The triumph of a true Christian described: or An explication of the eight chapter of the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans wherein the sanctified sinners heauen vpon earth is layed open, with explication of the comfort of it to as many as are so qualified. Deliuered in sundrie sermons by Edward Elton, Bachelour in Diuinitie, and preacher of Gods word at Saint Mary Magdalens Barmondsey neare London. And now by him published, intending the good and sauing comfort of euery true beleeuing soule that shall please to read it.

VERSE 19.20.21.22.23.

For the feruent desire of the creature waiteth when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed.

Because the creature is subiect to vanitie, not of it owne will, but by reason of him, which hath subdued it vnder hope.

Because the creature also shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God.

For we know that euery creature groneth with vs also, and trauel∣leth in paine together vnto this present.

And not onely the creature, but we also which haue the first fruites of the Spirit, euen we do sigh in our selues, waiting for the adop∣tion, euen the redemption of our bodie.

IN these verses the Apostle further proues, that the glorie that shall be put on Gods children in heauen, shall be exceeding great and weightie. For hauing said verse before, that the heauenly glory that shall be shewed or reuealed to Gods children, doth farre ex∣ceed their present sufferings, he here confirmes that proposi∣tion, and he here further proues, that the glorie where with Gods children shall be inuested in heauen, is both exceeding great, and also most sure and certaine, that it shall be both great glorie, and also certaine glorie, and to that purpose he brings two arguments. The first is from the expectation of the creature, that the creature doth expect and looke for it, that the creature doth waite for the manifestation of that glorie. And the second is from the expectation of such as haue the first fruites of the Spirit, that they also expect and looke for it, and waite for it: and that which both the crea∣ture by secret instinct of nature, and also the godly by the in∣stinct of grace, and the motion of Gods Spirit, do expect, and looke for, and waite for, must needs be both great and excel∣lent, and also most sure and certaine.

Now the first argument of the Apostle is layd downe verse

19. and that not barely, but with amplification, from the manner how the creature waites for the reuelation of the sonnes of God, as namely, that it is with earnest and feruent desire after it. The feruent desire of the creature, saith the Apo∣stle, waiteth when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed.

Then in the two verses following he bringeth two reasons why the creature doth with earnest and feruent desire waite for the reuelation of the sonnes of God, as first in verse 20. he brings a reason from the present state and hard condition of the creature, that the creature is now for the present subiect to vanitie, and therefore waiteth when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed. Which subiection is further set forth, the Apostle explaning how the creature is subiect to vanitie, that is, not of it owne will, but from another cause, by reason of him which hath subdued it. Whereunto the Apostle adioynes hope of deliuerance, and saith, By reason of him which hath subdued it vnder hope: and so he falleth on the second reason, why the creature doth with feruent desire waite for the reuelation of the sonnes of God, verse 21. which is taken from the future better estate of the creature, as that the creature shall be de∣liuered from the present hard condition to a better state, be∣cause the creature also shall be deliuered (the Apostle expres∣sing from what, namely, from bondage) from the bondage of corruption. And whereunto it shall be restored: Into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God. And then verse 22. the Apostle concludeth his argument, by setting downe the greatnesse of the bondage the creature is subiect to; that it is so great, as it doth (as it were an heauie burthen) presse downe the creature, and make it grone vnder the weight of it, and as it were trauell in paine vnder it for deliuerance. Yea the Apostle saith, Euery creature is vnder this great bondage, and grones, and trauels in paine, together one with another, and that to this houre: that is, to this present: and further setteth out that as a thing commonly knowne, We know, saith he, that euery creature groneth with vs also, and trauelleth in paine toge∣ther vnto this present.

The second argument that the Apostle bringeth to proue

that the glorie that shall be reuealed on Gods children in heauen, is both great and sure, from the expectation of such as haue the first fruites of the Spirit, is layd downe verse 23. I will lay forth that argument when I come to the handling of that verse.

