The Saints Inheritance.
Lord; Tremellius thinks, either out of some religious vow, or to keep the Sabbath; or somewhat concerning that law, he was detained before the Lord; and yet he was a vile malignant against David, and all because he trusted in the great countenance he had at Court; now this is the man that made not God his trust, but that trusted in his great riches. The Lord forbid, this Scripture should be made true of any of you; I leave this Text with you that are rich men, take heed. I leave this Text with you that are in places of dignity and honor, take heed. I leave this Text with you that are voluptuous men, given up to your pleasure. Take heed you hear not one day this, Son, remember in thy life time, thou hadst thy pleasure; I leave it with all that will not trust God, for a portion to come; and above all, I leave it with all hypocrites, let them take heed, it be not said to them, here is your reward; Consider what hath been said, and the Lord give you understanding.
FINIS.
The Saints Inheritance.
But to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent in whom is all my delight. - Psalm 16.3.
They that understand the whole Psalm to foresee the Messiah, and foretell of Christ, make this place parallel with that of John 17.19.
And for their sake I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. But here in the beginning of the Psalm, David prays to God for preservation, and for deliverance out of some great
evil, that it seems was upon him, or that he was in danger of. The argument that he useth, is, First his trust in God, as in the first verse,
Preserve me O God, for in thee do I put my trust. And it was not an ungrounded and unwarranted trust, but that which proceeded from his interest he had in God, as in the second verse, O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, thou art my Lord: thou art mine, and my only God, in whom is all my confidence. But what if David should now perish in this distress, should God be any looser by it? David seems to acknowledge this, that though he should not be preserved, yet God was bound to preserve his own name, and his own cause; as it follows in the second verse, my goodness extendeth not to thee.
Though I should live, yet it is little that I could do for thee. But to the saints that are in the earth, Though my goodness extendeth not unto thee, yet may I be of use to thy people, and unto thy Saints while I live; for it extends to them, and they are those that my soul closeth with and hath delight in. O, therefore do I desire to live, and to be preserved, that I may be useful to them, that are thy Saints.
It is a great argument to prevail with God, when any of you are in danger, and seek for preservation, if your hearts work thus to God, that the desire you have to be preserved is, that whatever you are, and whatever you can do, may extend to the Saints, that you may live to be of use and service in the world to God's people. Many of you when you apprehend yourselves to be in trouble, you then cry to God to be preserved: but to what end? Wherefore would you be preserved? Wherefore would you live? If we may judge of your ends according to your practice, you would live that you may have more time to satisfy your lusts, that you may have more time to dishonor
God, that you may have more time to do mischief in the places where you live. There is this in the heart, and God sees it: God sees whatsoever will be after in your lives; God sees before what was in your hearts when you cried to be preserved. But now one that is
gracious, he desires therefore to be preserved: O, saith he, that I might live to be of use in that place where God hath placed me. If God should take me away now, my conscience tells me that it is little service that I have done for him. I have been of little use in the place where God hath set me, O, that I might be preserved for this end, that what I am, or have, or have been might extend to the Saints on earth, even the excellent in whom is all my delight. Thus you have the scope of the words, and the dependence of them. And in them there are these two things observable.
1. Observation.
First, the high esteem of the Saints; They are the excellent of the earth.
2. Observation.
And secondly, the sweet delight that David's heart had in them; in whom is all my delight.
For the first, the high esteem that David had of the Saints, and the Saints that were on earth, the Excellent. The point is this, that the Saints of God, those that are godly, are the excellent in the earth.
Then secondly, from this that he saith, in whom is all my delight.
Observe this, that a gracious heart above all things in this world, takes the most contentment in the Saints of God; he is much delighted in them.
The first is but a preparation to the second: therefore I shall pass it over briefly. They are the excellent in the earth, therefore my delight is in them.
They are the excellent in the earth. Let them be what they will in regard of their outward meanness, yet there is an excellency in them.
Job scraping upon the dunghill; and Jeremiah sticking in the mire in the dungeon, yet they had more glory and beauty upon them, then the greatest Potentates of the earth when they sat upon their thrones.
Though they lie among the pots (as the Psalmist saith) yet are they as Doves, their wings are the wings of Doves, whose feathers are of gold, and silver; Psalm. 68.13, beautiful and glorious. You know the judgment that the holy Ghost passeth upon the Saints in old time, that were outwardly mean enough, there is as much meanness on them as the malice of the world could put: the Text saith, they had trials of mocking's, of scourging's, of bonds, and imprisonments, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they wandered in sheepskins, and goats skins: destitute, afflicted, tormented. What kind of creatures were these, surely they were some wretched men, and women that were thus hunted up and down to wander in sheepskins and goats-skins, destitute, afflicted and tormented? No such matter, they were such of whom the world was not worthy: v.
38. that is the judgment of the holy Ghost upon such, the world was not worthy of them.
The men of the world would have thought, and did think that they were such as were not worthy to live in the world: but the judgment of the holy Ghost was such, that the world was not worthy of them. I remember Chrysostom hath this interpretation of the phrase, they are such as are worth more than all the world, more than many thousands of the world; one of them is worth more than all the men of the world besides. It is a truth so; one Saint of God, though never so mean, one poor youth, one servant that is truly gracious, is worth more than all the men of the world besides that are not so. All the Monarchs and Princes on earth, have not that excellency in them
that one poor child or servant hath that is gracious, and belongs to God.
But the ordinary interpretation is thus, they are such as have that excellency, as that the world is not worthy to enjoy them, they are not worthy of their presence, that they should so much as live among them; they are rather fit to be set as stars in heaven, and be before the Lord in his glory: the world is not worthy of them.
But what is there in the Saints that makes them the excellent in the earth? The Saints that are the excellent. The word in the original signifies the magnificent ones; those that have magnificent spirits, and are exceeding glorious.
There is this in them (that I may briefly pass over this first.) They have the image of God upon them, and therefore they must needs be the excellent on earth. The image of God makes them to resemble God in that which the creature is able to conceive of; That which is the height of God's excellency: though it be true, whatsoever is in God is God himself: yet we conceiving of God according to our manner of speaking, there is something of God that appears most excellent, and glorious. And it must needs be in regard of that expression, because grace is called the image of God. Now when we draw the image of a thing, we draw it as near as we can according to that which is the most proper excellency of that thing. If I would draw the image of a man, I do not draw the likeness of a piece of flesh, a beast hath that as well as a man; or I do not draw feet or legs, or the back parts of a man: but when the image of a man is drawn, his face is chiefly looked after to be drawn, which is the most excellentest part of man; and there we endeavor to express his life, and spirit as much as can be: for that is the most excellent part; and though the spirit cannot be drawn, and there can be no picture of it;
yet because it is shown most in the face, that is, as near as we can go, that is drawn there.
