192 S E ft M O N S upon Serm. XXVII. ance by the bounty of Gods common Providence, yet you have his fpecial love : We think God doth not place his hands aright ; no! God doth not mifplace his hands; as Jo= feph thought of his Father, Gen. 48. when he preferred Ephraim befor Manaffeh : What a poor condition was the only Begotten Son of God in when he lived in the world ? When you are poorer than Chrift, then complain ; tho you do not enjoy Pleafures, Ho- nours, Riches, Efteem, yet if you enjoy the Favour of God, 'tis enough; tho mean, yet if heirs of glory, yam. 2. q. God doth not efteem perfons according to their out- ward luftre, a Sam. 16. 7. Look not on his countenance or the height of his Mature, fir the Lord feeth not as man feeth ; for man looketh upon the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. 2. How manifefted ? Their perfons (ball be known and owned,Rev.3.5. Brit I wjß con - fefr his name before my Father,and before his Angels. 'Tis no litigious debate then ; no more doubt, when owned,not by Charra&er, but by Name ; they {hall bemanifefted to them felves, and their glory alto revealed to the world by the vifible marks of favour Chrift will put upon them, when others are rejected, Ifa. 66. q. Bat he _pall appear to your joy, and they [hall be aflramed. Yea, the world"ihall ftand wondring, 2 Thef 1. 1o. When he [hall come to be glorified in his faints, and to be admired in all them that believe. 2. Do&. That the fíate of the craatures[ ball he renewed, when Gods children come to be manifefted in their glory : For he faith, the whole Creation groaneth and waiteth. r. This is clear, that heaven andearth ; that is, the lower Heavens, and the Elemen- tary Bodies, as well as the earth, fbaffafr "Jame kind of change at the !all' days for 'tis laid, Pfal. 102. 26. As a veflure¡balt thou change them, and they (hall be changed: He will change them quite from the condition wherein they now are. 2. That this change ofthe world and the heavenly and elementary bodies,fliallbe by fire, 2 Pet, 3. 7. The heavens and the earth, which are now referved untofrre againll the day of judgment, and theperdition of ungodlymen. 3. That notori thfianding this fire and univerfal deffrution, rational creatures fhall fub- fifi toall eternity, in their proper place affigned to each of them; the Godly in Heaven, the w icked in Hell, Matth. 25.46. Theft ¡ball go away into everlaflingpunifhment, but the righteour into eternal life. 4. Tis probable that the bruits and plants , and all fuch corruptible bodies as are necef- fary to the animal life,but fuperfluous to life everlafting, (hall be utterly defiroyed. 5. That the world and elementaty bodies /hall be refined and purged by this fire, and not utterly defiroyed : This is the defign of thisScripture, and therefore this general con- flagration leemeth not to turn all things into nothing in regard of their fubftance ; but change of qualities, and to change them with a perfective, not a deftructive change; that change the matter, not reduce it into nothing ; for that which is made matter of delire or hope, cannot be limple and total deftru &ion, or annihilation, as it is by the Apoftle here ; and 'tis compared with the deluge, where the form of the world was deftroyed, not the fubffance, 2 Pet. 2. 6. As the world that was overflowed by water, perifbed ; fo ¡hall the world perifh, which is confirmed with fire: Not by annihilation,but a change of qua- lities, only for the better, as that was for the worfe. 6. What aft this refiored world ferveth for, we need not anxioufly enquire; whether to be a perpetualmonument of the Wildom, Power,andGoodnefs of the Creator ; the crea. tingof the world ferved for this end, fo may the renewing of it; or whether it (hall be an habitation for the juft during the judgment, which is by fome conceived to laft for a thoufand years ; and at firft confumed by a purging fire, and afterwards utterly deftroyed by a confuming fire; we (hall enquirein the following Verles. 3. D:&. That this efiate of things ought earn ily to he deftred and expelled by ur : Foi' to this end the Apoftle mentioneth theearneft expectation of the creature, and the day principally concerneth us; and therefore 'cis the duty of Gods children to look for this day : There are two choice Scriptures that defcribe theCommunion of the Church with Chrift, and the dilpenfations of Chrift to the Church ; and they both conclude with a' deliireof hiscoming; one is Cant. 8. 14. the other is, Rev. 22. 20. the firft place, Make haft my beloved, and be like a young hart or roe upon the mountains of'pices. Chrift is not flack, but the Churches Affe &ions are ftrong; make haft my Beloved; that is the brides last and great fuit to the bridegroom , his coming in glory to judg the world. The wanton proftitute would have her husband defer his coming ;but the chaff fpoufe think eth he can never come loon enough ; they that goa whoring after the world, and air. wholl t
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