〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. OR, The Beloved Disciple.  
A SERMON PREACHED At the Funeral of the Honourable Sir ROBERT HARLEY, Knight of the Honourable Order of the Bath; at Brampton. Brian in Hereford-shire.  
December 10. 1656.  
By THOMAS FROYSELL, Minister of the Gospel at Clun in Shropshire.  
CANT. 4. 9 Thou hast ravished my heart, my Sister, my Spouse, Thou hast ravished mine Heart, with One of thine Eyes, with One chain of thy neck.  
Chap. 7. 6. How Fair and how Pleasant art Thou, O L●ve, for Delights.  
London, Printed by M. S. for Thomas Pa●khurst at the three Crowns over against the Great Conduit at the lower end of Cheapside, 1658.   

Imprimatur, Edmond Calamy.   

Academiae Cantabrigiensis Liber.   

TO Colonel Edward Harley, Eldest Son of the Famous Sir Robert Harley, Knight of the Honourable Order of the Bath.  
SIR,  
THough your Own Virtue's Spring you Rivers of Honour in the Hearts of God's people, yet the Tide of your Father's Worth flowing in brim's the banks: Much of your Honour lieth in being the Son of Sir Robert Harley. 
a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 17. 6.  'Tis your Honour to be the Son of such a Father, and 'twas his 
b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Menan. apud Stob.  Joy to be the Father of such a Son: Truth is, a good Father is God's Gift to the Son, and a good Son is God's Gift to the Father.  
§ 2. Yet you must not think to lie so Fresh and Orient in the opnion of Many Christians of these Times: They have changed their Opinion of Truth itself, and therefore much more of Her Children: 
c Ver●● a●mo● constantiâ probatur. Ambros Epi. 40. Quos amor verus tenuit, tenebit. S●● in Thyes●.  They are not Now, what they were before: They forsake the Light, and then say, that Others are in the Dark. They that change their Principles, 
Stella c●dens non est stella, Cometa fuit.  will change their Judgements of you, and all that are like you: I conceive, the Death of Profane men is Indigestion, through a mortal Coldness in their stomach not turning the food of life at all into Nutriment: The Death of these Men is over-digestion. 
d Fit etiam assa●io a calore praeternaturali in epace, cum nutrimentum aduritur, Humidumque sine modo extrahitur, etc. unde lepra, lichened, scabies etc. Rod. Goden.  As immoderate Heat in the bodily digestion, exhausting and burning up the humid moisture of the nourishing matter, breeds Leprosies, Ringworms, Tetters, and Scabs: So in Religion, a preternatural Heat heightening the Concoction into adust Choler of Pride and zeal, begets Leaprousies of Opinions, Errors, Separations, Contentions, and Scabs of Railing against the Ordinances and Ministers of Jesus Christ: 
e Vti neque qui● ex alimento fit sanguis, ex sanguine spiritus, eò hauriendus est sanguis: nam quae jam eò perfectionis de●ênere, ut sint sanguis vel humor roscidus, u●●eriori concoctione siunt deteriora. Ger. Joh. V●ssi●s.  When Religion is come to its Due Perfection or Digestion, so as to become blood and spirits in us, by farther Concoction is made worse: Every Degree beyond that tends destructive to the spiritual Estate: These Men are as inflamed Enemies to the Growth of the Gospel, as those that are Profane; and truly their Reproaches 
f A malis vituperari, laud●●i●est Sen. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, ●ixit Anaxag.  are our Honours: but I hope you will tread in your 
g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. N●z.  brave Father's steps, and stick close to the Good old way of Truth and Godliness.  
§ 3. Sir, This Sermon such a one as it is, You had ●●●●●ved it long ago, as soon as You ●●lled for it, had not God given me other work, Passive work, to undergo: The Cloud of God upon me and my Family (which hung long upon us) wrapped me up in sad Diversions: I hope the 
h Heb. 1●. 1●. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Chrysost.  Result of it will be the Peaceable fruit of Righteousness.  
§ 4. Sir, The Subject of the Sermon is the Gracious Saint, as the Object of God's Love: Who the more lovely, the more beloved; because he hath the more of God in Him, for God to love. 
i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Chrysost.  God's Love to man is the Wonder of the World, and should be the Stupefaction and Ecstacy of the Saints: What is Man that thou art mindful of him! Man laid himself so low, that He was not worthy of one thought of God: 
k A Deo Amari exuperat omnem mundi favorem: a Deo Inhabitari exupera● omnem mundi Splendorem & magnificentiam. Salome. Glassius.  The love of God is the Saints unvaluable Treasury; Their Joy here, their Heaven hereafter. If the Early Glimmerings of God's love upon a soul shroud so much Joy within their beams, what will the Meridian Rays of Glory be when they shall be revealed? 
l Quomod● possemus illum diligere, nisi prior ille diligeret? si pigri eramus ad amandum, non simus Pigri ad redamandum. August. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Plutarc.  If God love us so much, How should we love God Oh then! how should Our End be his Honour, which is All he hath from us for All we hold of him. None know his Love, till they feel their Love to him.  