So the image of God, is that wherein the creature resembles God in height of excellency and glory. It is not every resemblance of God that is God's image: there are some things that set out some of the glory of God, and they are but called God's footsteps, or his back parts. All the resemblance of God in his creatures; and the expressions of his power, and wisdom; the invisible things of God that we see in the creature, they are all but his footsteps, and back parts; they are not his image, Why? Because they do not resemble
God in that which he hath set out to us to be the height of his glory.
What is that? The holiness of God, that is the height of his excellency.
Therefore it is said of God himself, holy and reverend is his name.
God's name comes to be reverend by holiness: were it not for his holiness, notwithstanding all the rest, (if it were possible to separate them) his name would not be reverend. Therefore when the Saints in heaven glorify God for his chiefest excellency, it is thus holy, holy, holy. We find not in Scripture any of God's Attributes thrice repeated, Wise, Wise, Wise, or Almighty, Almighty, Almighty, but holy, holy, holy, because the excellency of God consists chiefly in Holiness: the LORD only is Holy.
Now because where grace is in the creature, resembling this holiness of God, there is that principle whereby the creature is able to act as God himself acts: for that is holiness, the working of God to his own end in all things suitable to his nature. So when the creature works to God as his last end, and in some measure is suitable to that God with which the creature hath to do, here is the Image of God.
Therefore the Scripture expresseth grace by these four things, as; The Image of God.
The Life of God.
The glory of God, and The Divine nature.
There are these four expressions for the work of grace.
The Image of God, it resembles God in his excellency. The life of God himself, Ephes. 4, alienated from the life of God, that notes acting like God himself. And then it is the glory of God himself; and the divine nature, 2. Pet. 1.3. So that there must needs be excellency in the Saints that have grace that is of this nature.
Certainly, there is more of God in the meanest Saint, in the meanest gracious man or woman; there is more of the glory of God, then in all the world besides, then in heaven and earth. Take all the creatures, all the glory of God in the heavens, in the Sun, Moon, and Stars, and put all into one. Take all the glory of God in the seas, those vast
Oceans, and put that into one; take all the glory of God that appears in the earth, all the riches of the earth, and all arts and sciences, and what you will; put all into one, and the meanest youth or servant that hath the least degree of grace, hath more of the glory of God then all this is. There is more of the shining of God in the least degree of grace in the poorest Christian in the world, then there is in all these creatures. If there were a quintessence of all the excellency, and glory, extracted, and drawn, and put into one, yet there were not so much of God, God could not see so much of himself in that one creature that should have the excellency of all creatures put together, as he sees in the meanest Saint that hath the work of grace.
And surely then they are the excellent of the earth, if there be so much of God in them.
The work of grace is that which hath most of God in it; and wheresoever it is, it is that which is the proper work of God's eternal love; it is a beam of it, therefore there is a great deal of excellency in it. Take all other creatures, and it is possible to enjoy all the good that is in all the creatures in heaven and earth (excepting this only, the grace of God) through the bounty of God, and the pleasure of God.
There is nothing that the creature hath, but may be communicated as a fruit of God's general bounty except spiritual blessings in Christ: but where ever this is, though in the least degree, it is of that nature, that it cannot come but only from the eternal election of God. It is that which is the principle of Eternal life, wheresoever it is, it is that which will grow up to eternal glory.
All common gifts will never grow up to glory, though they grow up to the height of glory, but the grace of God, true grace, it is of the same nature with eternal glory. Therefore for the kind of it, it is the greatest good that ever God did, or that ever he will communicate to any creature for all eternity. I say, where ever God hath communicated any dram of grace, that is the greatest good that ever
God did, or ever will communicate to all eternity, to any of his creatures, therefore it is exceeding excellent.
Only excepting the work of God in the hypostatical union of the two natures, wherein he joined the human, and the divine nature together in one person; excepting that, the work of grace in any soul is the greatest work that ever God did from all eternity, or that ever he will do, for the kind of it.
Now that which hath so much of God in it, and comes from the eternal election and love of God; and is the greatest work that ever was done, or ever shall be done; and the greatest good that ever was,
or shall be communicated to any creature forever, truly this must needs be the greatest excellency. For God made the world for that end, that he might communicate his excellency, and glory to the world, to the creature. Now that which was the greatest thing that God intended from all eternity; for the communicating of all his glory, it must needs make the creature excellent. This is the first thing, that the Saints are the excellent on earth in regard of the image of God upon them, and the work of grace in them.
But secondly, they are the excellent of the earth, in regard of the separating of them for God: they are those that God set his thoughts upon from all eternity, that they might enjoy him. The great counsels that God wrought from all eternity, especially were set on work upon this great thing of separating of certain creatures for himself from the rest of the world.
Now when God shall set as it were (to speak after the manner of men) his thoughts and counsels on work from all eternity to set apart a few creatures for himself; if these can be known who they are, certainly, we cannot but look on them as the excellent on earth: Now wheresoever we see the work of grace in any, we may by that know that these God hath separated for himself, as setting his infinite wisdom on work from all eternity above that. That was the thing he was most exercised in before the world, about the work of separating such and such for himself. The Psalmist saith, O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? How long will ye love vanity and seek after leasing? But know, that the Lord hath set a part him that is Godly, for himself. Psalm. 4.2.3. Here you see that God hath set apart the godly for himself, they are those that are dedicated, and consecrated to God, therefore there is a wonderful excellency put upon them.
As you know anything that is dedicated and consecrated, though it be never so mean in itself, yet being once dedicated, being once made a consecrated thing, there is a great deal of excellency put upon that thing. As in the law, if it were but a piece of wood in the Tabernacle, if it were but a Badgers skin; if it were but brass or goats hair or any such thing that were mean in itself, yet if it were once consecrated and made holy to God, they looked upon it as having a great deal of excellency on it.
Now I reason thus; if a piece of wood, or a little hair, or leather consecrated to God had an excellency in it: what then hath an immortal soul, that hath the graces of the spirit, as so many pearls in it, when that is consecrated and set apart to God to the glory and praise of his grace to all eternity; here must needs be much excellency and most eminent preeminence's.
