the things of the Spirit of God, otherwife then by ta revelation of his spirit ! The commandements of the Lord is pure, inlightening the eyes we fee it, and fee by it. But what is become of all thofe heavenly tapers, those spangles of light, that did fo lately adorne the skie? How hath the luftre of this predominant light obfcured, and darkened them; It is in one fence, a fad exchange between the light of the Sun, and the light of the Moon and Starrs; that the Sun, though it do open, and reveal the fight of earthly things, yet it clofeth, and fhutteth up the profpect of the celeftial Globe, fo that we cannot difcerne the beauty, and variety of those heavenly bodies above us, as we may do in the night. It is the mifery of profperity, that as by reason of the brightness of that light wherewith it is environed, it giveth us a clear view of the glory of this world, and of all the vanities in it; fo withal it darkeneth, and concealeth divine things,and thereby indifpofeth us to raise our affections unto them: And on on the other fide, it is the felicity of adverfity, that although the aire about it be very obfcure, yet therein we best difcern God, and spiritual things; fo Job in his afflicton could fay, Now mine eye feeth thee, of whom before he had only heard, by the hearing of the ear. Lord thou knoweft what condition is fitteft for me, and I presume not to appoint thy wisdome, but fo far as a poor beggar may be a be a choofer, I beseech thee rather to keep me in the dark (if thorough that vaile, I may be admitted to see the light of thy countenance) then to fuffer me to be dazeled with the luftre of this vain world, wherein there is nothing to be feen, but that which is nothing, and less then nothing; O let me rather enjoy light in darkness, then live in darkness, when I am in the light! In the beginning, for the first three dayes of the Creation week, there was no fun at all; but yet there was light, and that light was univerfally diffused thorough all parts, untill it pleafed God to to contract it into one body. O Lord, thon alone doeft great wonders! how great are thy works? how great this work? wherein thou didft (as I may fay) create the effect, before the canfe. Thou art not limited to the methods of our weak reason, but canft do every thing, according to the council of thine own will, not only by, but without, and contrary to meanes. There is no glorying, no trusting but in thee alone, unto whom all means, and more, are alike fubfervient! As in the Creation, during those first three dayes, God made, and continued the light, and then upon the fourth day, made that light a fun; fo in his order of proceeding with his Children, he giveth them a three dayes light; the first of nature, when he quickeneth them in their Mothers womb,with a reaSonable foul; the fecond of Grace, when he regenerateth them in the womb of his Church, by his Sanctifying spirit; the third of beatitude, in a ftate of blifs, when he receiveth their departed Souls Souls into his reft; and then upon the fourth day (that is, at the general refurrection) when he reuniteth their Souls, and bodies in glory, he gathereth this light into a Sun, from which time they shall to all eternity fine forth,_as the Sun in the Kingdome of their Fa ther. What a World will that be, when we fhall have no Sun again? when we shall need none? nay, when inftead of one Sun, there fhall be more Suns than there are Stars in the Firmament? when every Saint fhall be a Sun, and yet all thofe Saints (as if they were but fo ma ny stars) fhall receive their light from another Sun of infinite glory; from the glory of God, the Fountain of all light? that light is fown here for the Righteous; O when will the harvest time come? Awake, awake, O my Soul, and contemplate that happy time, whenfoever it fhall come. It is fome anticipation of it, to think upon it before it comes ! Watch for that morning, more than they that watch for the morning! But, Lord, it 1 it is not of him that watcheth, no more than of him that willeth, but of thee who Sheweft mercy! O do thou, by the irradiation of thy grace make fuch a clear day in my Soul, as that I may not only fee thy light here, and receive in it, and walk by it, but be it; fo fhall I be light in thee, and (according to that expreffion in thine own word) thou fhalt then walk in me! my path fhall then be as the shining light, and I fhall Shine out more and more unto that full, clear and everlastingly perfect day of thy Glory. MEDITAT. III. Upon my rising out of Bed, and S put Luggish Soul, how long wilt thou lie lazing? what, yet a little flumber? yet, a little folding of the hands? Awake, they that fleep, fleep in the night, do not fancy thy felf to be among the Antipodes |