by 
•  he  devil  and  his  slaves,  as  instruments  of  their  cruelty 
against  the  only  princely  and  noble  persons,  the  co-heirs 
of  heaven  and  ear{h,  and  all  things.  Thou  art  not,  0  fire, 
compelled  violently,  against  thy  nature,  to  reduce  to  ash- 
es, with  great  torment,  the  precious  bodies  of  Zion's  chil- 
dren, comparable  to  fine  gold.  You  sun,  moon,  and  stars, 
you  shall  not  shine  upon  the  wicked,  as  well  as  the  right- 
eous any  more:  you  do  not  lose  your  sweet  influences 
upon  the  abomination  of  heaven,  and  earth,  and  all  things: 
are  you  not  in  youi-  own  kind  happy,  by  being  freed  from 
such  grievious  bondage;  more  grievous,  than  to  be  cor- 
rupted, destroyed,  and  broken  in  a  thousand  nothings?  0 
what  joys!  all  dance,  and  rejoice!  all  are  in  a  melodious 
frame!  the  virtue  of  my  Well-beloved's  suffering  and  ex- 
altation extends  by  superabundance  to  all  things.  No 
wonder  we  are  plunged  in  the  oceans  of  unspeakable  joys 
and  delights!  though  all  were  in  a  mourning  apparel,  we 
could  not  but  eternally  superabound  in  joys!  this  is  the 
eternal  day  of  our  redemption,  the  day  of  the  restitution 
of  all  things. 

60.  All  tilings  are  renewed,  and  glorified,  nothing  anni- 
hilated. 

O  thou  lower  world,  thou  art  made  new  Indeed!  0  such 
a  majestic,  glorious  fabric  out  of  the  ashes  of  a  dunghill! 
O  heavenly  earth!  or  earthly  heaven!  wonderful!  not  a 
new  creation,  but  a  renewing  of  the  old,  that  perished  by 
the  fire  of  his  indignation!  O  my  Lord,  thou  canst  make 
any  thing  out  of  any  thing  thou  pleasest:  beings,  and  no 
beings,  are  all  alike  to  thee !  verily  this  is  a  change,  where- 
in inlinite  excellency  is  highly  manifested.  What  joy,  to 
behold  the  face  of  all  things!  our  seeing  oi  the  first  tem- 
ple will  not  cause  us  weep,  because  of  this  second:  here 


136  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY^ 

is  a  magniiicent  royal  palace  reared  up,  in  the  place  of  a 
dungeon;  a  stately,  majestic  city,  in  the  place  of  a  few 
poor  cottages.  Was  the  former  fabric  real;  or  was  it  not 
rather  imaginary?  were  they  not  fools,  who  were  only  de- 
lighted with  it?  were  they  not  bewitched,  and  led  away 
with  fancies,  night-dreams  and  vanities?  I  thought  the 
former  earth,  in  the  days  of  my  mortality,  full  of  the  glo- 
ry, bounty,  riches,  and  excellency  of  the  great  Former; 
and  was  it  not?  Yet  was  it  a  dark  shadow  to  what  mine 
eyes  behold.  This  is  a  change  could  never  have  entered 
within  the  conceptions  of  the  most  excejlent  creatures! 
this  is  materially  the  former,  and  yet  not  the  former. — 
It  is  manifest,  my  Almighty  One,  thou  canst  create  never 
so  many  worlds,  differing  altogether  in  excellency  from 
one  another;  but  thou  hast  done  it,  because  it  so  pleased 
ihee:  just,  and  holy,  and  wise,  and  true  art  thou,  in  all 
thy  ways.  This  is  the  stage  whereon  thou  actedst  most 
wonderful  things,  as  a  prelude  to  this  endless  day  of  eter- 
nit}':  whereon  thou  ran  an  inconceivable  mass  of  various 
dispensations,  which  will  fill  eternity  with  admiration:  here 
didst  thou  display  the  banner  of  thy  mercy  and  justice  in 
the  very  same  traces  of  providence,  as  the  wisest  of  mor- 
tals could  not  trace  thy  footsteps;  here  thou  wroughtest 
the  never-enough  admired  work  of  our  redemption;  here 
thou  wooed  thy  bride;  here  thou  prepared  thine  enemies 
lor  the  time  of  vengeance;  hero  thou  madest  all  things 
ready  for  this  everlasting  day;  and  therefore  in  thy  wisdom 
hast  thou  continued  it  an  eternal  monument.  Oh!  thy 
sovereignty  runs  in  the  channel  of  thine  infinite  love  and 
bounty!  thou  mightst  return  all  things  back  to  their  origi- 
nal again;  but  thy  goodness  is  for  ever  extended  over  the 
works  of  thine  hands:  "Thy  glory  endureth  for  ever;  thou 
dost  rejoice  in  all  thy  works:"  shall  I  not  then  rejoice  in 
them?  shall  not  I,  considering  them,  be  eternally  ravished? 
might  it  not  render  a  creature  eternally  blessed,  to  consid- 
er thy  infinite  glory  and  perfections,  written  on  thy  handy 
tvork?  Even  in  the  days  of  my  childhood,  I  could  not 
open  mine  eyes  on  the  most  ordinary  productions  of  thine 
excellency,  without  strange  stirrings,  love,  joy,  and  admi- 
ration. O  the  ravishing  sweet  sights  that  even  then  I  have 
seen  of  thee,  through  the  glass  of  the  creature!  how  have 
my  thoughts  run  a  maze  of  ravishing  delights  and  sweet- 
ness, in  considering  the  vastness  and  expansion  of  the  can- 
opy of  the  lower  world;  the  beams  of  thy  chambers,  laid 


A     GLIMPSE    OF    GLORV^.  187 

in  the  wafers;  the  clouds,  thy  chariots,  whefeon  thou  didst 
gloriously  ride;  the  winds,  the  pavement  whereon  th  u 
walkedst;  thy  omnipotent  power,  in  laying  so  firmly  the 
foundations  of  the  earth,  that  it  cannot  be  moved;  the 
prodigious  overflowing  of  the  waters  when  they  over- 
whelmed the  earth;  the  unsearchable  manner  of  bound- 
ing the  boisterous  waves  of  the  raging  sea,  by  sandy  bul- 
warks; thy  wisdom  in  watering  the  vallies  from  the  moun- 
tains, and  the  mountains  from  the  sea  and  heavens,  that 
the  fowls  of  the  air,  and  the  beasts  of  the  field  might 
drink  abundantly:  the  excellent  virtues  of  base  dunghill 
earth  manifested  in  its  rich,  pleasant,  sweet,  various,  and 
lively  offspring;  as  grass,  herbs,  flowers,  shrubs,  trees, 
and  innumerable  multitude  of  beauties,  filling  all  the  sen- 
ses with  passing  delectation,  and  subservient  lo  all  the  de- 
fects of  indigent  mortals;  as  nutriment,  medicine,  clothing, 
and  habitation:  the  wonderful  eye  o£  thine  omniscient 
providence  over  the  most  inconsiderable  creatures?  as  the 
conies  and  goats,  who  were  provided  of  fit  refuges  from 
all  danger:  the  exact  ordinances  of  sun,  moon,  and  stars; 
the  vicissitudes  of  light  and  darkness,  for  the  several  exi- 
gencies of  men  and  beasts.  In  the  midst  of  such  ravish- 
ing thoughts  of  thy  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness,  how 
have  I  been  filled,  according  to  the  measure  of  mortality^ 
with  inexpressible  joy  and  sweetness?  so  that  I  could  not 
but  cry  out,  with  ravishing  astonishment,  "  0  Lord,  how 
manifold  are  thy  works'  in  wisdom  hast  thou  made  them 
all!  the  earth  is  full  of  thy  riches!"  and  again  fell  into 
the  deep  contemplation  of  the  greatness  of  the  sea,  its  in- 
numerable progeny  of  small  and  great  animals;  thy  wis- 
dom in  appointment  of  navigation,  and  power  in  the  Levi- 
athan's playing  there;  thy  rich  bounty,  in  holding  a  well 
furnished  table,  to  so  numerous  a  family,  as  the  people  of 
heaven,  earth,  and  sea;  their  necessary  dependance  on 
thee,  every  instant,  in  their  living,  moving,  and  being;  so 
that  they  are  not,  if  thou  draw  in  thyself,  and  the  vivifying 
spirit  thou  communicatest  unto  them.  Have  I  not,  O  my 
God,  been  in  many  such  sweet  meditations,  until  I  have 
been  wrapt  up  in  a  frame  of  spirit,  inutterable,  inexpres- 
sible ?  and  !^aug  forth  in  the  midst  of  such  sweetness,  "The 
glory  of  the  Lord  shall  endure  for  ever;  the  Lord  shall 
rejoice  in  all  his  works:  I  will  sing  unto  !he  Lord  as  long 
as  [  live;  I  will  sing  praises  unto  my  God,  while  I  have 
my  being;  my  meditation  of  him  shall  be  sweet;  I  willre- 
'M  2 


13S  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

joice  in  the  Lord."     How  oft  h'ctve  I  thought,  is  the  wil- 
derness so  sweet  and  plessant?    what  must  \he  irland  be? 
Is  there  such  ravishing  variety  of  beauty,  glory  ^nd  .sweet- 
ness, all  alongst  in  my  pilgrimage?  whatxan  I  imagine  to 
behold  in  my  native  country?      Is   the  habitation,  where 
devils,  wicked  men  and  beasts  inhabit,  so  excellent  and 
glorious?  what  can  I  think  of  the  place  where  Jesus,  the 
Emmanuel,  with  his  fair  white  company  oi  saints  and  an- 
gels, everlastingly  abides?    Is  my  God's  footstool  so  glo- 
rious? what  must  his  throne  be?    Is  the  undervault  of  this 
base  dungeon  so  majestic?    0  the  higher  hall  of  glory, 
where   the  glorious  King,  and  his  magnificent  court  re- 
main! Doth  the  habitation  symbolize  with  the  inhabitants? 
the  higher  world  must  inconceivably  transcend  this  lower. 
And  is  this  earth  so  sweet,  when  cursed,  and  defiled,  be- 
cause  of  its  abominable  inhabitants?     what  shall  it  be 
when  renewed,  and  made  only  an  habitation  of  righteous- 
ness?   shall  not  every  place  excel  Eden?    and  Eden  tha 
celestial  camps?  Indeed,  0  lower  world,  we  might,  in  ouf 
mortality,  conceive  something  confusedly  of  thy  renova- 
tion;  but  could  never  have  imagined  thou  shouldst  have 
been  thus.      0  earth,  thou  appearest  to  be  placed  after 
the  former  manner,  to  be  of  the  former  magnitude  and 
iigure,  as  to  every  point  correspondingtothe  same  points 
of  the  heaven  of  heavens;    also  the  lower  heaven  differs 
not  in  magnitude,  situation,  and  number  of  tapers,  from 
the  former;    and  only  herein  do  the  aid  and  new  world 
agree:  now,  the  smallest  star  would  have  confounded  the 
inhabitants  of  the  old,  and  made  the  very  sun  to  evanish 
in  its  light:    the  beams  of  light  darting  every  where  are 
substantial;  filling  not  only  the  eyes,  but  all  the  senses 
with  passing  dehght;    it  containing  innumerable  perfec- 
tions and  virtues,  not  to  be  perceived  by  mortals;   their 
senses  being  few,  and  capable  of  little;    but  now,  every 
sense  is  equivalent  to  ten  thousand  thousand  differing  in 
kind  from  one  another:    the   light  of  one  luminary  con- 
founds not  the  i*ays  of  another,  thotigh  all  are  united  and 
made  one:    the  moon  appears  to  change  faces,  by  the 
nearer  or  further  approach  of,  or  distance  from  her  King; 
yet  she  is  ever  more  glorious  than  the  sun  in  his  former 
condition:  every  star  showers  down  millions  of  millions  of 
various  influences,  which  in  a  moment  would  convert  the 
former  earth  into  a  lump  of  gold  or  gems:    all  are  trans^ 
^jarent.  even  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars,  though  compact 


A    GLIMPSE    OP    QLORX-  139 

solid  globes  of  light:  no  vpH  drawn  betwixt  the  higher  and 
lowpr  h.ibi^afion:  no  smoky  fumes  betwixt  heaven  and 
eartj:  no  winds,  not  storms,  tempets,  pinching  cold,  nor 
piercing  heat  No  vicissitudes  of  summer  and  winter; 
nothing  but  an  eternal  spring-tide  and  endless  summer,  a 
constant  harvest;  all  are  in  their  blooming  estate,  and  ful- 
lest perfection.  Wtiat  wonder!  is  it  not  the  centre  of  in- 
tinite  influences?  the  sweet  influences  of  Pleldes  are  never 
bound  up,  but  are  every  minute  showered  down;  the 
bands  of  Orion  are  ever  loosed:  and  is  not  the  heavenly 
earth  so  impregnate  with  such  infinite  virtues?  is  it  not 
so  Hvely  and  vigorous;  so  full  of  the  seeds  of  innumera- 
ble excellencies,  as  that  in  itself,  it  is  beautiful,  fruitful, 
and  excellent,  without  influences  from  creatures  of  an  high- 
er nature?  In  its  own  nature  doth  it  contain  the  virtue  and 
operations  of  sun,  moon,  and  stars.  How  infininitely  va- 
rious are  the  sensitive  vegetables?  what  beauty,  and  glo- 
ry, and  virtue  is  to  be  found  in  every  one?  the  smatlest 
pile  of  grass  might  alone  banish  darkness  from  the  whole 
universe.  0  the  roses  and  lilies!  every  one  like  a  star  in 
its  proper  orb:  all  things  are  like  lamps  of  light;  yet  noth- 
ing hindering  the  varieties  of  colours,  which  are  infinitely 
various,  and  wonderfully  lively:  all  the  rays  of  such  innu- 
merable beauties  and  excellencies,  though  united  in  one, 
are  nothing  troublesome,  through  their  intensity,  but  the 
more  dehghtsome;  and  all  lights,  all  colours,  all  excel- 
lencies as  infinitely  intended.  0  then  their  passing  pleas- 
antness! every  thing  appears  endowed  with  all  manner  of 
excellencies,  as  colours,  figures,  &,c.  and  so  to  be  a  little 
world! 

What  may  be  said  of  this,  in  comparison  of  the  former? 
This  is  beauty,  the  former  was  deformity:  this  is  light, 
the  other  darkness:  this  is  liveliness  and  activity,  the  oth- 
er deadness  and  laziness:  the  former  was  a  confused,  de- 
formed and  loathsome  chaos;  out  of  which  is  made  this 
excellent,  beautiful  and  glorious  fabric.  Who  can  be- 
hold, and  not  smile  and  leap  for  joy,  at  the  bounty  and 
power  of  Jehovah^  so  visibly  manifested  f*  And  what  sweet 
cheering  breathings  do  so  harmoniously  sound  among  the 
stately  trees  of  this  universal  paradise?  0  what  diflfusing 
of  dehghtsome,  odoriferous  exhalations!  one  gale  would 
cause  death  itself  to  be  lively;  being  a  thousand  times 
more  excellent  than  the  most  pure  and  refined  animal 
•spirits  of  mortals:   one  gale  of  this  wooild  have  rendered 


140  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

the  former  earth  a  fertile  Eden  for  many  ages:  eyes  and 
ears,  and  all  the  faculties  are  lost  in  an  endless  maze; 
to  find  a  beginning,  middle,  and  ending,  is  a  task  for  eter- 
nity. All  is  one  orchard,  one  paradise,  one  field,  one 
garden  of  delight!  the  most  curious  artifice  of  cities,  pal- 
aces, or  what  else,  would  be  deformity.  Nature  now 
cannot  be  bettered  by  helps;  Jehovah  hath  ordered  all,  in 
an  order  above  the  invention  of  all  creatures.  Eden  here 
would  be  hke  a  black  spot  on  a  fair  and  beautiful  face. 
Every  drop  of  dew,  that  dangleth  on  these  trees  of  God, 
excels  rubies  and  carbuncles.  All  the  rivers  run  liquors 
above  the  most  precious  quintessential  extractions  of  the 
former  world.  May  it  not  be  called  indeed,  the  golden 
age?  "They  who  behold  thee,  see  the  floods  of  honey  and 
butter."  May  they  not  "  heap  up  gold,  as  the  dust;  and 
gold  of  Ophir,  as  the  stones  of  the  brook?  How  excellent 
is  thy  loving-kindness,  0  God!  therefore  the  children  of 
men  put  their  trust  ucder  the  shadow  of  thy  wings?  We 
are  abundantly  satisfied  with  the  fulness  of  thy  house;  and 
thou  makest  us  drink  of  the  rivers  of  thy  pleasures.  Thou 
visitest  the  earth,  thou  waterest  it,  thou  greatly  enrichest 
it  with  the  rivers  of  God,  which  are  full  of  water;  thou 
crownest  the  year  with  thy  goodness;  and  all  thy  paths 
drop  fatness:  the  hills,  the  little  hills  and  valHes  shout  for 
joy,  and  sing,  'The  Lord  is  our  keeper,  the  Lord  is  our 
shade  on  our  right  hand;  the  sun  doth  not  smite  us  by 
day,  nor  the  moon  by  night;  we  are  secure  for  ever  and 
ever;  all  thy  promises  are  more  than  fully  accomplished.' 
Men  and  angels,  the  product  of  his  everlasting  counsels 
is  all  brought  forth:  it  is  done,  thus  it  is,  because  it  thus 
pleased  him.  **•  Holy,  holy,  holy  Lord  God  Almighty, 
which  was,  and  is,  and  art  to  come!  Thou  art  worthy  to 
receive  glory,  and  honor,  and  power;  for  thou  hast  crea- 
ted all  things,  and  for  thy  pleasure  they  are,  and  were 
created. 

61.  The  triumphing  over  the  ivkkedy  is  a  part  of  the 
sainVs  glory  and  happiness. 

0  beautiful,  glorious,  and  joyful  world!  all  have  been 
sad  alike  until  now:  who  can  open  their  eyes,  and  not  be 
overjoyed,  though  they  extracted  their  delights  only  from 
creatures  medi?.tely  ?  But  what  is  this  to  you,  lost  wretch- 
es, shut  up  in  utter  darkness?  your  best  world  hath  eter- 
nally evanished:  this  is  a  black  miserable  world  to  you. — 
What  have  you  to  do  with  this  fair  creation?    It  is  o\jrs, 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  141 

only  ours;  for  we  are  Christ's  and  Christ  is  God's.  Even 
the  former  earth  you  took  for  your  country ;  heaven  and 
happiness  was  only  yours  by  usurpation  and  oppression; 
but  now  you  shall  u^^urp  no  move:  li  any  (hing  be  yours 
it  is  that  bottomless  lake,  wherein  you  crawl,  like  so  many 
filthy  toads,  snakes,  and  abominable  vermin:  to  behold 
you,  would  confound  any  creature,  not  endowed  with  im- 
mortality. 0  monstrous  sights!  O  the  infinite  power  of 
Jehovah!  that  can  shape  out  after  this  fashion:  your  struc- 
ture symbolizeth  with  your  vileness;  your  countenance 
corresponds  excellently  to  your  hellish  minds:  and  you 
cannot  but  affright  one  another  with  your  desperate  hell- 
ish looks  and  minds:  blasphemy,  and  horrid  desperation 
is  written  on  your  foreheads,  even  the  wrath  and  fury  of 
Jehovah  and  the  Lamb:  one  of  your  ghastly  looks  would 
affright  millions  of  mortals  out  of  their  wits.  You  arc, 
0  dreadful  vileness!  extremely  miserable,  yet  not  objects 
of  pity:  you  might  stirred  up  compassion  in  the  most 
zealous  breast  on  earth,  because  then  you  were  endow- 
ed with  some  small  relicts  of  the  image  of  your  Creator; 
but  how  fully  is  the  saying  of  our  Well-beloved  accom- 
plished on  you?  *'  From  him  that  hath  not,  shall  be  taken 
away  even  that  which  he  hath.  AH  the  spunks  of  good- 
ness are  evanished;  and  what  can  remain,  but  a  mass  of 
all  impiety,  and  direct  hatred  of  God?  Nothing  like  this 
was  seen  on  earth.  Now  you  appear  in  your  own  colours; 
God  hath  stripped  you  naked  of  all.  Where  are  all  your 
excellent  gifts,  your  prudence,  and  civility,  your  fine  na- 
tural disposition,  your  love  to  God,  you  so  much  talked 
of?  Now  it  appears,  that  the  heart  of  man  is  deceitful  a- 
bove  all  things,  and  desperately  wicked,  above  imagina- 
tion. On  earth,  because  of  natural  ties,  we  could  not 
but  love  you;  your  eternal  rebellion  not  being  manifested 
to  us:  but  now  you  are  forever  our  Lord's  stated  ene- 
mies; that  though  he  would  offi^r  you  pardon,  your  curs- 
ed hearts  would  no  less  rise  against  him;  your  hatred  is 
unquenchable,  and  augments  throughout  eternity.  Fools, 
are  you  belching  out  the  venom  of  hell  against  hmi,  who 
forever  tramples  you  under  his  feet?  do  not  your  cursings, 
and  horrid  b'  ii^phemies  sound  forth  ihe  justness  of  his 
avenging  wr-^th?  Not  because  of  his  wrath  and  displeas- 
ure agarinst  you,  are  you  mad  agauist  him;  in  the  midst 
of  his  bounty  did  you  continue  in  your  enmity. 


142  A    GLIMPSE    OP    GLOAT. 

His  holiness,  his  spotless  holiness  is  the  Butt  of  your  hel- 
lish malice:  your  wickedness  is  come  to  its  perfection: 
mortality  was  not  capable  of  outing  the  ten  thousandth 
part  of  what  is  now  manifested:  ever  were  you  averse 
from  the  fellowship  of  the  ever- blessed  God:  now  you 
directly  avouch  your  enmity,  as  just  and  equitable,  in  des- 
pite of  your  consciences  showing  right  and  wrong.  Know 
you  not,  that  he,  against  whom  you  have  eternally  svvorii 
yourselves  enemies,  may  use  his  power  over  you?  And 
you  would  do  so  over  him  and  his.  What  would  you  do 
with  his  holy  ones,  if  you  had  their  everlasting  lot  at  your 
disposing?  Is  not  his  mercy  over  all  his  works?  since  be 
layeth  not  upon  you  the  ten  thousandth  part  of  that  pun- 
ishment he  could,  and  his  sovereignty  and  displeasure 
carves  out  the  measure  of  your  punishment:  but,  is  there 
any  measure,  which  he  might  not  injustice  inflict?  When 
it  is  augmented  with  never  so  many  ages,  and  your  strength 
augmented  to  hear  it;  never  can  it  be  said,  he  inflicts 
more  than  is  meet;  since  your  rebellion  is  against  anni- 
finite  Majesty,  and  is  of  an  endless  nature:  since  you  are 
ever  sinning  more  and  more,  therefore  you  are  obliged  to 
his  everlasting  mercy  and  bounty. 

0  my  God,  what  a  deiightsome  change  is  this!  "I  will 
rejoice,  yea,  I  will  for  ever  rejoice  in  beholding!"  What 
now,  you  some-bodies  of  time,  where  is  your  gay  clothing, 
your  line  well  pampered  carcasses?  what  think  you  of 
these  vile,  abominable,  ugly,  clubblsh  bodies,  which  you 
only  cared  for,  and  would  have  so  finely  decked,  as  if  they 
had  been  made  of  some  celestial  substance,  and  not  of 
the  same  lamp  that  all  mankind  was  made  of?  what  is 
come  of  the  excellent  majesty  and  reverence,  silly  flatter- 
ing fools  made  you  believe,  had  been  enstamped  upon 
3^our  very  bodily  visage?  where  is  your  brave  attendance, 
jou  imagined  followed  you,  for  your  real  excellency? 
where  is  that  admiration  had  of  you,  beastly  wretches,  be- 
cause of  advantage?  what  think  ye,  base  sycophants,  of 
the  men  you  trusted  to,  and  adored  above  God  all-suffi- 
cient? see  you  now  any  majesty,  or  excellencies  in  such 
poor,  base,  trembling  caitiffs?  are  they  not  the  same 
that  they  were?  only  the  fig-leaves  that  covered  them 
are  taken  away.  They  imagined  themselves  some-bodies, 
while  they  possessed  earthly  abundance:  how  highly  did 
they  look,  because  they  seemed  to  have  some  more  sho- 
vel-fulls of  eai'th  than  others?   But  now  the  lofty  looks  of 


A    GLIMPSE    OP    GJ.ORT.  143 

man  are  humbled,  and  the  haughtiness  of  man  is  bowed 
down;  and  the  Lord  alone  is  exalted  in  this  day.  What 
now,  tyrants,  silly  caitiffs;  are  you  the  very  same  men 
that  made  the  earth  to  tremble?  The  Lord  hath  broken 
the  staff  of  the  wicked,  and  the  sceptre  of  the  rulers: 
your  pomp  is  brought  down  to  the  grave,  and  the  noise  of 
your  viols  ceaseth,  the  worms  are  spread  under  you,  and 
the  worms  cover  you:  are  you  not  despised  in  the  eyes  of 
all,  whether  in  heaven  or  hell?  the  Almighty  hath  laid 
open  your  nakedness,  he  hath  discovered  your  secret 
parts:  fools,  were  you  never  thinking  that  it  would  come 
to  this?  did  you  imagine,  that  the  vilest  of  men  should 
domineer  over  the  most,  and  no  more  of  it?  that  the  wick- 
ed might  oppress  the  man  more  righteous  than  himself, 
and  yet  no  more  of  it  to  all  eternit}'?  did  the  Almighty 
create  man  after  his  image,  to  eat,  and  drink,  and  pass 
away  an  inch  of  time,  and  no  more?  was  it  the  purpose  of 
the  wise  Disposer  of  all  things,  that  men  should  be  rank- 
ed according  to  the  fancies  of  riches  and  titular  honour, 
acquired  by  vanity,  and  maintained  by  folly?  What  think 
you  now  of  those  you  contemned  not  long  ago,  whom  you 
esteemed  as  the  filth  and  offscourings  of  all  things,  whom 
you  thought  unworthy  of  your  excellent  presence,  because 
they  were  not  laded  with  the  thick  cla}'  of  the  earth? 
What  distance  and  reverence  looked  you  for  from  fellow 
creatures,  as  if  they  had  been  made  for  so  base  an  end, 
as  to  hold  up  your  yeas  and  nays?  as  if  caping  and  cring- 
ing, and  such  histriaonic  vanities  had  been  requisite  for 
the  sons  of  wisdom?  0  joyful  day  of  eternity!  wherein  all 
thing^re  unmasked;  all  odds  are  made  even!  the  fore- 
thoi^ps  of  this  held  up  me  heart,  in  my  sad  pilgrimage. 
Now,  wretches,  it  is  evident,  who  on  earth  should  have 
been  most  honoured  and  esteemed,  who  should  have  had 
the  chief  place  among  men;  who  sees  not  now,  that  wis- 
dom is  the  princpal  thing?  How  vain  was  the  esteem  of 
the  world!  were  they  not  fools,  who  in  the  least  regarded 
it?  who  considered  things  only  according  to  their  external 
shows.  Caitiffs,  what  think  you  of  your  fools-paradise  ? 
your  golden  dream  hath  miserably  beguiled  you;  earthly 
riches  are  cried  down;  the  vain  denominations  of  time  are 
fled  away.  Only  wisdom  for  ever  remains.  What  then, 
are  you,  poor  wicked  wretches,  exposed  to  the  shame, 
contempt,  and  mockery  of  all  the  world?  are  you  not 
made  a  gazing-stock  to  God,  angels,  and  men?  you  snatch- 


J 44  A  GLIMPSE    OF  GLORY. 

ed  at  fancies,  and  neg'ectec  v\is(Joaa,  which  would  have 
rfciidered  you  excellent  foi-  ever  and  ever.  Tiicy  that 
pFHC^:  ed  ocst  ya'jr  t  )Gii.^li  modes  and  inventions,  that 
could  comply  Debt  wiUi  your  foolish  hum.  urs,  tUit  knew 
besi  hcj\\  io  scrape  together  *^lie  pelf  of  the  eartn,  were  es- 
teemed wise  and  ojconiphsned  by  you:  as  for  the  truly 
wis^j  (wLjo  v^ere  ever  very  rare,  and  the  wonders  of  their 
ag-.  J  you  contennned  and  repioached  them  as  the  dregs 
of  liiauki.il.  How  did  you  triumph  over  the  poor  and 
mecR  ci  the  earth,  while  your  world  remained,  which 
was  Out  for  a  moment?  An  everlasting  world  is  now  cOiUe; 
may  we  not  triemph  time  about?  which  of  us  have  chosen 
the  better  part''  juage  ye;  presen.  things  you  esteemed 
oniy  real;  and  wondered  at  our  folly,  that  lived  upon  the 
hope  of  thmgs  to  come;  yea,  and  to  come  after  death, 
and  the  dissolution  of  all  things.  And  are  you  not  fools, 
who  neglected  immoriahi},  and  glory,  ai^d  honor,  though 
you  had  a  miserable,  pining  lite  on  eardi,  earning  your 
daily  bread  b^  sore  labour  and  grief?  could  not  a  frown- 
ing, vexing  world  loose  your  base  mmds  from  it?  O  vile 
wretches,  esteemed  }  ou  earth,  in  its  winder  garb,  before 
the  eternal  enjoyment  of  the  Fountain  of  all  blessedness? 
Verily  your  mouth  is  eternally  stopped.  Wretches  of 
wretches,  who  were  endowed  with  liie  knowledge  of  the 
only  excellent  things;  who  spake  and  wrote  to  the  good 
admiration  of  others:  won(>ertu  !  knew  you  so  much  of 
the  all-sufficiency  oi  Jdiovali.  the  emptiness  of  all  things 
below  him;  and  yet  did  not  put  your  trust  in  him,  did  not 
care  for  a  near  fellowship  with  him,  but  placed  your  love 
and  dehghts  on  vanities?  You  are  to  be  doubly  punished, 
who  knew  your  Master's  will,  and  did  it  not,  goodJlftd  it 
been  for  you,  vilest  wretches,  that  )ou  had  bf  en  icliots, 
and  sots:  how  did  you  despise  some  of  the  excellent  ones 
of  the  earth,  because  of  your  more  sagacious  nature,  in 
uptaking?  If  our  heart  hath  not  been  upright  before  God; 
your  knowledge  pufled  you  up;  charity  hath  been  away; 
your  gifts  and  abilities  have  you  not  used  to  his  glory,  for 
whom  are  all  things*  but  self  hath  been  the  end  of  all 
your  endeavours.  What  a  glorious  lustre  had  you  then 
among  weak  saints!  the  rottenness  of  your  heart  was 
over-vailed  whh  a  multitude  of  natural  gifts  and  educa- 
tion; but  he  who  knoweth  all  things  halh  found  you  out; 
he  hath  weighed  in  an  even  balance,  and  ye  are  found 
wanting.    >iow  it  is  manifest,  who  is  the  searcher  of  the 


A    GLIMPSE   OP    fcLORy.  14J? 

hearts,  and  the  trier  of  the  reins:  were  they  not  wise, 
who  overlooked  the  approbation  of  men,  and  gave  all  dil- 
igence to  be  approven  by  thee?  What  thy  thoughts  are 
concerning  a  creature,  that  it  is  indeed.  Many  hypo- 
crites have  passed  off  the  stage  of  time,  with  the  passport 
of  many  of  the  saints;  but  thy  toell  done  hath  only  landed 
fair  in  thy  blessed  kingdom.  Indeed,  Lord  Jesus,  in  time 
thou  madest  a  brave  separation  betwixt  the  righteous  and 
the  wicked;  how  oft  hast  thou  sifted  thy  church  over  and 
over  again,  with  smaller  and  smaller  sieves?  so  that  the 
difference  betwixt  the  wheat  and  the  chaff  was  very  dis- 
ceinable.  How  oft  hast  thou  drawn  the  controversy  be- 
twixt thy  friends  and  thy  enemies,  to  smaller  and  smaller 
concernments?  so  that  many,  who  for  shame  could  not, 
in  palpably  gross  things,  comply  with  the  devil  and  his 
slaves;  yet  in  matters  that  seemed  of  less  consequence, 
did  they  side  with  them:  whence  their  hypocrisy  and 
lukewarmness  in  the  matters  of  God  did  appear.  O  apos- 
tates and  betrayers  of  the  interests  of  Jehovah  and  the 
Lamb,  your  mouth  is  eternally  stopped!  many  fine  excu- 
ses did  your  hellish  minds  invent,  in  the  midst  of  ^  our 
villany:  your  line  subtleties,  drawn  from  prudentials  and 
politics,  are  now  laid  open  before  sun  and  moon.  You 
were  too  wise  and  prudent  to  take  the  plain  way,  and 
come  to  the  streets  for  God:  you  were  of  too  meek  a  na- 
ture to  hold  the  devil  and  his  slaves  at  long  weapons;  you 
were  of  too  fine  and  subtle  a  spirit  to  speak  in  plain  terms 
of  the  controversies  of  the  time,  and  sins  of  the  genera- 
tion you  lived  in;  you  were  too  courteous  and  submis- 
sive to  contend  with  the  very  shields  of  the  earth,  in  eve- 
ry concernment  of  the  prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth: 
no,  you  were  not  such  fools,  as  to  incur  the  deadly  feud 
of  those  who  had  authority  and  power  in  their  hands:  yet 
would  many  of  you  have  been  ranked  among  the  camp  of 
the  saints,  whereby  you  were  esteemed  as  excellent 
amongst  some  of  the  v.eaker  ones:  now  it  is  evident  you 
were  base  traitors,  playing  with  all  hands,  for  your  great- 
er security  and  advantage:  and  that  you  have  been  luke- 
warm and  indifierent  in  the  royal  prerogatives  and  hon- 
ours of  the  great  and  mighty  Lord  of  all  things,  and  the 
welfare  of  his  spouse.  You  stated  enemies  against  Jeho- 
vah and  the  Lamb,  what  think  you  of  your  desperate 
madness?  thought  you  to  conquer  and  destroy  the  friends 
and  darlings  of  the  high  and  mighty  One?  imagined  you 
N 


146  A.  GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

that  you  were  triumphing,  when  you  prospered  in  perse- 
cuting of  his  church?  fools,  that  was  one  of  the  great  ends 
that  the  Ahnighty  raised  you  up  for,  that  you  might  scour 
and  rub  the  vessels  of  his  temple:  useful  instruments 
were  you  in  the  hand  of  the  great  Actor:  by  you  he  ham- 
mered and  polished  the  stones  of  his  house;  by  you  he  ' 
cleansed  it  of  filth;  by  you  he  pulled  it  down,  in  order  to  : 
a  more  excellent  fabric:  you,  you  did  the  Almighty  use,  '■ 
as  slaves,  in  all  servile  employments;  and  when  he  had  j 
fulfilled  his  intentions^  with  you,  he  cast  you  into  the  fire,  j 
Yile  wretches,  is  it  not  a  dreadful  torment,  to  look  our  ' 
Lord  Jesus  in  the  face?  how  doth  his  presence,  and  the  \ 
presence  of  his  holy  ones  abash  you?  Where  are  your  i 
high  and  lofty  looks  now?  what  feared  and  astonished-like  i 
countenances'  are  you  the  men  that  spoke  so  highly  i 
against  the  work  and  people  of  God?  are  you  the  men  . 
who  mocked  his  holy  ones,  or  not?  are  you  the  men  who  | 
cared  not  for  our  fellowship,  but  thought  the  world  might  \ 
be  well  enough  without  these  heavenly  creatures?  were  '] 
you  weary  of  our  neighbourhood,  as  troublesome;  be- i 
cause  of  our  stoic  <^as  you  fancied)  and  precise  princi-  ] 
pies,  contrary  to  your  loose  and  worldly  way  of  walking?  ^ 
now  you  have  your  will,  you  are  no  more  troubled  with  , 
our  fellowship;  the  tares  and  the  wheat  are  eternally  sep- 1 
arate:  now  your  hatred  and  envy  cannot  reach  us;  we; 
tread  you  for  ever  as  dung  among  our  feet.  What  are  | 
your  cursings  and  blasphemies  to  our  Lord  and  us?  could' 
a  filthy,toad  defile  the  sun,  by  spitting  venom  upwards?] 
could  the  smoke  of  the  lower  region  darken  that  lamp  of! 
light?  could  the  blustering  winds  make  the  stars  to  trem-i 
ble?  could  the  proud  ocean  with  its  turbulent  swellings,: 
beat  down  the  pearly  foundation  of  the  higher  house  ?i 
Your  envy  and  malice  is  a  vehement  flame,  burning  up  | 
eternally  your  soul  and  body:  your  own  wickedness  is! 
poured  upon  you,  and  it  burneth  as  the  fire;  it  devoureth  i 
the  briers  and  the  thorns,  and  kindleth  in  the  thickets  of; 
the  forest,  and  they  mount  up  like  the  lifting  up  of  smoke. ' 
Wickedness  containeth  its  punishment  in  its  bosom.  AUi 
our  desires  are  fulfilled:  the  zeal  of  our  God's  house  did) 
eat  up  our  heart,  in  the  days  of  our  pilgrimage;  but  novv^ 
we  are  overjoyed,  in  beholding  of  the  vengeance:  much^ 
of  the  vengeance  of  the  wrath  of  our  God  did  we,  with  I 
exceeding  joy,  behold,  when  we  lived  within  time.  How  ^ 
oft  did  he  appear  for  the  salvation  of  his  people,  with  gar-  ! 