Come we now to stand on these verses as they lie in order. Verse 19. For the feruent desire of the creature waiteth when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed. I will first open the sence and meaning of the words of the 19. verse. For the feruent desire of the creature. What is here meant by the creature, doth much trouble interpreters, I will labour to giue you that sence of it that is most agreeable to the context and to other places of Scripture. And by the creature, here we are not to vnderstand reasonable creatures, men or Angels, good or bad: for the good Angels they are not subiect to vanitie, and vnder the bondage of corruption as the creature is the Apostle here speaketh of. And as for bad Angels & wicked men, they long not for the time when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed. And of good men the Apostle speakes verse 23. expresly di∣stinguishing them from the creature whereof he speaketh: Not onely the creature, but we also which haue the first fruites of the Spirit, saith he: But by the creature, here is meant the whole frame of the world, consisting of the coelestiall and e∣lementarie region, as reuerend Beza expoundeth it, that is, the visible heauens with all their goodly furniture, of starres, and of celestiall bodies, and the earth with her ornaments, and the other elements. And this exposition agreeth with that the Apostle subioynes, verse 21. That the creature shall be de∣liuered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God: Meaning by the creature the whole frame of heauen and earth, according to that the Lord promiseth by his Prophet: That there shall be a restauration of the hea∣uens and of the earth, Isai. 65.17. and 66.23. The feruent desire of the creature. The Apostle here speaketh figuratiuely, he putteth on the creature the person of one who earnestly and with a longing desire, looketh for some person, or some thing: and the text runnes thus, The expectation or earnest de∣sire

of the creature expecteth or waiteth: The originall word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is very significant, it signifieth the looking for of some person, or of some thing, with lifting vp of the head, or stretching out of the necke, or putting forth the head, and setting out of the eyes, with earnest intention and obserua∣tion, to see when that person or that thing should appeare; as a man looketh for the coming of a speciall friend, whose companie he much desires and lookes for: hauing a promise of his coming, he getteth him vp to the top of the house, or some turret or high place, and he putteth forth his head, and he looketh this way, and he looketh that way, and he setteth his eyes on the way that his friend is to come, to see if he can espie him coming, wishing and desiring his appea∣rance; that is the weight of the word here vsed by the A∣postle, as if he had said: The creature doth earnestly and con∣tinually, as it were with stretching out of the necke, or thru∣sting forth of the head, expect and waite when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed. Now this expectation here ascribed to the creature, is nothing else but the secret instinct which God hath put into the creatures, whereby it doth after a manner vnknowne to vs, as it were long and desire that per∣fect estate in which it was first made and created: euen to at∣taine that perfection from which it is fallen, and from which it is withheld through the sinne of man: the creature tendeth to that perfection by a naturall instinct and propension, as hea∣uie things by naturall propension moue downewards, and light thing moue vpwards. And that is the desire and expe∣ctation of the creature the Apostle here meanes when he saith, The feruent desire of the creature waiteth on or expecteth, not that the creature knowes when the sonnes of God should be reuealed, but because when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed, that is, when both the persons of Gods children, and also the glorie that belongeth to them, shall be put on them, shall be made manifest. Thus then conceiue we the meaning of the Apostle in the words of this verse, as if he had said:

For the whole frame of the world, euen the visible heauens,

with all their goodly furniture, the starres and celestiall bodies, the bodie of the earth with her ornaments, and other elements do, by a secret instinct which God hath put into them, after a manner vn∣knowne to vs, as it were long for and desire that the originall per∣fection, in which they were first made and created, from which they are fallen and withheld through the sinne of man, which shall be restored to them when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed: and so they do continually and earnestly, as it were with stretched out neckes, and thrusting forth of their heads, expect and waite when both the persons of Gods children, and also their glorie, euen the glorie that belongeth to them, and shall be put on them, shall be made manifest, and shall appeare.