When a thing is consecrated we look on it no more according to the quality of the thing, but to the consecration. As I remember I read of some people in India, that when they have but lost an Apes tooth that was consecrated to their god, they will give an unspeakable sum of money for the redemption of it again, because it was a thing that was consecrated to their god. So I read of another that being raised from a mean birth, he took this way to make himself to be highly esteemed of the people, he had a golden bason that he used to wash his feet in, he took that and made an idol of it, and consecrated it, and then everyone fell down, and worshipped it when it was consecrated. Nay, saith he, if this which was mean before it was set apart to this use, comes so to be honored, then I that am mean by birth, being set apart to the government, may as well be honored by you.
Thus then if the superstition, and will of man having consecrated a thing, thinks he puts so much excellency on it, how much more when
God himself, and the great and special work of the holy Ghost that he is designed to, it is a special work of his office to consecrate souls to God, and to set them apart to himself, what an excellency must this needs be that is put upon them? They are the excellent of the earth.
That is the second.
Thirdly, if we consider that relation that the Saints have to God; they are the nearest relations that can be expressed. Of children to parents; they are the children of God. Of a spouse to her husband; they are the spouse of Jesus Christ, the second person in Trinity; and in that regard they are more nearly united to God then the Angels themselves are, in being the spouse of the Son of God. Yea the very members of his body, they have a nearer relation in that respect to the divine nature, to the second person in Trinity then the Angels themselves: for they have not such a relation as this, therefore they are the excellent of the earth.
Again, fourthly, if we consider the great privileges that the Saints have, we shall see them the excellent of the earth. Not to speak of their deliverance from sin and guiltiness, and those immunities that they have from others. But consider they have this privilege, that God in all his attributes and works, he is continually working for their good.
There is this excellent prerogative of the Saints, there is no attribute of God but it is continually working good to every Saint of God. There is no work of God's providence, but it works and acts continually for their good.
It would be a mighty excellent honor put upon any man, if but such an honorable assembly as the Parliament, should take thought for such an one, and all their purposes and plots, and councils all the time they are sitting should tend to the good of such an one in
particular, taking notice in particular of him. It is that which I said, all your wisdom, and power and mercy, and faithfulness, and the infinite all sufficiency of God is continually every moment working, not only for the good of those that love God in general, but for every particular Saint of God. God takes special notice of them, and sets all his attributes continually on work for their good, and wellbeing.
And the heavens continually work for them. They have this privilege, that the whole world is made for them, God hath given them the world, they are the heirs of the world; as it is said of Abraham, he was the heir of the world. Rom. 4. Abraham had little himself, yet he had the world. Now the children inherit their father's estate; if the world were Abraham's inheritance, then it is the inheritance of every child of Abraham: for so the children of Abraham are heirs to all that Abraham had, that is, as far as concerns them, therefore they that are his heirs, are heirs likewise of the world, so the Apostle saith, 1 Cor.
3.22,23. All are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's. So that God, and the creatures are theirs, here is a mighty privilege indeed.
Again, the privileges that they have in all the good of the Covenant of grace, Whatsoever good there is in the Covenant of grace, all the rich promises in the Covenant of grace are the privileges of the godly
Saints. It is admirable privileges that the precious promises in the Scripture speak of, to have interest in them all.
Besides, not only the promises, but the immunities that come from the Covenant of grace, as this; that they are not to stand or fall for their eternal estate, by anything that they are able to do themselves, they are freed from this, their eternal estate hangs not on that which they can do. Whereas others, that are not saints, that are not in the Covenant of grace, their eternal estate hangs on their endeavors, and
actions, God dealing with them according to the Covenant of works, being in that condition: though they may be such as may after come to be Saints, and as God hath elected, and in love may look on them as he intends towards them: but for the present they are in such a condition, as that they know not, but that their eternal estate depends on that which they do themselves. Now to be delivered from this, to have this immunity that such a thing of such a consequence, as our eternal estate should depend upon a sure foundation, upon that which is done by Christ, and done already; it is an infinite privilege. Others cannot challenge to themselves this privilege, that God will accept of their endeavors; do what they can, yet not being in the Covenant of grace, those endeavors are not accepted. That it pleaseth God to accept the will for the deed; it is one of the privileges of the Saints, that comes by the Covenant of grace: but it belongs not to others, they have not to do with this immunity and privilege. So I might name divers others, but then I should go out too far.
Again, this is a glorious privilege of access to the throne of grace, to come to God in prayer. God gives them the key of all his treasures to come, and open them, and take what they will; it is a glorious privilege that belongs to the Saints in any condition. God gives them a gracious praying heart, and that is the key of all the treasures of God, of all the excellencies of God, that they have liberty to come and take out what they will, be it unto thee as thou wilt. These are the excellent of the earth, that have these privileges.
Again, they are the excellent in earth in regard of that which comes from them. As the work of grace is so excellent as hath been spoken of: so every gracious action that comes from a gracious heart there is a wondrous excellency in it. There is not any one gracious action, but it hath more excellency than heaven and earth. Not only grace itself,
but any action that comes from grace, hath more of God in it, and God more delights in it, then in all other things in heaven or earth.
It is an expression of Luther, (though he were a great advancer of faith, yet he was also an advancer of holiness as well as of faith; therefore speaking of any gracious work of a godly man or woman, saith he, preciosa &c. it is more precious than heaven and earth. And then he goes on with another expression I had rather be able to perform any one gracious act, of the poorest woman, or maid; of the poorest Christian that is, then to be able to do all that ever
Alexander, or Julius Caesar had done. The least act that comes from faith, from a sanctified heart, he had rather be able to do it, then to get all the victories of Julius Caesar and Alexander: all their triumphs and trophies were nothing to the least breathing of the work of grace in those that are godly, that which comes from them are exceeding excellent. Now I reason, they must needs be excellent, that have such excellent things come from them. As when there were such excellent things came from the body of Paul, that had such virtue in them, that had such virtue in them, that noted that there was a great deal of excellency that God conferred upon that Apostle, and a great deal of honor that was put upon him: So when there comes flowing such precious liquor, such precious things from the Saints, as an holy action is, it shows that there is a great deal of excellency in them.
Which (by the way) should teach us to abound in holy duties; though our actions as they are from us corrupted, we look on them as despicable, yet know that God looks on them as the most glorious things in the world, any breathing of a gracious heart, therefore he despiseth not the broken heart, nor the sighing of a contrite spirit.