A    GLI3IPSE    OF  GLORY.  14? 

meiits  rolled  in  blood?  how  did  he  overturn  a- whoie  world 
by  an  universal  inundation  of  waters?  how  did  he  burn  up 
countries  and  cities  in  one  hour?  how  did  he  make  earth's 
devouring  jaws  swallow  up  many  of  these  that  it  was  bur- 
dened with?  By  sword,  by  famine,  by  pestilence,  by  the 
beasts  of  the  field,  how  hath  he  made  the  carcases  of  his 
enemies  to  be  spread  like  dung  upon  the  face  of  the  earth? 
What  strange  judgments  have  we  seen  upon  families  and 
persons  conform  to  their  iniquities?  How  signal  was  his 
providence  over  the  children  of  men?  so  that  men  were 
convinced  and  could  not  but  say,  verily  there  is  a  God 
that  judgeth  righteously  in  the  earth:  verily  there  is  a  re- 
ward for  the  ri^hteous-and  wicked;  a  difference  betwixt 
hini  that  feareth  God,  and  him  that  fearethhim  not.  But 
all  was  emblems,  types,  shadows,  and  representations  of 
what  now  we  behold:  all  the  vengeance  inflicted  on  curs- 
ed wretches  was  just  nothing.  What  was  mortality  capa- 
ble of?  All  the  wrath  inflicted  in  time,  compounded  in 
one,  was  nothing  to  one  moment  of  this  everlasting  day 
of  pure  and  unmixed  vengeance:  the  inflicting  of  punish- 
ment in  time,  was  only  for  the  sake  of  the  spectators,  that 
the  inhabitants  of  the  world  might  learn  righteousness. 
Vile  creatures,  do  you  not  know  whom  you  should  have 
feared?  what  think  you  of  your  prodigious  madness,  who 
feared  feeble  nothing  creatures,  like  yourselves,  and  for- 
got and  despised  the  threatenings  and  judgments  of  the 
infinite  One?  What  could  all  creatures  do?  all  theii* 
wrath  and  fury,  compared  to  the  vengeance  of  the  Almigh- 
ty, is  like  a  small  drop  to  a  boundless  ocean.  Find  you 
not  now,  that  it  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of 
the  living  God?  0  what  billows  of  divine  vengeance! 
what  oceans  of  wrath  hath  he  treasured  up  at  his  right 
hand!  every  drop  whereof  might  confound  ten  thousand 
worlds,  "The  Lord  hath  come  out  of  his  place,  to  punish 
the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  for  their  iniquity:  the  earth 
also  hath  disclosed  her  blood  "  For  behold,  the  Lord,  a. 
mighty  and  strong  one,  who,  as  a  tempest  of  hail,  and  a 
destroying  storm,  as  a  flood  of  mighty  waters  overflowing, 
doth  cast  down  to  the  earth  with  the  hand:  The  name  of 
the  Lord  is  come,  burning  with  his  anger;  and  the  burden 
thereof  is  heavy:  his  lips  are  full  of  indignation,  and  his 
tongue  as  a  devouring  fire;  and  his  breath  as  an  overflow- 
ing stream^  doth  reach  unto  the  midst  of  the  neck.  How 
doth  the  Lord  go  forth  as  a  mighty  man?  how  doth  he  sUi!^ 


2  4»  A    (iUMPSE    or    GLORY. 

Up  jealousy  like  a  man  of  war?  he  crieth,  he  prevailetu 
against  his  enemies,  I  have  long  time  held  mj  peace,  saith 
the  Almighty,  I  have  been  &till,  and  refrained  myself: 
now  will  I  cry,  like  a  travailing  woman:  I  will  destroy, 
and  devour  at  ©nee,  multitudes,  multitudes  in  the  valley  of 
decision;  for  the  day  of  the  Lord  is  in  the  valley  of  decis- 
ion. He  hath  come  down,  and  trode  upon  the  high  pla- 
ces of  the  earth;  and  the  mouutaias- were  molten  under 
him,  and  the  valfeys  were  cleft:  as  wax  before  the  fire^ 
nnd  as  waters  that  are  poured  down  a  steep  place.  The 
nations  saw,  and  were  confounded;  they  laid  their  hand 
upon  their  mouth;  they  licked  the  dust  like  a  serpent, 
ihey  moved  out  of  their  hole'§*like  worms  of  the  earth; 
and  were  greatly  afraid  and  confounded  because  of  th^ 
Lord  our  God:  for  he  is  jealous  and  revengeful;  he  re- 
rengeth,  and  is  furious;  who  can  stand  before  his  indig- 
nation? and  who  can  abide  in  the  fiercencssof  his  anger  ^ 
His  fury  is  poured  out  like  fire;  ajad  the  rocks  are  thrown 
down  by  him.  O  thou  enemy,  destructions  are  eome  to 
a  perpetual  end:  but  the  Lord's  ang^r  endureth  forever; 
he  hath  prepared  his  throne  foi?  judgment.  Sing  praises 
unto  the  Lord,  that  dwelleth  in  Zion.  When  he  maketh 
inquisition  for  blood,  he  remembereth  them:  he  hath  not 
forgotten  the  cry  of  the  humble;  the  needy  have  not  al- 
ways been  forgotten;  the  expectatioa  of  the  poor  bath 
not  perished  mr  ever.  Upon  the  wicked  thou  rainest 
^ares,  fire  and  brimstone,  and  an  horrible  tempest:  this 
shall  be  for  ever  the  portion  of  their  cup.  0  love  the 
Lord,  all  ye  his  saints:  for  the  Lord  preserveth  the  faith- 
ful, and  plentifully  rewardeth  the  proud  doer.  The  Lord 
is  righteous,  and  all  his  works  are  done  in  truth.  All  my 
bones  shall  say  unto  the  Lord,  who  is  Hke  unto  thee?  who 
dehverest  the  poor  from  him  that  was  too  strong  for  him? 
Thy  mercy,  0  Lord,  is  in  the  heavens,  and  thy  faithful- 
ness reacheth  unto  the  clouds;  thy  righteousness  is  like 
the  great  mountains,  thy  judgments  are  a  great  deep. — 
Many,  0  Lord  my  God,  are  the  wonderful  works  which 
thou  hast  done;  and  thy  thoughts  which  are  to  us- ward, 
they  cannot  be  reckoned  up  in  order  unto  thee ;  if  I  would 
declare  and  speak  of  them,  they  are  more  than  can  be 
numbered.  Sing  praises  unto  God,  sing  praises,  sing 
praises  unto  our  King,  sing  praises.  The  heathen  raged, 
the  kingdoms  were  moved;  he  uttered  his  voice,  the  earth 
melted;  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  with  us;    Thg  God  of  Jacob 


▲    GLIilPSE    OP    GLORY:.  14^ 

is  our  refuge.  Selah.  Through  God  we  do  valiantly; 
for  it  is  he  that  treadeth  down  our  enemies.  Surely  men 
of  low  degree  were  vanity,  and  men  of  high  degree  were  a 
lie;  to  be  laid  in  the  balance,  they  were  altogether  lighter 
than  vanity.  God  hath  spoken  once,  twice  have  I  heard 
this,  that  power  belongeth  unto  God;  also  unto  thee,  O 
Lord,  belongeth  mercy;  for  thou  renderest  unto  every 
man  according  to  his  work.  Thou  hast  ascended  tip  on 
high,  thou  hast  led  captivity  captive;  thou  hast  received 
gifts  for  men;  thou  hast  broken  Rahab  in  pieces,  c.s  one 
that  is  slain;  thou  hast  scattered  thine  enemies  with  thy 
strong  arm;  but  mine  horn  hast  thou  exalted  like  the  horn 
of  the  unicorn;  I  am  anointed  with  fresh  oil;  mino  eyes 
see  my  desire  upon  mine  enemies;  and  mine  ears  have 
heard  my  desires  of  the  wicked,  that  rose  up  against  me. 
Who  is  like  the  Lord  our  God,  who  dwelleth  on  high, 
who  humbleth  himself  to  behold  the  thin^^s  that  are  in 
heaven?  He  raiseth  up  the  poor  out  of  the  dust,  and 
lifteth  up  the  needy  out  of  the  dunghill;  that  be  mav  set 
him  with  princes.  I  will  exalt  thee,  my  God,  O  King; 
I  will  praise  thy  name  for  ever  and  ever;  I  will  .^peak  of 
the  honour  of  thy  majesty,  and  of  thy  wondrous  works; 
thy  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  kingdom,  and  thy  domin- 
ion endureth  to  all  generatlor^s^  bless  the  Lord,  all  ye  his 
angels,  that  excel  in  strengih:  bless  the  Lord,  all  ye  his 
saints;  bless  the  Lord,  all  ye  his  works,  in  all  places  of 
his  dominions;  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul.     Hallelujah. 

62.  Reflections  upon  the  victorious' power  of  faith,  and 
on  the  folly  of  faithless  ivorldings. 

I,  thus  to  triumph  over  death  and  hell!  am  I  eternal 
victor  over  so  strong  and  numerous  enemies.'  O  ye  gates 
of  hell,  could  ye  not  prev '^il  against  me  ?  might  ye  not 
have  destroyed  ten  thou^-ands  worlds  of  the  like  of  me? 
what  hath  come  of  all  youy  boastings,  when  you  have  not 
been  able  to  destroy  poor  me,  when  assisted  and  helped 
by  my  Well-beloved.?  Strange!  have  not  I  overcome  you 
in  the  midst  of  great  weakness  and  infirmity.'  O  the 
strength  of  faith!  I  laid  hold  on  him  who  is^ighty;  I 
eould  not  be  moved:  I  took  hold  on  the  Rock  of  ages; 
and  '.yhat  could  ten  thousand  ragmg  seas  have  done  unto 
me?  These  who  hold  gripes  of  him,  may  swim  safely 
throiigl'.  the  'ake  that  burneth  with  fire  and  brimstone. — 
D(  vil',  and  wicked  men,  you  were  fools  to  assault  us: 
dtd  you  think,  because  of  our  weakness  and  mortality,  to 
N.  3 


150  A   GLIMPSE  OF    GLORY. 

vanquish  us,  and  carry  away  the  day?  If  you  might 
have  overturned  the  Rock  of  ages,  then  might  you  have 
overturned  us;  for  we  relied  upon  him;  and  it  was  a  re- 
pugnancy, to  imagine,  he  might  fail  us,  No  wonder,  de- 
vils, that  you  strove  to  bring  us  to  doubtings,  and  distrust; 
for  in  faith  did  our  strength  lie:  had  you  ruined  our  faith, 
and  brought  us  to  diffidence,  or  presumptuous  foolish 
boldness,  ye  had  ruined  us  forever:  but  our  Well-beloved 
prayed  to  his  Father  that  your  faith  should  not  fail  us:  and 
he  is  greater  and  dearer  in  his  Father's  eyes,  than  to  be 
said  nay  in  so  earnest  a  request.  Now  it  is  manifest,  that 
all  things  have  been  done  by  believing;  it  hath  been  the 
sun,  original,  and  king  of  all  other  graces:  because  I  be- 
lieved, therefore  I  spake  and  did  for  him  on  earth;  there- 
fore did  I  place  the  flower  and  vigour  of  my  love  upon 
him;  therefore  did  I  contemn  all  the  glory  and  excellency 
of  time,  for  my  portion;  therefore  did  I  exceedingly  en- 
deavour to  do  the  things  that  are  well  pleasing  in  his 
sight,  and  to  be  more  and  more  like  him;  therefore  did  I 
long  to  see  him  face  to  face.  Men  and  angels,  through 
faith  in  his  name,  am  I  entered  this  blessed  place:  not  by 
my  holiness,  not  by  my  strength,  and  integrity,  is  this 
wonderful  thing  come  to  pass;  but  by  laying  hold  on  him, 
who  is  mighty  to  save  unto  the  uttermost.  Wicked  men 
and  devils,  I  have  vanquished  you;  I  have  thrown  you  e- 
ternally  to  the  ground;  not  by  the  excellency  of  mine 
own  vigour  and  courage,  but  by  laying  hold  on  his 
strength,  who  sustaineth  all  things.  Faith  was  the  sub- 
5\tance  of  things  hoped  for,  the  evidence  of  things  not 
seen;  for  by  it  we  have  all  received  an  everlasting  name. 
We  believed,  that  what  he  had  promised,  he  would  per- 
form, though  we  saw  them  not,  either  intutively,  or  ration- 
ally; though  we  had  not  received  the  promises,  but  only 
had  a  view  of  them  afar  off,  yet  were  we  persuaded  of 

i  them;  and  confessed  ourselves  strangers  and  pilgrims  on 
earth,  declaring  plainly  to  worldlings,  that  we  were  seek- 

,inga  place  of  eternal  abo^Je,  overlooking  the  wilderness 
as  a  wayfaring  place,  O  fairest  Well-beloved,  how  was  I 
enarmoured  and  ravished  with  thy  very  name,  when  I 
had  not  seen  thee?  how  was  I  persuaded  of  the  truth  of 
all  thy  promises  and  threativing,  as  if  I  had  beheld  them 
fully  ar-xomplished?  how  gladly  and  cheerfully  did  [  loese 
my  heart  and  love  from  ail  temporal  concernments,  that 
f^ey  might  be  set  wholly  upon  the  great  things  to  be  re-^ 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  151 

vealed?  I  believed  all  thou  spoke;  because  I  accounted 
thee  both  faithful,  willing,  and  powerful  to  accomplish:  I 
consulted  not  with  flesh  and  blood  to  go  and  reason.  Is  it 
possible  such  a  thing  can  be?  nay,  I  overlooked  all  objec- 
tions, though  never  so  plausible  and  strong,  and  stopped 
the  mouth  of  all  earthly,  sensual,  and  devlish  wisdom, 
with,  The  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it.  But,  0  my 
fair  One,  how  doth  beholding  inconceivably  franscend 
faith  I  I  trusted  thou  wouldst  perform  above  all  f  could 
ask  or  think;  but  how  confused,  general  and  childish  were 
my  Cimceptions  of  what  I  now  enjoy  ?  The  highest  I  could 
bend  my  conceptions,  was  to  imagine,  that  eye  hath  not 
seen,  ear  hath  not  heard,  neither  hath  entered  into  the 
heart  of  mortal,  what  thou  hast  prepared  for  those  that 
waited  for  thee:  all  I  could  conceive  of  this  boundless 
happiness,  was  to  consider  it  as  passing  all  conception. — 
How  have  I  been  vexed  with  the  baseness  and  lowness  of 
my  apprehensions!  and  have  endeavoured  to  strain  them 
above  their  proper  measure;  not  considering  that  childish 
estate  was  not  capable  of  manly  conceptions;  and  that 
mortality  must  be  swallowed  up  of  Hfe,  else  the  creature 
cannot  behold  thy  face  and  live.  It  was  wisdom  to  long 
for  this  day  of  immediate  fellowship;  but  folly  to  desire 
it  within  the  tents  of  mortality:  all  I  could  then  have  of 
thee,  was  thy  portraiture  thou  set  down  in  thy  testament; 
love-letters  I  received  from  thee,  m  earth's  childish  dia- 
lect; thou  told  me  of  kingdoms  and  cities,  diadems  and 
honors,  riches  and  pleasures:  thou  told  me  of  thy  great- 
ness, and  majesty,  and  loveliness;  all  which  were  things 
of  the  lower  world  much  esteemed:  but  here  are  neither 
kingdoms  nor  diadems,  but  things  transcendently  above 
all  such  trifles  How  ignorant  have  I  been  of  my  happi- 
ness! Wonderful!  that  the  hope  of  this  made  me  not 
overjoyed  to  the  death.  O  silly,  hungry  wilderness,  when 
I  cast  back  mine  eyes  upon  thee,  can  I  but  smile  at  the 
childish  folly  of  worldlings,  who  only  desired,  endeavour- 
ed, contended  for  portions  and  inheritances  out  of  thee: 
they  that  purchased  most,  have  acquired  nothing;  and 
they  who  purchased  least,  can  be  in  no  poorer  case.-— 
What  have  you  gained,  base  worldlings?  Enjoy  the  fruit 
of  your  expectation  and  labour;  now,  when  the  end  of 
all  things  is  come,  gather  together  your  purchase,  and  re- 
joice forever  in  it;  what!  have  you  provided  nothing  for 
the  last  days?  laid  you  up  no  treasures  f«r  this  time?  were 


f52  A  GLIMPSE    OP    GLORY, 

you  not  thinking  on  this  endless  day  of  eternity?  have  yoo 
been  all  such  brutish  fools,  as  to  provide  nothing  for  the 
last  day?  Strange  folly  and  madness!  had  none  of  you 
but  that  much  consideration,  as  to  think,  possibly  there 
might  be  a  life  after  an  inch  of  time?  Were  ye  wi'se,  or 
were  ye  fools,  who  consumed  all  your  time,  in  providing 
for  this  time?  Base  fools,  did  God  create  you  for  an  inch 
of  time  ?  thought  you  his  wisdom  made  only  to  eat  and  drink, 
and  mind  your  base  selves  ]  to  provide  only  for  your  sensual 
decaying  life,  and  never  to  aim  at  his  glory,  To  whom,  and 
through  whom,  and  for  whom  are  all  things?  Did  you  im- 
agine it  just,  that  the  lower  creatures  should  serve  you, 
and  yet  you  to  neglect  the  Creator?  did  you  forget  him; 
and  should  he  have  minded  you,  and  given  rain  and  fruit- 
ful seasons,  filling  your  hearts  with  food  and  gladness? 
O  ingrate  wretches!  O  abominable  fools!  shall  we  not 
tread  you  eternally  under  our  feet,  as  the  dross  and  off- 
scourings of  all  things?  Dross  you  have  coveted  and  de- 
sired as  to  you  portion;  dross  you  have  loved,  feared,  and 
served;  and  therefore  baser  you  are  than  the  basest  dross. 
Did  you  not  consider  what  lay  beyond  time?  and  was 
earth  your  only  desire?  then  have  you  judg-ed  yourselves 
unworthy  of  any  more.  Did  you  seek  for  no  higher  life, 
than  the  dying,  evanishing,  natural  life?  and  have  you  not 
excluded  yourselves  this  subhme,  excellent,  and  immor- 
tal life'*  would  you  not  believe  the  faithful  and  true  Wit- 
ness, who  testified  unto  you,  of  what  excellent  things 
were  laid  up  in  store  for  these  who  feared,  loved,  obeyed, 
and  walked  with  God,  in  their  generation?  Would  you 
not  rely  upon  him  for  time  and  eternity,  but  laid  hold  on  a 
present  vain  world?  yea,  and  in  such  a  base  and  brutish 
manner,  as  you  did  not  acknowledge  him,  and  depend  up- 
on him,  in  your  earthly  enjoyments,  but  trusted  to  your 
wisdom,  your  labours,  and  a  thousand  vanities?  Reap 
the  fruit  of  your  own  sowing:  you  have  received  your 
choice,  aud  what  would  you  have  more?  had  you  chosen 
this  endless  happiness,  you  had  gotten  it;  and  immortal 
life  would  have  been,  by  ten  tlousancf  times,  more  sweet 
than  it  was.  And  did  you  mock,  in  your  hearts,  at  our 
folly,  who  overlooked  all  vissible  things,  and  placed  our 
hope,  our  joy,  our  portion,  our  blessedness  on  things  that 
neither  eye  could  see,  nor  heart  conceive?  And  shall  we 
not  forever  insult  over  you  now,  when  your  folly  is  man- 
ifested even  to  yourselves?    Our  hope  hath  not  made  vis 


A  OLIMPSE  OP    GLORY.  15^ 

ashamed;  but  what  hath  come  of  all  your  aims  and  hopes? 
Now  we  have  you  eternally  as  dust  under  the  soles  of  our 
feet.  0  death  and  hell,  we  have  vanquished  you  forever^ 
never  shall  you  be  able  to  rise  again.  0  grave!  O  death! 
show  the  trophies  of  your  victory.  Through  God  we 
have  done  valiantly;  for  he  it  is  that  hath  beat  down  our 
enemies.  You  seemed  to  overcome  us,  and  hold  hs  in 
prison;  but  thpough  his  strength,  we  have  broken  all  your 
bands,  and  ruined  you  utterly.  The  victory  was  ever 
ours:  but  all  now  is  fully  accomplished;  not  one  enemy 
is  able  to  shake  a  weapon  any  more.  Everlasting  halle- 
lujah to  our  God,  who  hath  given  us  victory  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  0  what  an  endless  triumph!  wicked 
men  and  devils,  you  were  ordained  for  the  pomp  and  glo- 
ry of  this  day.  Our  Well-beloved  has  made  our  state 
every  way  excellent  and  glorious;  therefore  hath  he  or- 
dained enemies  for  us  to  combat  with,  vanquish,  and  tri- 
umph over,  forever  and  ever.  That  our  slate  might  want 
nothing  of  the  top.  and  flower,  and  perfe'^:tion  of  glory 
and  exaltation,  you  have  we  as  a  footstool,  forever  to 
trample  upon-  aU  things  are  ours,  and  for  our  honor  and 
glory.  Now  it  is  evident  who  were  the  really  great  ones. 
Now  doth  appear  what  manner  of  persons  we  are.  Who 
but  the  Lamb,  and  his  followers!  who  but  the  First-born, 
and  hisbrethern!  0  the  height,  and  glorious  dignity  of  a 
saint!  Sirs,  what  think  you?  are  we  not  made  great  per- 
sons? Knew  we  our  dignity  when  we  were  on  earth? 
Surely  not,  in  the  ten  thousand  thousandth  part:  mortali- 
ty could  not  have  borne  it.  Have  we  not  been  like  young 
minors,  who  considered  not  the  glory  and  majesty  of  our 
vast  inheritance  we  were  coming  unto?  and  therefore  we 
sometimes  degraded  ourselves  with  the  similar  converse 
of  base  worldings,  and  rruched  so  creepingly  as  if  such 
beasts  had  been  fit  companions  for  us-  but  in  our  child- 
hood we  could  not  conceive  these  superexcellent  royal- 
ties. Indeed  I  ever  looked  upon  all  the  saints,  as  the  on- 
ly excellent  of  the  earth;  and  oft-times  struck  with  rev- 
erence and  admiration,  at  the  sight  of  the  least  of  them; 
yet  then  I  knew  them  not;  mortality  could  conceive  little. 
Worldlings,  know  you  not  now  whom  you  have  despised? 
Time  was  when  a  saint,  as  a  saint,  was  a  despicable  noth- 
ing in  your  eyes;  pelf,  worldly  grandeur  and  appluse  ren- 
dered persons  only  excellent  in  your  esteem.  What  was 
a  man'^s  holiness  to  you,  but  some  Imaginary  fancies   and 


164  1     GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

opinions  he  had  learnded  by  education  and  teaching,  and 
entertained  through  conceitedness  and  fancy?  some  pre- 
cise tenets,  which  were  needless  and  superfluous:  for  reli- 
gion, in  your  judgment,  was  an  easy  and  trivial  matter; 
the  generality  were  saints:  a  large  and  wide  charity  had 
you  for  every  one,  not  transgressing  the  limits  of  common 
humanity;  civilians,  moralists,  formalists  illuminated,  were 
all,  in  your  opinion,  fit  for  this  glorious  and  majestic  king- 
dom; fit  for  entering  this  golden  city,  and  conversing  fa- 
miliarly with  Jehovah  and  the  Lamb,  in  this  royal  hall  of 
glory:  us  you  reproached,  as  censorious  and  uncharita- 
ble, because  we  looked  upon  holiness  as  a  difficult,  rare, 
-and  excellent  thing;  because  we  counted  the  way  to  this 
unspeakable  glory  strait,  and  travelled  by  few;  because 
w^  looked  upon  the  saints  as  so  many  miraculous  signs 
and  wonders.  Who  have  judged  rigtit,  is  now  made 
manifest  to  the  whole  creation.  We  have  fought,  we 
have  vanquished!  glory,  glory,  immortal  glory  to  the  Cap- 
tain, the  Author  and  Finisher,  forevermore. 

63,  What  ap2JL>'red  on  earthy  is  really  in  heaven;  for 
th^'e  are  really  all  things. 

O  pleasant  and  melodious  world!  the  former  was  jar- 
ring, every  part  in  opposition  to  another:  all  things  were 
full  of  labour,  groaning  and  travelling  until  this  glorious 
birth  was  brought  forth.  It  could  not  stand,  bein^  divided 
against  itself;  being  full  of  intestine  wars,  and  desola- 
tions, it  could  not  but  come  to  nought,  and  this  fair  fabric 
arise  in  its  place.  Behold,  nothing  now  but  peace  and  eter- 
nal friendship:  nothing  is  out  of  order;  eve^y  part  agrees 
with  the  whole,  for  sounding  forth  an  eternal  hallelujah 
to  the  great  Former.  All  contention  and  violence  are 
banished  out  of  the  blessed  world,  into  utter  darkness: 
nothing  but  deep  peace  and  serenity;  all  things  seem  to 
kiss  and  embrace  one  another;  these  eternal  gales  have  no 
tlux  or  change,  though  they  are  forever  blowing.  Sirs, 
is  not  this  gentle  breathing,  passing  delightsome,  after  so 
sore  and  hot  a  battle?  All  is  perfumed  with  myrrh  and 
frankincense !  One  blast  might  cause  ten  thousand  worlds 
to  live.  What  a  life  hast  thou,  O  blessed  self?  who  art 
filled  with,  and  draweth  in  these  full  gales  of  the  Spirit, 
that  bloweth  where  it  listeth  throughout  eternity.  O  these 
wells  of  salvation!  infinitely  transcending  the  pools  of 
Baca's  vale!  one  drop  is  more  delightsome  and  satisfying, 
than  the  oceans  of  all  earthly  sweetness.    What  vveiQ  the 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  155 

broken  cisterns,  that  fools  were  drinking  of?  they  were 
inflaming,  not  quenching;  more  fantaeticai  than  real.  O 
foolsl  were  you  not  imagining  you  were  swallowing  clown 
huge  varieties  of  all  manner  of  stveetness?  But  you 
awaked,  and  behold  it  was  a  dream.  Are  you  not  con- 
founded, when  your  eyes  are  opened,  to  perceive  so  deep 
a  delusion.^  ^Yere  you  not  imagining  yourselves  enjoy- 
ing riches,  and  honor?,  and  pleasures?  But  now  the  glo- 
rious day  of  eternity  is  broken  up,  and  where  are  they^ 
Here  are  realities:  this  land  is  filled  with  etern.il  sprin?-^ 
of  living  waters  of  all  sweetness  and  satisfaction. — 
Strange!  ever  drinking,  and  never  cloyed  or  surcharged; 
the  deeper,  and  more  draughts,  the  greater  delectatioa! 
O  my  conceptions  on  earth!  0  my  enjoyments  now!  I 
did  not  in  the  least  conceive  them.  0  my  eternally  pre- 
sent enjoyments:  and  yet  I  have  all  I  could  conceive. — 
Whatever  pleasure,  satisfaction,  and  what  can  conduce  to 
a  life  filled  with  all  manner  of  excellencies,  delights  and 
sweetness,  is  here  in  the  to^  and  flower  of  all  perfection. 
When  I  strained  my  conceptions  to  the  highest  pitch  of 
mortality,  and  imagined  glory,  excellency  and  sweetness, 
augmented  and  perfected  by  m\rlads  of  myriads  of 
stageSi  above  all  the  glory  I  could  perceive  or  imagine; 
still  I  have  fallen  wonderfully  below  this;  and  yet  my  con- 
ceptions, in  part,  represented  this;  for  all  things  are  here. 
Here  is  an  eternal  confluence  of  all  manner  of  good 
things:  who  can  imagine  any  thing,  which  might  be  here, 
and  this  is  not?  What  want  we,  0  inhabitants  of  this 
wealthy  city?  Is  not  this  the  centre  whither  all  glory  and 
sweetness  run,  like  a  flowing  stream?  And  what  won- 
der? This  is  the  city  royal  of  the  eternal  King.  Here, 
here  he  manifesteth,  immediately  and  in  open  view,  his 
unsearchable  riches,  transcendent  glory,  infinite  power, 
boundlesis  goodness,  and  the  infinite  varieties  of  his  un- 
conceivable excellencies.  Were  they  fools,  who  over- 
looked base  earth,  and  laid  out  their  whole  strength,  for 
acquiring  a  right  to  the  glorious  possession,  and  the  un- 
searchable treasures  of  this  ten  thousand  times  blessed 
land  of  Emmanuel?  Poor  earth,  with  thy  glistering, 
nothing  enjoyments,  whither  art  thou  gone?  O  real,  sol- 
id and  substantial  enjoyments,  whither  art  thou  gone? 
O  real,  solid  and  substantial  enjoyments!  all  the  glories, 
beauties  and  excellencies  of  time  were  mere  shadow,  and 
resemblances  of  what  I  behold.     What,  there,  was  in  ap- 


V 


156  A  GLrMPaE   OP  GtOHY. 

pearance,  Is  here  indeed;  the  real  spring-tide  is  here*  ' 
here  are  the  true  gardens  and  orchards  of  delights,  here  i 
are  the  substantial  roses,  lilies  and  violets;  here  are  the  i 
true  pearls,  rubies,  and  diamonds;  all  the  former  were  j 
but  counterfeit,  and  in  appearance  such.  1  see  the  dif-  i 
ference  betwixt  things  here,  and  what  were  in  time,  is  i 
such,  as  is  between  the  bare  show,  *nd  the  substance. —  \ 
I  thought,  I  saw  crowns  and  sceptres,  honours  and  re-  j 
nown;  but  they  were  vapours,  glistering  after  their  siniil-  \ 
itudes,  which  are  now  eternally  evanished  to  nothing;  ] 
and  behold  the  real  diadems,  sceptres  and  honours!  I  I 
thought  I  found  some  pleasure  and  delight;  1  thought,  I  { 
beheld  great  varieties  of  all  kinds;  but  the  night  is  gone,  i 
and  the  day  is  broken  up,  that  dispelleth  glistering  shows  i 
and  vapours,  in  discovering  the  real  and  substantial  things: 
ail  things  are  here  in  substance,  which  in  time  were  in  i 
appearance.  Here  are  the  real  dwellings,  cities,  orchards, 
hills  of  frankincense,  mountains  of  spices.  We  were  far 
mistaken,  0  inhabitants,  to  speak  of  any  thing,  as  exis-  ■ 
tent  any  where  else  than  here;  else  all  our  speech  and 
conceptions,  within  mortality"'s  region,  were  merely  figUr 
rative :  lor,  to  conceive  of  things  properly,  as  they  were  \ 
"0a  earth,  there  was  neither  sun,  moon,  nor  stars;  neither  ■ 
lilies,  nor  roses,  nor  beauties,  nor  excellencies;  they  are  i 
here,  and  only  here  for  ever  more.  Were  they  wise,  ] 
who  placed  their  delights  on  shadoivs,  and  evanishing  \ 
nothings?  Were  they  fools,  who  overlooked  all  the  vain  * 
fancies  of  time,  and  fixed  their  minds  only  upon  this  endu-  I 
ring  substance  ^  I  have  found  the  substance  for  the  shadow :  ; 
I,  even  I,  am  possessor  of  the  world  of  eternal  joy  and  i 
satisfaction.  i 

64.  *^  froumingtorriienting  iime^  the  prelude  of  eternity,  ] 
All  shame,  and  sorrow,  and  vexation,  you  are  eternal-  ' 
ly  gone,  as  if  you  had  not  been:  sometimes  you  posses- 
sed us;  but  the  fair  and  white  side  of  providence  is  turn-  i 
€tl  up  for  ever.  I  see  it,  it  was  the  ordination  of  eterni-  ', 
ty,  that  the  head  and  members  should  be  every  way  cen-  ^ 
formed:  all  that  are  here,  were  of  no  beauty  or  desira- 
bleness sometime  in  the  eyes  of  mortals;  but  were  des-  ■ 
pised  and  rejected  of  men,  persons  of  sorrow,  acquainted  ! 
with  grief;  being  destitute  and  afflicted,  and  tormented:  l 
many  moralists,  and  formalists,  and  lukewarm  Christians  i 
went  for  saints,  in  the  eyes  of  almost  all:  but  one  thing  ' 
among  a  thousand,  might  bare  discovered  what  thev  were.,    ; 

I 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  i37 

even  that  they  underwent  not  the  lot  of  him  whom  they 
professed  to  be  following-,  the  world  smiled  upon  them, 
because  they  were  of  the  world;  other  entertainment  did 
they  meet  with,  in  their  progress  through  the  earth,  than 
the  Chief  of  ten  thousand  in  the  days  of  his  flesh:  though 
my  Lord  could  have  brought  his  chosen  to  this  unspeaka- 
ble glory,  through  the  abundance  of  earthly  ease,  peace, 
glory,  joy  and  delight;  yet  this  hath  been  the  way  of  his 
infinite  wisdom.  0  ye  angels,  could  you  have  found  out 
such  a  noble  draught?  could  you  have  invented  such  an 
admirable  way  of  bringing  poor,  feeble,  sinful  mortals  to 
glory?  0  sweet,  sweet  dispensation!  base  earth,  that  is 
now  for  ever  evanished,  was  not  my  country,  but  the 
place  of  my  exile;  not  my  abode,  but  my  pilgrimao;e9 
and  therefore  it  was  well  it  frowned  upon  me,  and  appear- 
ed Hke  the  thing  that  indeed  it  was,  a  vain,  empty,  glit- 
tering nothing  My  Lord  hath  been  tender  of  his  dar- 
lings, and  could  not  sulfer  night-dreams  and  fancies  to  be- 
guile them,  which  they  might,  they  being  in  their  childish 
and  mortal  codition,  if  they  had  appeared  with  a  smiling 
pleasant  countenance.  O  my  God,  the  greatest  snares 
that  ever  thou  rainedst  upon  thiae  enemies,  were  when 
thou  gave  them  the  desires  of  their  heart:  earth  they  de- 
sired, and  earth  thou  madest  to  look  kindly  upon  them.;  and 
therefore  they  are  ruined  for  evermore.  I  see  the  dispen- 
sation, that  most  crossed  my  own  natural  disposition,  hath 
contributed  most  for  my  advantage:  my  Lord  hath  with- 
held no  good  thing  from  me:  it  was  best  I  should  have 
had  a  life  of  sorrow,  torment,  and  vexation:  it  was  well  I 
was  cut  short  of  earthly  enjoyments.  My  only  dasire 
was  to  finish  my  course  for  this  unspeakable  happiness, 
and  that  it  should  be  swift  and  vigorous;  and  how  excel- 
lently ha^t  ihou  fulfilled  the  desire  of  my  heart? 

