GLORY of THE LORD. 245 To thew us, perhaps, that all the Teaching and Per- fuafion of Man is utterly ineffectual, without the parti- cular Agencyofthe HolyOne ; Inílances upon Inftances arife, in which Perfons (hall hear the Word and frequent the Ordinances, Year after Year, and for many Years together, without having a real Work of Grace per- formed in their Hearts. The Word, like Water fpilt upon the Ground, with refpeét to them, feems void and ufelefs. The learned Mr. Penible, an excellent Minifter of Chrift in the Reign of King James the Iff, recites, in his Vindiciæ Grati,e, a remarkable Example of this kind, which, he fays, was communicated to him by a worthy and credible Divine. A Man had then lately died, aged more than fixty Years, who had attended the Preaching of the Gofpe!, both on the Lord's Day and at other Opportunities, for almoft all his Life- time. He feemed both a conftant Hearer, and an earneft Lover, of the Word. But, upon his Death-Bed, being alked by the Minifter, who vifited him, concerning his Faith and Hope in GOD ; he gave fuch Anfwers, as affonfhed all that heard him. For it being demanded, What he thought of GOD ; he replied, That he be- lieved him to be;a.good kind of old Man. And being alked the fame of Chrift, he anfwered, That he thought him to be a towardly well- behaved Youth. Being queftioned concerning his Soul ; he imagined it, he faid, to be fome great ftrong Bone in his Body. And on the Inquiry, What would become of him after Death ; he fuppofed, That, if he had done well, he Ihould pals away his Time in fome pleafant green Meadow. Yet this Man muff have heard feveral thou- sand Sermons.Very few ignorant and carelefs Pro - _feffors mayperhaps be immerfed in this Man's Stupidity-, but, if they live and die ignorant and carelefs,,though the Degree of Stupidity may not be equal, the End will be the fame. Glory frequently includes the Idea of Light. So Chrift is the Glory of his People, and the Light of his People : And he is infinite and efentiál Light and R 3 Glory.
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