Psalm. 51.17. God can despise Monarchs, and Princes of the world: but God cannot despise a broken heart, nor any breathings from it.
Though thou mayest despise it thyself, and look on it as despicable,
the Lord cannot despise it: he sees so much excellency in it, though it be mixed with thy corruptions; yet there is that remainder of excellency in it, if there be but so much as may denominate it a gracious act, it is a glorious thing in the eye of God.
Lastly, (to name no more) the excellency of the Saints appears in this, the great use that they are of in the world. As especially this is one thing that God attains in them his great aim and end in creating the whole world. Were it not for a few gracious men, and women, what glory should God have in all the world? They are those that hold up the glory of God in the world, by which God hath his glory actively; for that is that God aims at. It is true God can force glory in spite of men's hearts, he will be glorified in spite of Devils: but God hath no active glory, but from gracious, godly people (I speak of the inferior world) it is only the godly that God hath glory from.
Therefore were it not for them God (in some kind) had made all the world for nothing. Now those that are employed in such a great work, and are of this great use in the world, as to bring to God that which he made the world for, the main, and great end that he made heaven and earth for; certainly these are principal in God's esteem, and excellent. God can say I have my end in these: Take any town where there are but two or three that are godly, what glory hath God but of these? So for other places where hath God glory but for a few contemptible ones? They are these that God glorifies in high and great services: these are the lights of the world, the salt of the earth: they are these that are the blessings of the world wheresoever they are; they are these for whom the world continueth so as it doth.
There is a notable expression in Isaiah, In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt, and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the Land, whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance. Isaiah 19.24.25. Wheresoever they are in a Kingdom, or
a family, or a town, they are a blessing in that Kingdom, in that town, and in that family. Israel shall be a blessing in the midst of the Land.
These are they that are the excellent of the earth.
I would now willingly be over this that I may come to the other, but only there is a word or two of application. And that is.
First, to show what a vast difference there is between those that are godly, and those that are wicked. Many things I might show that the Scripture expresseth of wicked ones in all their glory: let all the glory of the world be put upon them, yet the Scripture speaks exceedingly contemptuously of them. I must not spend time in those expressions, only one, and that is Daniel. And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honor of the Kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the Kingdom by flatteries.
Daniel 11.21. It is spoken (as most Interpreters carry it) of Antiochus Epiphanes, he is called a vile person, we may observe that David doth here more fully set out the love and affection he bears towards those that fear God by the contrary effect of hatred wherewith he doth prosecute the wicked, as in the 4. v. of this Psalm, and in the 4 verse of the foregoing Psalm, the Psalmist saith, In whose eyes a vile person is contemned, but he honoreth them that fear the Lord.
Psalm 15.4. Of this Antiochus there are three things observed, yet he is called a vile person. First, he was a great enemy to many sins.
Secondly, when the Jews wrote to him, because they feared his wrath, he being a persecutor of the Jews; there were some that lived in Samaria that were Samaritans that wrote to him to desire his favor, that were not their own selves Jews, but Samaritans: and Josephus saith, they wrote to him in this style, To Antiochus, &c.
Antiochus the mighty God; they gave him this title of honor. He was a great man on earth accounted where he lived; among the Samaritans, a mighty god; yet the Scripture calls him a vile person.
And then his name Epiphanes, which is as much as illustrious or glorious. He hath that title of almighty god, and illustrious, and glorious, and yet he was a vile person. Thus it is, where God sees not the work of grace.
The consideration of this might give us some hope that there will be a time wherein God will appear for his Saints. It is not probable that God will always suffer his Jewels to be trodden under feet in the world; that God will always look upon such as are excellent on earth, and see them so abused in the world, and so contemptible as they are; surely this will not be always, God hath this time to make it manifest to the world, that they are the excellent of the earth. They are now Jewels, yet they are such as are in the dirt, and so are despised and contemned: but there is a promise, that the Lord their
God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his
Land. Zach. 9.16. As the stones of a Crown, God will lift them up and make them honorable.
And there is another Text which is very observable; for everyone to take notice of God's intention to make these excellent ones famous on earth. The governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God. Zach. 12.5. There was a time when the governors of Judah despised those that were gracious and godly; but God hath promised that the governors of Judah shall be convinced of their error, and shall say in their hearts the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God: However now through the calumnies of the world; however now through the reproaches that are cast upon the Saints of God, it falls out many time, that even the governors of Judah despise and contemn them, and say they are seduced people, that they are factious and turbulent, and so their
hearts are against them, and hate, and abhor them, and look upon them with such an evil eye, as those that they name puritans: yet there is a time promised when the governors of Judah shall say in their hearts the inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the Lord of hosts. O ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, God's Church and people, his sanctified ones (for Jerusalem typified the estate of God's people under the Gospel; God's sanctified ones under the Gospel) shall be such as the governors of Judah in their hearts shall say, My strength is in them. I see they are my best subjects, my chief strength is in them, and they are of principal use for me, and my Kingdom is upheld in peace for them, and there is the blessing of God on them, they shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God. Now I see
God is their God; God hears their prayers, and hath done much for them, we are convinced of it. O this will be a blessed time, when it shall be that the governors of Judah shall say so.
Blessed be God that they do say so in any measure, that the governors of Judah say at all of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, of the godly, that their strength is in them: that they may see those that are the excellent of the earth, in any measure to be truly the excellent of the earth.
It were a rueful spectacle, and would draw tears of blood, to see the excellent ones to have that usage that they have had. But now to see those excellent ones countenanced in a public way, especially in public courts of Justice, it is glorious, when the governors of Judah shall do it. And this we are to pray for, that it may be more and more seen amongst us, and to say no more; let us learn to honor them that God hath honored: since they are excellent ones, and God hath put excellency upon them, do you so too, look on them according as God esteems them. It is observed, that God in the time of the law did not require them to offer in sacrifice, Lions and Eagles, those brave
creatures; but Lambs and Doves, mean creatures, he would have offered in sacrifice. So God doth not regard the brave spirits of the world that strut it out; but if there be any that be gracious and godly though they he never so poor and mean, as Lambs and Doves, God honors and respects them, they are a sacrifice to him; the broken heart is a sacrifice to God. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O Lord, thou wilt not despise. Therefore when God would lift up himself in glory, he saith, He that dwells in the high and lofty place. What of him? He looks to those that are of humble, and contrite hearts, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. As if there were no other subject in the world worth looking upon, he looks only to them. As a thing that is before ones eye that he prizeth, his eye is fastened on that: so God looks on them as if they were the only object to be looked at; therefore let them be looked at by us with reverence in our hearts: it is fit that we should honor those that God honors.