§ 5. If it were Possible, we should live above repentance; so to Act that we need not to Repent: Though Repentance be a great Grace, yet 'tis greater Wisdom 
m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Epicharm. apud Stob.  not to sin, that we may not need the salve of Repentance: a Medicine is very Precious, yet not to wound ourselves is far better, that so we may not need the medicine: Repentance is 
n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, dixit Pindar.  a Grace of After-wisdome: oh, let us be the Sons of Prometheus, rather than of Epimetheus; Not to sin is better than to Repent when we have sinned.  
§ 6. How Choice should we be, how we Act our life since we have but One life to Act! We have not a 
o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Epic. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Eurip.  brace of lives here, that we might Correct in the other, what we have done amiss in the first; that we might Recover in the latter, what we have lost in the former: We have but One Arrow of life to hit the Mark with; and if we shoot that at Random, we lose All; God will not put a second Arrow into our bow again: we had need then be good Archers with One Arrow.  
§ 7. Yet alas! how little of our time do we live? Ourwhole Volume of Time is but a short Compendium, a Moment to Eternity; yet how little of this little do we live to God, or to our souls! The Heathens observed, that 
p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  our Sleep divides half our life with us, and takes half from us; Sleep is the dead part of our life: 
q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A●●●. Ethic. l. 1. c. 8.  He that sleeps is doing nothing, 'tis the Privation or Parenthesis of action; and yet (oh the misery!) the living part of our life is in most of us but a spiritual Sleep of Carelessness and Security: He that is not upon action, sleeps while he is awake.  
§ 8. Only the gracious man doth enlarge his life, he enjoys a double life; He that spins a Gracious life, draws out a double thread, He lives twice, 
r Ampliat atatis spatium sibi vir bonus; Hoc est vivere bis, vitâ posse p●ime frui. Ma●t.  for he joyeth in what is spent, and enjoyeth what is present: A wicked life past is lost; but, to live, and Review our former part of Life with joyful Reflections on it, is to live Twice.  
§ 9 Our work here should be to live above the world: Our design in the world, should be to live above the world: We that are travelling beyond the world, should walk above the world: Why should we be taken with Riches, seeing we shall be taken from Riches? and taken with Honours, who shall be taken from the Honours of this world?  
§ 10. Our Body is but Dirt handsomely tempered, and 
s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Epict. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Xenoph.  artificially form, a little moistened Earth: We derive our Pedigree from the dirt, and are a kin to Clay: The poor and beggarly Elements are our Materials; as they are the Seeds of our being, so of our dissolution: How should this humble us! we that are but dust, should lie as low as dust in our own eyes: What is lower than Earth? He that riseth out of the Earth, hath no Ground why he should be lifted up: What Pride should there be in Mud walls? How should we die daily! for we moulder and dissolve daily; we are no sooner touched, but we are cracked.  
§ 11. Death is Necessary and In-evitable; it waits not our consent, we must die whether we will or no: Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required 
Luke 12. 20.  of thee: It shall be Required of thee: It shall be Required, that is, 
t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, est poscere a volente▪ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ●olen●e. Casaub. ad Theophr. Ch●●. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  fetched from thee, whether thou wilt or no; if thou wilt not deliver it up willingly, it shall be taken from thee against thy will: Death is an Inflexible Messenger, and Resolves not to go without that it comes for, it will not Desire our soul of us▪ but Require it, This night thy soul shall be required of thee: We will and Require you, is the language of them that are in Authority, and will not be denied; and in this Commanding language speaks The King of Terrors: Oh then, let us not so much desire to live, as study how to die; what a sad thing is it to die by force? When Death shall find us Eager to live, and not prepared to die? Un-preparation makes our natural Death a violent death; They die miserably, who die desiring to live.  