Now (as I shewed) these words, The feruent desire of the creature waiteth when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed, are brought by the Apostle as an argument to proue both the greatnesse and the certaintie of the glorie that shall be put on Gods children in heauen, that it shall be both great glorie, and also most sure and certaine glorie, because the creature, the whole frame of the world, doth expect and waite for the manifestation of it. So reasoneth the Apostle: I count, saith he, that the afflictions of this present time, are not worthy of the glorie which shall be shewed vnto vs: and then he subioynes as a proofe and confirmation of that: For the feruent desire of the creature waiteth when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed. We see then, which is the point I will stand on,

That the holy Spirit of God is pleased to informe vs of an [Doct. 1] excellent truth, as namely, that the glorie that shall be put on Gods children in heauen, shall be both great, and also most sure and certaine. And he seekes to confirme vs in the ac∣knowledgement of this truth from the creature, that the creature by a naturall instinct waiteth for the manifestation of it, and therefore it is both great, and also most sure and certaine. And thus dealeth the holy Spirit of God in many places of Scripture: he sendeth vs to learne some dutie, or some truth, and some good thing of the creatures, as of the heauens, of the earth, of trees, of beasts, of fowles of the aire, and the like: Prou. 6.6, 7, 8. Salomon sendeth the sluggard

to learne wisedome of the Pismire, who by her Sommer la∣bour prouideth against an hard and stormie winter, Go to the Pismire, ô sluggard, behold her wayes, and bewise: For she hauing no guide, gouernor, nor ruler, prepareeh her meate in the Som∣mer, and gathereth her food in the haruest. And Prou. 30.24.25.26.27.28. he teacheth vs wisedome from the poore crea∣tures, from the pismire, the conies, the grashopper, and the spider, as there you may reade. Math. 10.16. Christ would haue his Apostles learne wisedome and prouidence of the serpent, and innocencie of the doue, Be wise as serpents, and innocent as doues: yea Math. 6.26.28. he sendeth his follo∣wers to learne to cast their confidence on God from the fowles of the heauen, and from the Lillies of the field, Be∣hold the fowles of the heauen, for they sow not, neither reape, nor carrie into their barnes: yet your heauenly Father feedeth them. And learne how the lillies of the field do grow, [ 28] they labour not, nei∣ther spinne, [ 29] yet Salomon in all his glorie was not clothed like one of these. And the booke of Iob is full of arguments from things naturall, to make knowne the infinite wisedome and power of God. And so in many other places of Scripture the holy Spirit of God sendeth vs to learne some duties, or some truth, and is pleased to informe vs of some good things, from the creature.

[Reason.] And why deales the holy Spirit of God thus? Surely both the more to strengthen Gods children in the knowledge of the truth and of good things, and to stirre them vp to a more carefull practise of good duties; and also to leaue the wicked without all excuse, they hauing not onely the word of God as a light to guide them, but also the creatures to teach them good things, as the Apostle saith, Rom. 1.20. The inuisible things of God, his eternall power and Godhead, are seene by the creation of the world, being considered in his workes, to the intent that they should be without excuse.

[Ʋse 1] Now for the vse, first this serues for the iust reproofe of such as liue in the world, and yet learne no good thing from any creature in the world. To insist in the particular here in∣tended; doth the holy Spirit of God informe vs, and seeke to