Therefore it is observed in the message of the King of Babylon to Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 32.31. When Hezekiah was sick, and God had given him a sign of his recovery that the sun did go backward: It was a wondrous honor that God put on him that the sun should go backward. The ambassadors of the king of Babylon came to congratulate with Hezekiah after his recovery: but what was the business? Not only to congratulate with him for his recovery; but to inquire of the great miracle, so the Text saith, the ambassadors of the Prince of Babylon were sent unto him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land; Why did they inquire of this wonder? There were many wonders done, but they were not sent to inquire of others but of this. Because they worshipped the sun for their god and because their god had put such an honor upon Hezekiah; they perceived the altering of the sun that it went backward, and they inquired of the matter, concerning the alteration in the sun, and after
enquiry there was news that it was for the sake of Hezekiah. Now because they worshipped the Sun as their god, and so apprehended that their god had put such an honor upon Hezekiah, they honored him too. Though Hezekiah were king of the Jews, and they were enemies one to another, Jerusalem and Babylon, yet when God had honored him, they sent to congratulate one another, then they put honor and respect one upon another upon that occasion.
That should teach us, if the heathens when they see their God put honor on any, they honor such as God honors, then when you see or hear that God honors gracious and godly men, and women, do you so too; prize them, let them have high esteem in your hearts. You have heard this day what honor God puts upon his Saints, therefore learn you to honor them. And much might be said, to draw the hearts of all people to the love of the people of God. Somewhat for the people of God; to walk as excellent ones, not to defile one another. And for others, if they would be those here in the world that be excellent and glorious; it is not the outward things of the world that hang on you; as clothes, and riches that make you excellent ones in the eye of God, but it is grace, and godliness. By faith the fathers obtained good report.
Some think there is no way to get esteem, but by outward bravery, great livings, fine clothes and the like; and men think that the way to be accounted more eminent than others, is to be rich, and to wear fine clothes and get honors and such like; but these are fading and not permanent. So there are many ministers that think to get esteem if they be honored before great ones, and go brave. But you know by experience, that a faithful godly minister, that walks faithfully, and conscionably, he gets more esteem in the hearts and consciences not only of those that are godly, but of those that have enlightened consciences, then a hundred of those; and they vex at it that they
should do so; Why? They go a way to work to get more esteem, but they are deceived; they look at excellency where it is not. It is not such things, but in the work of grace, that prevails with the consciences of men. Boniface the martyr when he was asked the question, if he might have the sacrament, if he would drink it in a wooden chalice? Saith he, the time was that there were wooden cups and golden priests, but now there are golden cups and wooden priests. There was a time in the primitive times, they were very mean, they were content with wooden vessels; but the men were gold in regard of grace, and godliness, and so they were highly esteemed; but now they have golden cups, that is a great deal of bravery and glory; but they have wooden priests, those that have no true excellency in them. The heart of the wicked is little worth. It may be his estate, his houses, his lands may be somewhat worth, but what is his heart worth? He hath nothing in himself to commend himself.
But now the excellency of God's people is in that, it is in the soul and heart.
It were an uncomfortable thing to any of you, if suppose you have a servant along with you where you go, and all the respect you have is for your servants sake; if any entertain you into their house, it is not out of respect to you, but respect to your man; they love your man, and for his sake they entertain you; this would deject your hearts if you should know that you have no respect for any good in yourselves, but for your servants sake. So the men of the world, they have respect, but what is it for? For their riches, for their honor, for their brave clothes, for their money; all servants under them, they have no respect for anything in themselves, they have no spiritual excellency; especially when they are to deal with God, and the consciences of men, they have no respect. But godly men have not so many servants to gain respect by outward things: but that respect they have of God's
Saints, and in the consciences of men they have it from an internal excellency. But we let this go.
The second point follows, The excellent of the earth. In whom is all my delight.
It is but little that can be done I see, though it were the point I intended most. That that hath been said already makes way abundantly into the heart, that if they be the excellent of the earth, there is cause that we should delight in them. That is the point, that a gracious heart takes great delight in the Saints on earth.
First in their persons.
Or secondly in their society, and communion with them.
Or rather thus; they take delight in them, severally and jointly.
If they look upon any one Saint of God, they have delight in him, but they have more to look on all the Saints together jointly; so they can say their souls delight in them, there is a sweet complacency taken in them jointly. And that is that which I shall speak to at this time; The delight that is to be taken in the Saints jointly together. There is delight in the Saints in regard of the sweetness of their society and communion with them. For so this delight of David is to be taken in a large sense; not only in one particular, because of the good that he saw in their persons: but in regard of all the good he saw in them, and by them in joining with them take them altogether jointly. All the good that came from them; so he delighted in them. There is a great deal of delight and contentment to be had in the Saints of God, especially jointly.
If you look at one sometimes (though in never so mean a condition) there is a great deal of delight there. As Doctor Tailor the Martyr, that we read of in the book of Martyrs coming to Bradford, he professed that it countervailed all his trouble in prison, that he was acquainted with that Angel of God John Bradford, meaning him in particular. And another that professed that he had rather be with Cato, (a heathen) for his moral excellencies, in prison then with Caesar in the Senate in all his pomp. To be shut up with one godly man is a great deal of delight and contentment: what a great deal of delight is there then in their being together, and in that way wherein most of their excellencies appear? Such delight is in them jointly.
First, because the most comfortable communion that possible can be is enjoyed with them, and in them: for First, is it not a most delightful thing to see a company of godly people together to behold the resplendent beauty, and glory of the graces of God's spirit? If there were nothing else, what a delightful thing is it saith the heart? The very sight of good men is pleasing and delightful to those that look upon their faces: wisdom makes their faces shine. The seeing of the resplendent grace of God in them is very delightful. What is the delight of God, but the seeing of the shining of his glory in his works? Especially when God sees that which is the shining of his highest glory, as his own grace and holiness, that God delights in most. So when a gracious heart sees his own image, and that grace that God hath wrought in him, he sees it resplendently in others, it is a delightful object.
Again, there is a comfortable communion with them in regard of the fragrancie of grace. The beauty of grace is delightful, but the fragrancy, the breathings of grace, are sweet in the heart. The beholding of it is delightful to the eye, but the workings of their grace
is exceeding sweet, and comfortable to the heart: Therefore saith the Church, Let my beloved go down into the gardens, among the beds of spices to feed in the gardens, and to gather spices. Cant. 6.2. All the Churches of God in the world are as the garden of Christ; and every particular Church in that garden is as a bed of spices; and every particular Saint is as the several parts of that bed, and especially the fragrant smell is very sweet.