§ 12. Our great Care 
u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  should be not to blast the precedent Flower of our life with a Blot at last; not to blemish the fair Copy of a Good conversation with an Erratum in the End: There's many a famous Professor hath gone off the Stage without an approbation, because he lost himself in his last Act: nay, (which should make us most watchful, when we are drawing towards our Epilogue) Glorious Saints, many, if not the most of them, when they grow ancient in Religion, they take a nap before they go to Bed: The wise Virgins fell a sleep, a little before the Bridegroom came: Moses when he almost arrived at Canaan, within the sight of the Land, yet for one sin lost it: a long Profession makes many secure in the latter End; but the stone is swiftest in motion, when 'tis nearest the centre: O Sir, Our Last should be our Best, and the sweetest at the bottom; the farther your day goes on, watch the more, Men are more prone to drop asleep in the afternoon: and let me tell you, 'Tis not Outward temptations that overcome us, but Our own corruptions, not the most tempestuous temptations, but our superficial Professions; ah then! let us build firm, and lay our superstructure upon an unmoveable Foundation: Godliness is the Great house that we are building: now some build (as Christ saith) upon the sand, and that House falleth, others build upon a Rock, and that House standeth, Mat. 7. 24, to 28. 'Tis not the strength of Temptations, but the vanity of the bvilders that causeth the fall of the House: 'Tis 
x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Chrysostom's Observation, You see (saith he) 'tis not the Force of Temptations, but the Folly of the Builders that brings the Ruin, for There is Rain, and Here is Rain, There are floods, and Here are floods, There the winds blow, and Here the winds beat too, the one builds, and the other builds, The Building is the same, and the temptations are the same, but there is not the Same End, because there is not the Same Foundation; so that 'tis not the Nature of the Temptations, but the Imprudence of the Builders that causeth the Ruin.  
Sir, Whilst I am writing these things, Our Glass is running: Your Time and mine flieth faster than my Pen: We had need improve That Highly, which is posting from us so Swiftly: Our days are shorter than a Post; Lord! what Hast then do they make! a Post is engaged to ride hard; and sometimes he rides upon pain of Death, with a Halter about his neck: So do we, (though the vain Sons of Men think not so) Every step we take is upon Pain of Eternal Death; if either we loiter, or betray our Trust, Negligence or unfaithfulness will be our Halter: Souls are choice ware, Eternity a dreadful Abyss, and God will not be Trifled with: oh then! let not us sit still, whilst time is running: no time is ours, but what is present; and that is past as soon as 'tis present: Therefore to Jesus Christ I commend you, with Him I leave you, through him desiring All spiritual blessings in heavenly Places upon you, So Prays He, who is  
Clun, Decemb. 22. 1657. SIR, Your most Obliged Kinsman, and most Humble Servant, THO. FROYSELL.   

THE Beloved Disciple.  DAN. 9 22, 23. O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee Skill and Understanding; at the beginning of thy Supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to show thee, For thou art Greatly beloved. 
WE have marched all this day in Sable Posture, (I pray, we may all walk in white one day with Jesus Christ) This present Scene of sorrow becomes us: As the Air receives several Impressions from the superior bodies, she looks lightsome when the Heavens shine, and sad again, when they look black again upon her; so when the Celestial providence shall change her countenance upon us, 'tis our duty to change our aspects.  
Our loss is very great; We have lost a Chief Man, one that was a Common and Public Good, The Sun of this Country is Set; Sir Robert Harley gave a great light to these parts: We are wont to say of fair weather, 'tis pity it should do any hurt, because we are loath it should ever leave us: I am sure, I may say, 'tis pity that Good men should due and leave us, that Brave Sir Robert Harley should ever be miss among us: He was as choice a Piece as our Age hath known, A man that was the Rariety of men, A Man whom his descent had elevated above the rate of ordinary men, and a man whose veins Free Grace had filled with nobler blood: A man of whom I may say in the words of my Text, Thou art greatly Beloved.  
These Great words in my Text are spoken literally of Daniel, of him I must speak a while, that he may lead me into the bosom of my discourse, O Daniel thou art Greatly Beloved.  
First, Daniel was a Choice Flower, which the hand of Captivity transplanted out of his native Garden into Babylon to grow there: in the Reign of Jehojakin when Jerusalem was taken, Daniel was one of those who were brought to Babylon; The Precious Children of God are Commoners with the wicked in Public woes and Calamities.  
Secondly, The strange soil where He was Transplanted, did not (as it doth some Trees) kill his Growth, this gallant plant (though in Babylon) shoots up into length of parts and Graces, of learning and loveliness; Trueborn Grace will thrive any where: as a vehement flame makes fuel of whatsoever it meets; so divine Grace makes all things its nutriment, it turns banishment and adversity into Rich food: Every Condition is its Pasture.  
