V E R.4. god! Eleáion. glaffe:there is another being before him,whenwe fha11 benowwithhim in theplace ofhis glorious prefence,when wefull walke by fight,when wee (hall feehim as he is,whenwe (hall follow the Lambe,and fee God, with that bleffed vilon, even face to face asit were;and this is it which is our chiefe bleffedneffe, even to bewith him, and fee him, in whofe prefence is the faciety ofeverlafting delights.Thatperfe&ionofquality and a&ion which we (hall attaine,is a great bleffednes,as great as can be inherent in our perfons; for what can be greater then to know God as we are knowne, to love himwith the whole heart, topraife himmolt conftantly and joyfully.: but all this is nothing fogood to us, asto have our God beforeus, and tafle the joy ofhis prefence : All ourwalking in light tendeth to this, that we may have communion with him. Looke as a wife whofound fometime much difficulty in pleafing her husband, and doing things tohis winde, flic taketh great pleafure when file can nowwith cafe fit every thing to hismind, but nothing fomuch pleafure in this, as in her husband himfelfe : And lookeas there is no loving wife which taketh halfe the pleafure in her bridall appareil, that flee doth in her husband himfelfe ; fo it is here , I dare fay, all that glory in which we fhall be in that day clothed upon, (hall be as nothing to us in com- parifon ofthat bleffed object ofGod , whomthen we (hall fee as hee is. If in this life God is fo good to his children, that theycan wifhthem. felves a curie for his fake , what will bee then be when we feehim in glorye Theufe is to flirreus up even to delire withPasi tobedifï'olved, and to bewith Chrift:Weare chofen to this manner ofprefence;and for that prefence which then we Thal have, when wecone to fate ofperfeCtion in love,is no other : we are chofen to it, ergo, let us afpire afterit.If a lo- ving wiveshusband be abfent in fomefar country, thoughThee have by meffengers, and byletters, tome communion with him, yet this will not fatisfie, there is a great delire to fee him, to be each in the embrace of other;fo it fhould be withus; thisletter ofhis word, this recourfe ofhis meflengers,fhould rather excite defires fully to enjoy ourGod,then oc- cafion us to refcontented in this prefent condition.I remember AI when he was now recalled from exile,but not admitted to feehis fathers faceat Court, he was fo impatient, that his exile feemed almoft as cafie as fuch a condition:Thus it is with us,from what time God bathbrought usto beliefe,weare called back againe from our exile fpirituall, to the Church or Cityof ourGod:but alas we are not admittedinto the Court, into the gloriousprefenceofour great God. Let us (ergo) if we be rifen with Chrift,groane after this prerogative,to whichGodhath chofenus, and takeno delight todwell here, further then the ferving God in his Saints doth fweeten our abode. This fheweth us the Lords exceeding grace : IitheKing fhould par- don a Traytor,andgive him competency of living in the remotefi parts ofhis Kingdome, with prohibition once topaffe the boundsofthem,it werePrince-like favour ; but to enrich him with poffeflions, and take him to Court,yea to reckon him inmiddeft of hisdeareft favorites,what clemencie SS G!oriorea övregía. °breviva been., rudo. í'foì,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=