65.  Glory  calls  till  a  total  change  in  all  the  powers,  fac- 
"ulties  and  virtues. 

O  my  heart,  thou  art  changed  indeed!  how  tormenting 
a  burden  hast  thou  been  unto  me,  in  the  days  of  my  ab- 
scence!  even  when  I  kept  most  observant  and  strictest 
wacth  over  thy  frame,  thou  played  me  a  slip,  and  bended  oft 
from  the  orignal  of  all  blessedness,  unto  vanity.  How 
wast  thou  drawn  hither  and  thither,  by  all  dispensations? 
When  I  imagined  I  had  got  thee  wrought  up  to  a  subHme 
heavenly  frame,  how  soon  didst  thou  become  carnal  and 
earthly  again?    When  thou  seemed  all  in  a  flame  of  di- 

O 


158  A    GLIMPSE    OP    GLORY. 

vine  love  and  zeal,  how  didst  thou  become  cold  and  indif- 
ferent, ere  ever  I  was  aware?  When  I  rejoiced  m  find- 
ing thee  in  a  lively,  tender,  gospel  frame,  how  quickly 
didst  thou  become  dead  and  senseless  like  a  stone!  When 
I  could  not  but  cry  out,  O  my  heart  is  fixed,  my  heart  is 
fixed;  I  will  sing;  yea,  I  will  for  ever  be  altogether  for 
praises:  how  soon  wast  thou  unsettled,  and  tossed  up  and 
down  with  the  w^nds  of  vanity?  When  I  could  say,  I  will 
trust  in  him,  and  not  be  afraid;  I  will  not  fear,  though 
the  earth  be  removed,  though  the  mountains  be  cast  into 
the  midst  of  the  sea:  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  my  strength 
and  my  song,  and  he  also  is  become  my  salvation:  how 
soon  didst  thou  become  despondent  and  fearful,  afraid  of 
worms  and  nothings,  and  forgetting  the  Lord  thy  Maker, 
that  stretched  out  these  heavens!  When  thou  wast  in  so 
sweet  a  frame,  as  I  could  not  but  wish.  When  shall  I  be  in 
the  Well-beloved's  immediate  embraces;  lvalue  not  that 
small  brook  that  lies  betwixt  me  and  him;  though  I  walk  in 
the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil;  for  he 
is  ever  with  me :  yet  how  soon  wast  thou  overclouded  and 
darkened  with  doubtings  and  confusion;  so  that  thou 
wouldst  have  given  ten  thousand  wprlds,  if  at  thy  dispo- 
sing, for  the  fixed  persuasion  of  a  Christ  and  a  blessed- 
ness? How  wast  thou  sometimes  in  a  strong,  enlarged, 
and  cheerful  frame,  running  the  ways  of  tlie  Lord's  com- 
mandments! thy  cry  was,  what  is  the  will  of  my  Lord? 
All  his  commandments  are  easy,  because  his:  anon  thou 
ivouldst  neither  lead,  nor  drive ;  his  worship  and  service 
were  a  burden,  0  my  heart,  thou  art  now  as  I  would !  0 
all  my  faculties,  you  are  altogether  heavenly  and  divine; 
all,  all  is  swallowed  up  in  full  immediate  beholding:  after 
him  do  ye  go,  with  an  uninterrupted  eternal  bensil:  it  is  im- 
possible for  thee  noy  soul,  now  in  thyl^ord's  immediate  em- 
braces, to  fall  away  from  this  divine  frame;  thou  cannot 
but  incessantly  serve  and  glorify  him,  with  unspeakable 
joy  and  alacrity,  since  thou  eternally  beholdest  his  ravish- 
ing countenance.  Can  doubting  enter  this  noon-day  vis- 
ion of  glory,  when  we  have  attained  the  height  and  per- 
fection of  evidence?  who  can  fear,  that  is  incircled  with- 
in these  everlasting  arms?  This  city  of  refuge  is  situated 
above  the  reach  of  ten  thousand  worlds  of  wicked  men 
and  devils  Who  can  dwell  thus,  with  an  infinite  love, 
and  not  be  all  inflamed  with  unquenchable  fires?  The  first 


•  A    GLIMPSE    or"    GLORT.  159 

sight  of  thy  goodly  visage,  my  fair  One,  hath  captivated 
all  my  faculties  unto  thee. 

66.     Heaven  the  sweeter^  the  more  dangers  ive  have  escU' 
jted. 

How  have  I  been  choked  with  the  pestiferous  conta- 
gion of  a  vile  world?  so  that  I  had  almost  lost  my  life. — 
The  hellish  sights  and  sounds,  that  have  entered  my  facul- 
ties, against  my  will,  made  hell  and  death  familiar  unto 
me:  I  found  it  one  of  the  most  difficult  commandments  of 
my  Lord,  to  stop  my  ears  from  hearing  of  blood,  and  shut 
mine  eyes  from  seeing  of  evil:  even  when  I  set  a  guard 
upon  all  my  senses,  my  inbred  wickedness  betrayed  the 
fort-royal,  and  insensibly  received  the  sparks  that  fired 
up  all.  How  could  feeble,  mortal  I,  but  be  confused  and 
diverted,  and  deadened  with  the  hurry,  and  noise,  and 
vexation  of  an  hellish  world?  How  oft  have  I  complain- 
ed, 'fearfulness  and  trembhng  is  come  upon  me,  and  hor- 
ror hath  overwhelmed  me?  0  that  I  had  wings  like  a  dove! 
for  then  I  could  fly  away,  and  be  at  rest:  lo,  then  would  I 
wander  far  off,  and  remain  in  the  wilderness:  I  would  has- 
ten my  escape  from  the  windy  storm  and  tempest!  Ah! 
my  senses  are  filled  with  vanity  and  mischief,  the  behold- 
ing, and  hearing  of  blood  and  evil,  hath  vitiated  my  fac- 
ulties, and  made  folly  and  madness  seem  common  and  or- 
dinary to  my  apprehensions;  so  that  I  cannot  attain  unto 
any  suitable  abhorrence  of  wickedness,  when  my  love  and 
desire  after  God  is  faint  and  weak;  being  high,  or  low,  ac- 
cording to  my  abhorrence  and  hatred  of  evil.'  It  is  wonder- 
ful, 0  my  Lord,  it  is  passing  wonderfulhow  I  have  landed  in 
this  choice  happy  place  with  my  life!  the  human  nature  in 
its  integrity,  might  have  been  corrupted  and  destroyed  in 
such  a  noisome  and  pestilential  air,  as  filled  the  lower 
world,  while  it  was  the  proper  habitation  of  devils,  and 
their  base  slaves:  but  who  can  sutler  hardship,  whom 
thou  once  takest  into  thy  tutorage?  These  whom  thy 
Father  hath  given  thee,  hast  thou  safely  preserved,  and 
none  could  be  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  thine  hand. — 
The  most  entire  and  excellent  nature,  committed  wholly 
to  its  own  guidance,  could  not  have  been  able  to  perse- 
vere, through  the  ten  thousandth  part  of  the  difficulties 
and  temptations,  I  have  overpassed:  but  what  cannot  thy 
infinite  excellency  do?  No  security,  but  in  being  alto- 
gether thine,  and  nothing  our  own,  which  happy  I,  have 
experienced  to  my  eternal  sweetness,  0  now  the  danger 


itO  A    GilMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

Is  past!  0  lively  and  delightsome  air  of  EmmaiiuePs  coan- 
iry!  nothing  dwells  in  this  world  of  my  Well-beloved's 
conquest,  but  righteousness!  you  offscourings  of  all  things, 
i  am  not  vexed  with  your  abominable  vileness  any  more: 
sometimes  you  vexed  and  tormented  me,  that  the  wondeN 
ful  efficacy  of  my  Wellbel-^ved's  graces  might  be  the 
jnore  evidently  manifested  j  but  you  are  evanished,  unto 
smoke  are  you  evanished  away.  O  now  my  senses,  you 
are  only  filled  with  the  only  rose  and  beauty  of  this  ever- 
lasting, ravishing  paradise!  no  sweetness,  no  fulness,  no 
excellency,  but  that  of  the  branch;  yea,  could  the  abom- 
inable smoke  of  ten  thousand  hells  ascend  this  sweet  re- 
gion, it  would  not  be  perceived;  but  be  lost,  like  a  small 
drop  of  bitterness  in  a  boundless  ocean  of  sweetness.— 
And  O!  the  delightful  aspect  of  the  Lamb's  fair  and  white 
company,  that  follow  him  whithersoeyer  he  goes!  what  a 
golden  life,  in  so  ravishing  a  fellowship!  nothing  but  the 
mutual  emanations  of  surpassing  sweetness!  nothing  but 
sublime  hallelujahs  to  him  that  sits  upon  the  throne,  and 
tf)  the  Lamb,  throughout  eternity!  O  my  blessed  senses, 
you  are  co  more  filled  with  vanity  and  vexation!  Now, 
devil,  and  his  slaves,  what  can  you  do?  your  tempting, 
vexing  world  is  evanished  for  ever  :  yea,  though  it  were 
not,  what  are  you  to  us?  like  base  cowards,  you  assaulted 
us  in  our  childish  estate;  but  what  are  you  all  to  one  of  us 
m  our  manly  vigour?  Were  you  all  drawn  up  in  battle 
array  against  me,  whom  once  you  thought  unworthy  of 
the  least  of  your  assaults,  should  I  not  with  one  hfting  up 
of  mine  arm  vanquish  you  for  ever?  Nothing  in  me  can 
yield  to  hell;  sin  and  mortahty  is  swallowed  up  of  life. 
67.  The  inhabitants  shall  not  say^  I  am  sick. 
All  thy  infirmities  and  sickness,  O  my  soul,  are  quite 
eradicate;  since  I  am  in  the  arms  of  all  life,  joy  and  sat- 
isfaction How  have  I  been,  in  the  days  of  mine  infirmi- 
ty, sick  of  love  for  my  only  Well-beloved?  Strong  love 
was  like  to  die  for  want  of  full  and  personal  enjoy- 
ment, even  when  I  had  the  greatest  manifestations  on 
earth:  and  no  wonder;  the  clearer  discoveries  of  loveli- 
ness, the  more  ardent  desire  of  the  nearest  and  fullest  en- 
joyment. O  my  ravishing  Well-beloved,  no  sooner  I  saw 
thee  afar  off,  by  a  borrowed  vision,  than  1  longed  and  de- 
siired  for  nothing  more,  than  to  have  thee  in  my  arms,  and 
be  eternally  encircled  in  thy  immediate  embraces:  no 
oooner  did  I  embrace  thee,  as  thou  offered  thyself,  and 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORV".  161 

was  espoused  to  thee,  but  I  longed  with  exceeding  long- 
ing for  this  blessed  day  of  eternal  marriage.  Letters, 
love  tokens,  intercourses  by  ambassadors,  and  all  manner 
of  mediate  fellouship,  could  not  give  full  satisfaction; 
nothing  but  faintings,  longings,  and  desires,  until  I  have 
thee  m  my  naked  embraces.  Apples  and  flagons  of  wine 
could  scarce  hold  up  my  swooning  heart,  in  thy  absence; 
the  most  excellent  enjoyment  could  do  no  more  than  hin- 
der an  eternal  deliquium\  only  thyself  could  cheer  up  the 
fainting  soul.  0  thyself,  thy  all  excellent  Self!  what  but 
thy  noble  Self  is  worthy  of  desire?  None  but  thee,  none 
beside  thee!  0  flower  of  my  desires,  I  am  well,  eternally 
well!  my  fair  One,  since  I  have  thee  in  my  arms,  my  tor- 
menting love-sickness  is  quite  abolished  from 'my  mind; 
the  beholding  of  thee  face  to  face,  hath  swallowed  up  all 
former  things.  I  enjoy  thee  fully,  and  am  I  not  at  the 
furthermost  of  all  my  desires?  Thou  hast  for  ever,  my 
dearest  Lord,  cut  off  all  matter  of  complaint.  Sirs,  I 
need  now  be  a  supplicant  to  none  of  you,  for  the  use  of 
your  moyen  with  my  royal  Well- beloved^  that  ye  tell 
him  my  love-sickness,  through  his  seeming  unkindness. 
Can  there  be  greater  intimacy  than  now,  betwixt  my 
Lord  and  me  for  evermore?  I  have  entered  thy  very 
heart,  I  lie  betwixt  thy  breasts.  Can  sickness,  or  sorrow, 
or  infirmity,  dwell  within  the  circle  of  thine  arms?  Were 
there  any  sickness,  it  should  be  through  superabundance 
of  overcoming  loves;  but  the  vessels  are  fitted  for  the 
superabundant  oil  of  gladness  and  overflowing  of  joys* 
If  this  ambrosia  and  nectar  of  glory  be  strong  and  spright- 
ly, the  bottles  are  new,  and  of  a  durable  structure.  What 
can  I  say  more  of  my  happiness,  than  that  I  cannot  con- 
ceive and  express  the  full  emanations  of  thy  infinite  love 
and  sweetness? 

6ir.  Grace  an  excellent  prelude  to  glorij^  ytt  the  differ- 
tnce  betwixt  them  is  inconceivable. 

W^hatever  sweetness  and  delight  I  enjoyed  in  time,  is 
now  augmented,  myriads  of  myriads  of  stages.  By  my 
leaving  of  earth,  I  have  lost  no  enjoyment,  not  only  be- 
cause of  recompense  and  enjoyment  of  an  higher  nature; 
but  also  because  all  kinds  of  enjoyments  are  here  in  an 
eminent  and  divine  manner.  Thy  land,  0  Emmanuel,  is 
stored  with  all  kinds  of  precious  things,  new  and  old, 
which  thou  hadst  prepared  for  thy  chosen,  before  all  ages. 
All  the  joys  and  delights  that  I  met  with  in  time,  were  as 
o  2 


162  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

SO  many  light  essays  and  small  preludes  of  these  substan- 
tial and  enduring  pleasures;    all  have  been  slight  fore- 
tastes of  this   superabounding  harvest  of  eternity,    what 
was  then  in  drops,  is  now  in  oceans,  for  I  am  entered  for 
ever  into  the  fountain  of  all  fulness  and  satisfaction;   and 
what  sweetness  before  I  experienced  blockishly  and  in 
part,  I  find  now  in  the  most  evident,  sublime  and  vigorous 
manner;   even  my  most  refined  enjoyments   of  thy  bles- 
sed self,  were  but  low,  childish  motions,  arising  from  shal- 
low improper  apprehensions,  raised  by  the  contraction  of 
a  multitude  of  borrowed  ideas,  extracted  from  lower  ob- 
jects;  which  indeed  were  passing  glorious  and  sweet  for 
the  time,  filhng  immortality   almost  above   its  measure, 
appearing  childhood- glory  fallen  down  on  grace's  coun- 
try.    But  O  the  vast  diflTerence  betwixt  mortality  and  im- 
mortality?   wfeo  can  but  smile  at  his  former  apprehen- 
sions?     No  wonder  earthly  stupid  creatures  apprehend 
this  uHspeakable  glory  in  a  stupid  earthly  manner.     Eve- 
ry extraordinary  may  appear  above  what  eye  haih  seen, 
the  ear  hath  heard,  or  mind  can  imagine,  unto  the  mind 
that  hath  known  this  more  by  faith  than  sight;   more  by 
certain  report,  than  evident  experience:  for  what  can  the 
mortal  imagine  higher,  than  by  the  sweet  eutletting  of  the 
l^lory  and  desire  of  men  and  angels,  to  be  filled  and  over- 
itiUed  with  jyy  unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory?  But  a  drop 
that  would  overfill  a  vessel  of  the  narrowest  size,  would 
be  as  just  nothing  to  one  of  the  capacity  of  many  worlds. 
Yet  what  delight  and  admiration,  to  look  back  and  con- 
sider, how  my  Lord  made  bits  of  half  dead  clay,  to  be 
ravished  with  the  highest  objects,  far  above  the  reach  of 
an  earthly,  mortal  condition!  but  creatures  of  all  condi- 
tions are  enamoured,  ravished,  satiate,  and  overcome, 
when  once  thou  beginnest,   in  the  least,  to  discover  thy 
matchless  loveliness.     What  delights,  to  conceive  bits  of 
childish  ^othings  enamoured  with  thee  they  never  saw! 
and  chanting  forth  their  love-songs  of  praises  in  the  midst 
of  the  saddest  dispensations,  which  were  able  to  torment, 
bear  down,  and  crush  low  feeble  mortality!    0  what  joy 
to  consider  (with  the  same  eye)  my  converse  sometimes 
Tvith  thee  in  time,  and  now  in  eternity;    and  to  parallel 
them  together!   how  excellently  doth  the  espousing  agree 
with  the  marriage!    how  nobly  doth  walking  with  thee  by 
faith,  usher  in  the  personal  following  of  thee  whithersoever 
thou  goest!     I  find  thy  dealing  to  the  saints  in  time,  is  a 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  16^8 

mystery  above  the  reach  of  nature  in  its  highest  pitch,  as 
well  as  thy  way  with  them  in  eternity       Little  diti,  or 
would  the  world  consider,  what  a  golden  happiness  I  had 
in  the  days  of  my  pilgrimage,  in  thy  fellowship:  the  choi- 
cest of  their  religion  was  a  formal  outside  homage  they 
mocked  thee  with;    but  a  familiar  converse   with  the%, 
was  a  thing  they  had  no  experience  of:    they  worshipped 
thee  as  a  dumb  idol;   for  no  mutual  intercourse  did  they 
know,  or  desire:   thou  wast  near  in  their  mouth,  but  far 
from  their  reins.     O  the  golden  hours  I  haVe  had,  in  thy 
ravishing  fellowship,  within  the  tents  of  sorrow,  in  ab- 
sence! eternity  cannot  cancel  the  memory  of  thy  passing 
kindness  to  me,  in  my  low  and  despicable  condition:    I 
have  most  sensibly  found   thy   strengthening,    cheering 
presence,  in  all  afflictions  and  difficulties;    I  found  thee 
another  manner  of  God,  than  the  foolish  world  imagined 
thee  to  be,  even  a  present  help  in  times  of  trouble,  and 
that  gave  ear  to  my  prayers,  and  answered  them  speedi- 
ly, both  by  the  influences  of  thy  Spirit  on  my  heart,  and 
thy  dispensations.     Though  then  I  was  a  child,  yet  didst 
thou  teach  me  to  discern  betwixt  thy  frownings,  and  thy 
smiles,  the  hght  of  thy  countenance  lifted  up,  and   the 
turning  away  of  thy  face:    thou  madest  thyself  familiar 
unto  me;  so  that  I  approached  unto  thee,  in  all  exigen- 
cies, as  unto  a  near  and  intimate  friend,  of  whose  kind- 
ness and  help  I  was  persuaded,  and  trusted  accordingly; 
I  depended  and  trusted  on  thee,   as  a  Father,  casting  all 
my  cares  upon  thee;    so  that  I  was  careful  for  nothing; 
I  learned  to  know  my  duty,  and  the  way  of  its  perform- 
ance,  and  committed  the   event  of  all  to  my  Lord  and 
Sovereign  absolutely,  without  the  least  reservation;  being 
persuaded  that  he  would  completely  fulfil  all  things  fully 
committed   unto  him,   because   he  had   promised;    and 
would  not  make  them  ashamed  who  placed  their  confidence 
in  him.     And  now  I  may  testify  before  the  whole  creation, 
that  thou  hast  been  better  to  me,  in  my  pilgrimage,  than  I 
could  imagine,  or  desire;  and  that  the  lot  thou  carved  out 
for  me,  in  time,  hath  been  best  for  me;    I  would  not  for 
ten  thousand  worlds  it  had  been  otherwise,  as  to  the 
smallest  dispensation;    the  most  cross  and  ruin- like  dis- 
pensations, as  to  sense,  have  been  the  sweetest;  having 
had  the  noblest  effects,  and  nearest  manifestations  of  thy 
love   and  sweetness   accompanying  them.      If  any  have 
proven  any  thing  bitier  and  disadvantageous,  it  was  be* 


164  A    GLIMPSE    OP    GLORY. 

cause  I  brought  ihem  on  my  own  head,  by  my  sacrilegious 
boldneJ-s,  in  disposing  of  myself,  and  what  concerned  me, 
without  his  approbation,  and  consent:  yet,  even  thesre  he 
turned  to  m}  good;  his  power  being  so  transcendently 
excellent,  as  to  bring  light  out  of  darkness*  and  his  love 
being  so  boundless  to  those  whom  he  had  chosen  from 
eternity,  that  he  would  suffer  no  harm  to  befal  them,  but 
make  all  things  to  contribute  to  their  good  0!  can  we 
but  wonder  at,  and  rejoice  in  the  incomparable  conde- 
scendency,  wisdom,  and  excellency  of  our  Lord,  who 
hath  contrived  and  effected  our  eternal  happiness,  after  so 
stupendous  a  manner!  Could  we  ruin  ourselves,  since  it 
was  his  will  to  save?  Could  we  in  the  least  stand  in  the 
way  of  our  happiness,  since  it  was  his  sovereign  eternal 
pleasure,  to  make  us  as  happy  as  can  be?  O  eternal  as- 
tonishment! the  more  we  have  undone  ourselves,  the  more 
lie  hath  made  us  happy:  the  more  we  have  degraded  our- 
selves, the  higher  hath  he  exalted  us:  the  more  we  have 
hated  and  provoked  him,  the  more  kind  and  intimate  is 
he  become  to  us:  men  and  angels,  could  yo>i  have  found 
out  such  a  way  to  manifest  the  glory  and  excellency  of 
free  grace?  Is  it  not  here  manifested  in  the  highest  man- 
ner? 

69.  Praises  to  Jehovah  for  the  accomplishment  of  his 
promises  to  his  people^  and  of  his  threatenings  against  the 
wicked. 

Is  it  not  an  eternal  question,  men  and  angels,  whether 
the  excellency  of  our  Well-beloved  manifested,  or  lying 
hid,  be  more  astonishing?  But  sure  each  of  them  is  an 
everlasting  ravishment,  which  would  plunge  never  so  ma- 
ny worlds  in  an  ocean  of  never-ending  astonishment;  one 
ray  of  his  divine  excellency,  now  immediately  beheld, 
doth  implicitly  discover,  that  more  and  more  eternally 
ynay  be  seen;  what  then  should  be  oar  immortal  exercise, 
but  to  bend  all  our  faculties  to  search,  and  look  in,  and 
admire,  and  flame,  and  extol  the  transcendent  excellen- 
cies of  him  that  sits  upon  the  throne,  and  the  Lamb, 
throughout  all  ages?  Jehovah,  altogether  excellent  love- 
ly Jehovah  is  a  depth  we  have  forever  lost  ourselves  in 
what  are  we,  men  and  angels,  that  we  should  set  him  on 
high?  what  contribute  we  to  the  declaration  of  his  infinite 
glory?  though  we  should  wear  out,  to  a  period,  endless 
eternity  wiih  our  incessant  hallelujahs,  could  we,  bits  of 
aothing,  conceive  in  the  least  this  infinite  One  ?    Did  h© 


A   GLIMPSE    OF    GLORU.  165 

not  bow  and  humble  himself  infinitely  below  himself,  that 
be  may  be  apprehended,  as  he  is,  by  our  finite  capacities, 
with  his  increated  loveliness  and  sweetness?  It  is  strange 
he  should  satiate  nothings  with  all  his  fulness!  this  is  a 
mystery,  a  wonder!  nothing  but  wonders  upon  wonders! 
every  precedent  act  is  the  admiration  of  the  following, 
and  sa  throughout  eternity.  "What  stretchings  of  capaci- 
ties! what  bending  of  all  the  faculties?  O  the  beauty, 
the  goodness,  the  sweetness,  that  dwells  from  eternity  to 
eternity  m  him!  O  the  full  outlettings  upon  us!  though 
lie  were  not  excellent  to  us;  yet,  are  we  not  constrained 
to  love,  and  adore,  and  extol  Lim,  who  is  an  infinite  mass 
of  all  excellency?  Though  he  be  infinitely  above  all  the 
praises  of  all  possible  creatures;  yet,  can  we  but  cry  him 
up,  to  whom  all  glory  is  due  ?  Are  we  not  constrained, 
who  see  his  face,  to  express,  and  again  and  agian  through- 
out eternity,  to  express  his  nfinite  perfections?  As  crea- 
tures, we  are  bound  to  be  all  for  him;  but  these  stupend- 
ous obligations  superadded,  above  all  production  and  pre-* 
servation,  have  elevated  unto  such  a  frame,  that  common 
ties  are  almost  swallowed  up  and  evanished.  O  his  good- 
ness, his  goodness!  how  great  is  his  goodness!  and  how 
great  is  his  bounty!  every  ray,  every  outletting  would  rav- 
ish never  so  many  creatures!  "  I  will  extol  thee,  my. 
God,  0  King,  and  I  will  bless  thy  name  forever  and  ever. 
Great  is  the  Lord,  and  greatly  to  be  praised;  and  his  great- 
ness is  unsearchable.  I  will  speak  of  the  glorious  hon- 
or of  thy  majesty,  and  I  v.ill declare  thy  greatness.  Yea, 
all  thy  works  shall  praise  thee,  0  Lord,  and  all  thy  saints 
bless  thee.* While  I  live,  I  will  praise  the  Lord:  I  will 
sing  praises  to  my  God,  while  I  have  any  being.  Praise 
ye  him,  all  his  angels:  praise  bim,  all  his  hosts.  Praise 
him,  sun  and  moon:  praise  him,  all  ye  stars  of  light.-— 
Praise  him,  ye  heavens  of  heavens,  and  ye  waters  above 
the  heavens.  Let  them  praise  the  name  of  the  Lord:  for 
he  commanded,  and  they  were  created.  He  hath  also 
stablished  them  forever  and  ever.  O  sing  unto  the  Lord 
a  new  song,  praise  him  in  the  firmament  of  his  power; 
praise  him  for  his  mighty  acts;  praise  him,  according  to 
ids  excellent  greatness:  for  in  this  day  is  the  Branch  of 
of  the  Lord  beautiful  and  glorious,  and  the  fruit  of  the 
earth  excellent  and  comely,  for  them  that  are  escaped  of 
Isreal,  and  that  are  left  in  Zion,  and  that  remain  in  Jeru- 
g*ilem.  are  called.holv.     There  hatli  come  forth  a  rod  out 


166  A   GLIMPSE    OP  GLORt. 

of  the  stem  of  Jesse,  and  a  branch  hath  grown  out  of  his  i 
roots;  and  the  Sphit  of  the  Lord  doth  rest  upon  him,  the  , 
Spirit  of  wisdom  and  understanding;,  of  counsel,  mii^ht, 
knowledge,  and  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord:  with  righteous- 
3iess  doth  he  judge  the  poor,  and  reprove  with  equity,  for 
the  meek  of  the  earth:  and  he  smote  the  earth  with  the  rod  ; 
of  his  mouth,  and  with  the  breath  of  his  lips  did  he  slay 
the  wicked.  And  righteousness  is  the  girdle  of  his  loins^  ; 
and  faithfulness  the  girdle  of  his  reins  The  wolf  doth  j 
dwell  with  the  lamb,  and  the  leopard  doth  lie  down  with  j 
the  kid;  and  the  calf,  the  young  lion,  and  the  fatling  to-  i 
gether,  and  a  little  child  may  lead  them:  for  the  earth  is"^ 
full  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover, 
the  sea  O  Lord,  thou  art  my  God,  I  will  praise  thee^ 
for  thou  hast  done  wonderful  things;  thy  counsels  of  oldj 
are  faithfuhj.ess  an  1  truth:  for  ihou  hast  brought  down  all  i 
those  th^it  rose  up  against  thee;  and  art  for  a  crown  of  glo-  ' 
ly,  'ind  a  diadem  of  beauthy  to  thy  people.  Judgment' 
doth  dwell  in  the  wilderness,  and  rigliteousness  remains^ 
in  the  fruitful  field;  and  the  work  of  righteousness  is  j 
peace,  and  the  effect  of  righteousness  quiteness  and  as- 
surance forever.  An  high  way  is  here,  and  it  is  called  the  | 
way  of  holiness;  no  lion  is  here,  no  ravenous  Deasts  ffoeth  i 
up  thereupon;  but  the  redeemed  walk  therein,  ana  the; 
ransomed  of  the  Lord  do  returc,  and  come  to  Zion  with  : 
songs,  and  everlasting  joy  upon  their  heads;  they  have' 
attained  joy  and  gladness,  and  sorrow  and  sighing  have  ; 
fled  away.  We  are  the  everlasting  witnesses  of  thy  glo-i 
ry  and  excellency.  0  dread  Sovereign,  ^d  thy  ser-j 
vant  whom  thou  hast  chosen:  before  thee  there  was  no  : 
God  forine<l,  neither  shall  there  be  after  thee  •  thou  art  the  \ 
Lord,  and  beside  thee  there  is  no  saviour:  before  the  day| 
thou  art  he;  and  there  is  none  that  can  deliver  out  of  thine 
hand:  thou  workest,  and  who  shall  let  thee?  "Were-; 
member  not  the  former  things,  neither  consider  the  things; 
of  old:  behold,  thou  dost  a  new  thing,  and  it  springethi 
forth,  and  we  understand  it:  thou  dost  even  make  a  way' 
in  the  wilderness,  and  rivers  in  the  desert.  The  beasts  of 
the  field  honor  thee:  the  dragons  and  the  owls;  because  1 
thou  givest  water  in  the  wilderness,  and  rivers  in  the  des-  ! 
ert,  to  give  drink  to  thy  people,  thy  chosen.  Us  has  thou  ^ 
form.ed  for  thyself,  we  shall  show  forth  thy  praise  Thy 
righteousness  is  near,  thy  salvation  is  gone  forth  and  ^ 
thiri^e  arm  did  judge  the  people;  the  islands  did  wait  upon- 1 


A    OLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  167 

tjaee,  and  upon  thine  arm  did  they  trust.     The    heavens 
evanished   like  smoke;  and  the  earth  did  wax  old  like  a 
garment;  and  they  that  dwelt  therein  did  die  in  like  man- 
ner: but  thy  salvation  is  forever,   and  thy   righteousness 
shall  not  be  abolished:  the  mountains  did  depart,  the  hills 
were  removed;  but  thy  kindness  hath  not  departed  from 
us,  neither  shall  the  covenant  of  thy   peace  be  removed 
from  us.     I  will  mention  the  loving  kindness  of  the  Lord, 
and  the  praises  of  the    Lord,   according  to   all  that  the 
Lord    hath  be^^towed  upon  us.     Thou  rent  the  heavens, 
and  comestdowii,  the  mountains  flo'ved  down  at  thy  pres- 
ence;  and  thou  trode  down  the  people  in  thine  anger,  and 
made  them  drunk  in  thy  fury;  and  didst  bring  down  their 
strength  to  the  earth.     Though  many  of  the  earth  heap- 
ed up  silver  as  the  dust,  and  raiment  as  the  clay;  yet  the 
just  put  it  on,  and  the  innocent  divided  the  silver:  terrors 
have  taken  hold  on  them  as  waters;  a  tempest  hath  stolen 
fhem  away  in  the  night;  far  thou  hast   cast    upon  tbeio, 
and  not  spared;  they  would  fain  flee   out  of  thy  hand. — 
We  clap  our  hands  at  them,  and  have  hissed  them  out  of 
their  place.     But  thou   hast  delivered  us  in  six  troubles; 
yea,  in  seven  no  evil  hath  touched  us.     In  famine  he  hatii 
redeemed  us  frcm  death,  and  in  war  from  the  power  of  the 
sword;  we  have  been  hid  from  the  scourge  of  tongues;  nei- 
ther were  we  afraid  ofdestruction  when  it  came :  at  destruc- 
tion and  famine  we  did  laugh:  we  knew  also  that  our  seed 
should  be  great,  and  our  offspring  as  the  grass  of  the  earth; 
and  thatour enemies  shouldforevorbe  made  our  footstools ; 
for  thou  hast  destroyed  them  forever,  0   God;    and  hast 
made  them  to  fall  by  their  own  counsels-  thou  hast  cast 
them  out,  in  the    multitude   of  their   transgressions;   for 
they  rebelled  against  thee.     They  are  brought  down,  and 
fallen;  but  we  are  risen,  and  stand  upright;  for  thou  hast 
saved  the   afflicted  people,  and  hast  brought  down  higV> 
looks.     We  will  extol  thee,  0  Lord;   for   thou  hjist  lifted 
us  up,  and  hast  not  made  our  foes  to  rejoice  over  us:  thou 
hast  brought  up  our  souls  from  the  grave;  thou  hast  kept 
us  alive,  that  we  should  not  go  down  to  the  pit.     Sing  un^ 
to  the  Lord,  O  ye  saints  of  his,  and  give  thanks  at  the  re- 
membrance of  his  holiness;  for  his   anger  endureth  but 
for  a  moment;  in  his  favour  is  life.     Weeping  may  en- 
dure for  a  night,  but  joy   cometh  in  the    morning.     We 
have  delighted  ourselves  In  the  Lord;  and  he  hath  given 
us  the  desire  of  our  hearts:  we  have  committed  our  \yay 


aes  A  eLiMi»sE  op  glory.  1 

tintohlrn,  we  have  trusted  in  him;  and  he  hath  brought  j 
it  to  pass;  and  hath  brought  forth   our   righteousness  as  i 
the  hght,  and  our  judgment  as  the  noon-day.     We  have  .! 
not  fretted  ourselves,  because  of  him  that  prospereth  in  ' 
his  way;  because  of  the  man  that  bringeth  wicked  devi-  ' 
ces  to  pass;  but  we  have  waited   patiently,   and  behold,  i 
the  wicked  are  not;  they  are  forever  banished  unto  utter  \ 
darkness:  but  we  inherit  the  earth,  and  dehght  ourselves  ^ 
in  abundance  of  peace.     Many  have  been  our  afflictions,  j 
but  the  Lord  hath  deUvered  us  out  of  them  all:  he  hath  \ 
kept  all  our  bones,  that  one  of  them  is  not  broken;  but  evil  i 
hath  slain  the  wicked;  and  they  that  have  hated  us  are  de-  j 
solate:  we  were  not  afraid,  when   one  was  made  rich,  \ 
Tvheu  the  glory  of  his  bouse  was  increased;  for  when  he ^^ 
died,  he   carried  nothing  away;  his  glory  did  not  descend 
after  him:  the  way  of  the  wicked  was   their  folly;   like 
sheep  they  were  laid  in  the  grave;  death  did   feed   upon 
them;  we  have  now  dominion  over  them  in  the  morning; 
and  their  beauty  did  consume   in   the   grave  from  their 
dwelling.     But  God  hath  redeemed   our   soul   from   the 
power  of  the  grave;  for  he  hath  received  us.     Selah. 