confirme vs in this truth, that the glorie that shall be put on Gods children in heauen, shall be both great, and also most sure and certaine, from the verie instinct of the creature; that the creature by a secret instinct waites for the manifestation of it, and therefore it is both great, and sure, and certaine? Then this discouers, that those vile miscreants and monsters, those Atheists, who mocke at the glory of heauen, and thinke there is no such matter, and thinke there is neither God nor diuell, heauen nor hell; they haue not yet learned so much as the holy Spirit of God is pleased to informe vs of from the verie dumbe and senslesse creatures. And to apply this a little nearer, consider with thy selfe, thou that art a gracelesse per∣son, a drunkard, a blasphemer, a Sabbath breaker, thou that wilt do the workes of thy calling on the Sabbath day, or runne to thy pleasures; though thou dost not openly denie God with thy mouth, yet thou deniest him by thy workes: so saith the Apostle, Tit. 1.16. Yea by thy practise thou deni∣est heauen, the day of iudgement, and the glorie of the life to come; and thou hast not yet learned so much as the holy Spi∣rit of God is pleased to informe thee of by the verie instinct of the dumbe and senslesse creatures: and assure thy selfe, thou going on in thy Atheisme and prophanenesse, the dumbe and senslesse creatures shall one day rise in iudgement against thee and condemne thee; remember it when thou runnest af∣ter thy sports and pastimes on the Sabbath day, the very aire thou breathest in, and the heauens ouer thine head, the ground thou treadest on, and the dust vnder thy seete, shall one day be witnesses against thee, and shall condemne thee. They in their kinde acknowledge a iudgement day, and that there is an heauen prepared for Gods children, and an hell for the wicked: and by their waiting for the manifestation of the glo∣rie that shall be put on Gods children, do teach thee so much if thou wouldest learne it: and thou by thy practise deniest it, and therefore thy case is fearefull, thinke on it, and if hell haue not full possession of thy soule, learne to reforme thy selfe.

For a second vse, we that professe our selues to be Gods [Ʋse 2]

children, must learne on this ground that the holy Spirit of God is pleased to teach vs some good thing from the crea∣tures, how to carrie our selues amidst the creatures that we see and are about vs in the world, namely thus, to walke in earthly things with heauenly minds, and to make our vse of euerie creature of God, and from euerie creature to learne some dutie, and some good thing, as from the foode of our bodies to learne and see the necessitie of the foode of our soules; from the flowers of our gardens and grasse of the fields, flourishing for a time, and then cut downe, withered, and dried, to learne that such is our life: yea learne we from the verie instinct of the creature, waiting for the manifesta∣tion of the glorie of Gods children, to strengthen our faith touching the truth and certaintie of the glorie of the life to come: that howsoeuer Atheists either directly or by their practise denie it, yet let vs learne not onely from the holy word of God, but also from the instinct of the creature, wai∣ting for the manifestation of that glorie, to be strengthened in our perswasion of it, and to be fully perswaded that there is glorie layed vp for Gods children; and that doubtlesse there is a reward for the righteous, and that light is sowen for the righteous, and ioy for the vpright in heart, Psalme 97.11. and though it be as seed hid vnder the earth for a time, yet it shall certainly at length appeare. The verie dumbe and senslesse creatures by the instinct of nature which the Lord hath put into them, waite for the manifestation of it: and therefore learne we this lesson the holy Spirit of God would informe vs of by the instinct of the creature, that there is certainly great glorie layed vp for Gods children.

In the next place obserue we, that the Apostle doth not here barely affirme, that the creature waiteth when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed, but he sets it forth with this am∣plification, that it waites with a feruent and with an earnest desire, that the creature (as we shewed) doth as it were with stretching out of the necke, and thrusting out the head, e∣uen earnestly and continually waite and expect when the sons of God shall be reuealed. Now what may this teach vs? Sure∣ly

thus much: hereby the Spirit of God makes knowne vnto vs thus much.

That the verie dumbe creature hath that good in it in a [Doct. 2] great measure which many men and women haue not in them in any measure at all. The verie heauens, and the verie dumbe and dead earth doth as it were stretch out the necke, and thrust out the head, continually looking for the reuela∣tion of the sonnes of God, and for the manifestation of their glorie. But manie men and women in the world, being wic∣ked and vngodly persons, they shrinke in and draw in their heads at the remembrance of that day when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed, and when they shall appeare clothed with heauenly glorie; they haue no desire in them at all to see that day: no, wicked persons wish in their hearts that that day might neuer come, it troubles them to thinke of that day, or to heare of it, the hearing of it torments them before the time, as the diuels said to Christ, Matth. 8.29. and they put it farre away from them in their apprehension, as the Pro∣phet saith of the wicked of his time, Amos 6.3. They put farre away the euill day, (for so they count the day when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed) and it shall so proue to them, they going on in their sinnes without repentance, and they ap∣proch to the seate of iniquitie. And hence we find it said, that the day of Christ his comming to iudgement when the chil∣dren of God shall appeare with him in glorie, shall come on the wicked and vngodly suddenly, and vnexpected, and when they looke not for it, as Christ saith, Matth. 24.50. The euill seruants maister will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an houre that he is not ware of. And the Apostle saith, 1. Thessal. 5.2. that the day of the Lord shall come euen as a thiefe in the night: meaning on the wicked, for so he explanes it in the verses following; which indeed is a plaine euidence, that the wicked and vngodly haue not in them any the least ex∣pectation, or any the least desire or longing after the day when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed, which is in the dumbe and senslesse creatures by the instinct of nature in a great measure: and the reafon is