It is said of Alexander, his very body was of such a constitution, that where ever he went there was a sweet savor came from his body.
Certainly, where there is but one of God's children, there is sweetness from him; but where there is a company jointly, there is a wonderful unspeakable sweetness comes from them, it is exceeding comfortable to a gracious heart to be among them.
Again, their communion is comfortable and delightful jointly, in regard of the nearness; there being no communion under heaven, wherein there is that nearness one to another, as of the Saints.
Observe, (that you may see how near they come together, and are made one, and so are exceeding delightful one to another) anything the more spiritual they are, the more they are united; the more corporeal they are, the less union. A heap of stones are not united, as the several beams of the sun, a thousand of them are united in one point, because they are of a spiritual nature. So it is with the spirits of men, the more carnal any men, and any society is, the less union: therefore the reason why the people of God many times are divided, and not united is, because they are carnal, Are ye not carnal, saith the Apostle, when there were divisions? Were you spiritual you would be more united one to another, but carnal men are carnally minded.
It is with spiritual society in regard of spiritual union, as it is with the society of wickedness. There is bodily, fleshly wickedness, and there is spiritual wickedness. Now those that join together in gross bodily wickedness, they are not so closely united as those that join in spiritual wickedness. A companion of drunkards or whoremongers, they take delight in one another, and join in wickedness, but it is corporal, therefore they soon fall out, and fly in the faces one of another. But those that join in spiritual wickedness, as politick ambitious men, men that join in mischief in a spiritual way, they keep mighty close, and you cannot easily break their bond of union; they will suffer much before they will discover one another, and break union one with another, because their union is in a way of spiritual wickedness. So on the contrary, when any are united in the spirit of holiness, they are mightily united, there is no such union under heaven as that.
We read of the curtains of the Tabernacle, Exod. 26, there were some of them that were made of purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and their teaches that held them together were pure gold. There were others of goats hair, and their buckles were brass. So it may set out the different condition of men in the Church: There are some in the Church that are truly gracious and godly, that excel in grace; and they are united by tacks of gold; their union is mighty strong and glorious in their hearts. There are others in the Church, outward professors that are carnal, that are goats hair, goats in the Church; and they maintain a union too, but it is but brass, the ground and bottom of the union is but mean; it is not such a golden union, as the union of the hearts of God's people; there are no people under heaven so united as they.
It is true, through their corruption, there is a great deal of dissention (as there is corruption in the best) but that is as far as they are
carnal; the more spiritual they grow, the more near is their union one to another, and the more entire is their love, My beloved is one, saith
Christ to his Church, she is the choice of one of her that bare her, and the daughters saw her and blessed her. There is a oneness, and entireness in the hearts of the Saints, and this makes them to be blessed by those that behold them, and makes their communion very delightful.
That is the first particular, their communion is most delightful of all other communions: therefore David saith, all my delight is in them, taking them together.
But then in the second place, A gracious heart must needs delight in the Saints, if you take them jointly; because that when they are together, there God is worshipped: the solemnest worship that God hath is from the Saints joined together. As I told you before that the glory that God had in the world was from them all: but the solemnity of God's worship cannot be but from them jointly together. Therefore the great delight of a gracious heart is to be with the saints when they are jointly together: because there the name of God is honored, and they worship God in a solemn way; God is honored among them.
Christ himself much delights in the Saints when they are joined together in the duties of holy worship, do but compare two Texts of Scripture, that will both make us in love with the Saints, and delight in joint communion with them. Compare Psalm. 22.22. with Heb.
2.12. The Psalm is a prophesy of Christ; and generally all interpreters go this way, that it is so, it appears by the Psalm that Christ especially is meant: the Text saith, I will declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. It is the promise of Christ to declare the name of his father to his Church and people, and in the midst of the congregation he shall praise God. Mark it, in
Heb. 2.12, the Apostle applies it to the Saints joined together, saying, I will declare the name unto my brethren, in the midst of the Church, will I sing praise unto thee. This was after Christ had been in the flesh, yet the Apostle applies this to the Church, in the midst of the Church, will I sing praise unto thee. This they gather hence, that Christ he delights in being with his people when they are jointly together, because of the solemn worship of God, that is tendered to God by them, and he joins with them in it as a delightful work: as they are together to praise God, Christ is praising him; as they worship, Christ is worshipping. Now every Saint of God hath the spirit of Christ in him, and so he delights in the society of the Saints on this ground, because there is worshipping of God, and God is praised solemnly among them. If there be any place in the world, wherein God hath solemn worship, it cannot but grieve a gracious heart, that he is not with them, for his heart is with them, he delights to be with them, especially in such a work as that; it grieves him that he cannot be there.
It is a note of an Interpreter that I have met with upon Isaiah 6, where the Angles cry Holy, holy, holy, Lord of Hosts, the Prophet cries, Woe unto me for I am undone, &c. saith he, upon this ground, because he could not join with those blessed creatures, and so magnify, and praise, and worship God; that he through his sinfulness was not able to join with them, he cries, Woe is me, I am undone. So when any gracious heart doth but hear, that there is a people in the world that are precious ones, the excellent on earth, that join in the worship of God, and honor God in his own way, and enjoy communion with God, and I cannot join with them, woe to me that there should be any let or hindrance that I cannot come and join with them: for my heart is there, my delight is in the Saints when they are jointly together: because God's solemn worship is there.
But thirdly, my delight is in the Saints jointly, in regard of the wonderful delight God hath in them. A gracious heart must needs delight in them, because God himself takes so much delight in them: but especially when they are jointly together. There are special expressions in Scripture of God's taking delight in the Saints jointly, as in Zephaniah Zeph. 3.17. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty: he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy: he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. What expressions are here of God's delighting in his people! The Lord thy God will rejoice, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will love, he will rest in his love, and joy, and joy over thee with singing. And in Isaiah, you shall find that the Church is called Hephzibah, God's delight: Thou shalt no more be termed, Forsaken; neither shall thy Land anymore be termed, Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land,
Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. Isaiah 62.4, it is a wondrous delight that God hath in his
Saints.