O  sing  unto  the  Lord  a  new  song;  for  he  hath  done  mar-  j 
vellous  things;  his  right  hand,  and  holy  arm  hath  gotten  ! 
him  the  victory.  The  Lord  is  God,  his  mercy  is  everiast-  \ 
ing,  and  his  truth  endureth  to  all  generations.  The  right  \ 
hand  of  the  Lord  is  exalted,  the  right  hand  of  the  Lord  ] 
doth  valiantly.  Praise  ye  the  Lord,  0  Jerusalem;  praise  ; 
thy  God,  0  Zion;  for  the  Lord  shall  reign  forever,  even  ; 
^y  God,  0  Zion,  to  all  generations.     Hallelujah."  I 

•      1 

THE  CONCLUSION.  I 

i 

\ .  We  ought  to  ivrite  of  such  tilings  with  a  trembling  \. 
hand.  \ 

Ah!  Well-beloved,  I  am  beginning  to  be  afraid,  that  I  ] 
have  darkened  counsel  by  words  without  knowledge. —  ,i 
Ah!  has  this  been  the  effect  of  my  ravishing  view  of  thy  ' 
superexcellent  glory  to  be  revealed?  to  talk  so  poorly  j 
and  childishly  of  such  gr^at  and  excellent  things!  a  ready  ' 
way  to  bring  down  the  low  thoughts,  that  the  sons  of  men  ' 
have  of  thee,  much  lower!  a  destruction  to  my  design  J 
here,  and  the  flower  of  my  desire,  which  is  only  to  rav- 


A   GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  16^ 

1sh  the  judgments  and  afTectlons  of  the  sons  of  men, 
concerning  the  excellencies  of  thy  person,  the  greatness 
of  thy  kingdom  and  the  glory  of  thioe  inheritance  in  the 
saints  in  light.  My  dearest  One,  let  this  never  see  the 
light,  if  it  be  apt  to  produce  any  other  effect.  Pardon-, 
dear  Lord,  my  childish  boldness,  and  accept  the  will  for  the 
deed:  thou  knowest,  it  is  my  design,  to  set  these  on  high; 
but  ah  my  stupidity!  ah  my  childish  ignorance T  I  may  say, 
in  thy  sight,  I  am  more  brutish  than  any  man,  and  have 
not  the  imderstanding  of  aman;  I  neither  learned  wisdom, 
nor  have  knowledged  of  the  holy.  When  shall  my  child- 
hood be  goner  when  shall  I  come  to  ray  manly  estate? 
how  long  shall  my  faculties  be  stupid,  marred,  and  out  of 
order?  If,  even  now,  I  am  wondering  at  my  childish  ex- 
pressions of  such  superexcellent  things,  what  will  my  re- 
flections be,  when  attained  to  the  fulness  of  the  stature 
of  Christ.^  It  quiets  my  mind  somewhat,  that  I  have  ex- 
pressed more,  and  ascended  higher,  than  the  conceptions 
of  most;  and  that  all  expressions,  and  discourses  of  sub- 
lunary excellencies  shall  blush  and  think  shame  to  appear 
here:  and  though  whatever  I  shall  be  able  to  say,  be  un- 
worthy of  the  meanest  of  thy  saints;  yet  may  it  be  an  oc- 
casion to  some  of  them,  of  stirring  themselves  up  to  a 
more  heavenly  frame  of  spirit,  and  more  serious  and  pro- 
found apprehensions  of  the  things  that  are  invisible. 

2.  The  essence  of  a  saint  consists  much  in  heavenly' 
mindedness. 

Heirs  of  glory,  what  think  you  of  your  goodly  inherit- 
ance? the  delightsome  countries,  the  pleasant  habitations, 
the  unspeakable  joys,  the  everlasting  pleasures,  the  in 
conceivable  fehcity,  that  lie  a  little  before  you,  and  to 
which  you  are  posting?  Are  you  not  amazed  with  the 
consideration  of  your  wonderful  prerogatives?  Is  it  pos- 
sible you  can  bear  the  forethoughts  of  what  you  are  com- 
ing to?  Shall  you  ever  be  able  to  pluck  your  minds 
down  from  such  ravishing  things?  Have  not  all  subluna- 
ry excellencies  disappeared  in  your  sight?  What  are  the 
stars,  when  the  sun  doth  appear?  I  think  I  hear  every 
on€  of  you  say,  "  I  have  done  forever  with  the  painted 
clay  images;  for  I  have  seen  and  found  the  only  real  and 
substantial  things.  O  joy  unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory! 
you  delights,  you  sorrows  of  time,  you  are  much  over- 
looked by  me,  while  I  lie  thus,  within  the  view  of  eter- 
nal ravishments.     One   moment's  immediate   converse. 


170  A  GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

■^vlth  Jehovah,  and  the  Lamb,  shall  eradicate  aii  the  in> 
pressions  of  sorrow  and  grief,  that  I  can  possiby  undergo. 
Shall  I  not  see  him  as  he  is?  Am  I  not  to  see  him  face 
to  face?  These  arms,  even  these  very  arms  shall  em- 
brace the  chief  of  ten  thousand:  I  shall  be  forever  satiate 
with  his  infinite  sweetness;  even  drunk  and  overfilled 
with  his  overcoming  loves.  O  the  frame  of  my  spirit!  I 
can  say  nothing:  expressions  fail  me,  for  representing  the 
high  thoughts  of  my  heart!  Where  am  1  now?  am  I  not 
almost  in  heaven  already?  Heart,  and  love,  and  all  have 
fled  thither;  nothing  remains  here,  but  this  vile  clay  taber- 
nacle; and  ere  it  be  long,  it  shall  be  there  also.  Verily 
I  am  come  to  mount  Zion,  to  the  city  of  the  living  God; 
my  converse  is  no  more  here." 

3.  Earthly  mi7idecl  creatures  might  be  convinced  of  the 
reality  and  desirableness  of  heavenly  things ^  by  due  and 
deep  consideration. 

Silly  worldlings,  what  think  you  of  our  world?  speak, 
men,  I  appeal  unto  your  own  stupid  selves,  which  of 
us  are  wisest,  wealthiest,  merriest,  most  renowned  and 
excellent?  Are  you  not  beginning  to  consider  your  des- 
perate folly  and  madness?  Are  you  not  admiring  the 
foohshness  of  your  bypast  vanity,  in  spending  your 
strength  for  transient  evanishing  shadows?  Are  you  not 
almost  beginning  to  fall  in  love  with  our  blessed  country? 
Yea,  are  you  not  content  to  renounce  the  love  of  your 
dung-hill  for  it?  Are  you  not  come  to  such  a  blessed 
change,  in  your  thoughts?  Come  hither,  the  bargain  is 
done,  heaven  is  yours,  for  it  is.  Love,  and  have  it.  What 
mean  you.  Sirs?  W^hy  should  any  of  you  thus  stand 
wavering?  Must  you  not  have  heaven?  If  you  loose  it, 
what  can  you  purchase?  Is  their  any  impediment?  Be 
willing,  and  welcome.  Dare  any  of  you  doubt  of  the 
reality  of  the  only  real  things?  what!  because  they  fall 
not  under  the  brutish  senses?  Then  you  may  doubt 
whether  you  conceive,  or  not.  Are  ye  such  brutes,  as  to 
think,  their  is  no  uptaking  but  sensual,  when  the  mental  are 
myriads  of  stages  more  evident  and  real?  Sirs,  can  there 
be  any  so  mad,  as  to  deny  all  the  countries  he  never  saw 
with  his  eyes,  when  attested  by  multitudes  of  eye  witness- 
es, of  divers  sorts  and  ages?  And  have  not  numbers,  of  all 
ranks  and  conditions,  of  the  most  excellent  in  all  ages, 
attested  their  most  excellent  discoveries  of  this  happy 
world?    One   of  whose   attestations  is  a  more   worthy, 


A    GLIMPSE    OF  GLORY.  171 

than  the  testimony  of  ten  thousand  of  ordinary  men. — 
O  Sirs,  want  of  consideration  causeth  you  look  upon  the 
only  substantial  things,  as  uncertain  fancies.  But  con- 
sider eteruity  seriously,  and  you  shall  find  yourselves 
moved  in  another  manner,  than  those  who  are  led  away 
with  enthusiasms.  Sirs,  enter  into  your  own  hearts,  in- 
quire at  your  consciences,  and  you  shall  find  heaven  and 
hell  written  upon  them  Speak  never  so  much,  world- 
ling, against  our  happy  world,  thou  but  manifests  thy  de- 
sires, not  thy  real  and  serious  thoughts;  thou  fights  a- 
gainst  thy  conscience:  the  way  of  thy  blaspheming  be- 
wrays thee. 

4.     Transient  thoughts  of  glory  signify  nothing. 

Ah!  Sirs,  I  fear  many  of  you  have  taken  but  a  view  of 
our  Well-beloved's  country,  on  the  by,  and  no  more;  will 
ye  not  bend  hither  all  your  faculties,  and  consider  pro- 
foundly again  and  what  you  have  seen,  until  an  enduring 
impression  be  left  upon  your  spirits?  What!  shall  your 
thoughts  be  so  superficial  and  transient,  as  you  shall  un- 
dergo no  transformation  in  the  spirit  of  your  minds,  but 
still  remain  earthly?  What,  still  earthly?  and  presently 
back  to  earth  again?  are  you  like  earthly  exhalations, 
which  by  bensil  of  a  slight  fiery  impression  though  seen 
while  aloft,  yet  still  retaining  the  drossy  nature,  they  fall 
down  again?  Shall  glory  be  so  soon  forgotten,  as  if  it 
were  like  a  nine  days  wonder?  How  are  you  affected? 
Are  you  not  in  some  heavenly  frame?  And  will  you  suf- 
fer it  to  evanish  by  negligence,  vain  conceits,  worldly 
thoughts  and  words,  and  fleshly  lusts?  Shall  dunghill- 
earth  eclipse  the  ravishing  view  you  have  gotten?  Will 
you  become  as  low  and  creeping  in  your  conceptions,  as 
you  have  been?  May  such  a  sad  sentence  be  said  of 
you.  The  glory  you  have  seen  to-day,  you  shall  behold 
no  more!  Will  you  prove  like  Balaam,  who  fell  to  his 
accustomed  baseness,  after  the  elevated  sight  of  IsreaPs 
comely  tents?  Shall  you  be  ranked  with  the  fallen  an- 
gels, who  from  the  highest  places  of  the  world  to  the  low- 
est? Keep  your  situation  if  you  be  wise;  fallen  stars 
are  most  abominable:  the  higher  pitch,  the  lower  fall: 
better  you  had  never  known  such  excellent  things,  than 
to  slight  and  forget  them,  and  be  as  base  and  eathly,  as 
if  the  sound  of  such  astonishing  things  had  never  come 
■0  vour  ear?^ 


n^e  A     GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

3.     4^/1   invenUon   to   exchange    earthly  for    heavenly 
thmgs. 

Launch  out  further  anJ  further  into  the  depths  of  In- 
finite excellencies.  Ah!  what  can  we  speak  of  such  mas- 
sy, sublime  things?  though  we  should  write  as  many  vol- 
umes as  v/ould  fill  the  whole  creation,  earth^s  shallow  dia- 
lect is  insignificant  in  such  substantial  things;  words  here 
are  but  silent  shadows,  of  no  efficacy:  come,  and  see, 
and  taste,  would  toll  the  matter.  Sirs,  have  you  any 
thing  to  say.^  Is  it  not  the  business  past  all  debat^?. — 
^eed  we  say  any  more?  Can  you  be  so  mad,  as  to  be 
indifierent  and  inconsiderate  in  such  a  weighty  concern- 
ment? Sirs,  How  long  shall  yeu  halt  betwixt  two  opin- 
ions? Stand  no  more  a-back:  O  come,  come,  come  a- 
way,  and  be  everlastingly  blessed!  Are  you  not  out  of 
C€(^nceit  with  time's  worm-eaten  glory?  Are  you  not  la- 
menting your  former  vanity  and  madness?  Are  you  not 
wearied  in  the  things  that  cannot  profit?  Are  you  con- 
sidering things,  never  entered  witliiu  youf  conception  be- 
fore? What  lets  you  then,  that  you  become  not  heaven- 
ly and  divine  Are  ypu  not  altogether  in  love  with  our 
Well-beloved,  the  author  of  all?  Are  you  not  closing 
with  him,  on  his  own  terms,  as  he  hath  ofifered  himselt 
in  his  testament?  Are  you  not  heartily  embracing,  and 
striving  io  grow  more  and  more  conformed  to  his  lovely 
image,  yntil  you  shall  grow  up  unto  the^erfect  stature  of 
his  fulness?  0  thenf  welcome,  a  thousand  times  welcome 
ynto  this  glorious  world  ^f  IJmmanuePs  conquest:  you  are 
come  unto  the  joyful  and  lightsome  side.of  the  creation.  I 
dare  pawn  my  salvation,  you  shall  never  repent  of  so 
sweet  a  translation:  your  light  shall  more  and  more  break 
forth,  imto  the  perfect  day:  your  progress,  through  all 
the  diflficulties  of  time,  even  death  itself  shall  be  cheerful 
and  sweet. 

6.  The  hope  of  glory  swallows  up  all  imaginahle  sor^ 
roiir. 

Be  of  good  courage,  ye  saints  to  the  Most  High,  you 
princes  of  the  world;  all  are  yours,  for  ye  are  Christ's, 
and  Christ  is  God's  It  is  all  one  whether  dung-hill  worms 
contemn,  or  esteem  you:  is  below  you  to  fear  such  feeble 
•beast.  Overlook  the  scenical  graduations  of  time;  it  is 
bek)W  princes,  born  to  so  great  things,  to  take  notice  of 
such  trifles:  stand  to  your  royal  prerogatives;  fall  not  down 
from  your  enngbling  exercise;    Set  the  Lord  always  be- 


A  GLIMPSE  OF    GLORY,  17* 

fore  you,  andyoti  shall  never  be  moved;  let  the  world  reel 
to  and  fro;  let  the  mountains  be  cast  into  the  midst  of  the 
sea:  let  thousands, and  ten  thousands  fall  on  every  hand; 
yet  can  you  undergo  no  harm.  Death,  in  any  garb,  is 
gain  unto  the  person  who  is  in  heaven  already. 

7.  Eartii-wonnsy  who  will  be  such,  have  nothing  to  do 
with  heaven. 

You  who  will  still  be  grovelhng  upon  base  earth,  wljo 
though  ye  should  read  and  hear  never  so  oft,  of  the  orfly 
excellent  things,  will  back  to  the  dung  hill  again,  and  will 
vex  and  torment  yourselves  with  the  cares  and  vanities  of 
a  transitory  hfe,  who  will  endeavour  and  desire  to  be  fe- 
den  with  thick  clay;  we  have  only  this  to  say  unto  }ou, 
he  that  is  filthy,  let  him  be  filthy  stilL  You  have  made  a 
brave  choice,  poor  fools,  your  paradise  is  base,  empty, 
hungry,  and  transient,  well  befittina,  such  noble  and  high 
spirits  as  you:  in  whatever  account  you  seem  to  be,  in 
i^e  eyes  of  a  base  world,  you  are  vile  despicable  worms: 
crawl,  and  set  up  your  crest,  on  your  stately  dung  hill; 
but  know  if  ye  can  understand,  that  these  vile  bodies  and 
souls  of  yours  shall  nej-frr-srscend  higher;  under  our  feet 
shall  we  eternally  trample  you;  your  kingdom  being  the 
office-house  of  our  palace- roval.  Fill  yourselves  with 
du  I,  as  the  serpents;  let  your  day- thoughts,  and  night- 
thoughts  run  out  upon  dung  hill  concernments;  and  add 
liouse  to  house,  and  land  to  land:  heap  up  treasures  for 
many  days;  and  when  you  encountpr  death,  or  a  day  of 
sad  affli  :tion,  cast  up  your  great  and  precious  gains:  have 
you  accounted  youi selves  unworthy  of  such  unspeaka- 
ble bies^edness?  you  shall  never  taste  it,  but  be  everlast- 
ingly shut  up  in  that  horrid,  abominable  lake,  a  suitable 
dwelling  place  for  such  vile  wretches:  this  dark  smoky 
region  you  only  affect,  and  to  utter  darkness  you  shall  be 
driven,  where  there  is  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 

8.  Chrint  aUme  to  be  exalted  and  esteemed^  who  is  the 
-pmchasei  of  thl  noble  inhcntance 

I^et  glory  and  renown  remain  for  ever  upon  the  head 
of  the  autrior  and  pui  chaser  of  so  great  a  salvation!  Can 
ai  gels  ever  i  no!igl.i.,iiAij««re  him?  Can  the  saints  .ever 
enough  praise  iiim?  where  shall  we  get  a  throne  to  set 
this  majestic  One  upon?  All  our  glory  and  excellency  is 
too  base  and  low  a  footstool  for  his  feet:  thousands  of 
thousands 'fi-xcellent  worlds,  erected  above  one  another, 
were  too  base  and  low  a  foundation  for  him  to  trample 

p  2 


174  A    GLIMPSE    OP  GLORY. 

upon.  Men  or  angels,  what  have  you,  or  can  you  say  of 
him?  Were  your  hallelujahs  tuned  up  never  so  many 
stages  higher,  yet  still  they  should  faU  infinitely  below  his 
matchless  worth:  what  can  we  do,  in  extolling  such  a  lof- 
ty One?  for  ever  is  he  infinitely  exalted  above  all  our 
praises:  y^et  praise  him  we  shall,  eternally  shall  we  praise 
him:  all  our  strength,  soul,  and  might  must  be. fully  set 
forth  to  his  glory:  though  all  we  can  do  be  just  nothing. 
Who  is  worthy  of  glory,  except  our  Well-beloved?  whom 
should  we  love,  but  him?  whom  should  we  praise,  but 
him?  whom  should  we  admire,  but  him?  Who  but  he! 
none  but  him.  O!  let  all  our  powers  and  faculties  be  eter- 
nally filled  with  him.  Ah!  it  is  black  shame  the  sons  of 
men  should  think  and  speak,  and  write  so  much  of  emp- 
ty nothings;  and  so  little  of  this  only  excellent  One! 
When  shall  our  Well- beloved  be  great  among  all  nations? 
Ahl  he  is  nothing,  or  little  known  among  (he  sons  of  men; 
little  do  they  discourse  of  him;  and  what  they  discourse 
is  cold  and  common.  Alas!  men  talk  of  him,  as  if  he 
were  a  common  belored!  men  esteem  Jesus  some  ordi- 
nary one!  they  hear  of  one  Jesus,  that  was  slain  at  Je- 
rusalem, and  they  are  as  little  afifected,  as  if  they  read  or 
heard  of  some  common  history;  the  news  of  his  excellent 
kingdom  have  small  impression  upon  them;  they  think 
they  hear  of  new  worlds,  never  seen,  or  travelled  to  by 
any.  Christ  is  an  unknown  person  to  the  most;  the 
sound  of  his  name  hath  filled  the  ears  of  all,  the  letters  of 
his  name  are  well  known,  and  no  more:  but  who  have 
been  ravished  with  his  good  ointments?  Who  hath  been 
filled  with  the  odoriferous  emanations  of  his  Lebanon 
garments?  Who  has  tasted  of  his  soul-overcoming  sweet- 
ness? Who  had  him  as  a  bundle  of  myrrh  all  night  be- 
twixt their  breasts?  Who  have  found  him,  and  held  him, 
and  would  not  let  hiin  go?  Who  have  been  led  into  his 
chambers  of  presence  ?  Who  cannot  live  (though  in  nev- 
ev  so  great  abundance  of  earthly  things)  without  a  famil- 
iar and  intimate  fellowship  with  him? 

9.  Religion  is  aiiother  thing  than  stupid  ivorldlings 
imagine;  close  ualking  ivith  God^  is  an  hid  mystery  unto 
.them. 

Poor  worldlings,  the  best  of  you  are  but  formalists,  oc- 
cupied about  the  outside  and  shell  of  religion;  through, 
custom,  and  a  natural  conscience,  you  go  through  all  the 
bulk  of  the  exercise  of  godliness;    you  hear,  you  pray^ 


▲    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  176 

you  read,  you  confer,  you  meditate;  you  perfown  duties 
betwixt  man  and  man,  through  custom  and  formality, 
through  shame  of  others,  through  vain  glory,  through  the 
gnawings  of  a  natural  conscience,  "vvhich  you  must  some- 
what quiet  one  way  or  another.  But  know  you  what  it 
is  to  do  all  things  to  the  glory  of  our  Well-beloved?  to  be 
afraid,  that  in  the  best  of  your  performances,  you  offend 
him,  and  stir  him  up  before  he  please?  Know  you  Avhat 
it  is,  to  look  more  to  the  manner  of  your  duties,  than  the 
bulk  of  them'*  to  the  principle  from  whence  they  flow, 
than  any  thing  else?  to  the  intention  and  frame  of  your 
heart  in  duty  ?  Know  you  what  it  is,  to  w'atch  over  your 
heart,  to  have  a  stricter  eye  over  your  tlioughts  and  inten- 
tions? to  be  most  troubled  wuth,  and  in  guarding  against 
these  secret  sins  of  the  thoughts  and  intentions,  which  no 
creature  can  see  but  yourselves?  Know  you  what  it  is, 
to  keep  up  a  near  and  intimate  communion  with  Jesus? 
to  have  a  mutual  intercourse  with  him?  Know  you  what 
it  is,  to  wrestle  with  him,  and  to  lay  hold  upon  him,  and  to 
constrain  him  in  a  manner  to  bless  yc  u?  Know  you  what 
it  is,  to  account  all  things  dross  and  dung  unto  the  know- 
ledge of  the  excellency  of  Jesus,  the  only  Well-beloved? 
Are  you  indifferent  to  all  things  but  Christ?  Is  the  world, 
in  all  its  glory,  pleasure,  and  profit,  a  dead  and  crucified 
thing  in  your  eyes?  Is  the  cry  of  your  heart,  Christ, 
Christ,  and  only  Christ;  give  you  him,  and  you  desire  no 
more?  0  Sirs!  have  you  seen  him?  have  you  heard  him? 
have  you  found  him?  Know  you  his  smiles,  the  lifting  up 
of  his  countenance,  his  love-embraces?  Ah!  worldlings, 
I  am  speaking  of  strange  things,  unexperienced  by  you! 

1 0.  The  saints  only  know  the  life  and  mysteries  of  god- 
liness^ and  strangers  intermeddle  not  witU  their  heavenly 
delights^  and  divine  joy. 

You  saints  of  the  Most  High,  you  are  witnesses  of  the 
truth  of  all  we  have  spoken:  have  we  not  spoken  poorly 
and  childishly  of  so  great  things?  It  is  nothing  we  have 
said,  to  that  which  even  you  experience  in  the  land  of  ab- 
sence. 0  then!  sincere  one,  hath  not  thy  AVell- beloved 
written  more  of  this  his  transcendent  beauty,  sweetness, 
and  excellency  upon  thy  heart,  than  all  the  learned  of  the 
world  can  put  down  io  black  and  white?  What  can  b« 
written  or  .<>poken  of  such  great  things?  Come,  see,  and 
taste,  and  feel,  will  marifest  the  business  best.  It  was  not 
our  intention,  0  ye  excellent  ones  of  the  earth,  to  write  to 


176  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORT.  1 

1 

you  of  tilings  which  are  in  other  manner  of  characters  ■ 

imprinted  on  your  faculties;  but  only  to  put  you  in  mind,  ^ 

lest  you  sutler  such  noble  impressions  to  decay,  in  the  j 

midst  of  worldly  affairs,  temptations,  and  difficulties*  that  \ 

you  may  perceive   the  vast  dilference   between  all  ex-  -j 
pression,  and  feeling;    that  you  may  be  stirred  up  to  ac- 
quire the  noble  gift  of  utterance;  that  you  may  manifest 

to  the  ignorant  the  excellency  and  loveliness  of  your  Well-  j 
beloved,  and  what  he  hath  done  to  your  soul.     We  have 

written  to  you,   babes,  who  are  young  students  in  chris-  ^ 

tianity;  even  to  you,  0  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  who  are  | 

jnquuung  after  our  matchless  Bridegroom,  having  only  | 

heard  the  ravishing  sound  of  his  name,  but  never  have  ' 

seen  his  amiable  countenance,  nor  entered  his  pleasant  ,; 

beds  of  spices.     O  might  we  be  eternally  honoured,  in  j 

leading  you  in  by  the  hand  unto  him!  draw  near,  0  draw  { 

near!    and  ye  shall  Fee  more,  ten  thousand  times  more,  \ 

than  ever  you  heard  tell  of;   you  shall  begin  to  laugh  at  , 

yom  putrid  and  childish  talking  of  such  wonderfu'  things,  j 

11.      The  w  of ul  state  of  iv  or  Idlings^  ex'ellency  of  holi-  \ 

ness^  and  necessity  of  conversion^  ivitli  marks  thereof  \ 

We  have  written  unto  you,  worldlings,  what  we  have  j 
seen  and  found,  that  you  may  know  that  there  are  excel- 
lent things  indeed,  which  never  fall  under  your  brutish 
senses;  and  to  let  you  know,  that  godhness  is  another  [ 
manner  of  thing  than  ever  entered  within  your  concep-  | 
tions,  that  you  may  inquire  after  the  reality  of  such  excel-  ' 
lent  things,  and  strive  to  get  a  sight  of  him  who  is  invisible ,  J 
that  in  seeing,  you  may  love  him;  and  in  loving,  may  be  ; 
blessed  for  evermore.  Poor  worldlings,  we  cannot  but  ; 
pity  you,  who  cannot  but  pity  yourselves:  you  see  not  \ 
your  own  base  and  low  condition:  for  if  you  could,  your  •, 
condition  were  changed.  Were  it  possible  to  demons-  \ 
trate  your  vileness  and  misery?  Are  you  affected  with  \ 
nothing  so  much  as  what  falls  under  your  senses?  What  j^ 
pre-eminence  have  you  above  the  brutes  of  the  field?  | 
the  joys  and  desires,  and  intentions  of  both  are  confined  \ 
witiiin  an  inch  of  time:  both  are  earthly,  both  are  tem- 
poral, both  decay  in  a  moment,  and  come  to  nought. —  j 
I  appeal  to  yourselves,  base  worldlings,  if  they  maybe  'j 
termed  high  spirited,  whose  thoughts  and  projects  are  on-  | 
\y  upon  earth,  the  fashion  of  which  passetli  away;  as  you  \ 
cannot  but  perceive  with  your  very  bodily  senses.  Ah!  ^ 
Sirs,  is   it  not  even  sad?    Earth  is  the  centre  of  all  your  \ 


A    GLI3IPSE    OP    GLOBlf.  17  7 

love  and  desires:  earthly  glory,  earthly  riches,  earthly 
dehght  affects  you  most;  let  you  have  abundance  of 
earth,  and  that  eternally,  and  eternally  you  tan  live  with- 
out the  enjoyment  of  Jehovah  and  the  Lamb;  the  king- 
dom above  these  visible  heavens  appears  strange  Uto- 
pian-like inventions,  which,  though  ye  give  an  historical 
IJaith  to,  yet  you  are  affected  little  «r  nothing  with  the 
news  of  such  astonishing  things;  and  labour,  and  endea- 
vour, and  project  more  for  these  perishing  things:  whicR 
siows  you  are  base  earth-worms,  ^vho  have  chosen  this 
dunghill  for  your  country;  despised  and  undervalued  the 
enduring  substance;  and  have  not  stirred  up  yourselve,s, 
to  the  deep  persuasion  of  the  truth  and  reality  of  such 
wonderful  things;  but,  embrace  earth,  and  confess  your- 
selves its  natives  and  homeborn  slaves.  May  you  not  at 
last  see  your  own  baseness  and  slavery?  A.re  you  not  asha- 
med of  your  former  vileness?  Are  you  not  beginning  to 
perceive,  that  the  saints  are  the  only  excellent  and  noble 
persons?  Are  you  not  looking  upon  it,  as  the  greatest 
misery  and  baseness,  to  be  earthly  in  your  mind  and  affec- 
tions? Are  you  not  accounting  it  the  only  dignity  and  ac- 
complishment, to  be  humble  and  divine?  Again  we  be- 
seech you  to  be  ingenuous,  and  not  to  lull  yourself  asleep 
in  security's  lap,  with  a  number  of  careless  well  be's,  and 
may  he's.  What,  Sirs?  Confess  you  the  reality  of  these 
wonderful  things  to  come?  Confess  you,  that  heaven  and 
hell  is  the  eternal  lot  of  all  mankind?  Which  of  them  are 
you  making  for?  You  know,  according  to  your  prepara- 
tions here,  so  a^re  you  hereafter  to  be;  as  you  sow,  shall 
'•-you  not  reap?  If  you  sow  to  the  flesh,  shall  you  not 
reap  corruption?  And  if  you  sow  to  the  Spirit,  shall  you 
not  reap  eternal  life?  Whether  will  you  travel  the  way 
to  the  one,  or  to  the  other?  Choose  you:  God  sets  hfe 
and  death  before  you:  beguile  not  yourselves;  God  will 
not  be  mocked.  Will  you  remain  earthly,  and  yet  think 
to  enter  the  pure  heavenly  city?  Is  there  afoot  breadth 
for  earth-worms  there?  If  earthly  minded  creatures,  re- 
maining earthly,  may  expect  to  enter  the  fair  and  clean 
Jerusalem,  then  shall  heaven  be  filled  with  all  sorts  of 
cattle,  and  hell  shall  be  for  ever  empty;  which  is  indeed 
the  opinion  of  stupid  worldlings,  whose  extensive  charity 
reaches  all  men  that  ever  were,  or  shall  be;  who  are  of 
so  sweet  and  mild  a  disposition,  as  that  they  dare  not,  can- 
not judge  any,  and  are  not  ashamed  to  say,  of  the  basest 


178  A  GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY. 

tlungliill  worldling,  It  may  be  he  has  somewhat  good  = 
But,  believe  it,  earthly-mindedness  is  a  palpable  gross 
vileness,  to  all  who  have  their  senses  in  the  least  exerci- 
sed. Enter  your  own  hearts,  poor  wretches,  and  behold 
your  own  practice,  and  the  practice  of  the  generality  oi* 
all  those  who  are  about  you;  and  you  shall  perceive  youi*- 
selves  smell  strongly  of  earth.  Do  not  all  your  aims  and 
projects  tend  earthward?  Are  not  your  last  thoughts  in 
the  evening,  your  first  thoughts  in  the  morning,  the  most 
of  your  thoughts  all  the  day  long,  running  upon  lower 
concernments?  Earth,  only  earth  fills  your  base  minds: 
few,  transient  and  bi  utish  are  your  conceptions  of  things 
above:  eternity  you  make  your  by-aim,  and  earth  youi^ 
chief  design.  Do  you  not  esteem  earthl}  glory  and  rich- 
es most?  Are  not  those,  who  are  most  ladened  with  the 
thick  clay  of  the  earth,  greatest  in  your  eyes?.  Had  you 
not  rather  have  the  wealthiest,  the  men  of  most  account 
and  power  iu  time  to  be  allied  to  you,  than  the  afflicted  J 
people?  Can  you  not  converse  familiarly  with  dunghill  ' 
worldlings,  without  any  trouble  or  aatipathy?  Yea,  have 
ye  not  the  cursed  heart,  to  become  one  flesh  with  a  black 
lump  of  death  and  hell,  if  6o  be  they  be  laden  with  ;! 
the  earth's  worm-eaten  trash,  «r  please  your  carnal  | 
inclination  and  foolish  fancy?  Are  you  not  more  ta-  j 
ken  up  with  your  own  private,  petty  affairs,  than  | 
with  the  great  concernments  of  Christ  and  his  church?  \ 
Have  you  not  more  delight  in  earthly  enjoyments,  than  ' 
in  the  exercise  of  godliness?  Are  you  not  more  sensible 
of  your  temporal  losses,  than  of  your  spiritual?  Do  not  I 
your  joys  ebb  and  flow,  according  W  the  ebbiugs  and  ^ 
flowings  of  worldly  things?  Are  you  not  ignorant  of  re-  ! 
joicing  in  tribulation,  because  of  the  smiles  of  Jehovah's  I 
amiable  countenance?  and  of  sorrowing,  in  the  midst  of  j 
earthly  abundance,  because  the  Well-beloved  hath  frown-  .,: 
ed,  withdrawn  himself,  and  is  gone?  Worldlings,  is  it  not  I 
even  thus  with  you?     Let   your  conscience   speak,  men    \ 

and  women;  0!  hear  them,  that  God  may  hear  you.  I  . 
say,  is  it  not  most  evident  to  yourselves,  that  thus  it  is  with  '^ 
you?  And  are  you  for  glory?  Are  you  for  the  clean  and  :| 
holy  city?  Are  you  not  for  dwelling  with  everlasting  :^ 
burning?  Are  you  for  walking  with  the  Lamb,  clothed  \ 
with  the  white  and  beautiful  garments  of  holiness?  Arc  ,; 
you  for  standing  among  the  fair  delightsome  assembly  of    ^ 

saints  and  angels,  who  eternally  surround  the   throne  of 


A   GLIMPSE    OF    GLOKY.  179 

Jehovah  and  the  Lamb?  Are  you?  Ye  base  worldling, 
as  long  as  ye  are  what  you  are,  you  have  nothing  to  do 
with  glory:  stand  back,  touch  not  the  mount;  beasts  are 
not  to  meddle  with  so  great  things:  heaven  is  only  for 
holy  ones;  for  without  holiness  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord. 
Beheve  it,  s'rs,you  are  ten  thousand  miles  from  holiness  .ho- 
liness is  a  strange,  unknown  thing  in  the  world;  the  most  re- 
fined moralists,  civillians,  carnal  gospellers,  and  brave  for- 
malists have  scarce  heard  the  sound  thereof:  There  is  a 
path  that  no  fowl  knoweth,  and  which  the  vulture's  eye 
hath  not  seen;  and  the  hon's  whelps  have  not  trodden  it, 
nor  the  fierce  lion  passed  by  it.  But,  where  shall  wisdom 
be  found?  and  where  is  the  place  of  understanding? 
Man  knoweth  not  the  price  thereof;  neither  is  it  found  in 
tlie  land  of  the  living:  the  depth  saith,  It  is  not  in  me;  and 
the  sea  saith.  It  is  not  in  me.  It  cannot  be  gotten  for 
gold;  neither  shall  silver  be  weighed  for  the  price  thereof: 
no.  mention  shall  be  made  of  coral,  or  of  pearls;  for  the 
price  of  wisdom  is  above  rubies. 