[Reason.] Because wicked and vngodly persons are either ignorant and know nothing touching the glorie of the life to come, or they are besotted with the world and the things of the world, their minds are wholly taken vp with earthly things, their portion and their treasure is here, and their ioy is here in this world, or else they are terrified with the guiltinesse of their owne conscience, and they cannot thinke of the day when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed, with any comfort, but with horror, and feare, and trembling, and with won∣derfull amazement; and therefore they haue no manner of desire nor longing after it: no, they would wish with all their hearts it might neuer come, and so they haue not that good in them in any measure which is in the dumbe and senslesse creature in a great measure. Oh then the base and vile condi∣tion of wicked and vngodly men and women, for that is the vse of the point.

[Ʋse.] It discouers, that wicked and vngodly persons are in a base and vile condition, euen inferiour to the dumbe and liuelesse earth, they haue not in them any measure of that longing af∣ter the glorie to come, that is in the dumbe and dead earth in a great measure, and they are in that respect worse and more base then the earth they tread on. Wicked and vngodly men and women commonly pride themselues in their outward excellencies, in their beautie, and strength, comely propor∣tion, and the like, and they lift vp their heads, and they looke bigge on those that are farre better then themselues, and they walke with stretched out neckes, as the Prophet saith of the proud dames of his time, Isai. 3.16. And it is true of the proud and scornefull dames of our time: but alas in that respect in which the poore, dumbe, dull, and senslesse earth lifts vp her head, and stretches out her necke, namely, in regard of the glorie of heauen that in time shall be manifested, base wret∣ches, they dare not (as it were) shew their faces in that re∣spect, they hang downe their heads, and they shrinke and pull in their neckes, and therein they are more base and more vile then the dust of the earth, or the verie dung in the streets. And howsoeuer wicked persons do thinke it harsh, and that

they are hardly dealt withall, when they are compared to bruite creatures, to horses, to mules, to dogges, to swine, and the like: yet indeed, as you see, in some respect they are infe∣riour to the dull and dead earth, they haue not that good in them in any measure, which is in the dumbe and dead earth in a great measure. And take notice of it, thou that art a wic∣ked and gracelesse person, consider how farre thy sinne doth abase thee, euen beneath the dumbe and senslesse earth thou treadest on; the earth vnder thy feete lifts vp her head, and stretches out her necke, longing for the day when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed, and thou through the guiltinesse of sinne tremblest to thinke on that day: Oh consider the a∣basement thou art brought to by thy wicked course of life, and let it stirre thee vp to bethinke thy selfe of a speedie re∣formation: and so much of that point.

Come we to consider that which the creature waites for with earnest desire, and that is the reuelation of the sonnes of God, When the sons of God shall be reuealed: that is, (as we shew∣ed) when both the persons of Gods children, and also their glorie shall be made manifest and shall appeare. Now hence in the first place we may take vp this conclusion, this point of truth.