Thirdly, But the wonder is, that Daniel and his brave Companions being snatched from the means of Grace, should yet excel so much in Grace: but when God takes his beloved ones from under the ordinary showers of his Ordinances, He wets them with extraordinary dews: when he deprives them of the breasts, he nurseth them with the hand: 'tis our Prudence to prise the means of Grace, but if Providence shall bring us into a wilderness, 'Twill feed us with Manna from Heaven.  
Fourthly, Daniel was of Royal Extraction, at least of noble Derivation: Some say, He was a Sprig of the Royal Tree, the family of the Kings of Judah; if not, he was a Ray of the splendent Nobility, that did shine about the throne, he was of the one or th'other, for 'tis said in the first chapter at the third verse, that the King spoke unto the Master of the Eunuches, that he should bring Certain of the Children of Israel, and of the King's Seed, and of the Princes; and among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: Grace is Sometimes grafted into Greatness: Noble Persons many times are Illustrious Saints.  
Fifthly, Daniel was but young; some date him but of ten years, others raise his age up to twenty years, when He was carried into Babylon: it seems Grace did espouse him in his Youth: We find him strong and strenuous in Grace as soon as he was in Babylon, in that he would not eat of the King's meat, nor taste of the King's wine, lest He should defile himself: He was able to encounter an high temptation with a magnanimous spirit: if his Grace was then of so large a Volume, surely the first Edition of it was long before: if the fruit was then so big, I question not but it began to blossom betimes: Grace did espouse him in his youth: Oh! how should this shame and shake old men and women not yet converted? whose Sun is almost setting, but no Grace at all in them as yet rising? It is a Huge advantage to Consecrate ourselves to God in our First years: Sweet Daniel, his youth was wiser than others age; his dawning was brighter than their noontide, his Spring Exceeded their Autumn, oh! 'tis an Heaven to set out toward Heaven betimes: The finest Travelling is in the morning, Aurora musis amica.  
Sixthly, Daniel was a great Student, he did wade in the Rivers of Humane Learning, and Court the Sciences with such diligence, that within a short time He did espouse them: 'tis said in Dan. 1. 4. that the King took order that He and the others with him should be taught the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans, and at v. 17. God gave them Skill in all learning and wisdom; that is, they followed their Studies hard, and God Crowned their Endeavours with an Extraordinary blessing: For all Arts are from God, who is the Alpha, the first Cause of every Good thing, the Inventor of all liberal Sciences: This is a Pattern For Young Gentlemen, oh! that they would write after this Gallant Copy, Give up themselves to the Study of Generous Arts, and to the Power of Godliness; I say, that they would cast of idleness, and vanity, and profaneness, and give themselves up to noble Studies, and to Godliness into the bargain. This noble Daniel he studied and prayed, he prayed and studied; he was learned and holy, and he was holy as well as learned: his Graces made him sit to serve a God, his learning and Parts made him fit to serve a King: For his Parts the King often conversed with him; For his Graces, he often conversed with God, and God in Visions with him; ●hen Learning and Religion meet in a Great Person, they Render Him Useful and Honourable.  
Quest. But how durst Daniel live in a Heathenish Court the Centre of all Temptations? How could he dispense with himself to walk among the snares of sin and Idolatry?  
Answ. 1. He was cast thither by Providence; It was not the place of his choice; but his Captivity.  
2. God that called him thither, Crowned him there with Extraordinary strength: When God calls Hee'il Strengthen: He was able to own God in the open face of the Court, he feared not the Snares his Enemies laid for him: He prays, and opens his casement ●oward Jerusalem, he will not omit that Circumstance, though with imminent peril of his life: He had more than a Lion's Spirit that ●eared not the Den of Lions.  
3. God set Daniel there in the Court to Negotiate with the King, for the Good of his Church and people: 'tis propable, that he was a Great Instrument to obtain of Cyrus the Jews liberty to Return out of captivity: Some say, that Daniel lived and died in Babylon: when the Jews returned with Ezra to their Land, Daniel would not; he stayed to promote the welfare and safety of the Jews with Cyrus.  
In my Text an Angel is sent by God from Heaven to tell him, Thou art greatly beloved, we may style him Daniel the greatly beloved, the greatly beloved of God.  
If you ask why he should wear this stile Greatly beloved above many others. you must know,  
First, That Daniel was a man raised to a transcendent height of Grace above others.  
Secondly, He was deeply devoted to prayer and fasting.  
Thirdly, He was emptied out of himself into a Sea of love to the Church of God: for he was wasting himself in fasting and wrestling with God in prayer for Jerusalem, when the Angel courts him with this salutation, O Daniel thou art Greatly Beloved.  