Believe  it  holiness,  or  wisdom,  is  a  rare  thing:  a  saint  ii 
a  wonder.  God  hath  placed  them  among  the  numerous 
multitude  of  mankind,  like  so  many  signs  and  wonders: 
so  many  saints  in  the  world,  ^o  many  miracles  of  nature: 
a  saint,  in  the  calender  of  the  generality  of  professors,  is 
an  ordinary  person;  but  in  Christ's,  most  extraordinary. 
There  are  fewer  real  Christians,  than  the  most  precise,  and 
strictest  in  there  censures,  can  imagine  If  the  nature  of 
holiness  were  well  known,  we  should  wonder,  that  there 
is  among  all  mortals,  one  holy  one;  for  in  very  truth,  a 
saint  is  nothing  else  but  a  piece  of  heaven,  a  new  crea- 
ture, transformed  from  the  image  of  hell,  into  that  of  glo- 
ry; one  whose  convevsation  is  only  above,  who  is  come 
unto  mount  Zion,  and  unto  the  city  of  the  living  God:  a 
saint  hath  not  the  stamp  and  fashion  of  this  world;  his 
heart  and  love  are  quite  gone  from  him  to  another  place; 
his  words,  his  actions,  his  deportment  manifests  he  seeks 
a  country  above,  and  that  he  despiseth  and  overlooks  all 
things  here,  as  things  inconsiderable,  dead  and  crucified 
in  his  eyes:  his  joys,  his  pleasures,  his  contentments,  his 
treasures,  lie  not  here:  his  torments,  his  griefs,  his  mise- 
ry, lies  not  in  temporal  things;  his  mind  is  elevated  far  a- 
bove  the  laughings  or  frownings  of  a  transitory  world: 
its  ups  and  downs,  its  ebbings  and  flowings  connot  afiect 
him:  his  sublime  mind  is  set  upon  higher  objects;  for  he 


ISO  A.   GLIMPSE  OP    GLORY. 

looks  not  to  things  that  are  seen,  but  to  the  things  that  are 
not  seen:  for  the  things  that  are  seen,  are  temporal;  but 
the  things  that  are  not  seen,  are  eternal.  Heaven  is  his 
soil,  his  element,  the  centre  of  his  love  and  desires:  he 
longs,  he  prays,  he  greatly  desires,  he  weeps  to  be  there. 
The  desire  of  the  full  and  naked  embracements  of  the 
Chiefest  of  ten  thousand  overtops  and  swallows  up  his 
desire  and  love  to  all  other  things.  What  though  he  hath 
fair,  pleasant  possessions  of  earth,  many  dear  friends, 
and  companions?  What  though  he  have  an  excellent 
wife,  and  hopeful  children?  All  these  are  but  dross  and 
dung  unto  the  very  knowledge  of  the  excellency  of  Jesus 
bis  Lord:  they  are  good  and  pleasant,  but  nothing  to  the 
only  Weil-beloved.  He  can  leave  them  all  gladly,  to  be 
with  him.  O  my  consort,  my  children,  my  friends,  my 
possessions,  my  hopes  hereaway,  my  life,  I  could  not  but 
with  exceeding  great  grief,  be  thus  separate  from  you, 
were  I  not  going  to  one  who  is  sweeter,  dearer,  and  more 
lovely  to  me,  above  all  expression,  than  you  all:  the  loss 
of  all  things  is  no  loss,  if  I  go  to  the  full  enjoyment  of 
him  whom  my  soul  loveth.  Whom  have  I  in  heaven,  or 
inearth,  but  him?  Whom  do  I  love  and  desire  but  him? 
no  enjoyments  whatsoever  can  quench  my  longing  to  be 
with  him:  he  is  my  all,  and  only  One.  Farewell,  all  low- 
er enjoyments,  the  love  of  my  fairest  Well-beloved  swal- 
lows up  all  other  loves.  Be  closed,  my  blessed  senses, 
from  receiving  any  more  sublunary  objects,  that  ye  may 
be  everlastingly  filled  with  his  transcendent  loveliness, 
sweetness,  and  excellency.  And  no  wonder  the  saint  can- 
not want  Christ,  since  he  is  transformed  into  his  lovely 
image,  a  partaker  of  his  divine  nature;  one  who  is  endued 
witlithe  same  mind  that  was  in  him;  one  who  hath  Christ 
il  welling  in  him;  one  who  hath  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
within  him:  so  that  it  is  natural  unto  him  to  tend  God- 
ward  and  heaven- ward;  even  as  it  is  natural  for  the  world- 
ling to  tend  earth-ward  and  hell- ward.  Every  thing  hath 
a  propensity  and  love  to  its  own  centre  and  like,  and 
bends  off  from  its  opposite:  the  fire  ascends  towards  the 
centre  and  great  globe  of  fire;  every  bit  of  earth  disjoin- 
ed, tends  back  to  the  whole  again.  Though  there  were 
neither  reward  nor  punishment;  yet  a  holy  one  must  love, 
serve,  obey,  praise,  and  adore  his  God;  for  heaven  must 
operate  like  heaven,  even  necessarily,  though  freely, 
^^wectly,   and  without    compulsion.      Again,   worldlings 


A    GLIMPSE    OP    GLORV.  181 

must  tend  earth-ward,  though  they  should  find  never  so 
much  vexation,  torment  and  grief  into  it;  though  he  should 
be  never  so  often  threatened  and  persuaded    of  all   the 
miseries  that  follow  an  eathly,  sensual,   and    brudsh   way 
of  living;  since  he  is  all  sense,  earth,  and  corruption,  alto- 
gether  destitute    of  the    divine   nature.     In    a  word,  a 
worldhng  is  a  vissible  incarnate  devil;   a  saint,  a  vissible 
incarnate  angel;  only  hell,  on  this  side  of  time,  is  notfully 
accomplished  in  the  one;  nor  heaven  fully  perfected  in  the 
other.     The  holy  one  smells  strongly  of  glory;   and  the 
nearer  he  approacheth  to  his  journey's  end,  the  more  re- 
splendant  a  lustre  hath  he  of  heaven:  the  path  of  the  just 
being  as  the  shining  light,   that   shineth  more   and    more 
unto   the    perfect    day,     0    tincture  of    heaven!   their 
actions  have    still   a   greater   smell  of  glory;    but  all  is 
nothing    to    the    glory   and    excellency    of    their    in- 
visible    and   inward    operation:    little    or    nothing   ap- 
pears without,  in  comparison  of  that  which  is  within.     O 
the  noble  and  seraphic  thoughts!  O   the  strange  motions 
of    love,   and  joy,   and   admiration,  above  all  possible 
expression'     O   the  ravishing  perfumes  of  passing  joys 
and  sweetness,  wherewith  the  Beloved  fills  the  heart!  it  is 
Impossible  for  the  saint  to  put  down  in  black   and  whiter 
what  he  feels  on  his  soul:  all  the  tongues  of  men  and  an- 
gels cannot  manifest  his  sweet  and  noble  thoughts   of  his 
only  Well-beloved.    He  would  gladly  express  them  to  all 
thfct  are  about  him,  but  he  finds  it  impossible.     He  is  some- 
times contending  with  his   narrow  fancy,  that  it  cannot 
find  out  a  more  sublime,  clear,  and  excellent  way  of  ex- 
pressing the  matchless  worth  of  his  Well-beloved:  other 
whiles,  he  is  angry  at  the  cold,  shallow,  and  putrid  man- 
zier  of  others  discoursing:  he  would  have  all  men  speak 
nobly,  write  nobly,  do  nobly,  for  Jesus.     Nothing   vex- 
eth  him  more  than  to  perceive  the  generality  of  men  for- 
get him;   or,  when  they   speak  of  him,   to  talk  so  coMly 
and  creepingly,  as  if  he  were  a  common,  ordinary  belov- 
ed.    He  would  have  his  lovely  One  filling  the  hearts  and 
mouths  of  all:  he  hates  the  fellowship  where  he   is  not 
highly  esteemed,  loved,  praised,  and  adore"-  he  greatly 
honors,  and  loves  that,  (though  otherwise  nerver  so  low 
and  despicable),  where  he  is   praised,  worshipped,  and 
much  accounted  of.     It  is  his  contirual  torment  and  af- 
fliction, he  hath  so  low  and  unbesp^ming  thoughts  of  him: 
he  is  in  great  rage  at  his  heart,  ^iiat  it  should,  at  any  time, 


IS^  A    GLIMPSE    OP    GLORY. 

go  astray  from  such  an  excellent  object,  after  vanity:  be 
lays  bands  on,  watcheth  over,  and  comnsands  his  heart, 
that  it  have  noble  and  excellent  thoughts  ot  him,  and  en- 
tertain no  other  beloveds  beside  him:  he  desires  nothing 
more  than  to  have  his  heart  wholly  set  upon  iiim,  and  for- 
ever ravished  and  overcome  with  his  love.  And  no  won- 
der, since  Christ  and  he  are  one;  one  in  nature,  mmd,  af- 
fections, spirit,  and  all  things:  as  the  Lord  Jesus  is,  so  is 
he,  in  a  great  part.  Every  one  of  the  saints  resembles 
the  children  of  the  King  of  kings:  among  all  the  sons  of 
Adam,  there  are  none  their  like;  for  they  are  a  chosen 
generation,  a  royal  priesthood,  an  holy  nation,  a  peculiar 
people;  that  they  should  show  forth  the  praises  of  him 
who  hath  called  them  out  of  darkness  unto  his  marvel- 
lous light.  The  generality  of  mankind  hath,  ever  from 
the  very  beginning,  looked  upon  them  as  strange  manner 
of  persons,  and  nick-named  them  with  various  anfl 
strange  sorts  of  names,  according  to  the  iniquities  of  ihe 
times  and  places  they  lived  in;  because  of  their  rarenesf 
in  number,  singularity  in  their  way  of  hving  and  practice, 
preciseness  in  tl^ir  principles,  and  opposing  the  sins  oi 
the  times  their  lot  is  cast  into. 

Ah!  poor  worldlings,  do  ye  not  see,  that  a  saint  is  an* 
other  manner  of  person  than  you  imagined?  Do  you  not 
perceive,  that  you  are  as  far  below  real  holiness,  as  earth 
is  below  heaven?  Is  it  not  manifest  to  yourselves,  that 
you  are  not  the  creatures,  whose  minds  and  affections  are 
heavenly  and  divine?  that  you  are  not  of  a  more  noble 
and  excellent  spirit  than  your  neighbours?  True,  your 
own  desperate,  deceitful  heart  will  cause  you  imagine 
yourselves  rare  pieces  of  excellency;  yet  it  will  give  you 
no  demonstration,  but  only  because  I,  as  such,  appear 
great;  and  so  confound  every  thing,  as  you  may  evade 
us,  one  way  or  another.  So  desperate  are  worldlings, 
that  ihey  cannot  abide  to  examine  their  conditions;  and 
when  others  hold  out  the  light,  that  they  may  discover 
them,  they  wink,  lest  they  behold  their  own  misery  and 
vileness  But,  worldlings  may  you  not  see  your  naked- 
ness, if  you  \VA\  but  ask  seriously  at  yourselves,  a  few  or- 
dinary questions,  and  solve  them  faithfully,  according  to 
the  answer  of  your  own  conscience? 

1.  Have  you  ever  felt  the  pangs  of  the  new  birth 
Are  you  strangers  to  this?  Know  you  not,  Except  a  man 
be  born  again,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven?   This  is  strange?  a  saint  a  regenerate   creature,  a 


:i 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORV.  ,  18S 

man  born  over   again;  an  yet  without   pain,  or  labour.- 
such  a  great  mutation,  without  great  synitoms  and  con- 
coTiitants,  cannot  be     Ah!  most  men's  religion  hath  come 
to  them  in  a  night-dream 

i2.  Were  you  ever  at,  What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved? 
Here,  blessed  Jesus,  I  subscribe  a  blank,  put  in  anything 
thou  wilt;  and,  in  thy  strength,  I  will  gladly  endeavour 
the  performance  of  all;  only  save  me;  O  save  me,  else  I 
eternally  perish.  It  is  strange,  you  have  not  come  this 
length  that  many  reprobates  have  come,  and  yet  imagine 
yourselves  saints. 

S.  Hath  the  great  salvation  appeared  so  great  in  your 
eyes,  filled  so  your  minds,  that  it  hath  overtopped  and 
swallowed  up  the  thoughts  of  all  other  concernments? 
Are  you  not  come  thus  far,  that  some  reprobates  have, 
for  a  fimc,  attained  unto?  And  can  you  imagine  your- 
selves partakers  of  the  great  salvation?  Ah,  mad  delu- 
sion! 

4.  Were  you  ever  sick  of  sin?  Have  you  been  more 
burdened  under  your  iniquities,  than  ever  you  were  un- 
der any  earthly  affliction?  Do  you  not  find  the  grievous 
weight  of  a  body  of  death?  Yea,  go  you  not  lightly  un- 
der you  iniquities?  Only  some  of  the  grossest  of  them 
torment  your  natural  conscience;  as  for  original  sin,  you 
know  it  more  by  speculation,  than  by  feelings  this  doth 
show  you  are  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,  ahenated  from 
the  life  of  God.  Can  you  then  imagme  yourself  such  a 
noble  creature  as  a  saint? 

5.  W^ere  you  ever  sick  of  love  for  Jesus?  Were 
you  ever  running  after  him,  with  the  tear  in  your  eye. 
with  your  hands  upon  }our  aking  sores?  Were  you  ever 
^veeping,  and  groaning,  and  sighing  at  his  feet,  for  mercy, 
and  pardon,  and  reconciliation,  and  the  lifting  up  of  his 
amiable  countenance?  Were  you  ever  wrestling  with 
sin,  as  for  your  life,  and  saying,  Blessed  Jesus,  I  must 
have  thee;  thee  to  be  my  Lord,  my  head,  my  advocate, 
my  king,  my  priest,  my  prophet,  my  only  beloved,  or  I 
cannot  live!  Ah!  Sirs,  you,  who  know  not  experimental- 
ly what  I  am  saying,  have  your  religion  to  seek  yet. 

G  W^ere  }ou  ever  crying,  as  it  were,  O  daughters  of 
Jerusalem,  I  charge  you,  if  you  see  my  beloved,  that  you 
tell  him,  that  1  am  sick  of  love?  Have  you  been  faint- 
ing because  of  an  absent  and  withdrawing  Lord?  Have 
you  had  a  wearisome  night  without  sleep  for  Christ,  be* 


18^  A   GLIMPSE    OP  GLORY, 

cause  you  could  not  find  him?  Know  you  not,  by  expe- 
rience, what  I  am  saying?  0  then!  you  are  strangers  to 
Christ. 

7.  Are  not  your  thoughts  of  Christ  so  high,  that  you 
cannot,  in  the  thousand  part,  express  them  to  others? 
Are  not  all  things  dros'^  and  dung  to  you,  in  comparison  of 
Christ?  If  you  can  express  all  your  thoughts  of  him,  you 
vrant  the  mind  of  a  saint. 

8.  Though  an  eternal  enjoyment  of  all  possible  creat- 
ed paradises  of  joy  and  delight,  filled  with  all  smells,  all 
tastes,  all  sights,  all  melodies,  all  delights  the  heart  of  man 
can  imagine,  were  placed  on  the  one  hand;  and  the  eter- 
nal enjoying,  praising,  and  adoring  Jehovah  and  the 
Lamb,  on  the  other;  which  of  these  two  lives  would  your 
heart  most  affect,  and  run  after?  It  may  be  you  will  sa^ ,  I 
had  rather  enjoy  Christ  than  all  thin<;;s  How  then  comes 
it  to  pass,  you  long  not  to  be  with  him?  How  comes  it  to 
paiss,  you  have  more  delight  in  earthly  enjoyments,  than 
in  the  exercise  of  godliness?  Why  is  meditating  on  him, 
the  excellency  of  his  person,  and  the  glory  of  his  king- 
dom, so  melancholious  and  seldom  an  exercise'*  Why 
are  you  not  making  it  your  study  and  delight,  to  keep  up  a 
near  and  intimate  fellowship  with  the  Father  and  the  Son? 
Ah!  poor  things,  you  are  altogether  ignorant  of  your- 
selves; and  thefore  you  talk,  and  you  know  not  what. 

9.  Find  you  in  your  soul  a  strong  and  ardent  longing 
and  de^sire  aOer  God,  and  still  to  have  more  and  more  of 
him,  till  you  be  filled  with  all  his  fulness?  Have  you  a 
greater  thirst  after  him,  than  ever  you  had  after  cold  wa- 
ter in  an  uuquencable  thirst,  through  a  burning  fever,  or 
great  heat,  labour,  and  weariness?  Surely,  if  you  be 
partakers  of  his  nature,  you  cannot  but  bend  to  him  with 
a  strong  ben^il.  Are  you  desires  after  him  cold  and  in- 
different, and  broken  cisterns  can  quench  your  thirst? 
Be  assured,  you  are  dead,  and  have  not  your  senses  ex:- 
ercised. 

10.  Can  you  dscern  betwixt  the  exercises  of  godli- 
ness, and  God  in  the  exercise?  Are  you  sometimes  seek- 
ing him  and  cannot  find  him?  Are  you  not  calling  unto 
him,  and  he  gives  no  answer?  Are  you  ignorant  of  a  mu- 
tual converse  with  him?  Find  you  not  him  speaking  into 
your  heart,  as  really  as  you  spake  up  to  him?  Know  ye 
not  what  it  is  to  receive  an  answer  of  prayer?  Ah!  ye 
are  strangers  to  the  mystery  of  godliness. 


\ 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORV.  185 

11.  Find  you  more  delight  in  his  fellowship,  when 
you  are  alone,  than  ever  you  found  in  all  your  earthly  en- 
joyments? Have  you  not  been  brought  into  his  cham- 
bers of  love,  and  rejoiced  and  been  glad  in  him^  Have 
you  not  found  his  love  better  than  wine,  and  the  savour  of 
his  good  ointments  most  cheering  and  refreshing?  Nay, 
found  you  not,  in  some  measure,  to  your  own  sweet  ex- 
perience, all  the  intercourse  written  down  in  the  Song  of 
songs?  What  say  you?  Are  you  strangers  to  these 
things,  and  yet  an  espoused  soul  to  Christ?  that  cannot  be, 

12.  Have  you  not  a  respect  to  all  his  commandments, 
since  you  have  resigned  yourself  wholly  over  to  hmi, 
without  reservation?  Dare  you  contradict  a  known  pre- 
cept, and  can  sacrilegiously  cut  and  carve  upon  his  latter- 
will,  and  put  your  own  carnal  glosses  upon  his  clear  com- 
mands, for  your  own  worldly  and  carnal  ends?  And  yet 
saints!  and  yet  lovers  of  Jesus!  that  is  impossible. 

13.  Doth  your  goodness  reach  the  saints,  the  excel- 
lent of  the  earth,  in  whom  is  all  your  delight?  Is  there 
any  in  your  eyes,  by  a  thousand  stages,  so  great  as  a  saint? 
Is  not  a  creature  the  more  lovely,  excellent,  and  esteem- 
ed in  your  eyes,  the  more  wise  he  is,  the  more  he  is  like 
all  lovely  Jesus?  As  for  the  several  fancies  of  riches  and 
honor,  you  value  them  not,  these  are  not  the  things  that 
heighten  and  depress  persons  in  your  accout.  But,  on 
the  contrary,  are  you  the  people  that  esteem  persons  ac- 
cording to  gay-clothing,  multitude  of  trash,  much  of 
earthly  honor,  power,  authority,  and  renown  ?  Affect  you 
more  to  have  a  really  honorable  consort,  children,  kins- 
men, and  friends,  than  to  have  them  wise  and  holy?  Art 
thou  such  a  creature,  that  thou  lovest  the  converse  of  the 
wealthy  and  prosperous;  and  can  take  a  worldling,  known 
to  be  such,  to  be  the  inseperable  companion  of  thy  life, 
because  of  worldly  advatages*,  and  can  converse  familiar- 
ly and  merily  with  worldlings,  without  any  antipathy,  or 
hurt  to  the  frame  of  thine  heart?  Ai-tthou  such  an  one, 
and  yet  a  saint?  ah!  poor  thing,  thou  art  a  stranger  to  holi- 
ness. It  may  be  thou  art  a  formalist;  that  is,  a  person  il- 
luminated, who  hath  a  custom  of  reading,  and  confer- 
ring, and  meditating,  and  praying;  and  it  may  be,  weeping, 
and  hearing  the  best,  it  may  me  with  jeopards ;  bt  -  ne 
life  and  marrow  of  religion  thou  art  altogether  ignoc-; 
ant  of. 

14.  Do  not  the  affairs  of  Christ's  church  tbrough^<hc> 

a2 


186  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  ^ 

world,  and  especially  through  the  particular  church  he 
doth  most  own,  lie  nearer  your  heart  than  all  other  things? 
May  you  not  say,  If  I  forget  thee,  0  Zion,  let  my  right 
hand  forget  her  cunning;  if  I  prefer  not  Jerusalem  to  my 
chiefest  joy?  Are  not  your  own  affairs  oft-times  forgot- 
ten by  you,  so  much  are  you  taken  up  with  the  affairs  of 
Christ?  That  Christ  may  be  great,  his  interest  glorious, 
and  his  people  exalted  is  the  flower  and  top  of  your  de- 
sires. You  are  exceeding  angry  against,  not  only  his 
open  persecuting  enemies,  but  all  who  are  indifferent  or 
lukewarm  in  his  matters;  thou  canst  abide  none  but  the 
zealous  ones:  art  thou  not,  as  it  were,  burnt  up  with  zeal 
for  the  glory  of  the  only  excellent  One  ?  so  that  thou  art 
crying  out,  Let  the  sinners  be  consumed  from  the  earth;  let 
the  wicked  be  no  more,  let  all  his  enemies  perish;  but  let 
those  that  love  him  be  like  the  sun  going  forth  in  his  strengtr. 
But,  on  the  contrary,  do  thine  own  affairs  share  largest  of 
thy  thoughts  ?  thou  art  oft-times  so  occupied  with  them, 
that  the  affairs  of  Zion  are  almost  forgotten:  it  may  be, 
thou  wishes  well  unto  her,  and  had  rather  she  did  swim 
than  sink;  yea,  would  undergo  a  considerable  loss,  upon 
condition  she  might  be  exalted:  but,  wouldst  thou  have 
tiie  affairs  of  Christ  great,  merely  out  of  desire  to  his 
glory  and  exaltation?  Dost  thou  desire  the  rising  of  his 
interests,  though  it  were  upon  thy  fall  and  ruin?  Are 
thy  great  affairs,  even  what  concerneth  life,  and  the  great- 
est affairs  of  thine  own,  small,  and  of  no  consideration  ia 
thine  eyes,  in  comparison  of  the  smallest  things  of  Christ? 
Yea,  art  thou  not  one,  who  can  overlook,  and  cede  many 
things  to  the  enemy?  Not  an  hoof,  is  too  great  precise- 
Dess  to  thee.  And  is  not  thy  hatred  and  indignation  at  his 
enemies,  weak  and  indiscernible?  Tbou  canst  hear  his 
work  and  people  spoken  evil  of  unconcernedly,  and  be 
little  or  nothing  moved:  thou  art  a  very  meek  and  moder-  i* 
?ite  man  in  his  cause;  and  art  thou  one  of  his?  Hath  he 
the  flower  of  thy  love?  Is  that  love  burning  in  thine 
heart,  which  many  waters  cannot  quench?  Art  thou  a 
genuine  son  of  Zion ?  Never  think  it;  poor  deluded  crea- 
ture, thou  hast  religion  yei  to  seek. 

15.  Do  all  earthly  things  appear  dead  and  crucified 
like  unto  thee?  Dost  thou  look  upon  this  earth  as  a  mel- 
ancholic wilderness,  and  hast  thine  heart  and  eyes  still  up- 
on thy  country?  Yea,  dost  thou  look  with  a  disdainful 
©ye  upon  this  base  world,  so  full  of  wickedness,  vexation. 


A     GLIMPSE    OF    CLORYr  187 

and  vanity,  wherein  thy  Lord,  aad  all  his  followers,  have 
got  so  bad  entertainment?  But,  on  the  contrary,  dost 
thou  look  upon  thine  enjoyments,  in  a  lovely  and  warmly 
manner,  and  hath  sweeter,  and  more  pleasant  thoughts  of 
them,  than  of  the  life  to  come?  When  tl^  worid  smiles 
upon  thee,  dost  thou  smile  upon  it  again;  and  canst  easily 
bear  the  want  of  the  full  enjoyment  of  God;  being  so 
well  pleased  with  an  easy,  earthly  life,  either  in  reality, 
or  in  immagination,  as  thou  art  saying  to  thyself,  It  is  good 
to  be  here  ?  Art  thou  thus,  and  yet  a  saint,  a  pilgf  im,"who 
is  travelling  heaven-ward,  a  creature  whose  heart  and 
love  is  in  another  country,  and  not  here?  This  is 
a  repugnancy;  never  think  it,  man;  think  thyself  the  thing 
thou  art,  an  home-born  slave;  and  then  thou  art  a  step  in 
the  way  to  true  liberty. 

16.  Art  thou  longing  to  be  in  the  immediate  embraces 
of  the  Chief  of  ten  thousand,  to  behold  him  face  to  face, 
and  be  satiate  with  his  immediate  fellowship?  Is  it  oft 
the  cry  of  thy  longing  heart,  When  shall  I  see  him  as  he 
is,  and  that  white  and  beautiful  company  following  him 
whithersoever  he  goes?  When  shall  I  see  the  Bride- 
groom and  the  bride  kiss  and  embrace  one  another?— 
When  shall  he  set  his  majestic  head  through  these  visible 
heavens,  and  apper  in  his  royal  marriage- robes,  before 
the  whole  creation?  Ah,  the  envious,  heavens,  that  hide 
him  from  my  longing  eyes!  ah  the  longsome  days,  that  lie 
betwixt  me  and  him!  When  shall  we  be  eternally  in 
others  immediate  embraces^  But,  on  the  contrary,  canst 
thou  live  contentedly,  in  the  midst  of  earthly  abundance, 
with  small  or  no  desires  of  his  immedite  fellowship?  Is 
this  the  ordinary  frame  of  thy  spirit,  and  yet  a  saint? 
It  cannot  be.  Can  the  chaste  spouse  not  long  for  her  ab- 
sent bridegroom?  Can  the  true  lover  live  patiently, 
without  beholding  the  beloved's  face?  Ah!  Sirs,  you 
have  not  been  really  espoused  to  him.  Have  you  not 
received  his  love-tokens,  nor  been  ravished  with  the  smell 
of  his  fragrant  ointments?  and  what  wonder,  you  are 
as  you  are? 

17-  Are  you  depending  on  God  in  every  thing?  Ac- 
knowledge you  him  in  all  your  ways,  and  in  every  ex- 
igency that  befalls  you?  Cast  you  all  your  cares  upon 
him  for  all  things  in  time  and  eternity?  So  that  you  find 
your  mind  greatly  eased,  as  having  one  to  your  Father 
who  is  both  able  and  willing  to  carry  you  through  all  dif- 
ficulties and  afflictions?    Are  you  endeavouring  to  do 


198  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORX, 

his  commandments,  and  commit  the  event  of  all  absolutely 
\mto  him,  who,  you  know,  brings  all  to  a  good  issue? — 
Have  you  renounced  the  disposing  of  yourselves,  and 
resigned  that,  with  all  your  concerns,  even  unto  him?  and 
dare  not  do  any  thing  without  his  approbation?  Or,  on 
the  contrary,  do  you  rely  on  this  thing,  and  that  thing?  If 
there  be  money  in  the  purse,  or  calves  in  the  stall,  then 
you  hope  you  shall  not  want;  you  trust  in  human  proba- 
bilities: but  ir  those  fail  you,  you  are  despondent;  thou 
hast  not  the  confidence  in  God,  that  may  hold  up  thy  heart, 
in  as  cheerful  a  condition,  as  when  corn  and  wine  abound- 
ed unto  worldlings;  thou  cannot  lay  as  much  weight  on 
the  large  promises,  in  the  book  of  God,  as  worldings  on 
their  charters,  in  earthly  possessions;  and  therefore  thou 
art  ever  anxious  about  the  event,  and  commits  not  the  dis- 
posing of  thyself  to  him:  thou  walkest  by  the  compass  of 
riches, ease  and  reputation,  Sec:  and  whether  it  be  the 
will  of  Christ,  is  thy  last  consideration;  whether  it  be  a 
course  that  v/ill  most  glorify  him,  and  make  thy  progress 
swifter  to  glory,  doth  not  so  much  trouble  thee,  as  wheth- 
er it  be  a  course  will  render  thee  properous,  full  of  ease, 
wealth,  and  esteem  in  the  world.  Doth  thine  heart  dictate 
unto  thee,  such  an  occupation,  such  a  marriage,  and  such 
an  eterprise  will  bring  in  great  wealth,  much  worldly  joy, 
a  multitude  of  friends  greater  worldly  honor,  &,c.  there- 
fore it  is  to  be  followed.  Ah!  deluded  wretch,  walkest 
thou  by  earthly,  carnal  rules;  and  yet  such  an  noble  crea 
ture  as  a  saint?  Never  entertain  such  fancies:  the  saints 
walk  as  Christ  walked,  he  is  their  Forerunner,  and  Cap- 
tain. 