That the time shall come, when the persons of Gods chil∣dren [Doct. 3] shall be openly reuealed, and when it shall be made ma∣nifest and knowne to all the world, to men and Angels, who they be that are indeed Gods children. It is true, that the Lord knowes who are his, 2. Tim. 2.19. and he makes his chosen themselues to know that they are his, by their effectuall cal∣ling, and by giuing them his Spirit, witnessing with their spirit that they are the sonnes of God, as the Apostle saith verse 16. Yet Gods children are not so reuealed here in this world, as that others, though they be Gods children, do know them cer∣tainly and infallibly so to be, and they are not knowne to the world, as Saint Iohn saith, 1. Ioh. 3.1. For this cause the world knoweth you not, because it knoweth not God their Father, but the time shall come when the persons of Gods children shall be openly reuealed, and shall be made knowne to the whole

world, and that shall be at the day of iudgement, Christ will then separate the sheepe from the goates, the good from the bad, and set the one on his right hand and the other on his left, as he saith Matth. 25.32.33. Howsoeuer the goates and sheepe be verie like, and feed in one pasture, and lye in one sold here in this world, yet Christ can and will seuer them, and put them asunder at the last day; and when the tares shall be gathe∣red into bundels and cast into the fire and burned, Matth. 13.40. then shall iust men shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of their Father: as saith the Lord Iesus. Matth. 13.43. They shall then appeare as cleare as the Sunne in his brightnesse, and shall be openly reuealed, and it shall then be made manifest and knowne to men and Angels, who they be that are indeed Gods children. For why, the reason [Reason.] of this is, because there must be a time when the truth of Gods grace wrought in the hearts of his children, shall be discerned from the counterfeit shadow and shew of it in hypocrites, and when it shall be knowne who they be that serue the Lord in truth, and who serue him in hypocrisie, and onely outwardly in their bodies. The world and men of the world now iudge all Gods chil∣dren to be hypocrites, and they thinke they cannot possibly be that they make shew of, they iudge of Gods children by themselues; if they see an hypocrite vncased and discouered (as sometimes the Lord puls off his vizard) they presently flie in the faces of all Gods children, and say, they are all alike: and therefore there must be a day of discouerie, a time when the truth of grace wrought in the hearts of Gods children shall be discerned from hypocrisie, and when men shall dis∣cerne betweene the righteous and the wicked, and betweene him that serueth God and him that serueth him not, as the Lord speakes by his Prophet, Mal. 3.18. When the Lord shall make vp his iewels, then shall men discene thē that serue the Lord, & them that serue him not. And therefore doubtlesse the time shall come when the persons of Gods children shall be open∣ly reuealed, and when it shall be made knowne to all men and Angels who they be that are indeed Gods children.

[Ʋse 1] And this in the first place must teach vs to take heed of vn∣timely

iudging and condemning of others, a thing too com∣mon in the world. We may not after the manner of the world presently iudge a man or a woman to be but an hypocrite and a dissembler, because haply we discerne some weaknesse in that man or woman, and some particular fayling: the time shall come when that man or woman shall be discouered; and we are not to preuent that time by our vntimely censure. It is a fault in some Christians, that they are readie to question the estate of others, and to doubt of their state, whether it be good or no, because they iumpe not with them in some things, they are not of their minde in euerie particular. But what knowest thou, whosoeuer thou art, whether one that differs from thee in iudgement in some particular, being not of such weight, be a deare child of God or no? If he be an hy∣pocrite, he shall one day be layed open; and if he be a child of God, thou art rash in thy iudgement, he shall one day be re∣uealed and made known so to be, to thee and to all the world, and tarrie thou the time of discouerie.

Againe, for a second vse: is it so that the time shall come [Ʋse 2] when the persons of the children of God shall be openly re∣uealed, and when it shall be made manifest to all men and Angels, who they be that are indeed Gods children? Then cheare vp thy selfe thou that art a child of God, here is ground of comfort, though all the world speake against thee, and call thee hypocrite and dissembler. Art thou able to ap∣proue thine heart to the Lord in regard of the vprightnesse, truth, and sinceritie of it? art thou able in truth to say as Iob did, Iob 27.5.6. I will neuer take away mine innocencie from my selfe. I will keepe my righteousnesse and will not forsake it: though all men in the world speake against me, I am able to approue my heart to God, not in regard of any perfection of grace, I see and feele mine owne great wants & sinfull infirmities, but in regard of the vprightnesse, and soundnesse, and sinceritie of mine heart? Then comfort thy felfe, and waite in patience but a time, the time shall come when the Lord will cleare thee of that the world doth now vniustly charge on thee, yea the time shall come when all the world shall acknowledge thee