There are wonderful expressions in Scripture for the manifesting of God's delight, even to admiration; especially in the Church jointly together. They are such expressions as we could not think or invent: as namely, that he calls his people his portion, his pleasant portion, for the Lord's portion is his people: Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
Deut. 32.9. God calls them his inheritance, the lot of his inheritance:
Jer. 12.7, he calls them the dearly beloved of his soul; Exod. 19.5, he calls them his peculiar treasure. Now therefore if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people. God hath treasures in the world; the creatures that are called the good treasures of the Lord: Deut. 28, but his people are called his peculiar treasure, there is a particularity:
There is another kind of excellency in the people of God's delight, then in all other creatures; they are his common treasure, but his
people are his peculiar treasure. God calls them his glory, I will glorify the house of my glory, I will place salvation in Zion for my glory. Isa. 46.13. The crown of his glory, Isa. 60.7, he calls them the Throne of his glory, Isa. 62.3. Thou shalt be a Crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. In several places that I cannot stand on. His glory, the House of his glory, the Crown of his glory, the Throne of his glory. He calls them the royal Diadem, he calls them his ornament, an ornament set in Majesty and glory. There are the expressions, and more I might name of God's delighting in his people. Therefore if God delight in them and find satisfaction, much more should we.
Christ's speaks of his Church, O my sister, my spouse, my heart is ravished with thee. It is a strange expression, for Christ himself to be ravished with his people. It is an expression beseeming the Church, to have said so to Christ, but for Christ to say to the Church, it is wonderful. And again, My love, my dove, my undefiled one, Cant. 2, and at that very time when the Church was in a state of security, that Christ should call her his love, his dove, his undefiled; all to express the abundance of delight in his people. Well if God have such delight in them, much more should the Saints.
Again, if we consider further, the presence of God among his people, it is another argument why the Saints of God should take so much delight in other Saints, especially when they are joined together, because God is present there. The Lord is here, is the name of all their assemblies, The Lord dwells, and hath his tabernacle in Zion. It is a strange expression concerning the presence of God, in that he makes his people his habitation. As the people of God call God their habitation: so God calls his Church his habitation. God dwells in Zion. Psal. 90. Would you not delight to keep house with God?
Where God's people are, God keeps house: and we should long to
have it our own house, and not come as strangers. A man may come as a stranger, and take a bit, and be refreshed in a family; but it is not his house, But now God's people when they go to others of the Saints they see God there, and they have that house for their house. It is called (as I told you) the house of his glory; that house that God desires to dwell in; he hath a mighty love to that house, to dwell among his people. In Psalm 132, there are many great and excellent expressions. For the Lord hath chosen Zion, he hath desired it for his habitation, Psal. 132.13, 14. God desires Zion; what is Zion, but only his Saints and people joined together? Zion was a type of the Church: so now all the Saints of God together are Zion. Now God hath a desire to this habitation. God dwells in the high and holy place, the highest heaven is God habitation; but though God have such a house in heaven, yet he is not (as it were) contented with that house, but he desires another house: he hath a desire to Zion to be his habitation, and the house where his honor dwelleth. You know a Prince may have some houses of meaner regard, when he goes to his sport, he may have a mean house to lodge in for a while: but his palace where he shows his Majesty, and honor, that is more glorious. So the people of God, and the Church, is called the house of God's honor, it is not a mean house, but a house of honor.
Further, it is that house that he means to dwell in forever, he loves it so well. This is my house, I will dwell in it forever. I am so well pleased with it, I will rest in it forever. Surely, we have cause to rest our hearts in God's people, when God finds rest there, and forever.
It may be some of you are sometimes acquainted with the people of God, and at the first delight in them: but your hearts being carnal you soon grow weary of them. It is not so with God, he delights in his people, and rests there, and rests there forever.
But you will say, how is God present with his Saints more then in other places; why is God said to dwell among his people, his Saints?
I answer, in two regards God is said to dwell among his people in a special manner.
First, because he makes himself known to his people, more then to all the world besides. There are none that know the counsel and mind of God, so as his Saints do. God is known in Judah. Psal. 29.9.
There God opens himself, in his Temple every man speaks of his glory.
Secondly, because God communicates himself most among his people, God is said to be in heaven. Why? But because there he manifests his glory more than in other places; therefore heaven is his habitation. If that be his habitation where he manifests himself more, then his people are his habitation, because he manifests himself most there.
Secondly, heaven is the place of God's residence, because he communicates himself most there: then also God's people are his residence, he communicates himself there. And he communicates himself to them in a special manner, in four regards.
1. He communicates to his people more choice mercies.
2. He communicates mercies more fully.
3. He communicates mercies more powerfully.
4. More universally, then to others.
1. He communicates goodness among his people and Saints more choisely, more choice mercies of God. There is a remarkable place in
the Psalms, The Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion. Psalm. 143. ult. He saith not the Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee, either out of heaven or earth, but out of Zion, as nothing that the choice mercies that God hath to communicate are out of Zion; among his people joined together in the way of worship.
Would you desire that God should bless you with the chief mercies that he hath? Look upon God as blessing out of Zion; out of Zion God communicates his choicest mercies: therefore it concerns all to be in Zion, that they may have God to bless them out of Zion; there runs the sweetest of God's mercies indeed in Zion.
Again, God communicates his mercies more fully among his people than any other way. Psalm 36.7, 8. How excellent is thy loving kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house, and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. They shall be abundantly satisfied; how? Not with the creatures, but with the fatness of thy house. Neither with thy communication to them alone. God hath abundance of mercies for his Saints alone: but when they are among the Saints jointly together, then they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of his house, and he shall make them drink of his rivers of pleasures.
While they are alone in corners, they may have many sweet drops of pleasure from God, but when they are joined with the Saints, there are rivers of pleasure, and delight that come to their hearts: therefore there is great delight to be had in the Saints of God when they are joined together.
Thirdly, he communicates them more powerfully, mark, in Psal.
133.3. As the dew of Hermon, and the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded a blessing, even life forever more. There was blessing, and the Lord commanded it:
there went a powerful work of God's grace upon the hearts of people there, when they were joined together in Zion: there God commanded the blessing. If you would have God speaking powerfully to command a blessing on your souls you must be among his people, you must join in a holy fellowship with his people; there God commands it.