The  difference  between  a  saint  and  a  worldling,  may  in 
some  manner,  be  apprehended  from  what  we  have  spoken. 
Ask  seriously  at  yourselves  such  questions;  reflect  upon 
your  way  of  walking;see  what  is  the  constant  frame  of  your 
heart,  and  what  your  heart  affects  most;  what  you  have 
been,  and  what  you  are  aiming  at,  and  seeking  most;  what 
you  rejoice  most  in;  what  the  thoughts  and  intentions  of 
your  heart  run  out  most  upon.  O  Sirs,  be  not  be- 
guiled in  so  weighty  a  concernment:  if  youjerr  here,  you 
are  eternally  undone:  it  is  Satan's  great  endeavour  to 
hinder  you  from  considering  yourself  for  your  condition; 
he  delights  to  see  you  pass  away  your  time  in  consider- 
ing your  natual  abilities,  your  corporal  endowments,  your 
gstate  in  the  world,  &c.     But  he  is  afaid  you  consider 


A   GLIMPSE    OP    GLORY.  189 

your  spiritual  estate,  how  it  stands  betwixt  God  and  you; 
whether  you  be  in  friendly  terms  with  him,  or  not:  if  not, 
how  vou  may  attain  unto  a  near  fellowship;  and  how  you 
may  keep  yourself  in  his  love  and  favour,  and  grow  more 
and  more  familiar  with  him;  he  loves,  and  endeavours  to 
divert  your  mind  off  eternal  concernment  to  temporal. 
But  Sirs,  ought  you  not  to  give  eternity  the  first  place, 
the  first,  and  flower,  and  choice,  and  might  of  all  your 
endeavours?  make  sure  work  in  so  great,  great  a  matter; 
thy  eternal  weal,  or  woe,  is  upon  the  wheels,  man;  what 
shall  be  your  lot  throughout  endless  ages,  is  a  concern- 
ment above  all  you  can  conceive,  or  endeavour. — Know- 
est  thou  not  how  the  matter  stands?  Is  not  the  time  shoit 
thou  hast  to  prepare  thyself  intof  Is  not  thy  life  most 
uncertain?  Is  not  the  work  of  salvation  a  great,  a  lorg,  a 
difficult  work?  Is  it  not  most  ordinary,  that  men  die  as 
they  live;  and  most  certain,  that  their  eternal  condition  is 
as  they  die  ?  Knowest  thou  not,  that  it  is  written,  To-day, 
if  ye  will  hear  my  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts?  Thou 
knwest  not  what  a  day  may  bring  forth.  Come,  0  come, 
and  embrace  so  friendly  a  call.  Have  you  any  excuse? 
Are  you  about  any  business  of  such  concernment? 
Is  any  succeeding  hour  better  than  now?  Doth  not  thine 
heart  draw  on  a  new  scruff  of  hardness?  Why  then,  fall 
to  work  in  good  earnest,  as  for  life  and  death:  make  sure 
work,  build  not  upon  sand,  but  on  the  rock:  never  rest 
till  you  have  Christ  indeed,  and  not  some  fancy  in  his 
place;  be  sure  you  get  an  interest  in  him;  never  think 
yourself  right,  until  you  have  a  familiar  and  hvely  fellow- 
ship with  the  Father  and  the  Son;  until  there  be  mutual 
communications  of  love  betwixt  Christ  and  you;  until 
you  have  heartily,  and  forever,  given  yourself  wholly 
over  to  him,  and  taken  him  wholly  over  to  you,  to  be  your 
King,  Priest,  and  Prophet,  to  be  your  all  and  only  One; 
until  you  be  enamoured  with  his  matchless  beauty,  over- 
come with  his  passing  sweetness;  until  earth,  in  its  best 
condition,  be  an  empty  nothing,  and  vanity  in  your  eyes; 
until  heaven  become  your  native  country,  wher^  heart, 
and  love,  and  all  do  lie;  so  that  it  shall  be  as  natural  for 
you  to  be  heavenly- minded  as  for  earth  worms  to  be  earth- 
ly. O  then!  we  shall  greet  you,  by  the  excellent  and 
princely  name  of  saints.  0  then,  you  shall  be  no  more 
beasts,  but  creatures  of  an  high  and  seraphic  nature,  the 
sons  and  minions  of  the  high  and  lofty  One;  the  princes 


190  A  Glimpse  of  glory. 

and  heirs  of  heaven,  and  earth,  and  all  things:  for  then 
all  things  are  yours,  whether  Paul,  or  ApoUos,  or  Cephas, 
or  the  world  or  life,  death,  or  things  present,  or  things  to 
come:  all  are  yours,  and  ye  are  Christ's,  and  Christ  is 
God's. 

A  SOLILOQUY  TO  GOD,  PRJlYER-WfiYS. 

Dispatch,  0  Well-loved,  and  hasten  to  the  day  of  our 
eternal  marriage;  put  time  and  days  out  of  the  way: 
great  things  hast  thou  to  do,  before  thou  decend  vissibly 
to  this  lower  world:  thou  hast  been  making  great  dispatch 
since  thou  ascended;  and  still  the  nearer  thy  second  com- 
ing, thou  still  hastenest  thy  work  the  more:  these  few 
years  immediately  proceeding,  how  hast  thou  put  many 
and  great  things  through  thy  hand?  and  now  thy  kingdom 
is  upon  the  advancing  hand,  though  it  seem  almost  all  tot- 
tering and  decaying.  That  great  and  glorious  work  thou 
Eromisedst  of  old,  is  just  now  in  the  biith,  and  near  the 
reakiag  forth:  thy  grand  enemies  have  begun  to  fall  be- 
fore thee,  and  have  still  lost  ground;  and  th  ugh  now  they 
seem  to  have  the  advantage,  it  is  but  in  appearance:  thou 
art  but  making  thyself  to  flee  before  them,  that  thou  may- 
est  draw  them  all  out  after  thee;  but  ere  ever  they  shall  be 
aware,  thou  wilt  make  shine  ambucado's  to  assault  them 
on  the  rear,  and  in  a  trice  thou  wilt  environ  them  on  eve- 
ry side,  give  them  an  irreparable  rout.  Thou  art,  O 
mighty  C?ptain,  as  it  were,  retiring  thyself,  thou  mayest 
come  back  on  thine  enemies  with  the  greater  force:  thou 
art  at  the  crying  out,  Ah!  I  will  ease  me  of  mine  adversa- 
ries, and  avenge  me  of  mine  enemies:  for  behold,  thou 
makest  the  earth  empty,  and  makest  it  waste,  and  lurnest 
it  upside  down,  and  scatterest  abroad  the  mhabitants 
thereof;  thou  art  coming  out  of  thy  place,  to  punish  the 
inhabitants  of  the  earth  for  their  iniquity;  for  thou  shalt 
rise  up,  as  in  mount  Perazzim,  thou  shalt  be  wroth,  as  in 
the  valley  of  Gideon;  that  thou  mayst  do  thy  work,  thy 
strange  work;  and  bring  to  pass  thy  act,  thy  strange  act. 
At  the  noise  of  the  tumult,  the  people  shall  flee;  at  the 
lifting  up  of  thyself,  the  nations  shall  be  scattered,  and 
their  spoil  shall  be  gathered,  like  the  spoiling  of  the  cat- 
erpillars; as  the  running  to  and  fro  of  locusts,  so  shalt 
thou  run  upon  them;  for  thy  sword  shall  be  bathed  in  bea- 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  191 

veil,  it  shall  come  upon  Idumea,  and  upon  the  people  of 
thy  curse,  unto  judgment:  thy  sword  siiall  be  fiiicd  'viih 
blood  and  shall  be  made  lat  with  fatness:  for  thou  h^st  a 
sacrifice  in  Bozrah,  and  a  great  slaughter  in  the  land  of 
Idumea;  and  tue  unicorns  shall  come  down  witii  thf^m, 
and  the  bullocks,  with  the  bulls,  and  their  land  shall  be 
s«  aked  with  biood,  and  their  dust  made  fat  with  fatness: 
foi  the  day  of  vengeance  is  in  thine  heart,  and  the  ;  f^ai- 
of  thy  redeemed  is  come.  Thou  art  looking,  and  mere 
is  none  to  help;  and  thou  wonderest  that  there  is  none  to 
uphold;  thretore  thine  arm  shall  bring  salvation  unto  thee, 
and  thy  fury  it  shall  uphold  thee:  thou  wilt  put  on  righte- 
ousness as  as  a  breast  plate,  as  an  hehnent  of  salvation 
upon  thine  head:  and  thou  shalt  put  on  the  garments  of 
vengeance  for  clothing,  and  shalt  be  cloathed  with  zeal 
as  a  cloak  and  thou  wilt  tread  down  the  people  in  thine 
anj:er  and^  make  them  drunk  in  thy  fury;  and  wilt  bring 
down  their  strength  to  the  earth.  Gird  thy  sword  on  thy 
thigh,  0  most  mighty,  with  thy  glory  and  thy  majesty;  and 
in  thy  majesty  ride  prosperously,  because  of  truth, 
meekness,  and  righteousness-  and  thy  right  hand  shall 
teach  thee  terrible  things:  be  thou  a  refuge  for  the  op- 
pressed, a  refuge  in  times  of  truble.  When  thou  niakest 
inqulsi'ion  for  blood,  remember  them:  iorget  not  the  cry 
of  the  humble;  that  they  may  show  forth  all  thy  praise  in 
the  gates  of  the  daughter  of  Zion:  that  thou  mayest  be 
known  by  ihe  judgments  thou  executest,  when  the  wick- 
ed, is  snaied  in  the  works  of  his  own  hands:  let  not  the 
needy  always  be  forgotten;  O  let  not  the  expectation  of 
the  poor  perish  forever.  Arise,  O  Lord,  let  not  man  pre- 
vail; put  thine  enemies  in  fear,  0  Lord,  that  they  know 
themselves  to  be  but  men  Behold  they  travel  with  ini- 
quity, and  have  conceived  mischief,  and  have  brought 
forth  falsehood,  they  have  made  a  pit,  and  digged  it;  let 
them  fall  into  the  ditch  which  they  have  made-  let  their 
Vnischief  return  upon  their  own  head,  and  their  violent 
jlealing  come  down  upon  their  own  pate.  But  those  that 
trust  in  thee,  let  them  rejoice,  let  them  ever  shout  for  joy, 
because  thou  defendest  them.  Even  let  the  righteous 
rejoice-  when  he  seeth  the  vengeance:  let  him  wash  his 
feet  in  the  blood  of  the  wicked:  so  that  a  man  may  say, 
Verily  there  is  a  reward  for  the  righteous:  veiily  thou  art 
a  God  that  judge st  in  the  earth.  Remember  this,  that  the 
enemy  hath  reproached,  0  Lord;  and  that  the  foolish  peo- 


192  A.   GLIMPSE    OP    GLORV. 

pie  have   blasphemed  thj  name.       0  delivernot  the  soul 
of  thy  tui'tle  dove  unto  the  multitude  of  the  wicked:  forget 
not  the  congregation  of  thy  poor  forever;  have  a  respect 
unto  thy  covenant;  for  the   dark  places  of  the   earth  aie 
full  of  the  habitations  of  cruelty.     O  let  not  the  oppress- 
ed return  ashamed;  let  the  poor  and  needy  praise   thy 
name:  forget  not  the  voice  of  thine  enemies;  the  tumult  of 
those  that  rise  up  against  thee  increaseth    continually  — 
They  have  taken  crafty  counsel    against  thy  people,  and 
consulted  against  thine  hidden  ones:  they  have  said,  Come 
lei  us  cut  them  off  from  being  a  nation,  that  the  name  of 
Isreal  may  no  more  be  in  rememberance,  for  they   have 
consulted  together,  with  one  consent:  they  are  confede- 
rate against  thee.     O  make    them  like  a  wheel,   O  my 
God,  as  the  stubble  before  the  wind;  that  men  may  know 
that  thou,  whose   name  alone   is  Jehovah,  art   the  Most 
High  over  ail  the  earth      0    Lord   God,  to  whom  ven- 
geance belongeth,  0  God,  to  whom  vengeance  belongeth, 
show  thyself:  iitt  up  thyself,  thou  judge  of  the  earth  ren- 
der a  reward  to  the  proud,  O  Lord  how  long  shall  the  wick- 
ed, how  long  shall  they  utter  and  speak  hard  things.?  and  all 
the  workers  of  iniquity  boast  themselves?     They  break  in 
pieces  thy  people,  0  Lord,  and  afflict  thine  heritage:  vet 
they  say,  The  Lord  shall  not  see,  neither  shall  the  God  of 
Jacob  regard  it,     But  thou  shalt  arise  and  have  mercy  up- 
on Zion;    for  the  time  to  favour  her,  yea,  the  set  time  is 
come :   for  thy  servants  take  pleasure  in  her  stones,  and 
favour  the  dust  thereof;  for  thy  mercy  is  great  above  the 
heavens,  and  thy  truth  reacheth  unto  the  clouds.  Be  thoa 
exalted  0   God,   above  the  heavens,  and  thy  glory  above 
all  the  earth:  that  thy  beloved  may  be  delivered,  save  with 
thy  right  hand.     Wilt  thou  not  give  us  help  from  trouble? 
for  vain  is   the  help  of  man.     Through  thee  we  shall  do 
valiantly;  for  thou  art  he  that  shall  tread  down  our  ene- 
mies.    Our  mouth   shall  be  filled  with  laughter,  and  our 
tongue  with  rejoicing:   thou  shalt  put  a  new  song  in  our 
mouth;  ench  one  of  us  shall  sing  forth,   O  Lord,  thou  art 
my  God,  I  will  exalt  thee;  I  will  praise  thy  name;  for  thou 
hast  done  wonderful  things,  thy  counsels  of  old  are  faith- 
nesss  and  truth:  for  thou  hast  been  a  strength  to  the  poor, 
a  strength  to  the  needy  in  his  distress;  a  refuge  from  the 
storm,  and  a  shadow  from  the  heat:  when  the  blast  of  the 
terrible  one  is  as  a  storm  against  the  wall.     Lo,  this  is  our 
God,  we  have  waited  for  him,  and  he  will  save  us :  this  i§ 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  193 

rtie  Lord,  uc  have  waited  for  him;    we  will  be  glad  and 
rejoice  in  iiis  ^alvatioa      We  have  a  strong  city,  salvation 
will  God  appoint  for  walls  and  buhvarks.     Open  ye  gates, 
that  the   righteous  nation,  which  keepeth  the  truth,  may- 
enter  in.     I  cannot  but  smile,  and  leap  for  joy,  thiough 
the  forethoughts  of  the  glorious  days  we  shall  see  a  little 
hence.     Verily,   Well-beloved,   thou  hast  persuaded  me 
with  a  strong  hand,  that  the   glory  of  the  second   temple 
shall  tar  surpass  the  glory   of  the  first;    and  that  such  a 
da}^  cf  thy  povver  and  excellency  shall  arise  very  shortly 
upon  Britam,  as  shall  dazzle  the  eyes  of  all  the  beholders, 
confound  and  put  to  shame  all  tiiy  adversaries,  rejoice  ex- 
ceedingly the  hearts   of  thy  new  saddened    and  fainting 
friends,   and  have   a  strong  influence   and  resplendency 
throughout  the   whole  earth.      We  are   thy   covenanted 
people,  thine  in  a  more  peculiar  manner  than  any  peo- 
ple, nation,  or  language  ihroughout  the  universal  world; 
thy   name  is  called   most  signally  over  us,  thy  glory  and 
renown  is  most  especially  concerned  in  our  affairs;  great- 
er mercy,  power,  wisdom,  and  sovereignty  hast  thou  not 
manifested  on  any  people,    since  thou  ascended  on  high: 
how  majestic  and  glorious  have  thy  outgoings  been  among 
us?  as  if  here  had  been  the  chief  place  of  thy  dwelling  on 
earth.     Such  majestic  banners  of  mercy  and  justice  hast 
thou  erected  among  us,  as  have  amazed  the  nations  about: 
and  though,  ere  it  be  long,  thou  wilt  pour  out  our  blood, 
like  water,  by  the  force  of  the  sword,  because  of  our  hor- 
rid apostacies  and  inventions;    yet  thy   loving-kindness 
shalt  thou  never  remove  from  us,   but  shall  erect  a  ban- 
ner of  love  over  us,   until  the  day  of  thine  appearance. 
Thou  hast  manifested,  that  thou  art  well  pleased  with 
thine  espousing  of  us,  and  that  thou  standest  to  the  bar- 
gain,  by  thy  begetting  a  progeny  of  sons  and  daught>ers, 
which  appear  to  exceed,  in  numbei*  and  excellency,  alt 
others  through  the  habitable   world.     Though  our  iniqui- 
ties testify  against  us,   and  cry  for  utter  desolation,  until 
we  be  like  Admah  and  Zeboim;    yet,  what  wilt  thou  do 
for  thy  great  name,  which  will   be   greatly  blasphemed 
throughout  the  worW,  if  thou  utterly  consume  us?    Hast 
thou  begun  a  work;    and  shalt  thou  not  perfect  it?     Hast 
thou  laid  the  foundation;    and  shalt  thou  not  erect  it  un- 
to the  cope-stone,  that  all  may  cry,   grace,  grace  unto  it? 
Hast  thou  not  ever  frustrated  the  cruel  and  hellish  intents 
of  thine  enemies,  and  made  their  devices  to  fall  on  t^ieir 

R 


194  A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  1 

\ 

own  heads;  and  shalt  thou  not  now  plunge  them  into  the  • 
midst  of  their  own  mischiefs,  as  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  ■ 
world  shall  cry  out,  Higgaion,  Selah?     Hast  thou  such  a  j 
numerous  and  excellent  remnant,  according  to  the  elec-  ; 
tion  of  grace;    and   shall  they  not  hold  thee  irom  remo-  | 
ving  altogether  from  hence?    yea,  so  hold  thee,  as  thou 
shalt  dwell  most  gloriously  amongst  us,  and  bless  us  with  i 
a  double  blessing?     Art  thou  the  hearer  of  prayer;    and  ; 
shall  not  the  sighs,  and  tears,  and  groans  of  thy  afflicted,  j 
persecuted  ones  prevail  strongly  with  thee?     Are  there?  i 
not  thousands  of  thousands  of  prayers  lying  before  the  ' 
throne,  not  yet  answered?     How  many  strong  wrestlers  ; 
have   prayed  and  wept  for  thy  vindicating  thy  work  and  ! 
people,  and  died  praying?     Though  sighs  and  tears  did  ; 
not  move  thee,  yet  wilt  thou  not  regard  the  cry  of  the 
souls  under  the  altar,  who  testified  for  the  very  smallest  of  i 
thy  interests  unto  the   death?     Is  not  thy  kingdom  now  I 
upon  the  advancing  hand,  and  the  glorious  days  at  the  = 
close  of  time,  which  of  old  thou  had  promised,  at  the  door?  . 
Anon,  thou  wilt  tread  upon  the  high  places  of  the  earth,  \ 
and  the  inhabitants  shall  tremble,  and  be  amazed:  and  the  1 
loftiness  of  man  shall  be  bowed  down,  and  the  haughtiness  \ 
of  men  shall  be  made  low,  and  thou  alone  shalt  be  exalt-  i 
ed  in  that  day.     Thou  art  coming  forth  in  great  fury,  and  i? 
shalt  tread  the  wine  press  without  the  city,  up  to  the  horse  j 
bruiles:  and  the  carcasses  of  the  men  of  this  generation  | 
shall  be  like  dung  upon  the  earth;  for  the  sword  shall  de-  ! 
vourfrom  the  one  end  of  the  land,  even  to  the  other;  no  j 
flesh  shall  have  peace,  because  the  earth  is  defiled  under  I 
the  inhabitants  thereof;  since  they  have  transgressed  the  ] 
laws,  changed  the  ordinances,  broken  the  everlasting  cov-  ; 
enant:  for,  from  the  least  of  them  even  unto  the  greatest 
of  them,  every  one  is  given  to  covetousness;  and  from  the 
prophet,  unto  the  priest,  every  one  dealeth  falsely:  they 
have  healed  the  hurt  of  the  daughter  of  thy  people  slight- 
ly, saying,  peace,  peace,  when  there  is  no  peace:  they  be 
all  adulterers,  an  assembly  of  treacherous  men;  and  they 
bend  their  tongues,  like  their  bow,  for  lies;    but  they  are 
not  valiant  for  the  truth  upon  the  earth.       Behold,  thy 
whirlwind  shall  go  forth  in  fury,   even  a  grievous  whirl- 
wind, it  shall  fall  grievously  upon  the  head  of  the  wicked. 
Thou  hast  not  sent  these  prophets,   yet  they  ran;    thou 
hast  not  spoken  to  them,  yet  they  prophesied;    therefore 
wilt  thou  cast  out  the  carcasses  of  these  prophets,   and 


A    GLIMPSE    OF    GLORY.  195 

these  lo  whom  they  have  prophesied,  into  the  streets,  and 
the  fields,  to  be  devoured  by  the  fowls  of  ti»e  heaven,  and 
the  beasts  of  the  field;  for  thou  wilt  cut  oft' from  this  gen- 
eration head  and  tail,  branch  and  rush,  in  one  day:  and  it 
shall  be  as  with  the  people,  so  with  the  priest;  as  with 
the  servant,  so  with  his  master;  as  with  the  maid,  so  with 
her  mistress;  as  with  the  buyer,  so  with  the  seller;  as 
Aviih  the  lender,  so  with  the  borrower;  as  with  the  taker 
o£  usury,  so  with  the  giver  of  usury  to  him:  for  wicked- 
ness burneth  as  the  fire,  it  shall  devour  the  briers  and 
thorns,  and  shall  kindle  in  the  thickets  of  the  forest;  and 
they  shall  mount  up,  as  the  lifting  up  of  smoke.  Through 
thy  wrath  the  land  is  darkened,  and  the  people  shall  be 
the  fuel  of  thy  fire:  no  man  shall  spare  his  bro:her; 
they  shall  eat  every  man  the  flesh  of  his  own  arm.  Ma- 
nanasseh  Ephraim,  and  Ephraim  Manasseh,  and  they  to- 
gether shall  be  against  Judah:  and  the  streets  shall  be 
filled  with  blood,  and  the  fields  shall  be  soaked  with  blood 
and  fatness;  for  it  is  the  day  of  thy  fury  and  revenge  for 
the  controversy  of  Zion:  but  yet  in  it  shall  be  a  tenth, 
and  it  shall  return,  and  shall  be  eaten,  as  a  tyle-tree,  and 
as  an  oak,  whose  substance  is  in  them  when  they  cast 
their  leaves:  for  the  holy  seed  shall  be  the  substance  there- 
of. And  in  that  day  shall  the  branch  of  the  Lord  be 
beautiful  and  glorious;  and  the  fruit  of  the  earth  shall  be 
excellent  and  comely,  for  them  that  are  escaped  of  Israel: 
retainest  not  thy  anger  for  ever,  because  thou  delightest 
and  in  that  day  shalt  thou  be  for  a  crown  of  glory,  and 
for  a  diadem  of  beauty  unto  the  residue  of  thy  people; 
and  for  a  spirit  of  judgment  to  him  that  sitteth  in  judg- 
ment; and  for  strength  to  them  who  turn  the  battle  to  the 
gate.  For  thou  in  the  midst  of  us  art  mighty;  thou  wilt 
save,  thou  wilt  rejoice  over  us  with  joy;  thou  wilt  rest  in 
thy  love;  thou  wilt  rejoice  over  us  with  singing;  and 
wilt  thou  gather  them  that  are  sorrowful  for  the  solemn 
assembly,  even  them  to  whom  the  reproach  of  it  was  a 
burden;  and  thou  wilt  create  upon  every  dwelling-place 
of  mount  Zion,  and  upon  her  assemblies  a  cloud,  and 
smoke  by  day,  and  the  shining  of  a  flamin»  fire  by  night; 
for  upon  all  the  glory  shall  be  a  defence.  Who  is  a  God 
like  unto  thee,  that  pardonest  iniquity,  and  passest  by  the 
transgression  of  the  remnant  of  thine  inheritance?  Thou 
in  mercy.  0  may  thou  be  glorious  and  exalted  through 
Britain,  and  the  whole  w^orldl     When  shall  the  night  be 


196  THE   DYING-  SAINT's    ^ONG. 

gone,  and  thou  arise  with  heaHng  under  thy  wiogs?  When 
shall  thou  pour  down  thy  Spirit  fi'om  on  high,  and  make 
unto  thyself  a  wilhng  people?  Hasten  these  days  for 
thine  elect's  sake:  be  an  hiding  place  to  thy  chosen,  from 
the  storm  and  tempest,  and  the  blast  of  the  terrible  ones, 
according  to  thy  promise:  cover  us"  witli'thy  feathers,  and 
under  thy  win ^s  make  us  to  trust:  let  thy  truth  be  our 
shield  and  buckler.  Then  shall  we  not  be  afraid  for  the 
terror  by  night,  nor  for  the  arrow  that  flieth  by  day,  nor 
the  pestilence  that  walketh  in  darkness,  nor  for  the  des- 
truction that  walketh  at  noon-day:  a  thousand  shall  fall  at 
our  side,  and  ten  thousand  at  our  right  band?  but  it  ehall 
not  come  near  us;  only  with  our  eyes  shall  we  behold, 
and  see  the  reward  of  the  wJcked.  O  let  us  se^  the  good 
of  thy  chosen,  and  rejoicij  with  thy  natioa,  and  be  glad 
with  thy  people:  let  us  see  good,  according  to  the  days 
wherein  we  have  seen  evil,  and  according  to  the  days  thou 
hast  afflicted  us.  And  perfornti  thy  great  promises,  now 
ih  the  end  of  time  and  days.  As  thou  hast  already  poured 
the  vials  of  thy  wratli  on  the  seat  of  the  beast:  now,  our 
mighty  One^  dry  up  the  river,  the  great  river;  and  let 
there  come  a  great  voice  from  the  temple  of  heaven,  from 
the  throne,  it  ts  done:  that  thou  mayest  have  a  glorious 
church  of  Jew  and  Gentile:  such  a  day  of  thy  power  and 
beauties  of  holiness,  as  that  the  clearest  days  we  or  our 
fathers  ever  saw,  were  but  days  of  darkness  and  igno- 
rance in  comparison  of  them.  Haste,  O  Well-beloved, 
that  tbou  raayest  cry  down  time  and  days,  and  bec?ome  all 
in  all  unto  thy  chosen,  throughout  eternity. 


THE  D^IXG  SAINT'S.  SOXG 

FAREWELL,  you  beauties  of  the  lower  story 
Of  God's  great  all;  adieu,  thou  painted  glory 
Of  silly  earth;   farewell,  you  dreams,  you  toys, 
Cloth'd  in  the  garb  of  true  delights  and  joys: 
Yet,  were  you  such,  as  to  the  world  you  seem. 
What  place  now  can  you  have  in  mine  esteem? 
Since  all  you  lesser  beauties  disappear. 
In  western  point  of  my  heart's  hemisphere,- 
You  rose,  shone,  set,  yet  shall  you  not  again 
Shine  on  my  soul,  while  heav'n  of  heav'ns  remain:^ 
No  more  shall  painted  loves  my  soul  bereave. 
No  more  glitt'ring,  shades  my  mind  deceive 
Kp  more  shall  empty  hopes  cause  discontent, 


xftE    DYING    saint's    SONG.  19^ 

No  more  shall  carking  cares  my  soul  torment; 
No  more  sliall  pain  cause  me  to  groan  and  sob, 
No  move  shall  fears  cause  stifled  heart  to  throb; 
No  more  shall  crackling  joys  my  sp'rits   cxhal, 
No  more  shall  vain  conceits  my  thoughts  inthral; 
No  more  shall  vain  delights  choke  solid  pleasure, 
No  more  shall  store  of  clay  appear  a  treasure; 
No  more  shall  childish  rage  my  blood  inflame. 
No  more  shall  fond  desires  possess  the  same; 
No  more  shall  my  conceptions  be   obscur'd 
No  more  shall  my  affections  be  obdur'd: 
No  more  shall  damps  asleep  my  senses  lull. 
No  more  shall  clubbish  earth  soul's  actions  dull; 
No  more  shall  sickness  my  clay  house  possess, 
No  more  shall  exercise  cause  weariness: 
No  more  shall  silly  body  cause  a  loathing, 
No  more  shall't  stand  in  need  of  food  and  clothing 
No  more  shall  men  contemn,  if  these  fall  low, 
No  more  shall  men  esteem,  if  these  o'erflow: 
No  more  shall  sin  remain,  source  of  all  ill. 
No  more  shall  sin  man's  glorious  structure  spills- 
No  more  shall  sin  lodge  near  to  heav'nly  grace. 
No  more  shall  sin  eclipse  Christ's  lovely  face: 
No  more  shall  sin  pull  heart  from  things  divine, 
No  more  shall  sin  my  heart  to  earth  incline. 
Wouldst  thou,  in  short,  express  all  said  before 
Blest  self,  say  this,  That  sin  shall  be  no  more. 
Welcome  O  gentle  death,  I  think  thy  face 
Appears  not  grim,  but  hath  a  pleasant  grace: 
What  tho'  thy  looks  are  ghostly,'sad  and  sore 
Unto  the  wicked,  whom  thou  dost  devour? 
Not  so  to  us,  servants  cannot  appeal: 
For  our's  are  death,  life,  heav'n  and  earth,  and  all : 
First  sight  of  thee,  friend  death,  caus'd  languid  heart 
I^eap  for  exceeding,  joy,  and  ev'ry  part 
Tc  spring,  with  floods  of  pleasure:   I  was  slain 
With  sad  delays,  but  am  reviv'd  again: 
I'll  no  more  call  thee  death,  but  life;  I  find 
In  thee,  not  death's  but  life's  symtoms  combin'd. 
True,  death  thou  art  unto  the  wretched  band. 
Stark  dead  in  sin,  and  under  thy   command 
O  but  all  things  have  chang'd  their  kind  and  face 
Unto  the  sones  of  light,  and  life  and  grace! 
Sweet  Christ  hath  turn'd  for  us  all  blacks  to  white. 
All  woes  to  joys,  all  sadness  to  delight: 
He  past  the  lists  with  foes  and  gave  the  foil. 
And  made  all  foes  to  friendship  back  recoil. 
With  thee,  O  death,  ht  grappled  hand  to  hand. 
And  led  thee  captive  from  thy  native  land  : 
Now  thou  art  tam'd,  and  lost  thy  fatal  sting; 

R  2 


198  THE    DYING    SAINt's    SOXG. 

Foes  without  harm  can  no  disaster  bring. 

Enter  this  heart,  friend  deaih,  and  thou  shait  hear 

Tiiy  praises  sung,  with  a  melodious  cheer: 

O  sweet  beginner  of  all  joys  and  pleasure. 

Of  all  content,  and  fulness,  passing  measure/ 

O  joyful  ev'ning  period,  without   morrow. 

Of  wants,  and  pains,  and  tears,  and  griefs,  and  sorrow?. 

And,  which  is  most,  O  blessed  utmost  border 

Of  al)  corruption,  sinning  and  disorder! 

Once  past  this  march,  I   may  \^  ith  boldness  cry. 

All  sin  is  gone,  adieu  all  misery, 

O  safe  refuge!  O  sweet  eternal  port! 

To  which  all  weary'd  pilgrims  do  resort. 

O  silver  stream.'  O  pleasant  passing  strand 

From  clownish  earth,  to  fair  EmmanucFs  land! 

O  gladsome  boatman  giving  safe   convoy 

From  weeping  earth,  unto  the  land  of  joy. 

O  quiet  sleep!  which  weary'd  sense  assails. 

And  sp'rits  and  pow'rs  with  sweet  immortal  gales 

O  just  umpire  which  doth  the  march  descry 

Of  flying  time,  and  vast  eternity. 

O  skilful  sower  of  earth's  mortal  grain! 

That  it  in  heav'nly  glore  may  rise  again 

O  noble  usher,  who  by  th*  hand  dost  bring 

Us  to  the  hall  of  the  immortal  king. 

Would  T  thy  praises  in  one  word  express? 

I'll  only  say,  O  source  of  happiness! 

From  thee  did  never-  fading  glor}""  grow; 

From  thee  did  ever  blooming  joy  o'^rflow; 

By  thee  eternal  death  was  vanquished, 

By  thee  eternal  life  did  it  succeed. 

O  strange!  the  Source  of  life  did  purchase  more 
By  dying,  than  all  creatures  lost  before: 
Yea,  more  by  infinite   transcendent  stages. 
Than  can  be  told  through  endless  store  of  ages. 
Hy  thee  the  saints  their  heritage  possess: 
By  thee  earth's  too,  too  numerous  folks  decrease. 
Thou  art  more  mild,  of  a  more  pleasant  nature 
In  those  last  ages  of  the  lower  creature. 
Than  in  the  first  «hen  thou  did  suffer  men 
To  ruiya  longsome  race  of  sin  and  pain. 
O!  without  thee  our  strongest  hope  would  fail, 
Our  joys  would  die,  despair  would  us  assail. 
The  iliuughts  of  thee  brought  to  my  heart   relief ^ 
In  all  my  wand'rings  through  the  vale  of  grief 
Indeed  my  longing  soul  was  sore  (^ppress'd 
With,  sad  delavs,  when  thou  seem'd  not  to  haste 
Thy  wished  course,  and  to  forget  thy  call: 
Now,  now  thy  coming  hath  redressed  all. 
O  now  my  heart's  rejoic'd!  sweet  death  and  I 


THE    DYING    SAINT'S    SONG.  199 

Are  in  each  other's  arms;   thrice  happily, 

I  bravely  fly  out  o'er  the  march  of  time. 

Unto  that  happy,  happy,  glorious  clime: 

Where  stored  are  enduring  boundless  treasures 

Of  loves,  and  joys,  and  heart  contenting  pleasure^:. 

All  joy,  death's  shady  vale,  in  drawing  near 

Thy  dark'ned  borders!   strange!  thou  dost  appear 

Another  thing  than  what  I  aid  conceive; 

Mistakes  cause  needless  fears,  and  joys  bereave  : 

Thee  did  my  thoughts  present  an  ugly  den, 

O'erspread  with  horror,  sadness,  fear,  and  pain. 

Sight  tells  the  truth.      O  thrice  delightsome  place 

Stor'd  with  refreshing  shades  of  sweet  solace, 

Cast  by  these  stately  trees  of  fragrant  fume. 

Which  do  o'erspread  this  true  Elysium, 

And  do  adorn  this  trance,  which  pilgrims  bring 

Into  the  paradise,  which  ever  springs. 

Now  do  I  set  my  feet  withm  this  vale. 

What  gales  of  joys  are  these,  which  me  assail 

In  ihis  first  enter?  O  this  grave   might  be 

A  ravishing  repose  through  all  eternity! 

All  here  do  laugh  and  smile,  and  spring  and  sing; 

W^ere  sadness  here,  it  could  not  sadness  bring: 

Were  placed  h.  re  all  griefs  and  woes  of  creatures, 

Would  they  not  change  unto  melodious  natures? 

A.nd  can,  O  fairest  One,  thy   vord  command 
Death's  saddest  vale  unto  a  joyful  land? 
How  doth  the  place,  where  thou  dost  ever  dweU> 
In  glory  beauty,  and  all  things  excel? 
But  what  if  this  be  it?    O  heavenly  frame! 
My  mind's  enlarg'd,  my  heart  is  in  a  flame! 
O  sweet  aspects!  with  what  a  pleasant  grace 
Do  heav'nly  hosts  surround  me,  in  this  place? 
I'm  ravish'd  with  the  raiment  of  that  One, 
W^nose  fragrancy  transcendeth  Lebanon: 
His  voice,  his  soul  transporting  emanation 
Strikes  me  in  an  eternal  admiration! 
No,  this  is  glory's  port,  I  see  the  hall, 
Wner<^  lovely  Cnrist,  with  crown  in  hand,  doth  call; 

Come,  come,  my  fair,  thy  princely  head  I'll  crown 
With  thee  great  bays  or  glory  and  renown; 
I'll  thee  adorn,  m  such  a  brave  attire. 
That  all,  nho  thee  behold,  shall  thee  admire. 
O  love,  thou  ever  hast  been  in  my  sight, 
A  mass  of  beauty,  sweetness  and  delight: 
But  now,  my  fair,  I'll  thee  so  beautify 
With  the  resplendent  rays  ot  majesty. 
And  passing  glory's  beauty;  I'll  so  fill. 
With  store  of  heav'nly  grace,  thy  mind  and  wil^, 
And  all  thy  pow'rs;  thy  glore  so  flourisli  shall* 


£00  THE    DYING    SAINT's    SONG. 

And  bloom,  and  shine  and  ray,  through  ages  all. 