The words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For thou art Desires, or Delights: in Scripture the Abstract is with Excellent Emphasis and Energy put for the Concrete, or the Substantive for the Adjective, in Ezek. 35. 15. Thou shalt be desolate, O mount Seir, the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt b● Desolation, that is, most desolate: In Prov. 14. 1. Folly, is put for a woman of Folly, or a foolish woman, Every wise woman buildeth her House, but Folly [i. the foolish woman] plucketh it down with her Hands: In Gen. 3. 6. The woman saw that the Tree was good for food, and that it was Pleasant to the eyes, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Desire to the eyes, that is, Desideratissima, most desirable: so Strength, for strong 
Isa. 3. 25.  men, or men of Strength; and Pride, for proud men, or men of 
Psal. 36. 11.  Pride, Let not the foot of Pride, [i. of proud men] come against me, the Abstract shows that they were very Proud men indeed: So here in the Text, Thou art Desires, or Delights, God's delight, the man of his delights, very much delighted in: and so should that Text (for aught I know) be expounded in James 2. 13. He shall have judgement without mercy that hath showed no mercy, and mercy rejoiceth against judgement, that is, Merciful men, or men of mercy shall rejoice against Judgement, that is, in an Evangelicall sense they shall not fear the judgement of God: So here in the Text, thou art Desires or Delights, that is, thou art a man of Desires or Delights: and so it is fully Expressed in Chap. 10. at v. 11, 19 there 'tis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man of Desires, that is, Desirable man, Thou Gallant man, more lovely, and more loved than others.  
Let me add, these Abstracts in a Plural form, enhance the Notion of the word to a superlative degree; a man of Understanding holdeth 
Prov. 11. 12.  his peace; 'tis of the Plural 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  number, a man of Understandings, for, a man of Very Great Understanding: 
Prov. 1. 20.  so Solomon speaking of Jesus 
Prov. 9 1.  Christ, saith he, Wisdom cryeth out, Wisdom hath builded her house; Wisdom is one of Christ's Names, but the word is Wisdoms, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  that is, the greatest and chiefest Wisdom: Jesus Christ is called Wisdoms, for Honour's sake, as if he had said, the Wisdom of wisdoms: So here Daniel is called in the Plural number Desires or Delights, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  that is, One most dearly Desired, or Delighted in; that is, as we render it, Greatly Beloved.  
When Daniel is styled a man of Desires, some would understand it actively, that is, a man that was full of desires after the Churches Good, the Jews deliverance, and God's glory: I remember Gerhard on 1 Pet. 1. 10. [of which salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently] saith, Daniel was called a man of Desires, because he desired so much the knowledge of the coming of the Messiah our Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore for his desires, the Period of Time wherein Christ should come, was manifested by the Angel to him: but I rather apprehend it otherwise, and understand it Passively, He is called a man of Desires, because he was so much Desirable, or, as we translate it, Greatly Beloved: For 'tis frequent in Scripture in this sense; what is more Excellent, and more prized than others, is so styled, in Dan. 10. 3. I eaten no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bread of Desires, that is, no dainty food, which men's palates delight in above other: in Ezek. 26. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy Pleasant houses, Houses of thy Desire, that is, stately Houses which you count your paradises: so in Gen. 27. 15. Rebekah took Goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Raiment of Desires, that is, Costly Raiment, which we desire to put on rather than others: So here, Thou man of Desires, that is, Desired or Beloved of God above others, his deliciae, his delicate one, his darling. 'Tis usual, you see, in the Jews language to call such things desired, as were had in greater Esteem among them: such a one was Daniel in the eye of God, O Daniel, thou art greatly beloved; Whence I take up this Observation.  
1. Some Saints are greatly Beloved: Some Saints are higher in God's Esteem, than others are.  
Again, from the Time, when the Angel came to Daniel from God with this High Salutation, which was while Daniel was fasting and praying, I observe, that  
2. Prayer is the Valley of Visions, the mount of Heavenly Raptures.  
There God feasts his Saints with divine appearances: if ever you would be ravished with hints of love, or special discoveries, than it is when you are at prayer. It is to be observed concerning Christ himself, that he had the brightest sunshines of his Father's discoveries upon him, when he was moving in the Orb of prayer: In Mat. 3. 'tis said that Jesus when he was baptised, the Heavens were opened, and the Spirit of God▪ descended like a Dove upon him, And lo, a voice from Heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; Luke adds, that Jesus being baptised, and praying, the Heaven was 
Luke 3. 21.  opened: The Holy Dove came upon Christ from Heaven, while Christ was soaring up to Heaven upon the wing of Prayer: in the same Evangelist, 
Luke 9 28, 29.  'tis said, that Jesus Christ went up into a mountain to pray, and as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his reyment was white and glistering; See, prayer is a Glorifying Ordinance: The Son of God, as he prayed, did shine as the Sun; Prayer drew Glory down out of Heaven upon him: Would ye meet with Glorious transfigurations upon your souls? Go up then to Mount Tabor, and pray. But the Doctrine I shall speak to, is  Doct. Some Saints are Greatly Beloved: All the Saints are beloved, but some Saints are Greatly Beloved. 
