Saints of the higheft, not onely of the highest God, Cap. 52. but of the highest places, of the highest things, they are those to whom the Kingdom fhall be given,thote Saints that did fee the most glorious things of the Kingdom of God, they had the reward, for they held out in fufferings, but others, whofe hearts were low in the earth, they did not hold out.

upon

So those that should hold out in the time of Antichrift,and fhould not worship the Beast, Rev.13.6,7, 8. were fuch as dwelt in Heaven. He opened his mouth in blafphemy against God, to blafpheme his Name, and his Tabernacle, and them that dwelt in Heaven in many places of the Revelations, Heaven is taken for the Church of God, and the People of God, and fo Interpreters take it here: And it was given to him to war with the Saints,and to overcome them but though he prevailed against the Saints to kill them, yet he could not prevail against them that dwelt in Heaven to worship him but all that dwell the Earth shall worship him; all that know no higher good then the Earth, they fhall follow Antichrift and worship him. Here we fee the reason why people will not endure the fufferings inflicted by the Beaft,but follow the Beaft,& have his mark either upon their foreheads openly, or in their hands fecretly, because they do not apprehend the glory of Heaven; but if they can come to fee thofe glorious things of Heaven, though Antichrift do perfecute them, they would not worship him: in these latter times of the world Antichrift will prevail to get many to worship him, but the fight of thefe glorious things will keep us we fhall not worship him. In Rev.12.the Church who is compared to a Woman that was cloathed with the

glory

Cap-53. glory of the Sun, he had the Moon, and all fublunary things under her feet: When the foul is feeking after the glory of Heaven,and that is always in its eye,this caufes it to have the Moon, by which is fignified all things below that are fubject to changes, under its feet. I read of a Martyr that was whipped, and almoft fcourged to death, and then being led to the execution, he met with his Mother, who being a godly gracious woman, did not fall of tearing her hair, and rending her cloathes as other women ufed to do, but cryed, Son, Remember eternal life; look up to Heaven, and see him that reigns there: Hence we see that having an eye to the recompence of reward, does make the heart to choose the Choice of Mofes, To fuffer affliction with the people of God, and to efteem the reproach of Chrift greater riches then the treasures of Egypt, you fee there is a great deal of power and efficacy in it, but wherein does this power confift? In divers particulars.

I.

CHAP. LIII.

Wherein the power and efficacy of eying the recompence of reward confifts.

F

Irft, there is a great deal of in looking power to this glorious recompence of reward, becaufe the glory of this does fo much darken all the glory of the things of the world that we are called to part withal, when we are called to fuffer any thing: Now then the argument lies thus, That which darkens all the glory of the world, and makes it ap

pear

pear to be nothing, that must needs have a great deal Cap.53. of power to enable the heart to part with any thing in the world in the cause of God: those who by the eye of faith are able to behold the reality and certainty of those glorious things, they look upon all things below as poor, mean, flight, contemptible things: As we know the glory of the light of the Sun, darkens the glory of the light of a candle; the light of a candle is comfortable in the night, in the dark, but when the light of the Sun rifeth, that is nothing: So long as the men of the world are in darknefs, the light and comfort of the creature is a great matter to them; but when God lets the glory of the things of his Kingdom appear to them, then the comfort of the creature is nothing. A Glow-worm glifters in the dark, but when the day comes, the brightness and the glittering of the Glow-worm is not feen: fo all the brightness and gliftering of the creature that takes the hearts of men, is gone when God lifts up his light upon them, and fhews them the greatness of his Kingdom.

tanto duri

And the reason why people are fo hardly brought Mala vita to fuffer any thing for God, is because they have fuch prcfcntis high efteem of these things, that which a man hath is animus high esteem of, he is loth to part withal; but when fentit, quaa mans heart is taken from them, as there is no longer bon quod to penfare a high efteem of them, he is willing to part with fequitur, them. As Saint Paul faid, I am ready not to be bound negligit, Greg Mo onely, but also to dye for the name of the Lord Fefusal. I. 10. his life was not dear to him, he accounted it not C. 12. worth the leaft degree of glory to God: A gracious heart, as it accounts nothing low in any duty that tends to this glorious reward, fo it accounts nothing

Cap.53. high to part with for the recompence of reward. It is a notable paffage we have of Fofeph to his Father Facob, Gen. 45. 20. Regard not your stuff, for the good of all the Land of Egypt is yours: It may be Fofeph thought his Father Facob might think, I have many Goods here, and what, shall I leave all that I have here to go to Egypt, into a strange coun trey he might think this might be fome let to his Father, but Iofeph calls it all tuff: you have a deal of ftuff and lumber, but let it not grieve you to leave your ftuff and lumber, all the good of the Land of Egypt is yours: So God fays to a gracious heart, when it looks upon any thing it should part withal, and it is loth to part with it, says God, Regard not your stuff, and lumber you have here; for not the good of all the Land of Egypt is yours, but all the good that is in Heaven is yours, and the good that is in the God of Heaven, and the good that is in Chrift is all yours: That foul that understands the glory of Heaven, and the Interest that it hath in it, fhall hear a voyce tell it, That all the good in Heaven, and in God, and in Chrift, is its own; and therefore he will not regard any thing here: if we knew no better things then thefe, we would be loth to part with them, if we had never feen the light of the Sun, we would have accounted the Moon a glorious creature, and as a mighty Ornament to Heaven, and to the world, but when we come to fee the glory of the Sun, that is nothing to us in comparison. Children that are born in a dungeon, and know no better things, would be loth to part with that they have there; but when they come to know what is in the world, then all they had before is nothing to them;

greater

greater glory diminisheth that which is lefs. So that Cap.53. we may apply that the Apoftle speaks concerning the comparison of the Gospel with the Law, to this we are fpeaking of, 2 Cor. 3. 10. That which was made glorious, had no glory in this respect, by reafon of the glory that excelleth; though there was fome glory in the administration of the Law, yet it is no glory in comparison of that which excelleth: So though there may be glory in the outward comforts of the world, yet there is no glory in comparifon of that glory which excelleth, in comparifon of that glory which hath been opened; and that is the first thing.

2.

paffiones ad

Secondly, as the glory of the world is darkned by having refpect to this glorious recompence of reward, fo all the evils of the world are wonderfully leffened: You know what the Apoftle fays, in Rom. 8. 18. Non funt That the fufferings of this prefent time are not worthy condigna to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in prateritam us: As we use to say, It is not to be named the fame culpam qua day, not to be reckoned with the glory that fhall be remittitur ad prefenti revealed in us: A Father upon that place hath a nota- confolatioble glofs,fays he,Sufferings are not to be compared & gratiam looked upon, in respect, first of the punishment that qua iniwe have deferved, which is paffed by, and pardoned; futuram and then not to be compared and reckoned with the gloriam prefent grace and comfort that Gods people have here. But then much lefs is to be compared and Bern. reckoned with the weight of glory that is to come, that is promised to us. And fo in 2 Cor. 4. 17, 18. While we look at things that are eternal, not temporal, this light affliction, all is but light, and nothing in comparison: What is it for one to have a rainy

Rr

day

citur, ad

quæ pro

mittitur.