That  most  envying  seers  shall  confess, 

Thou  art  a  mirror  of  all  happiness 

O  hast  thou  fought  thy  foes,  and  vanquished. 

By  off 'ring  vi'lence  unto  aU,  who  did 

Thy  course  to  heav'n  oppose?  And  shall  not  I 

Put  in  thine  hands  these  palms  of  victory-* 

O!  didst  thou  gladly  suffer,  and  despise 

All  losses^,  pains,  and  woes,  that  did  arise 

For  my  name's  sake,  O  love?  And  shall  not  I 

Cause  thee  to  reign  in  glorious  majesty? 

Wast  thou  to  all  created  things  deny'd. 

Esteeming  them  but  dross  and  dung,  and  ey'd 

Me  as  the  only  One?  And  shall  not  I 

Thee  with  my  matchless  beauty  satisfy? 

O!  hast  thou  bid  farewell,  for  evermore, 

To  earthly  things,  which  thou  enjoy'd  before, 

That  thou  might'st  come  to  me?  And  shall  not  I 

Give  full  enjoyment  through  eternity? 

Othen,  arise,  my  fair,  and  come  away; 

Behold,  the  eastern  beams  of  this  fair  day 

Of  vast  eternity  dart  in  thy  face; 

Causing  all  shades  retreat  and  flee  apace. 

U  come,  and  enter  this  thrice  happy  place, 

Thou  now  behold'st  what  ravishing  solace 

Dwells  here!  what  passing  joys!  what  boundless  pleasures 

Flow  in  this  land,  like  fountains  floods  and  rivers? 

Nay,  nothing  here  but  sweetness!  ev'ry  part 

IsfiU'd  with  all  delights  of  mind  and  heart: 

Here  ev'ry  ray's  a  white  and  joyful  day; 

Here  ev'ry  bloom's  a  fragrant  smelling  May, 

If  once  thou  enter  bere,  thy  rain  is  gone. 

Thy  winter's  past,  and  all  thy  woes  are  done. 

This  is  the  holy  place,  within  the  vail; 

Wherein  once  ent'red,  shalt  for  ever  dwell: 

This  is  the  place  of  old  I  did  prepare 

To  be  the  stage,  whereon  I  might  declare 

My  beauty,  glory,  and  excellency. 

Before  this  glorious,  stately  company 

Of  men  and  angels,  who  shall  see  my  face. 

And  shall  for  ever  in  my  sight  find  grace: 

Lo,  here,  below  these  rosy,  fragrant  groves. 

We'll  satiate  ourselves  with  mutual  loves. 

O!  here  our  blessedness  shall  bloom  for  ay? 

Arise,  my  love  my  fair,  and  come  away. 

Thus  speaks  my  Lord,  this  is  his  invitation. 
Thus  sounds  his  voice:  O  endless  admiration 
Ti'ansporting  all:  O  fires  dart  from  above, 
Transforming  all  into  a  flame  of  love  ! 
His  soijj  alluring  voice,  his  heav'nly  grace. 


THE    DYING    SAINT'S    SONG.  901 

That  shines  in  ev'ry  look,  his  fairest  face, 
Jiis  lovely  eys,  his  countenance  divine 
Hath  ravish 'd  quite  away  this  heart  of  mine; 
At  first  aspect  his  shade,  a  draught  might  jjrove, 
Would  quite  eclipse  ten  thousand  worlds  of  love. 
Thrice  blessed  saints,  thrice  (3lessed   angels  you 
Who  stand  within  the  "near  immediate  view 
Of  ruch  an  One  all  in  your  proper  places. 
Encircled  with  essential  love's  embraces! 
'Tis  like  two  heaven's  of  joy   to  think  upon. 
That  I  shall  l)e  within  these  arms  anon! 
More  solid  joy  the  hope  of  E;,lory'  bring?. 
Than  all  enjoyments  of  created  things. 


WRITTEN    BY 

MR.    AJVDREir  WELJVOOD,    FROM  LO^^DOX, 
A  LITTLE  BEFORE  MIS   DEdTH. 


I.     .3  Letter  to  his  Mother, 

Dear  Mother,  lond^v. 

IF  I  were  able  to  dictate  now,  when  I  am  entering  into  eter- 
nity, I  could  tell  you  the  consolations  wherewith  I  am  comfort- 
ed of  God,  even  when  the  chiefest  delights  of  the  world,  these 
trifles  upon  which  the  sons  of  men  dote,  can  be  no  comfort  to 
me.  Aliib!  what  are  all  the  comforts  that  flee  away  at  death? 
Even  the  vanities  of  time,  which  cannot  convoy  a  man  without 
the  borders  of  time;  and  far  endure  wi^^h  him  through  eternity. 
My  death  would  seem  judicial-like  to  blind  wordungs,  who  see 
no  judgment,  but  to  be  deprived  of  the  empty  and  tasteless  van- 
ities of  time;  but  I  see  that  all  things  work  together,  for  good  to 
them  who  are  the  called  accordine  to  his  purpose;  even  difficul- 
ties, temptations,  griefs  and  woes,  have  all  an  happy  end  to  the 
godly..  Out  of  the  eater  cometh  meat,  and  out  of  the  strong 
comeih  sweetness:  so,  even  eating  and  consuming  griefs,  sick- 
ness and  losses,  which  u  ake  the  outward  man  decay,  renew  the 
inward  man,  and  make  him  flourish;  even  the  strongest  diffi- 
culties, temptations  and  foes  when  overcome,  yield  the  sweet- 
est victory?  and  the  thoughts  of  having  rubh-.d  through  so 
many  enemies  and  so  strong,  shall  be  sweet  throughout  eter- 
nity.    I  sec  clearly,  the  steps  of  divine  providence  toward  me^ 


20i  MR.   A.   WELWOOD's   LETTER 

iiave  conspired  to  a  blessed  close;  even  the  most  difficult  of 
them,  especially  this  half  year:  I  vvould  not,  for  never  so  much, 
but  that  1  die,  and  am  sick  in  this  place:  for  his  dispensations 
have  a  wonderful  depth  in  them,  and  cannot  well  be  discerned, 
but  by  eyes  enlightend  from  above.  But  wordlings  are  blind  and 
vajy  strangely  in  their  judgment  of  things;  and  even  the  saints, 
^v•hile  here,  are  much  blinded  with  sin  and  infirmities  of  this 
overpowering  mortality.  Death  has  indeed  a  tei-nbie  face  to 
those  that  place  all  their  happuiess  in  this  life;  but  I  fear  it 
not;  it  IS  not  death,  but  an  harbinger  or  glory  unto  me:  it  is  an 
hard  favoured  messenger  sent  from  ;ny  sweet  Lord  to  me;  h  is 
a  dark  and  sad  chariot  carrying  to  the  land  of  Vight  and  joy ,  My 
Lord  hath  done  to  me,  what  he  hath  deterntined  from  eternity, 
and  all  his  pui  poses,  even  all  the  thoughts  of  love,  infinite  love, 
to  th".se  that  wait  upon  him,  I  resolved  to  glorify  him  on  earth, 
and  dedicated  my  hfe  wholly  to  my  Lord's  service;  and  I  know 
it  is  all  one  with  him,  as  if  I  had  done  it:  and  F  sh  .11,  in  another 
manner,  exalt  and  serve  him  above,  than  1  could  have  done 
liere  below,  weighted  with  mortality,  and  i'-inurners.ble  infirm- 
ities. My  Lord  haih  said  to  me,  it  would  weary  thee  to  stay  too 
long  in  ;his  valley  of  tears  and  misery;  I  take  it,  as  if  thou  hadst 
done  me  many  ye-.irs  service:  1  have  abridged  thy  days,  but  not 
thy  life:  I  have  shortend  thy  toiling,  but  not  thy  re  vard  And  O 
■^vhat  a  blessed  thing  it  is,  that  he  takes  the  tj\sk  of  many  weary 
year's  service  ofFmy  hand!  My  wrrfare  is  ended;  O  the  joyful 
change  I  am  undergoing!  when  shall  I  :,ee  hi  n  as  he  isi*  when 
shall  1  get  my  fill  ot  lovely  Jesusi*  O  his  beauty,  his  beauty,  his 
beauty!  Men  and  angels  may  admire  the  freeness  of  his  grace, 
and  admire  it,  and  ever  admire  it!  but  what  can  they  say,  or 
comprehend  of  it?  O  the  freeness  .^f  his  grace!  that  he  should 
admit  the  like  of  me  to  stand  eternally  before  him,  and  to  be  for 
ever  in  hie  presence;  to  be  ©ne  of  his  honorable  train;  nay,  to 
enjoy  him,  as  near  as  can  be  O  think  ye,  I  lose  any  thing,  who 
get  the  fore- start,  and  become  possessor  of  that  inheritancf  f  the 
inheritance  of  many  a  more  excellent  and  ancient  saint  than 
I.^  nay,  the  inheritance  of  the  Heh'  of  all  things?  It  is  little  of 
heaven  I  know,  being  obscured  with  mortality,  and  living  by 
faith  and  not  by  sight:  but  O  to  think  of  the  expressions  of  scrip- 
ture concerning  it!  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  nor  hath  it 
entered  into  the  heart  of  man  to  conceive,  what  God  hath  prepa- 
red ior  those  that  love  him;  if  heaven  could  be  conceived  by  us, 
1  s^houid  not  so  much  esteem  it.  But  O  it  is  a  massy  thing!  O 
strange!  that  God  should  make  bits  of  mortal  men  (and  what  a 
poor  worthless  thing  man  is,  let  any  behold  in  a  dying  and  dead 
carcass)  not  only  as  happy  as  we  can  desire,  or  conceive?  but  as 
happy  as  can  be!  O  the  beholding  of  the  face  of  the  Ancient  of 
days!  But  I  know  in  whom  1  have  beheved;  and  that  he  is  able 
to  ])resent  me  spotless  before  th<^  Father,  with  exceeding  great 
joy.  If  J  perish,  let  him  see  to  his  promise;  I  have  laid  all  upon 
him;  if  I  perish,  (through  the  strength  of  my  Lord  by  whom  I  can 


'iO   HIS    MOTHER.  203 

do  all  things)  I  shall  perish  believing.  I  expert  much  of  iieavcn, 
more  than  I  can  conceive;  but  O  I  think  I  shall  be  exceedingly 
deceived,  (O  sweet  deceit!)  for  I  shall  find  more  than  ten  thou- 
sand worlds  can  comprehend.    I  .^hall  see  my   Father  ere  long: 
many  sweet  days  have  he  and  I  had  upon  earth,  many  innum- 
erable ages  shall  wc  have  in  henven  together,   O  heaven!  O  the 
diflerencc  betwixt  this  melancholious,  stnokyinn  and  the  mag- 
nificent hall  of  glory!  O  the  change  I  am  undergoing  •  I  go  from 
the  twilight  of  the  sun  5c  moon,  to  the  noon-day  of  the  splendour 
of  glory;  from  a  dunghill,  to  a  throne;  from  bodily  infivmi'iies, 
distresses,  diseases,  and  pains,  to  a   land,  whose  inhabitants  do 
not  say,  I  am  sick;  from  wearisome  labour  and  toiling,    into  an 
inconceivable  sweet  paradise,  where  I  shall  rest  for  evermore; 
from  a  mortal  company,  to  an  innumerable  im mortal   company- 
of  angels,   to  the  general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first  born, 
wjiich  are  written  in  heaven;  and  to  God  the  judge  of  all,  and 
to  the  spii  its  of  just  men  made  perfect;  and  to  Jesus  the  Mediatoi- 
of  the  new  covenant,  O  what  think  ye,  to  be  eternally,  even  for 
ever  and  ever,  among  such  sweet  company  i*  Are  there  any  mor» 
liDUorable,  and  amiable  company,  than  they?  O,  what   shall  I 
say,  what  shall  I  think?  that  filthy  and  unworthy  I  should  show 
my  face  among   so   g'orious  an  assembly.    What  is  here,   but 
vanity  and  grief  of  heait?   O  do  you  not  long  to  be   gone,    to  be 
in  thac  sweet  and  inconceivable  paradise.'*     Cast  your  anciior 
within  the  vaii,  and  then  you  need  not  fear  death,  come   when 
it  will.   But,  C)  long  life,  or  death  rather!  for  the  sooner   at  our 
journey's  end  the  better,  and  the  longer  wc  are  cloged  with  sin 
and  misery,  the  worse;  but  t:he   more  we  will  love  to   linger  in 
tnis  Sodom.    It  is  hard  to  get  our  hearts  drawn   quite  off  time: 
we  Icok  kindly  to  the  bastard's  mheritance;    and    therefore  we 
abhor  death,  and  can  frist  heaven   longer  th^n   any   thing  else: 
but  if  we  could  get  a  sight  of  the  King  in  his  beauty,  and  of  the 
land  that  is  afar  off;  then,  O  to  be  gone.  O  to  be  up  above  these 
visible  heavens  and  amongst  these  glittermg   companies,   who 
enjoy    him    to  the  full      O    if  man   knew    how   vain  a   world 
this  is!      O  but    they  are  happy,   and   inconceivably   happy, 
v,'ho   escape    fairly    the  temptations,    snares,   and  difficulties 
tiiat   are   in   this    valley  of  tears,     and  who  are  fairly  land- 
ed on  that   odoriferous,   fiowery  land,  on  that  ravishing  land, 
which  infinite  and  eternal  love  did  contrive  to  be  the  royal  thea- 
tre, whereon  should  be  shown,  to  men  and  angels,  the  heighth 
and  breadth,  depth  and  length,  of  that  love    which  passeth 
understanding.   If  you  run  fast,  you  cannot  be  long  behind   me; 
and  we  shall  see  one  another  imm.ediately:  death  is  no  separation 
t-o  the  saints;   for  time  is  nothing:  for  what  is  it  to  be  separated 
for  a  few  hours,  to  them  that   are  to  dwell  tternally  together? 
What  is  transient  time  to  never  ending  eternity  of  joys.-*   Death 
is  far  mistaken  by  the  most  part  of  saints,  they  have    a  wrong 
conc.ption  of  it;  it  is  a  sweet  repose  to  a  weary  soul,  and  looseth 
the  soul  from  the  bands  of  mortahty,  letting  it  out  from  a  filthy. 


204  MR.    A,  WELWOOD's  LETTER 

Stinking  prison,  unto  the  sweet  and  fragrant  air  of  glory;  it  ends 
all  sorrows  and  sighings,  and  begins  unspeakable  joys:  it  is  but 
a  dark  cloud  ushering  in  the  bright  dawning  of  eternal  glory. 
O  but  my  Lord  hath  excellently  circumstantiate  my  death!  O  I 
admire  his  love!  I  could  tell  many  sweet  passages  cf  providences 
he  hath  casten  in  my  way;  but  I  dtlay  until  I  be  sitting  upon  the 
brink  of  the  river  of  life;  nnd  then  I  shall  numl^er  them,  1  cannot 
now  praise  him;  alas  that  I  am  so  siupid  and  dull;  but  I  shall 
praise  him  anon,  I  shall  eternally  praise  him?  C)  be  glad  and 
rejoice  in  our  God!  O  sweet!  that  poor  dying,  miserable  I  was 
not  left  to  uncertainiies,  not  to  know  what  to  do;  but  to  have 
such  a  sweet  and  kind  Lord  to  repose  on!  Had  1  stayed  longer 
iii  ihis  wretdied  life,  1  was  resolved  to  have  shown  myself  at; 
faithful  to  yoU  as  I  could:  but  I  commit  you  unto  his  grace,  who 
hath  cared  for  me  even  unto  death:  commit  yourselt  to  him,  he 
-will  bring  all  to  a  good  issue  that  is  trusted  to  him.  We  are  not 
our  own;  therefore  we  are  not  to  dispose  of  ourselves.  Christ  is  a. 
good  tutor  and  governor,  and  carries  all  these  well  through 
that  commit  t'lcmselves  to  him.  See  that  Mary  neglect  not 
seeking  ot  God:  praying,  reading  of  the  scriptures;  let  her  not 
frequent  ill  company.  O  the  worth  of  a  soul!  and  the  reward  of 
those  thnt  are  instrumental  in  gaining  of  a  soul!  our  bodies  must 
go  to  the  dust;  but  our  souls  are  of  more  worth  than  ten  thou- 
sand worlds.  I  am  not  able  to  say  more,  I  am  so  weak.  O'  run 
fast,  de? th  is  at  the  door.  We  are  stepping  into  eternity;  what 
is  time,  but  a  preparation  for  it?  Overlook  time,  and  live,  as  daily 
dying,  as  one  that  must  pass  away  immediately,  and  never  be 
here  any  more.  They  buijd  castels  in  the  air.  who  imagine  any 
rest  here:  let  worldlings  dream  of  rest  here;  ours  is  above;  our 
hearts  are  gone;  and  we  are  dead  to  the  world.  Farewell  for  a 
few  days.    These  are  the  words  of. 

Your  dying  Son, 

^.  WELWOOD, 


II.     j1  Letter  to  his  Brother  James, 

Dear  Brother, 

I  Hope,  the  last  words  of  your  brother,  who  is  now  stepping 
into  eternity  will  have  some  weight  with  you;  and  this  consid- 
eration will  make  you  not  to  neglect  them.  Know  yoa  why  you 
came  into  the  world?  I  am  sure,  and  you  are  as  sure,  not  to  eat, 
and  drink,  and  pass  away  your  time  in  earthly  buisnes.s;  but  to 
get  the  work  of  your  salvation  well  v^^rought  and  finiahed,  before 
death  assault  you:  it  is  most  uncertain,  and  steals  upon  men,  as 
-a  thief  in  the  night,  when  they  are  secure,  never  tlreaming  of 
such  a  great  change:  though  truly  my  gracious  Lord  lets  me  see 


JMR.   A.   WELWOOd's  letter  205 

death  still  approaching  nearer  and  nearer,  that  I  m^iy  draw  ever 
nearer  and  ne.;re^  iiiiii  who  is  life.  O  it  concerns  you  to  try, 
■whether  you  siiall  bt-  a  base  miscreant,  crawling  in  the  bottom- 
less pit  with  unspeakable  torments,  m  the  midst  of  wicked  men 
and  d^'v.'s  blasphen^.ng  jf.hovah  and  the  Lamb  to  eternity;  c», 
a  glortoub  saint,  ConforauMi  uiito  the  image  of  tht  Son  of  the 
eternal  God,  loving,  praising,  adoring  him  that  sitttthon  the 
throne,  ar.d  the  Lamb  for  ever  and  ever.  Consider  what  I  say, 
tiie  business  is  so  weighty,  so  exceeding  weighty,  that  time,  .vith 
all  its  weal  and  wo,  is  to  be  oveii'X)ked  in  comparison  of  this 
absolalely  and  only  necessary  thing:  lell  yoii,  there  is  an  abso- 
liuc  necessity  that  voii  be  holy  ;  ( let  not  the  poor  name  affright 
you,  for  hohncss  is  the  sweetest  and  most  easy  thing  in  the  world 
to  them  that  are  holy^  for.  Without  holiness  no  man  shall  see 
the  J_.ord:  and  solvation  must  be  nearer  your  heart,  by  many 
degrees,  than  aliother  concernments,  tho'  they  were  ten  thou- 
sand worlds.  You  must  know  the  bargain  of  the  new  covenant, 
and  close  heartily  with  it,  in  all  its  fulness,  withcnt  the  least 
reservation:  upon  it,  I  recommend  unto  you  Mr  Guthrie's  trial 
of  a  saviBg  interest  in  Christ;  and  desire  you  to  read  it,  till  you 
l>ecome  such  an  one  as  he  describes.  Believe  it,  Godlintiis  is 
profitable  for  all  things,  having  the  promises  of  this  life,  and  that 
which  is  to  come.  Though  it  may  seem  troublesome  in  the 
beginning,  and  tho'  Christ's  sweet  and  easy  yoke  may  seem 
an  hard  wreath;  yet,  believe  me,  there  is  nothing  in  the  world 
but  it  which  can  give  rest,  and  full  satisfaction  to  the  soul:  all 
things  here  are  unsatisfying,  though  you  had  all  that  you  can 
desire  of  them.  O  this  is  a  vain  world!  those  who  are  near  eter- 
nity will  say  so.  O  the  vast  difference  betwixt  time  and  eter- 
nity! I  assure  you,  if  you  had  all  that  your  heart  could  wish  or 
desire  of  the  pomp,  treasures,  and  pleasures  of  time,  you  would 
find  no  contentment  in  thera:  and  wlien  you  shall  be  in  such  a 
condition  as  I  am  in,  when  pale  death  shall  be  staring  you  in 
the  face;  then  all  the  glory  of  time  will  be,  in  your  eyes,  nothing 
but  a  Withered  flower.  But  alas!  we  are  drunk  with' this  world; 
and  we  never  know  well  what  we  are  doing,  till  death  make  us 
sober.  I  must  say  again,  and  again.  O  the  difference  betwixt 
time  and  eternity!  they  that  get  heaven>  can  get  no  more;  for, 
alas!  what  are  all  additions  of  time.^  What  is  a  few  days  eating, 
and  drinking  and  trifling?  yea,  what  are  all  the  massy  exercises 
of  time  compared  with  the  exercises  of  glory?  We  place  too 
much  of  our  happiness  in  this  side  of  time;  and  therefore  death 
is  a  great  disappointer:  but  we  should  be  indifferent  to  all  things 
in  time,  and  have  our  eyes  ever  fixed  upon  the  thoughts  of 
eternity.  Then  it  is  not  at  all  to  be  regarded,  in  what  time  of 
a  man's  life  he  die,  if  he  die  in  the  Lord:  yea,  it  is  an  invaluable 
blessing  for  the  prisoner,  or  weary  pilgrinn,  to  have  all  his  toil- 
in^s  by  his  hand,  and  to  win  to  his  native  soil,  You  may  think, 
I  put  a  hard  task  upon  you;  because  our  nature  is  all  polluted, 
mid  Ave  are  accustomed  to  do  evil:  but  the  v/ays  of  holiness  art* 


306  TO    HIS    BROTHEil. 

sweet,  and  all  its  paths  are  peace:  if  you  were  once  acquaint 
■with  the  ways  of  it,  you  w  ould  say,  that  sin  is  the  most  base  and 
vile  thing  in  all  the  world;  and  holiness  is  the  most  noble  orna- 
inent.  And  consider  this,  the  more  you  set  your  mind  on  holi- 
ness, the  more  sweet  and  easy  will  you  find  it.  As  for  tempo- 
rary things,  take  no  care  for  them;  they  are  but  additions  to 
the  son's  inheritance.  I  may  say  by  experience,  he  hath  made 
good  his  word  to  me  in  all  these  things  of  time,  he  hath  made 
it  good  unto  the  end  of  my  race,  in  a  most  strange  and  wonder- 
ful way:  so  I  have  tasted  more  of  my  Lord's  goodness,  and  won- 
derful providence,  in  this  last  half  year  of  my  life,  than  in  many 
years  before;  I  think  it  a  merciful  dispensation,  that  he  hath 
weaned  my  heart  from  the  world,  more  in  this  half  year's  sick- 
ness, than  in  many  years  health:  this  whole  half  year  of  my  life 
hath  been  a  continual  winter,  for  bearing  down  my  corruption, 
both  original  and  actual:  and  now  the  world  hath  no  relish  to 
me.  Farewell,  vain  world,  I  heartily  submit  unto  death,  if  it 
were  for  no  more  but  because  it  is  the  good  pleasure  of  my  Lord, 
who  most  mercifully  takes  me  away  from  the  bondage  of  my 
corruption,  and  from  the  dreadful  evils  to  come.  Meditate  se- 
riously on  death  :  it  is  a  business  most  weighty,  a  business  upon 
which  your  eternal  weal  or  wo  depends  :  the  end  crowns  the 
work  ;'  die  well,  and  you  are  v/ell,  even  well  for  evernore. — 
And  O  !  is  not  evermore  a  massy  word  }  You  shall  find  death 
easy,  if  you  be  a  diligent  seeker  of  God  in  your  life  time  :  if  oth- 
ervvise,  you  shall  find  it  the  sorest  battle  that  ever  you  fought ; 
and  you  shall  quake,  when  you  shall  hear  an  avenging  God 
speaking  audibly  in  your  conscience,  He  is  not  mine,  take  his 
evil  soul,  devils,  pvdl  him  to  pieces,  and  haul  him  away  to  utter 
darkness  :  the  poor  soul  wrestles  in  vain,  but  an  avenging  God, 
leaves  it  for  a  prey  to  devils.  Look  not  on  death  as  afar  off: 
little  will  be  the  difference  betwixt  my  death  and  yours,  Tliis 
generation  will  quickly  be  gone  ;  time  is  a  glittering  star,  ap- 
pearing something  before  hand,  but  indeed  it  is  a  transient  noth- 
ing. And  one  that  dies  at  sixty  years  of  age,  and  another  that 
dies  at  twenty  years,  think  both  alike,  their  bypast  time  is  a 
dream.  Short,  or  long  time  is  not  to  be  regarded,  but  in  pre- 
paration for  eternity  :  and  he  that  is  prepared,  hath  lived  long 
enough.  Lay  some  vows  upon  yourselt ;  but  remember 
this,  that  you  vow  to  do  nothing  in  your  own  strength  ;  for  you 
shall  find,  that  when  you  are  weakest  in  your  own  eyes,  then 
are  you  strongest :  I  say,  lay  some  vows  upon  yourself,  as  to 
pray  thrice  a  day  seriously  and  conscientiously ;  to  read  so  much 
scripture,  and  to  meditate.  If  you  neglect  that,  which  not  I, 
but  Christ  commands  you,  farewell  for  ever,  li  you  obey,  fare- 
well tor  a  few  days  ;  and  then  you  and  I  shall  meet  in  the  only 
paradi>*e,  the  flower  of  the  whole  creation  :  we  shall  sit  doAvn 
upon  the  flowery  banks  of  the  river  of  life,  and  ravish  ourselves 
£Dr  ever  and  ever,  with  everlasting  and  unspeakable  joys. 
This  is  from  your  dying  brother, 

A.  WELWOOD. 


3IR.    A.  WELWOOD's  LETTER  207 

7//.  A  Letter  to  his  Sister  Helen, 
Dear  Sister, 

I  am  soiry  I  did  not  write  sooner,  before  my  streng-th  and  speech 
did  fail ;  but  I  would  be  g-lad  to  spend  my  last  breatli  upon  you,  if  I 
could  do  you  any  ^ood.  1  canr.ot  forget }  ou,  even  when  I  have  for- 
c^otten  the  vanities  of  the  world  ;  you  are  precious  unto  me,  since  I 
knew  you  in  some  measure  a  seeker  of  God.  O  what  advantages 
there  are  in  seekinf^  of  him  !  I  defy  men  and  angels  to  number  and 
comprehend  them  :  endless  eternity  shall  be  short  enough  to  lay  open 
the  inconceivable  gains  of  godliness.  If  you  seek  him  diUgently, 
sincerely,  and  constantly* }  ou  shall  have  all  things  :  and  O  is  not  that 
a  vast  word,  all  things  ?  All  shall  be  yours,  whether  the  world,  life, 
or  death,  things  present,  or  things  to  come ;  all  these  shall  be  yours, 
eveii  the  great  All,  and  whatsoever  is  his-  O  but  the  saints  have 
a  long,  large,  and  full  character  !  if  you  had  a  charter  for  many  lands, 
it  were  but  a  n-irro'v  thing  :  but  now  every  place  where  you  tread  on 
is  yotu-s  ;  and  Vvliat  can  you  desire  more  ?  Behold  the  heaven,  and 
consider  even  the  lienven  of  heavens,  for  tlicse  are  yours  :  is  it  prtssi- 
ble,  that  a  saint-,  the  heir  of  all  things,  and  joint-heir  with  the  Son  of 
the  Ercrnal,  is  it  possible,  1  say,  that  he  can  want  any  thing  ?  Nay, 
the  great  Eternal,  the  Maker  of  ail  things,  he  is  yours  ;  and  what 
can  you  desire  more  I  Is  it  possible,  that  a  saint  can  want  any  thing, 
whether  spiritual  or  temporal  ?  I  mean  any  thing  that  is  good  foi* 
him :  and  he  alone  knows  what  is  best  for  us  When  1  look  through 
the  passages  of  my  life,  I  see  my  Lord  and  guide  hath  led  me  the  best 
way,  and  these  have  been  the  sv/eetest  dispensations,  which  crossed 
most  my  natural  disposition;  and  which  seem  most  judgmer.t-like 
to  carnal  eyes.  We  are  like  ignorant  children,  that  have  no  judgment 
to  mske  clioice  of  things  ;  but  would  swallov  down  sweet  poison, 
and  give  away  a  rich  inheritai'.ce  for  p'-.lnted  trifles  No  wonder  then, 
tlie  world  be  fools  and  mad-men  in  their  choice  My  life  hath  been 
otherwioe  :  though  my  old  man  desired  still  to  be  swimming  in  the 
ease  and  vanities  of  the  world  ;  yet  I  see  my  Lord  hath  been  kindest, 
when  I  esteemed  him  most  cruel.  The  last  part  of  my  life  might 
seem  judgment-like  ^  but  O  you  would  wonder,  if  you  knew-  what 
1  know,  and  what  my  Lord  hath  done  for  me,  in  this  last  half  year  of 
my  hfe,  but  as  to  tilings  temporal  and  spirital:  I  cannot  understand 
t'nem  now,  but  I  shall  veiy  shortly  ;  and  they  shall  be  to  me  matter  of 
e'ernal  praise.  Though  1  had  abounded  with  all  the  ease,  delights, 
pomp,  and  glory,  and  riches  of  Cinv.i ;  yet  would  I  be  glad  to  die,  and 
leave  the  puddle  of  swinish  pleasures,  and  drink  of  the  pure  river  of 
everlasung  joys,  that  floweth  from  beneath  the  throne  of  God.  This 
world  qiii'.e  mistakes  death  :  O  who  would  not  willingly  leave  such  a 
vain  perishing  world!  wherein  we  are  still  dishonoring  our  God  ! 
H  world  wherein  the  saiiUs  get  had  entertainment;  a  world  wherein 
the  Lord  of  glory  was,  and  is  dally,  crucified.  What  is  here  ?  Alt 
tlie  glory  and  exc*ilency  of  the  creation  is  up  above  ;  a  few  imper- 
fect saints  are  only  iiere.  But  it  is  aljove,  I  shall  see  and  embrace  all 
these  worUiics,  the  courtiers  of  tlie  King  of  glory.  You  need  not  be 
sad  fur  my  deatli ;  and  will  not,  if  you  post  hard  after  me,  and  follow 
on  to  know  the  Lord ;  for  lime  is  just  nothing.    AVe  shall  be  glad  and 


208 


TO  HIS  SISTER  HELEN. 


rejoice,  with  joy  unf;peakable  and  full  of  glory,  throughout  all  etef- 
nity,  m  that  land  of  gtory,  and  inconceivable  joys,     O  if  you  knew 
but  alittle  of  the  excellency  of  ihat  landof  blepseriness  !  you  would  in 
a  manner  envy  I  hose  who  g-o  before  you;   though  you  should  pass 
never  so  many  sweet  days,  ere  you  can  get  thither,  yo*i  woulcl  weary. 
For  3'ourself,  you  are  yet  in  an  hell  of  sorrows  and  sin,  while  our  of 
heaven,  and  while  they  are  in  an  heaven  of  joy  and  pleasure      O  !  be- 
Wft.re  of  worldly-mindedness,  and  carklng  cares  ;  commit  all  to  your 
Farther:     Seek  first  the  kingdom  of  hearvcn,  and  the  righteousness 
thereof;  and  then  all  other  things  shall  be  added  unto  you.     Fear  not, 
it  is  your  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give  you  a  kingdom  .  and  he  that 
gives  heav«>n,  will  give  as  much  earth,  as  will  suffice  you  ;  and  more 
than  is  sufficient,  is  a  heavy  weight,  that  will  pull   you  do'wn  the 
mount      O  mark  this!     He  that  gave  liis  only  begotten  Son,  out  of 
his  bosom,  to  be  tormented  unto  death-for  you ;  will  he  not  also  with 
him  freely  give  you  all  things  ?  e\^n  every  thing  that  pertains  to  life 
and  godliness.     As  for  chings   temporal,  the   le.ss  of  the  world,  the 
better  :  all  the  saints  will  testify  if,  at  least  when  they  are  leaving  it  : 
I  can  put  my  seal  to  it  now,  when  I  am  entering  into  eternity,  that  it 
IS  Kiost  dang-erous  to  be  inlangled  either  with  riches,  honors,  or  plea- 
sures ■  ard  that  it  is  th.e  sweetest  dispensation  to  be  affiic*ed,  aitd  cut 
short  of  them  :  for  prosperlt-y  is  the  neck-breuk  of  the  life  of  godli- 
ness ;  as  the  experience  of  many  a  deceived   professor  may  testify  ; 
who  seemed  something  when  afflicted,  but  when  oilce  they  got  the 
bag,  betrayed  Christ.    It  is  hard  for  a  camel  to  go  through  a  needle's 
eye  :  the  more  we  are  inveigled  with  this  deceitful  world,  the  less  do 
we  value  heavai .-  now  nothing  more  glues  a  man's  heart  to  the  earth, 
than  riches,  which  have  weighed  man-y  a  man  down  to  the  pit :  where 
he  is  weeping  and  gnashing  his  teeth,  cursing  riches,  and  tormenting 
himself,  that  ever  he  desired  them  :  whereas,  if  he  had  been  poor,  he 
should  have  beeniK)W  (as  men  may  conjecture)   rejoicing  amongst 
these  glorified  ones.     Remember,  that  it  is  utterly  impossible  to  serve 
God  and  mammon.    And  if  yorur  treasure  be  not  in  heaven,  neither 
v\^ill  your  heart  be  there.    I  bdess  uiy  Lord  for  mine   afflictions, 
(which  have  been  still  greater  and  gi'cater,  till  now  I  am  leaving  them 
ajl),  as  much  as    for  any  mercy  I  ever  received,  tor   now  1  reap 
the    peaceable    fruits    of   righteousness..    And  though  now  1   be 
weeping,  while  1  sow ;  yet  shortly  I  shall  have  as  much  as  I  can  bear 
of  the  massy  sheaves  of  inconceivable  glory.     Weep  and  howl,  ye 
rich  men,  for  your  misery  that  shall  come  upon  you;  for  jou  nov/ 
ireceive  your  good  things,  and  the  saints  their  evil   tilings  ;  therefore 
mmediately  ye  shall  be  afflicted  and  tormented,  and  they  shall  be  com- 
forted.   Blessed  are  they  that  mourn  now  for  they  shall  be  comforted. 
For  the  saints  weep,  while  the  world  rejoiceth  ;  but  our  sorrow  shall 
be  turned  into  joy,  and  their  mad  mirth  into   unspeakable  and   e- 
ternal  horror.     6  if  men  did  consider  this,  they  would  not  toil  for 
their  ease  and  pleasuaes  of  sin,  which  are   hut  for  a  moment ;  nor 
would  they  envy  the  rich  gluttons,  but  rather  the  poor  Lazarus', 
thatare  despicable  in  the  eyes  of  all.     Fret  not,  when  you  see  the 
wicked  prosper  ;  nor  value  poverty,  shame,  and  contempt;  since  the 
only  excellent  ones,   of  whom  the  world  was  not  wortiiy,  wandered 
abx)ut  in  sheep  skins,  and  goat-skins  ;  being  destitute^  alflictedj  and 


