184 S E R M O N S upon Serm.XXV1. within a little while you will feel it no more, than if it had never been ; if the pain be remembred, it will be but to increafe your joy. 4. As they are short, fo they are light. Lever, di° breves. The Scripture often ioyneth them together, 2 Cor. 4. l7. This light affíiïlion which is but for a moment. They are light 5. jail fo they are (bon in comparifon of eternal Glory; as of (port continuance, if com- pared with eternity ; fo of fmall weight if compared with the reward; eternity maketh them (hors 5 and.the greatness of the reward maketh them eafie. There are degrees in our troubles, Come of the Saints get to Heaven at a cheaper rate than others do 5 but yet the atllidions of all are light, if we confider the unfpeakable Glory of the world to come 5 indeed wedo but prattle when we prefume fully to defcribe it; for it doth not appear what we (ball be, and it hash not entred into the heart of man to conceive the great things which he bath prepared for them that love him. But the Scripture exprefilons every where thew it (hall be exceeding great , and alto by the beginnings of it; the world is ignorant and incredulous of futurity , therefore God giveth us the beginnings of Heaven and Hell in this world, in a wounded fpirit, and the com- forts of a good Conscience ; thefe things we have experience of; we know not exaltly what our future condition will be, but the hopes and fears of that ettate are very af- fellive : the fears and horrors of eternal torment, which are found in a Guilty Con- fcience, do in part (hew what hell will be, or the nature of that wo and anguifh which abideth for the impenitent, Prov. t 8. 14. The fpirit of a man will fuflain his in- firmity : but a wounded fpirit who can bear? The Salve for this Sore, mutt come from Heaven only ; fo the joys of a good confcienee, which are unfpeakable and glo- rious, 1 Pet. r. 8. thew that the happiness appointed for the Saints will be exceeding great : for if the foretall be fo fweer, the hope and expeaation be fo ravishing, what will the injoyment be ? Betides, God moderateth our fufferings that they may not be overlong, or over grievous, r Cor. 1 o. 13. But God is faithful, who will not for vote to be tempted above that you are able : bet will with the temptation alfo make away to efcape, that ye may be able to bear it. If the trial be heavy, he fortifieth us by the comfort and fupport of the fpirit , and lo maketh it light and eafie . to us. To a thong Back that Burden is light, which would cru(h the weak, and faint,and caufethem to thrink under it : but tho God moderateth our affiiltions, he doth not abate our Glory, that is given without meafure ; .A far more exceeding weight of fiery. 5. The Miring, are in our mortal bodies, but the glory is both in foul, and body. 'Tis but the fle(h which is troubled, and grieved by affiiltion ; the flesh, which ifdelicately used, loon becometh our enemy 5 the Soul is free, and not liable to the power of man 5 now it becometh a man, much more abeliever, to look after the Soul,Heb.ic.39. We are not of them who draw back to perdition, but of them that believe to the flying of thefoul. t a 5oµ43 aorarñs s s iarvac ar, .12k arrsas da oeeowolncn 4wins. Imply ing,that they that are tender of the fleth, are Apoltates in heart 5 if not aûually and indeed fo, yet in pra&ice: But thole which will purchase the laving of the Soul at any rates, are the true and found Believers. The World which gratifieth the bodily life, may be bought at too dear a rate; but not to the Salvation of the Soul; they that are fo thrifty of the Comforts and Intereftsof the Bodily Life, will certainly be prodigal of their Salvation. But a Believer is all for the laving of his Soul. That is the end of his Faith, and labours, and fufferings, and his Self - denial. The end of his Faith is to fave his Soul, t Pet. 1.9. So much as God is to be preferred before the Creature, Heaven before the World, Eternity before Time , the Soul before the Body ; fo much doth it concern us to have the better part Cafe. But yet this is not all, that which is loft for a while, is preferved to us for ever 5 if the body be loft temporally, 'ris fecured to all eternity. If we lofe it by the way, we are Pure to haveit at the end of the journey , when the body (hall have many priviledges bellowed upon it. , but this above all the refs, that it thall be united to a Soul fully fanitified, from which it fhall never any more be feparated, but both together shall be the eternal Temple of the Holy Ghoft. 6. Sufferings do moll!" deprive as of ihofe things which are without a man ;but this is a glory which (hall be revealed in us. By fufferings we lofe estate; liberty, comfortable abode in the world among our Friends and Relations; If life i s Pelf, which is within us, 'cis only as to its capacity of outward injoyments; for as to the fruition of God and Christ, fo 'ris true he that lofeth his life shall fave it, Matth. 25. 16. and (hall live tho he die, John t s. 25. 'Tis but depofited in Chrifts hands. But this Glory is re- waled in us, in our Bodies in their Immortality,agility, clarity, and brightness; in our Souls by the beatifical vihon ; the ardent love of God i the unconceivable joy and ever-
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