In the last place, more universally all the goodness of God is communicated among his people, therefore the Church is called the perfection of beauty; Psalm 50, that some translate, the universality of excellency and beauty. There is a universality of all among the Church and people of God. And in another place, All my springs are in thee. Psalm 87. speaking of joining with the people of God, that is, all my springs of truth that are revealed to me; all the springs of comfort that I have communicated to my soul, all the springs of grace that I have; to quicken me, they are all in thee in the joint society and communion with God's people, I find all. Thus we see the presence of God among his people in regard of the communication of himself to them, and therefore what a great deal of cause there is to joy, and delight in the Saints jointly together.
Again further there is abundance of cause to delight in them joined together, in regard of their admirable privileges as they are joined together. They have privileges as they are alone, but as they are joined they have committed to them the oracles of God, Rom. 3.2, all the ordinances by which God conveys himself. To them are committed the seal of the covenant, you cannot singly have the seal of the covenant, but joined with the people of God, closing with them. To them is committed the very power of Jesus Christ: saith the Apostle, When ye are together with the power of Jesus Christ, 1 Cor.
5.4, a glorious privilege. Yea, further, take this one thing they are inheritors to all the promises that ever God made to the Church from
the beginning of the world. There is no society of Saints that join in Christian fellowship, but they are so. See a remarkable place for that in Isa. 54.17. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn: this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. That promise that God made to the Churches before, this is their heritage. And conceive of this one now that is of great use, that all that is said in Scripture concerning God's delight to be among his people, and in Zion, all were but to type out the excellent condition of God's Church in the times of the Gospel. The most of the expressions are of God's delight among his people in the time of the law: but know that all those expressions were but mere types, and there is a great deal more in the Antitype then in the type: therefore the Saints of God joined under the Gospel have abundance more of the glory of God, of the presence of God, and of privileges, then Zion had, or Jerusalem could have; because that was but a type of their happy condition under the time of the Gospel.
It is an observable place that we have in the Hebrews, it is said concerning the state of the Church, that the law had but a shadow of good things to come. Heb. 10.1, and not the very image of the things.
It is not so much as an image: observe, a shadow is not so much as an image; but an image is not so much as the thing itself: but that was not an image, but a shadow. As a Painter that takes an image, he draws first the dark shadow with a coal, there is a great deal of difference between that shadow, and the image in beauty: so much difference there is between all the glory of God in the Church in the time of the law, and that glory of God that is among his people in the time of the Gospel. We may safely say, there is the like difference between God's manifesting of himself to his people then, and now; as between a dark shadow drawn with a coal in comparison of an image.
But mark, it was but a shadow of the image; that which we have now is but an image. As there is not so much in a shadow as in the image, so there is not so much in the image as in the thing itself. The presence of God and all his goodness to his people, and his glory to his people now, it is but an image to that which shall be; there shall be another presence of God, another communication, and revelation of God hereafter, in another kind then there is now; all that we have now is but an image of that which shall be; all that was in the law was but a shadow of that image: therefore we should have a great deal of delight in the Saints.
Much might be said further, for delighting in them now, because they are those that we shall live forever with in heaven hereafter. Look to the Saints especially together, they are those that we shall live eternally together with in heaven, therefore they are those that we should delight in. They are those that we shall be joined with forever in everlasting hallelujahs, before him that sis upon the throne, and the Lamb. Look upon any Saint, though he be never so mean in gifts and abilities, thou and he shall always joy in the presence of God in glory.
Yea to be among God's people is heaven itself, they are not only those that we shall be with in heaven, but it is heaven. Behold, saith the Lord, I create a new heaven and a new earth. Isa. 65.17. The state of the Church is called heaven, For what is there in heaven but is here?
I might show the resemblance of heaven, and that which is in heaven is here among us, and therefore if heaven be a place to be delighted in, the Saints are.
Therefore have a high esteem of the Saints, close with them, and come into as near communion as is possible. If they be so excellent, and to be delighted in, then especially when they are joined together
labor all to come in, and join with the Saints in the nearest union that is possible, in that fellowship wherein you may (as near as can be) have fellowship only with them, especially that have the appearance of such.
The mixture of our communion doth much hinder our delight. Cast dirt into the fire, and it will damp it: so the mixture of ungodly ones, their spots and blemishes hinder the delight of God's people one in another. But now to come among those that your hearts may close with, that you have comfortable evidence, that they are not mere talkers of religion and professors at large, but that the image of God is on them, O what closing is there with their hearts, and what admirable good might we enjoy in the communion and society of them. Therefore know that it is one of the greatest blessings that you are capable of in this world to have the nearest communion with the Saints next to your immediate communion with God himself; it is that which you should so esteem; and your hearts should work after.
Mark that Text Psalm 36, what is said of our joining with the people of God, how excellent is thy loving kindness, wherein appears the excellency? They shall be satisfied with the fatness of thy house. It is a fruit of the excellency of the loving kindness of God for people to be of God's house, and to partake of the fatness of it. To have abundance of God's creatures, and to have an estate, and friends, it is a fruit of God's kindness: but to join with God's people in a way of worship and in the nearest union, that is a fruit of the excellent loving kindness of God to admiration. How excellent is thy loving kindness?
It was so excellent that he was not able to express the excellency of it.
It is made in Scripture to be the proper inheritance even of the elect of God; to enjoy communion with the people of God, in the type, it is a fruit of the very inheritance of the elect of God; so as it is opposed to all the vanities of the world. Mark what God saith by Isaiah, Vanity
shall take them away, but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the Land, and shall inherit the holy Mountain and shall say, cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling block out of the way of my people, For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place; with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Here is a firm inheritance indeed, the Saints shall possess the holy mountain. God dwelleth on high, in the highest heavens, and the Saints that are of a contrite and humble spirit with him. Do you not perceive a joyful revolution of the Saints, they shall be dwellers with God himself in eternity. Job saith, I shall see my Redeemer with these very eyes; though for a while, they be as it were, closed up in darkness, yet at last they shall be glorified. Nay, every part of the bodies of the Saints shall be glorified, Christ shall make our vile bodies like his glorious body, saith S. Paul. There is no question, but his body is glorified throughout; there cannot be the least shade of darkness, for he is the Sun of righteousness, and so shall all the just, they shall shine as the Sun; every glorified Saint by the reflection, not only of their mind, but if their ocular body upon one another by a mutual reciprocation of their beams, everyone shall shine in everyone. The glory of the soul shall transfuse itself, and redound to the body. Saint Paul in effect speaks as much; as it is sown a natural body, it riseth a spiritual body: As the soul here is swallowed up of the body, to the body as it were shall be swallowed up of the soul, in a word both soul and body shall be turned into glory, and the glory shall be to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent in whom is all my delight.
FINIS.