MR.    A.    WELWOOD^S    LETTEU  209 

tormented :  and  the  honorable  apostles,  and  followers  of  the  LamlJ, 
were  accoun'^d  the  offscourings  of  all  thint^s.  O  if  lKo  qaints  would 
take  time,  and  consider  these  things!  they  would  find  it  swet^  »o  be 
conformed,  in  sufferings,  to  their  Lord,  who  was  a  man  ot  sorrows, 
and  acquainted  with  grief;  that  they  might  also  be  conformed  to  him 
in  g'.ory.  I  fear  earthly -mindedness  may  be  your  predominant ;  there- 
fore strive  mo-^t  against  it :  for  how  can  one  set  their  heart  upon  trash, 
^nd  earnestly  desire  it,  and  heaven  also  ?  I  persuade  you,  the  only 
way  have  as  much  of  the  world  as  is  necessary  and  good  for  you,  is 
to  commit  your  temporal  lot  wholly  to  Christ,  without  the  least  reser- 
vation :  this  is  best :  for  nothing  can  be  committed  to  him,  and  go 
wrong :  try  him,  and  if  you  do  not  find,  that  he  will  carry  you  bravely 
tlirougb,  so  that  you  shall  lack  nothing  that  is  good  for  you,  then  call 
him  a  liar  :  yet  never  any  of  the  saints  could  say,  he  faded  them  in  a 
jot  of  wliat  be  promised  them.  And  how  great  are  his  promises  !  as 
you  will  find  In  scripture  :  <^hey  are  all  comprehened  in  this,  The  Lord 
is  a  sun  and  shield,  he  will  give  grace  'a-nd  glory  :  and  no  good  thing 
will  he  withhold  from  them  that  love  him,  and  walk  uprightly. — 
Trust  all  to  him;  for  whether  should  you  tutor  yourself,  or  he? 
Which  of  you  is  wisest  ?  Cast  all  upon  him,  to  the  least  bit  of  bread ; 
and  ye  shall  find  a  great  ease.  They  are  miserable,  who  must  care 
for  themselves,  and  what  concerns  them,  and  have  not  a  God  to  run 
to,  on  whom  tliey  my  lay  themselves  and  all  their  burdens  O  learn 
to  trust  in  God  for  all  things,  temporal  and  eternal ;  it  is  an  hid  mys- 
tery to  many  saints,  in  many  things,  especially,  to  trust  against  sense,, 
to  hope  against  hope  ;  when  there  is  no  human  probabiUty,  then  to  re- 
ly upon  the  bare  word  of  him  who  is  true,  is  a  difficulty ;  where  his 
providence  seems  to  contradict  his  promises,  or  to  make  his  promise 
a  liar.  But  will  you  trust  him  for  heaven,  and  not  for  a  moment  of 
time  r  tliink  you  he  will  vvidi-hold  journey  bread,  if  you  be  a  travel- 
ler to  the  Higher  Canaan  ?  It  were  a  great  absurdity,  to  command 
any  to  go  ajouney,  and  to  give  what  is  necessary  for  it.  Go  on  to 
heaven,  hold  your  face  thitherward,  and  Christ  will  still  be  supplying 
all  your  wants,  indeed  he  wiil  not  satisfy  your  carnal  disposition,  nor 
■  give  you  more  than  a  pilgrim  needs  ;  so  tliat  you  should  forget  the 
race  set  before  you,  by  being  intangled  with  a  number  of  superflui- 
ties I  woald  say  m Jie,  it  breath  and  strength  would  permit ;  you 
kiiow  noL  what  a  world  you  are  into  ;  it  is  full  of  snares  and  difficul- 
ties. Yju  will  find  it  hard  to  keep  clean  garments,  unless  you  com- 
mit yourself  unLo  him,  who  can  carry  you,  as  wiih  eagles'  vvings  ;  and 
strengdiei  a^^d  supporc  you,  when  you  are  ready  to  fall.  Though  you 
should  be  the  ,.ir<:-cisest  of  -^l  round  about  you,  you  will  find  all  little 
enough  when  yon  come  to  de-xth  :  O  death  is  a  weighty  business  ? 
You  have  sarce  lime  to  prepare  for  it :  all  our  time  iss  little  enough  for 
preparation  ,  though  we  should  cut  ourselves  short  of  our  indifferent 
earthiy  exetrcises.  vVhat  need  h:  i)  we  then  to  beware  to  pass  our 
time  vainly  I  It  is  precious,  every  moment  of  it,  having  a  relation  to 
eternity  O  eternity  !  eternity !  get  some  sight  of  it,  and  your  ihooghts 
shall  be  wmderiuily  changed :  for  I  lell  you,  could  \ou  get  a  ;^limpse 
of  that  m  wssy  thing,  called  eternit}',  all  the  things  in  tune  should  be  no 
more  in  your  eyes,  than  a  childish  toy,  in  the  eyes  of  a  man. 
O  what  think  you  of  Christ  ?      Is  there  any  like  HIM,  any  but  HE  i" 

s    1 


210  TO   HIS    COUSIN    THOMA&. 

O  who  would  not  love  such  an  one  ?  Surely,  it  is  impossible  to  know 
him  any  way  arlg-'itj  and  not  to  love  him  ;  he  is  the  ravishment  of  men 
and  an3"'»^''  Increated  glory  shines  thourgh  the  vail  of  his  human 
p^care  ;  we  cannot  enjoy  God  more  sweetly,  familiarly,  and  fully, 
than  thf ough  him  :  he  is  the  blessed  Da3^sman  betT^ixt  God  and  man ; 
the  man  Christ  Jesus :  him  I  wish  I  could  declare  evermore ;  but  my 
last  words,  though  they  were  fewer,  may  have  a  strong  impression 
upon  you  :  rim  fast,  lose  not  the  cro\\n  ;  heaven  is  well  worth  an  inch 
of  time's  running.  Cross  corrupt  nature's  disposition  ;  as  you  sow, 
so  shall  you  reap  ;  and  consider,  that  death  will  teach  you,  that  all 
that  you  do  is  fruitless,  which  tends  not  to  the  great  salvation  •  all 
other  mercies  are  worthless,  in  comparison  of  this  great  salvation ; 
and  short  time  will  spend  them  all :  but  it  shall  endure  forever- 
more.  O  but  the  news  of  heaven,  such  a  sweet  heaven  to  weary  pil- 
grims, such  a  ravishing  paradise,  to  these  that  are  in  this  smoky  dung- 
hill ;  I  say,  they  are  the' greatest  news  that  can  be  !  and  this  whisper- 
ed in  vour  ears,  Ran,  for  you  shall  have  the  crown,  is  another  kind 
of  news,  than  Run,  and  you  shall  have  riches,  honor,  and  pleasures. 
Bless  him  at  all  times,  who  hath  disposed  your  lot  so,  as  these  only 
great  things  have  taken  you  by  the  heart.  Be  not  weary  in  well  do- 
ing ;  for  in  due  time  you  shall  reap,  if  you  faint  not ;  and  we  shall  see 
one  another  shortly,  in  the  midst  of  such  joys,  as  the  tongues  of  men 
and  angels  cannot  In  the  least  express  ;  therefore  you  have  no  cause  of 
sadness,  but  of  rejoicing,  that  you  have  another  friend  gone  before 
you,  who  will  welcome  you  shortly  into  your  Lord's  joy.  Grace  be 
with  you.  Account  it  all  one,  as  if  I  had  spoken  all  this  to  you  face 
to  face.    Tkese  are  the  words  of, 

Your  dying  Brother, 

A,  WELWOOD, 


iK     *5  Letter  to  his  coiiskiy  Tlwmas  JVelwood, 

My  Dear  Cohsin, 

THOUGH  I  be  r.midst  death's  pangs,  1  cannot  forgel  you,  because 
of  the  sweet  friendship  we  have  had  together  ;  and  because  you  are 
(I  am  persuaded)  one  of  the  heirs  of  glory,  and  among  those  who 
wrefctle  through  manifold  temptations,  unto  the  land  of  eternal  conso- 
lations. O  if  I  could  tell  you  what  my  Lord  hath  done  for  me  unto 
this  very  hour  ;  and  much  more  since  1  came  hither,  than  in  many 
foregoing  years  1  think  if  I  had  time,  I  could  fill  a  whole  volume 
with  wonderful  experiences  of  his  loving  kindness,  strange  providen- 
ces, and  sweet  chastisements  ;  so  that  half  a  year  may  be  better  than 
an  hundred.  It  is  nor  the  length  of  time  we  are  to  look  to  ;  we  have 
a  Vttce  to  run  to  heaven,  and  when  we  have  finished  it  we  have  done. 
Oh  cousin,  even  a  saint  may  live  long,  and  make  very  small  progress 
to  giory  ;  yea,  many  go  backward  ;  and  it  were  better  for  them,  they 
died  ere  that  be,  before,  they  dishonoured  God  by  their  backsliding 
carriages  -,  therefore  run  fast,  eye  Jie  joy  that  is  set  before  you,  and 
patiently  endure  all  the  temptations  Jtni  troubles  in  time,  for  your. 


MR.    A.    WELWOOI)'s    LETTER  211 

Loi*d  hath  promised,  that  he  will  never  leave  you,  nor  forsake  you  : 
and  none  shall  be  able  to  pluck  you  out  of  his  hand.  Indeed  you 
may  have  sore  trials,  both  outward  and  inward ;  but  be  of  g-ood  cour- 
ag-e  and,  he  sliall  strengthen  your  heart ;  for  you  are  not  to  bear  )oar 
o^vn  burden,  but  to  cast  it  fully  over  upon  him.  And  I  promise  you, 
in  my  Lord's  name,  you  shall  be  sustained :  he  is  o»«r  strength,  our 
wisdom,  our  righteousness,  and  our  all ;  even  a'l  that  we  want,  all 
that  we  can  desire.  Never  notice  long  or  short  life  ;  but  live  to  die, 
and  then  you  die  to  live  eternally :  O  think  much  upon  eternity,  and 
you  shall  think  nothing  of  time.  Alas,  alas  !  the  things  of  time  fill 
our  eyes  so,  as  we  never  regard  eternity ;  yet  time  will  be  at  a  close 
ere  ever  we  be  aware.  1  Ixave  somewhat  the  advantage  of  you  in  get- 
ting the  fore-start :  but  we  shall  be  together  perpetually,  even  imme- 
diately, and  we  shall  have  another  manner  of  converse,  than  possibly 
we  could  have  bad  on  earth.  In  heaven  they  are  not  confined  to  mo- 
ments, days,  and  years  ;  we  shall  have  eternity  to  rejoice  and  be  glad 
in.  O  what  a  life  shall  we  have,  when  you  and  I  shall  follow  the  Lamb 
whithersoever  he  goes  !  when  we  shall  have  sin,  temptations,  and 
miseries  done  away  !  We  know  not  the  excellency  of  our  invaluable 
inheritance  ;  and  therefore  we  are  so  much  taken  up  with  earthly- 
trifles,  and  shadows,  that  are  nothing  ;  which  bewitch  all  the  world- 
lings out  of  their  wits,  and  the  saints  too,  in  a  great  measure  ;  it  were 
more  wisdom  in  us,  to  use  the  world,  as  not  abusing  it,  as  not  setting 
our  hearts  upon  it.  Beware  of  the  cares  of  the  world,  and  the  de- 
ceitfulness  of  riches  wherewith  you  may  be  entangled,  in  the  condi- 
tion you  are  in  ;  if  you  take  not  heed,  your  course  to  glory  will  be  the 
more  slow,  and  you  will  drive  your  chariot  wheels  heavily  up  to  the 
higher  city  ;  yea,  the  thick  clay  will  make  them  come  back  upon  you. 
O  consider  how  great  a  business  salvation  is !  we  can  never  consider  it 
enough.  You  will  think  bu,  wheu  >uu  come  to  death,  which  you 
ought  to  look  upon  as  at  the  door. 

I  speak  not  these  things,  as  if  you  knew  them  not  already ;  but  I 
put  you  in  remembrance,  desiring  to  communicate  a  little  of  my  mind 
to  you,  now  when  I  am  at  the  brink  of  time ;  because  Providence  hath 
so  ordered,  that  we  cannot  speak  face  to  face  those  things,  which  are 
the  true  and  genuine  thoughts  of  my  heart.  Beware  of  the  pollutions 
of  the  times  .•  it  is  comfortable  to  me  that  I  had  little  or  nothing  to  do, 
as  to  outward  things,  with  this  horrid,  cursed  defection.  Hate  the 
garments  spotted  with  the  flesh  :  clean  garments  are  of  great  worth  ; 
and  these  few,  in  this  woful  time,  that  have  kept  their  garments 
clean,  shall  walk  with  our  Lord  in  white  ;  for  they  are  worthy  To 
keep  clean  garments,  that  is,  to  be  pious  alone  ;  pious  in  your  family, 
in  your  worship  :  pious  in  your  worldly  employments  ,  full  of  charity, 
despising  the  world  ;  walking  wisely  towards  these  that  are  without, 
and  to  A'ards  ihese  that  are  within  And  as  to  the  times,  let  your  zeal 
be  wise,  and  your  wisdom  zealous  You  may  believe  a  dying  man,  I 
am  fully  persuaded  tliat  this  Prelacy  is  abominable  AmichVistianism  ; 
and  that  ttie  prelate*  and  curates  »re  the  ministers,  not  of  Christ,  but 
of  Antichrist  and  Satau  ;  and  that  it  is  utterly  unlawful  to  hear  them, 
or  do  any  thing  that  may  show  you  estoenj  them  minisrerS;  or  any  way 
SLTcngtiien  tlieir  hands.  O  the  dreadful  wrah  bhai  is  hangi.ig  over 
these  unds  like  a  cbud,  whicli  wHl  fall  down  la  a  deluge  of  divai© 


212  TO   HIS    COUSIN   fHOBIAS. 

%'eng«ance  :  God  will  make  Ibis  land  to  swim  in  blood,  even  the  blood 
of  all  sorts,  great  and  small,  rich  and  poor,  old  and  young-,  shall  be 
poui-ed  out  like  dust :  he  shall  be  a  strange  man,  that  shall  happily 
escape  such  a  consumption.  I  will  not  speak  much  of  the  matter,  but 
I  see  fearful  things  coming.  But,  O  the  glorious  days  succeeding 
these !  I  cannot  apprehend  the  glory  that  shall  shine  in  Britain, 
which  siiall  enlighten  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  1  fear  not  death  ;  it  is 
sin  only  we  ought  to  fear  :  the  sting  of  death  is  sin  ;  that  being  taken 
away,  it  is  most  harmless.  It  is  sweet  to  die  in  Christ !  O  what  an 
exchange  do  I  make  !  I  shall  see  him,  and  that  glorious  company  of 
saints  and  angels,  following  him  whithersoever  he  goes  ;  the  first  hour 
of  glory  shall,  in  a  manner,  make  me  forget  that  ever  I  was  upon 
eartli.  IMy  afflictions  have  been  greater  than  the  spectators  could 
imagine  ;  and  still  greater  and  grea'er,  until  1  arrive  at  the  haven  of 
eternal  rest.  O  it  is  sweet !  O  it  is  sweet !  after  a  great  toil  and  la- 
bour. My  Lord  is  taking  me  in  the  fittest  time  ;  for  both  body  and 
soul  are  very  weary  and  sore  tossed  ;  but  this  body  shall  get  a  sound 
sleep,  and  a  ravishing  wakening.  O  the  great  difference  betwixt 
what  it  is  now,  and  what  it  shall  be  shortly !  who  can  conceive  what 
Christ  hath  done  for  the  saints  ?  O  the  depth  of  free,  altogether  free 
love  and  grace  !  it  shall  take  up  eternity,  to  cry  up  the  inconceivable 
love  of  Jehovah  and  the  Lamb,  O  lo  think  that  bits  of  clay  sinful  clay, 
like  you  and  me,  should  be  conformed  unto  the  image  of  our  only  Lord 
Jesus !  tliat  is  a  wonderful  exaltation  !  wonderful  in  the  eyes  of  all 
those  that  see  their  own  emptiness  and  vileness,  O  admire !  O  praise  I 
O  adore  !  let  these  things  be  still  imprinted  on  your  heart  ;  all  other 
things  are  but  trifles.  Look  upon  the  world,  as  a  numljer  of  mad 
bodies  :  they  are  beasts,  whose  conceptions  are  confined  within  an 
inch  of  time  ;  they  are  poor  .spirits,  who  gape  after  time's  riches,  hon- 
our's and  pleasures,  it  the  world  knew  what  ihey  were  doing,  they 
would  wonder  at  themselves  ;  at  least,  they  would  begin  to  question, 
whether  their  life  on  earth  was  lea),  or  only  empty,  anda  night-dream. 
Obuch  asight  asl  have  gotten  of  the  world  '  O  it  is  but  vain,  vanity  of  van- 
ities ;  the  flower  and  choice  of  itis  cursed,  and  altogether  vanity  O  if  I 
could  tell  you  of  the  nothingness  of  the  world,  and  of  things  temporal; 
and  ol  tne  massiness  of  things  eternal!  compare  them  together,  &  you 
will  wonder  at  the  diffe.  ence  !  The  most  part  of  professors  (among 
whom  (  put  myself)  Lake  easy  way  to  heaven  ;  and  O  where  will  you 
find  the  man  or  woman,  thai  studies  a  close  walk  with  God  ?  It  is  re- 
corded of  Enoch,  that  he  walked  with  God  three  hundred  years;  but 
who  chn  say,  he  hr.th  walked  witii  God  one  day  ?  We  lose  God  in  the 
midst  of  our  worldly  employments,  and  cannot  say,  we  have  set  the 
Lord  always  befcre  us;  therefore  we  cannot  say,  we  shall  not  be  mo- 
ved. We  approiiCti  to  him  in  the  morning,  evening  and  at  other 
times ;  but  we  neglect  our  ihougliis  ;  wh';:reus  to  live  full  of  holy, 
divine  thoughts,  is  to  live  a  saint :  as  the  man  is,  so  are  his  thoughts. 
Alas  !  1  may  say  it  by  sad  experience,  un watched  over  tnoughts  have 
made  me,  many  a  time,  not  to  difFer  much  from  a  worldling  K.  ep 
your  dioughts  right,  and  dl  shall  be  vignt :  Keep  thine  hearr  wjh  all 
diligence,  (suidi  Hie  Spirit  of  God)  for'out  of  it  are  the  is&uea  of  life. 
If  your  thoughts  be  right,  your  prayers  will  be  seasonable,  your  words 
and  actions  will  be  ibea&onable;  for  out  of  the  abundance  ©f  the  heart 


MR.    WELWOOD*S    LETTER  213 

the  mouth  ajieaketh,  and  the  hand  acteth  Commit  all  your  affairs, 
temporal,  spiritual,  and  eternal,  wholly  to  your  heavenlj'  I'ather,  with- 
out the  least  reservation  :  he  cares  for  you  ;  therefore  be  careful  for 
nothing-,  but  in  every  thing  give  thanks  Ran,  run  with  patience  the 
race  tliat  is  set  before  you  ;  laying"  aside  every  Height,  that  rray  bear 
you  down  :  entangle  not  yourselfvvith  the  world,  have  as  little  to  do 
wiih  it  as  you  can  :  the  righteous  shall  scarcely  be  saved  ;  they  who 
go  upriiihtest,  shall  find  hard  enough  work  ;  we  are  so  full  of  corrup- 
tions original  and  actual,  that  holiness  is  quite  contrary  to  aur  corrupt 
natures  ;  I  mean  not  the  common  holiness,  which  even  those  that  are 
strict  are  thought  to  have  ;  but  that  which  ovir  Lord  commands;  "He 
th-it  loveth  father  or  mother,  sister  or  brothe»r,  or  the  world,  or  him- 
seU",  better  than  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me."  O  it  is  an  unknown  thing, 
to  deny  all,  to  take  up  their  cross  daily,  and  follow  Christ.  I  ha^  a 
great  desire  to  pleach  Christi  but  he  will  accept  the  will  for  the  deed : 
1  go  to  better  exercise,  whereof  one  hour  is  better  than  all  tb.e  preacii- 
ings  betwixt  this  and  Christ's  second  coming,  comprised  in  one  — 
All  here  are  but  shrtdovvs  ;  all  above  is  substance-  O  what  elevated 
divines  are  above  !  they  are  all  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of  God  ;  and 
do  preach  and  cry  up  the  Iransctrndent  excellencies  of  Jehovah  and 
the  Lamb  :  there  is  a  perpetual  crying  up  of  Ciiribt.  In  Cunticles,  he 
cm  never  sp-ak  enough  cf  his  spouse  ;  up  abave.  his  spouse  can  nev- 
er speak  enough  of  liim.  There  all  are  ravished  with  the  Ancient,  of 
days !  Who,  but  the  Ancient  of  days  ?  who,  but  Christ  ?  who,  but 
the  saiats  ?  Then,  let  rnver  earth  and  heaven  be  compared  together  ; 
for  1  tell  you,  earth  is  but  a  tormenting  hell,  in  compai'ison  of  that  un- 
speakably delightful,  arid  altogether  ravishing  land,  unto  which  un- 
worthy, but  happy  I  am  going.  O  methinks  1  am  touching  the  skirts 
of  the  fragrant  breathings  of  the  mountains  of  spices  !  and  O  how 
•must  I  be  ravished,  when  I  shall  draw  in  no  other  air,  but  the  breath- 
ings of  the  higher  paradise  ?  They  have  the  advantage,  that  get  the 
fore-start  to  heaven,  and  seeing  tiie  face  of  Jehovah  first ;  and  being 
more  ancient  possessors  of  that  excellent  inheiiiance.  Why  siiould 
any  be  afr;iid  to  go  to  lieaven  too  soon  ?  Why  should  any  be  afraid 
lie  be  too  soon  iiappy  ?  l^t  worldhngs  desire  to  crawl  long  on  their 
dunghills  ;  but  iei  us  ever  be  longing  to  be  dissolved,  arid  to  be  with 
our  Lord,  which  is  best  of  all.  I  commit  you,  your  mother-in-law, 
your  V.  ife  and  childi'cn,  to  the  protection  of  the  Almighty,  and  pray 
for  teiriporalj  and  eternal  blessings  to  be  poured  out  upon  you. — 
These  are  tlie  words  of, 

Your  dying  cousin, 

Ji.   WELWOOD, 


V.     A  Letter  to  Mr.  Davidson. 

Right  Reverend, 

THOUGH  1  be  stepping  into  eternity,  and  was  thought  to  have 
been  just  entering  into  it  nbout  half  an  hour  ago,  I  could  not  but  re- 
member ywi,  and  dictate  a  little  of  my  mind  unto  you  ••  not  that  1  in- 
tended to  write  any  instructions  unto  you,  but  only  show,  that  God  is 


214  TO    MR.    DAVIDSON, 

c^ood  to  them  that  seek  him  ;  and  that  in  his  providence,  his  premises 
'are  acccmphshed,  to  the  full,  lo  me.  I  cannot  tell  what  he  hath  done 
lor  my  soul ;  but  I  think  he  halii  brought  me  to  the  end  of  my  dav^, 
to  the  end  of  my  race  by  such  a  wonderful  chain  of  divine  providences, 
that  I  would  not  for  ten  tliousand  worlds  lie  had  brought  me  any  otli- 
er  way  ;  or,  that  my  race  had  been  either  ioiiger  or  shorter.  He  hv- 
ethlong-  enough,  who  Uveth  till  he  get  heaven  .•  all  other  things  are 
but  pendicles.  He  liveth  short  while,  who  is  unprepared  for  it,  of 
wljatsocvcr  age  he  be  .•  therefore  my  death  needs  not  offend  any  man  : 
fur,  what  can  I  get  more  than  the  kingdom  immoveable;  undefiled, 
and  that  fadeth  not  away  ?  1  desired  to  live  for  no  other  end,  but  to 
preach  my  Lord  to  the  great  congregation  ;  and  think  you  not  he  will 
accept  the  will  for  the  deed  ?  I  deilicated  my  lite  for  his  service  ;  and 
I  hope  he  will  graciously  t;.ke  it  oil'  my  hand,  as  if  1  had  done  him 
many  years'  service.  And  I  must  ttU  you,  he  hath  many  wonderful 
•^vays  of  bringing  his  children  unto  glory  ;  1  could  tell  you  of  it  by 
sweet  experience,  if  my  weakness  ;.nd  breath  woukl  penfiit.  T  would 
not  for  all  the  glory,  riches  and  pleasures  of  a  vain  world,  my  lot  had 
been  another  tiian  my  Lord  hath  appointed  it ;  yea,  my  last  half  year's 
providence  had  been  a  golden  chain,  which  neither  L  men,,  nor  angels 
can  suliiciently  value.  Would  you  know  what  i  think  now  of  heaven  ? 
Though  I  were  out  of  this  state  ot  mortaliiy,  1  conld  never  think  of  it 
enough.  O!  O!  O!  the  joy  of  being  with  Jehovah  and  the  Lamb! 
O !  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus,  even  on  this  side 
of  time !  but  to  see  him  as  lie  is,  O  who  can  tell  what  a  sight  it  is  ? 
Even  those  who  see  him  face  to  face,  see  as  it  were  but  the  skirts  of 
his  beauty  and  excellency  :  and  let  them  dive  &till  deeper  and  deeper, 
till  eternity,  as  it  were,  be  at  an  end,  they  shall  still  be  but  beginning ; 
and  yet  never  v.ell  begun.  To  show  my  great  love  and  resj:)ect  1  have 
ever  had  to  you,  bo'di  formei-ly  and  nov/,  I  write  unto  you,  even  when 
the  dead  ritile  is  in  my  throat  .•  and  though  1  be  In  a  great  agony,  I 
find  the  only  way  to  heaveu,  that  new  and  living  wav,  is  oiUy  by  the 
fjlood  of  the  Son  of  God  ;  there  is  no  other  way,  but  believe  m  Christ, 
und  be  saved.  But  it  is  a  lively,  purifying,  loving,  and  believir.g  way- 
I  cannot  say  much,  I  am  in  death's  pangs.  But,  O  death  !  where  is  tliy 
sting?  O  grave  !  where  is  tl^.y  victory  I  I  am  like  to  Lave  a  sharp 
iicmbat ;  but,  I  liope  Christ  Will  not  be  an  iiuUff^rent  spectator.  The 
end  crowns  tlie  work.  And  if  once  i  were  within  limmanuel's  sur- 
passing sweet  land  of  conquest,  t-'Cn  should  I  trample  death  and  hcH. 
under  foot,  and  triumph  over  all  the  miseries  and  afflictions  of  time, 
which  seemed  to  triumph  over  rae.  O  death,  what  art  thou  in  mine 
eyes !  my  Lord  hath  swallowed  thee  up  in  victory  :  and  csm  a  free- 
born  ton,  and  conqueror,  through  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  cove- 
nant, be  afraid  of  a  conqaered  slave  ?  llev.  xiv.  13.  Heii,  sin,  devii^ 
and  dtudij  are  conquered  slaves.    I  rest, 

Dear  Sir^ 

Yours, 

4.  WELV/OOD. 
FINIS. 


INDEX. 


THF.  Prelude  Introductory  PAGE  >P 

Necessity  of  seeking  evcrlasunp:  life  15 

Xeglect  of  elory  proves  us  carnal  ib. 

Students  of  Sf'orA"  overlook  lime  l(j 

The  study  of  Glory  is  very  alurinp  17 

Creatures  are  esteemed  bv  their  knowledge  ib. 

A  clear  view  of  Glory  excites  to  duty  18 

The  more  we  study  heaven,  the  fitter  for  it  ib. 

Right  uptakinp:s  of  Giory  are  possession  in  part  19 

Heaven  js  the  place  of  all  excellency,  JScc  2^ 

Our  minds  should  be  wholly  ihere,  &c.  ib 

As  is  our  knowledge,  so  our  activity,  &c  ib 

As  we  know  and  alfect.  so  we  are    Kic,  ib 

A  Slight  view  of  g  ory  insufficient  J5cc  21 

Scripture  discovers  tilings  beyond tinje  22 

Supernatural  glory  not  to  be  nuturaiiy  considered  23 

All  creatures  some  way  capable  of  elevation  24 

Grace  the  forerunner  ieads  to  ^tory,  ib. 

Saints  get  discoveries  called  glimpses  of  glory  ib 

Ail  things  invite  to  t'lis  rare  study,  '  25 

Knowledge  is  from  above,  and  to  be  asked  26 

An  invitation  in  heroic  verse  2T 

A  Gospel  discovery  of  Emniannel's  land 
Tlie  sou!  to  be  elevated  in  heaAenly  raeditatioti 
Glory  more  to  be  admired  than  understood 
"We  can  but  conceive  childishly  of  glory 
Higher  conceptions  of  glory  attainable 
Christ  the  desire  of  ail,  fully  manifested, 
Xo  maniftstation  of  God  so  full  as  Through  Chiist 
One  sight  of  Christ  is  ravishing  to  ail 
All  ejijoyments  nothing,  till  we  see  him 
lliesouiiiot  happy,  till  it  renin  his  love 
The  interest  of  Clirist  and  his  chosen  mutual 
The  glorified  look  on  time's  things  as  childish 
They  ever  commemorate  Chri-i's  excelleneirs 
To  be  beside  Christ  inconceivable  dignity 
The  glorified's  nearness  to  God  astonishing 
No  knowledge  to  theevideni.'e  ofg;ory 
To  behold  the  Lord's  glory  is  a  digniiy 
His  manifestations,  and  the  manner  thereof  \\'onderf!il 
The  change  Christ  underwent,  a  ravishing  consideration, 
God  manifested  in  the  flesh  u  lasting  mystery 
AVonderful  that  God  exalts  man's  nature  by  sin 
The  relation  betwixt  God  and  us  amazing 
The  glorified  admire  God  manifested,  crc. 
They  only  capable  to  understand  giory 
The  subsistence  of  the  divine  persons  a  mystery 
Oceans  of  jov  overflow  Emmanuel's  land 
This  land  of  joy  is  filled  with  dyvours 
The  glorified  reflect  on  the  way  to  the  kingdom 
Pamiliar  fellowsJiip  betwixt  Christ  and  his 
Visible  things  imperfectly  represent  invisible 
All  excellency  augmented  in  glory,  Jkc. 
No  manifestation  of  God,  to  that  in  glory,  ire. 
Saints  in  gloiy  conformed  to  Clirist 
i'ull  enjoynicnt  of  God  is  complete  blessedness 
Clirist  ever  his  people's  king,  priest,  and  prophet 
Astonishing  iha.  God  should  look  on  creatures 
Earth  and  heaven  quite  opposite  things 
Only  songs  to  Jehovah  and  the  Lamb  in  g'ory 
Thesainfs  happiness  superabundant 
All  di^'ine  attributes  add  to  their  blessedness 
That  we  are  wholly  Christ's  is  our  happiness 
God  manifested  in  eternity  most. 


62 
63 
65 
66 
68 
ib 
70 
72 
74 
77 
78 


2iG  INDEX. 


All  the  promises  fully  accomplished  in  eternity  84 

God's  attributes  all  seen  in  damning  the  wicked  86 

Sovcrticrnty  the  first  mover  ot  all  things  90 

A  woiM  of  ndcxmin^  grace  most  excellent  92 

'I'he  work  of  saivaticmi.ost  admirable  97 

Our  blfssednLis  an  *>terna!  act  99 

TJie  full  enjoyinent  of  God  in  nearness  105 

The  life  of  {^iory  tlie  only  excelUpt  life  107 

No  need  of  creatures  irt  heaven,  Jehovah  is  all  108 

Glory  is  an  eternally  bloomhijrthnijj  111 

Emmauuei's  land  is  of  free  grace  112 

AH  things  are  fnily  discovered  in  glory  120 

Fellowship  of  men  ami  angels,  a  p;  mlic'e  of  glory  122 

The  saints  eternally  acqui.ted.  and  fi'jfd  123 

Reprohates  arejudged,  condemned,  and  terrified  127 

The  creatures  share  in  the  joy  <  f  that  day  133 

All  things  are  rt^rewedand  glorified  135 

Triumphing  over  the  wicked,  part  of  sa^nl's  glory  140 

Reflections  on  the  power  ot  faith  149 

The  reahty  of  aii  things  in  heaven  154 

A  irowning  time    the  prelude  to  eternity  156 

Glory  totally  changeth  all  the  faculties  157 

Heav-n  the  sweeter,  the  more  dangers  escaped  159 

The  inhabitant  shaU  not  say,  I  am  sick  160 

Grace  an  excel'ent  prelude  to  g'ory  _  161 

Praises  ti  God  for  fulfilling  his  promises  164 

Sncl'.  things  to  be  written  of  with  ffear  163 

A  saint  should  be  heavenly  minded  169 

Karthly-minded  persons  to  be  convinced  170 

Tr<insieiu  tlwughts  of  glory  insignificant  171 

Invitation  to  change  earthly  for  heavenly  things  172 

Hope  of  glory  dispels  ali  sorrow  ib 

Earth-worms'  have  no  place  in  heaven  173 

Christ,  the  purcliaser  of  heaven,  to  be  praised  ib 

Religion  an  hiddtn  mystery  to  worldlings  174 

Saints  only  know  the  mysteries  of  Godliness  175 

The  sad  state  of  worldlings,  the  excellency  of  holiness  176 

A  Soliloquy  to  God  prayer-ways  390 

A  spiritual  song  oi  the  dying  saint  196 

T.     J  he  author's  letter  to  his  mother  201 

II.  A  letter  to  bis  brother  204 

III.  A  letter  to  his  sister  Helen  207 
iV.  A  letter  to  his  cousin  'I  homas  Welwood  2 10 
y,  A  letter  to  Mr.  Davidson,  minister  2  is