Reynolds - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.R485 T47 1642

The Vanity of the creature. all is tranfparent and diaphanous , to note how vaf.+ our affeections fhould bee toward God , how endleffe our thoughts and defires of his kingdorr,e, how prefent to our faith the heavenly things fhould bee even at the gteà- tel} dif once. The Apofile faith, That Faith is the Sub- Htb, ti. a.. fiance of thins hoped for , that it gives being and prcfent fubfif}ency to things farre difiant from us , makes thofe things which in regard of naturali caufes are very rem mote, in regard of Gods promifes to feeme hard at hand. And therefore though there were many hundred yearcs to corne in the Apoii les time , and , for ought wee know, may.yet bee to the dilfolution of the world, yet the Apo - file tels us that even then it was the lad hours; becaufe faith being able di(}intly to fee the truth and promifes ofGod, and the Endlefileffe of that life which is then prefently to be revealed, the infinite exceffe of vafineffe in that, made that which was otherwife a great fpacc feeme even as nothing, no more in cornparifon than the length of a Cane or Trunke, through whicha man look es on the heavens, or force vaf} countrey. And ever the greater magnitude and light there is in a body, the fiñaller .will the medium or dif }ance feeme from it; the reafon why a perfpecclive glaffe drawes remote objed}s dole to the eye, is becaufe it multiplies the fbecies. Wee then by faith apprehending an infinite and everlaf}ing Glory, mull needs conceive any thing through which wee looke upon it to be but fhort & vanifhing, And therfore though the promifes were affarre off in regard of their owroe ex- Heb..aì. I3o , iftence , yet the Partriakes did not onely fee but embrace them; their faith feerned to nullifie and fwallow- up all the dif}ance. 144rakom. faw CHRIST s day. andrwas I311n e. glad,he looked upó thofe many ages which were between . him and his promifed feed as upon (mall and,unconfi- derable dif}ances in comparifon of that cndleffe glory in-- to which they ran, they were but as a curtaine or piece of ' hangings, which divide one roome -in. a houfe from ano° ?hr,

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=