Some Saints are more in Gods than others are, his desire and delight runs out in a fuller Tide on some than it doth on others; His love is tender to all, but 'tis higher to some: The more grace one Saint hath above another, the more God loves that Saint above another▪  
To explain this we must take notice that God's love hath several objects.  
1. There is his love, whereby he loves himself.  
2. And his love whereby he loves Res extra se positas, things out out of himself.  
First, He loves himself, as the greatest good: God loves himself first and best: every thing that hath sense and understanding loves itself, and God who knows himself to be the Best Good, cannot but love himself Best; and therefore 'tis said, the Lord made 
Prov. 16. 4.  All things for himself.  
1. The Creation of all things is the Birth of his love to himself; which he made as mirrors to reflect his own Excellencies: when he made those Beauteous Pairs of Heaven and Earth, he did it to glorify himself, being the Glasses to behold his own wisdom and all mighty Power.  
2. And when God destroyed the old world, 'twas out of love to himself; for therein he glorified himself: in those waters he saw the Image of his Justice; They were the looking Glass of That Attribute, and therefore God is said To laugh at and Rejoice in the destruction of a Sinner, because he is pleased with the Oeconomy of his own Laws, and the Excellent proportions He makes of his Judgements to their sins: Thus when he destroyed Pharaoh he did it out of a supreme love to himself, and his own great Name; And in very deed for this cause I raised 
Exod. 9 16.  thee up for to show in thee my Power, and that my Name may be declared throughout all the Earth: Sinner, Take heed and put a stop to thy Race in sin, if thou goest on a little further, it may be, God cannot spare thee for his Names sake: He must punish for the Honour of his Name, he cannot but love himself, and therefore cannot but punish Sinners out of Respect unto his Name: He is Engaged to punish, because he is Engaged to himself.  
3. So he Acts all his works of mercy chief out of love to himself: He loves his people, but he loves them for the love he b●ars to himself, and delivers them for the love he bears to his own name, His Name being put upon them: They in themselves are not worth his deliverances, and when their sins plead against their deliverance, his own name intercedes for them, But I had pity for my holy 
Ezek. 36. 21. 22, 23.  Name, which the House of Israel had profaned among the Heathen whither they went, etc. that is, You are worthy no pity, yet I will have pity for my holy Name; That he might free his Name from Base aspersions and Imputations.  
Secondly, God hath love which flows out of him upon the creature, I say, God hath love for himself, and he hath love to bestow upon the creature too; for the Creature is the Work of his hands: 'Tis natural to all men to love their own works, and what they have curionsly formed, to spend many a pleasing fight upon it: An Artist when he hath made an Excellent and comely piece, is in love with it, because it is the Elaborate product of his own conception, and hath stamped the Image of his Rich Idea and fancy on it: and thus the Scripture brings in God, viewing and feasting his eye with a delightful Complacency upon all his works that he had made; and God saw every thing that he had made, and 
Gen. 1. 31.  behold it was very good; He looks and loves, he loves and looks upon every thing that he had made, not only man, but Every thing that he had made: He looks upon man, and loves his moral goodness that he had carved in him; he looks upon every thing, and loves the natural goodness he had stamped upon them. 
God's Love twofold.   
This large love of God comprehends all the Creatures in it, not 
1. Common.  only the Rational but the Inanimate Creatures in the Bosom of it, I say, his love, whereby he willed their being, and still preserves their being; and whatever Prints and Characters of himself they have, takes pleasure in them, as an Artist doth in his Rare Composures.  
But there is a Special love of God, 
2. Special.  his choice love, which Elevates and lifts some persons up to a supernatural state in Jesus Christ; this is that love we are speaking of. God beholding the lump of fallen man as a vast Dunghill or Heap of Dirt, saw no difference of Persons in it, but all Equally loathsome and filthy; how could it be otherwise? for one piece of dung is not sweeter than another, one dram of dirt is not cleaner than another: I say, God casting his Eye upon that Noisome and unsavoury Mixon, his wise and good Pleasure thinks meet to have benign thoughts towards some, he takes these up into his Divine purpose, and in time takes them out of their sordid state, with Curious artifice he refines them from their filth, and sets up a Fragrant work of Grace in them; he writes them his Sons and Daughters, and gives them an Estate of Eternal Glory, and all in Jesus Christ.  