to be a deare child of God, and precious in his sight, and one of his iewels; yea the time shall come when those who now call thee hypocrite and dissembler, shall be forced to contra∣dict themselues, and to acknowledge the truth of grace in thine heart, and shall be forced to change their note, & to say, certainly this man or this woman is a right holy man or wo∣man, and a deare child of God, now it appeares, and now it is manifest to all the world, and we cannot denie it: thinke on that to thy comfort.

[Quest.] Now here a question may be moued, it being so that the time shall come when the persons of Gods children shall be openly reuealed, and be made manifest to all the world: some may demand, whether the Saints shall know one another in heauen or no? as whether the parents shall know the children, the husband the wife, the wife the husband, and whether one brother shall know another, & one friend another, or no?

To this I answer. [Answ.] That so farre as shall make for the in∣crease of the heauenly ioy and spirituall comfort one of ano∣ther, the Saints shall know one another in heauen. It is true indeed that the naturall and carnall delight the father now takes in his child and the child in the father, the husband in the wife and the wife in the husband, and one friend takes in another, shall ceasse, yet heauenly ioy and comfort one in a∣nother shall continue; and the heauenly ioy that shall arise to the Saints on the sight of the glorification one of another, leades vs to thinke that they shall know one another. For howsoeuer the principall ioy of the Saints in heauen shall be on the sight of God, yet doubtlesse there shall be also ioy in the sight one of another; the Minister shall ioy in the sight of his people glorified in heauen, and the people shall ioy in the sight of their Minister glorified in heauē, as the Apostle saith, 1. Thess. 2.19. that the Thessalonians whom he had conuer∣ted and brought to beleeue in Christ by his preaching the Gospell, should be his crowne of reioycing, and that in the pre∣sence of the Lord Iesus at his comming; as the damned in hell shall haue their torment much increased at the sight of their companions and such as they haue drawne to sinne, and there∣fore

the rich man, Luke 16.28. desireth that his brethren might not come into that place of torment where he was, not out of loue to them, (for there is no charitie in hell) but out of loue to himselfe, because he would not haue his owne torment increased. So doublesse the Saints in heauen shall reioyce in the societie one of another, and in the sight one of another, in seeing the glorification one of another: and there∣fore they shall so farre as may increase their heauenly ioy and spirituall comfort, know one another.

Come we now to the 20. verse. There is indeed a second thing offered from these words verse 19. When the sonnes of God shall be reuealed: namely this, that the time shall come when the glorie that belongeth to Gods children, and shall be put on them in heauen, shall be openly reuealed: but of that we spake verse 18. and therefore I passe by it, and come to the 20. verse.

Notes

• Verse 19.
• Verse 20.
• Verse 21.
• Verse 22.
• Verse 23.
• Interpreta∣tion.
• The holy Spi∣rit of God in∣formeth vs of excellent truths from the creatures.
• Math. 6.26.
• Reproofe of such as learne no good thing from any creature.
• We are to walk in ea••th∣ly things with heauenly minds, and to make vse of euerie crea∣ture we see in the world.
• The dumbe creature hath that good in it in a great measure, which many men and wo∣men haue not in them in a∣ny measure.
• Mat. 24.50.
• The base and vile condition of wicked per¦sons discoue∣red.
• It shall be made mani∣fest in time to men and An∣gels, who be Gods childrē. Rom. 8.16.
• Men or wo∣men are not presētly to be iudged hypo∣crites and dis∣semblers, be∣cause of some weaknesse, & some particu∣lar failing.
• Comfort to such as are vpright and sound hearted in Gods sight though all the world con∣demne them as hypocrites.
• Whether the Saints shall know one a∣nother in hea∣uen.
• So far as shall make for the increase of their heauenly ioy and com∣fort, they shal.