This is his special Love, which we must distinguish into his love of Good will, and his love of Complacency.  
There is observed a difference between these.  
First, His love of good will precedes 
Amor Benevolentiae.  the work of Grace, and goes before it: This love finds us Sinners, and makes us Saints: This love of God is not founded upon Reasons in the Object: with this love he loved us first, before we being Justified by his Grace could love him: This love finds nothing in us for which he ought to love us: This love gives us Grace, as the Apostle saith, God for his great love wherewith he loved 
Eph. 2. 4, 5.  us, even when we were dead, hath quickened us together with Christ: This love can have ro Cause but itself.  
Secondly, This love is free, Nullis meritis, nisi bonitate amantis excitatus, not stirred up by any objective Goodness in us, but only the self-moving Goodness of him that loved us; it sees no loadstone in us to draw it out, nay, it finds sin and sordidness upon us, and yet he loves us: He loves us without Necessity, without Attractive, and without Engagement; nay, let me say, if there were any motive in us why he loved us, it was because we were miserable and Unworthy his love: But the truth is, nothing did incline and dispose his heart to us, but his own will: Of his own will begat 
James 1. 18.  he us, and the same will that begat us, passed by others: Gods love to himself, is Natural and Necessary; But his love to his Creatures is not, he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy: It is a free love and a free mercy, He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy: O! wonder at God, all ye his Saints, and beloved ones, in his mercy to you; let it cast you into an high Trance of holy admiration.  
Thirdly, This Love of God, The love of his good will, is equal to all his Saints, in many Respects.  
1. In respect of the act of his will, (as the Schoolmen say:) God Equally wills Good to all his Saints, though he doth not will Equal Good to all his Saints: He doth not more will Good to one than to another, though he wills more good to some than to others; There are no degrees in his will, though there are degrees in the things willed.  
2. So Election doth equally pass upon them all, and not upon one more than another: God cannot be said to choose one, more than another, of them whom he hath Chosen; and therefore they are called under one word [the Election] The Election hath obtained 
Ro●. 11. 17.  it, because they are all equally Elected.  
3. In respect of the common benefits of salvation by Jesus Christ, they are all Equally favoured and accepted.  
1. They are all Equally Redeemed by Jesus Christ; The Lord Christ did die Equally for all those his Father gave him, none can say, he intended me in his death more than another, neither did One of us Cost him more than Another.  
2. In God's Gracious act of vocation or calling them to Jesus Christ, they are Equally looked upon.  
3. They are Equal in Justification: it may be one is more justified than another Extensively, but not Intensively; that is, one hath more Sins forgiven than another, but Intensively, as our Justification consists in God's gracious Repute or acceptation of us as just and righteous, so they are all Equal.  
Again, in respect of the Applicaion of Christ's Righteousness, so there is a gradual difference: Some receive it with a stronger faith than others, and apply it according to their necessity and indigence, therefore we may say, some partake of it more than oothers; yet because Justification is an act of God pardoning believers, whom he pardons, he pardons equally, though all that are pardoned are not equal sinners.  
Again, in respect of Righteousness imputed, all believers are equally just: for as they are justified, they stand just before God in the most perfect Righteousness of Jesus Christ; and by it the weak Christian is justified, as well as the strong: upon this account the faith of the Saints (though unequal in degrees) is yet said to be Alike or Equally precious. The 
2 Pet. 1. 1.  merit of Christ is Equally imputed to all that believe: And the Reward of his merit in respect of of substance (which is Eternal life) is equally given to all that believe.  
4. Their adoption is equal; They are all equally the Sons of God, God is not more Father to one than to another, they have an equal Right to the Inheritance.  
5. Again, all the Promises of the Covenant of Grace that concern the Essentials of Salvation, are equal to them all, and are fulfilled in one believer as well as another: to give an instance, the Promise of perseverance is to every Saint as well as to any: as the least Star is as firmly fix't in its Orb, as the glorious Sun; and there is no more danger of the falling of the one than of the other: so the weakest Saints are as sure to be kept in the sphere of Perseverance unto salvation, as the Saints of the first magnitude: 'tis not strength of Grace, but God's love and constant influence that preserus the strongest Saints, and the same attends the weakest. Thus far his Love of Good will is Equal.  
Yet (let me add my thoughts) in respect of some special Flowers in the Garland of salvation, this love of God, His love of Good will is not Equal to all the Saints.  
God gives higher Measures of Grace to some than he doth to others; and what are the Graces of his Spirit but the Golden Signals of his love? 'tis a Rule in the Schools▪ To love another is to will Good to another, and [Si amare sit bona velle alteri, cum majora bona velle sit magis amare] if to will Good to another be to love them, then to will greater Good is greater love; and therefore (saith Zanchius) we must hold this proposition, where there are Greater and more gifts of God, there God is said to love more, because the gifts of God are the love-tokens of his benevolence or Good will.  
And as God gives different degrees of Grace, so he gives different degrees of Glory; he Crowns his greater Graces with greater Glory: For as all that believe in Christ are Equally justified, but not all Equally Endued with Grace; so all believers shall be Equally saved, but not all Equally Glorified; but of this in its right place afterwards.  
Fourthly, This love of God, His love of Good will is always uniform and like itself; it hath no rise nor fall, it knows no Ebb and flow, this immanent love is a permanent love; incapable of any Intention, or Remission, Augmentation, and Diminution, or any Alteration; it is always at full tide: The sins of the Saints weaken not this love; it loves them always at the same Rate; when he casts them down, this love bears them up; when his anger doth condense and thicken like a Cloud upon them, this love, His love of Good will, sits in the upper region of serenity looking with the same aspect of kindness still upon them; when he banisheth them from his presence, this love goeth with them and keeps them company; when his corrective justice gives them up to sin to humble them, this love sanctifies their sins and Falls to them, it turns their sins to their greater Good, it refines them by their pollutions, it makes their Poison a Sanative Cure to them: In a word, in all God's desertions of his Saints, this love of  forsakes them not, in respect of this love they are never deserted.  
Secondly, But of this special 
Amor Amicitiae seu Complacenciae.  love of God to his People there is another fragrant Sprig, which is called his Love of Complacency, or his Love of Friendship; whereby he takes pleasure in them as suitable to him; is pleased with something in them, that is pleasing to him: Thus he cannot take pleasure, no not in his vessels of Election, not as yet sanctified, because they have nothing in them as yet pleasing to him: It is one thing for God to wish or will the Creature well, another thing for the Creature to please and delight his will: God wills Nothing but what, is Pleasing to him, yet you must not gather thence, that wicked men are therefore Pleasing to God, because God them well; For Bene Velle & Bene Facere. To will Sinners well, and to do Sinners Good, is in truth a thing Pleasing to God (because 'tis agreeable to his mercy) and yet sinners are not therefore Pleasing to him.  
By his love of Complacency, he considers something in men that doth Please him: In this sense ‛ Paul saith, Without Faith 'tis 
Heb. 11. 6. Rom. 8. 8.  impossible to Please God, or be Pleasing to him; and they that are in the flesh cannot Please God.  
God by his love of Good will doth good to creatures miserable, lost, and no way lovely; This is amor collationis, His love whereby he confers beauties on them, which afterwards render him amiable in his Eye, and capable to please him.  
God's love of Good will falls upon Naked Persons; Gods love of Complacency falls not upon Naked Persons, but upon Persons Clothed and decked with Grace: The object of God's love of Complacency is not [Bonum Physicum & Entitatirum] The Entitative Good or Being of the Creature, but [Bonum ethicum & morale] The moral Being or Gracious Goodness of the creature: Thus as there is in men more or less which pleaseth God according to the degrees and Fruits of Grace in them, so he loves them more or less, with his love of Friendship and Complacency.  
First, This love of God follows the work of Grace in the Creature: They must have Grace stamped upon them, before he can take Complacency or delight in them, Such as are upright in their 
Prov. 11. 20.  way are his delight: In Respect of his love of Good will, 'tis said, We love him because he first loved us: 
1 John 4. 19  In respect of his love of delight, 'tis said, He that loveth me shall be 
John 14. 21.  loved of my Father. In respect of his love of Good will, 'tis said, God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever 
John 3. 16.  believes in him shall not perish but have Everlasting life; In respect of his love of Complacency, 'tis said, The Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me, and have believed 
John 16. 27.  that I came out from God.  
His love of good will is his preventing 
Amor praeveniens.  love, whereby he loved us, before we desired it.  
His love of friendship is his 
Amor Consequens.  consequent love, which follows not only his former love to us, but also our love to him: and therefore saith Christ, He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him: as the Father and the Son by their first love provoke ours, so by their second love they reward ours; Gods love of good will makes men love God; by his love of good will he makes them righteous; with his love of Complacency he loves them being righteous; in respect of the love of his Good will they are the effects of his love; in respect of his love of Complacency they are the objects of his love; If any man (saith Christ) love me, he shall be loved of my Father. But How can any man by nature love Christ, or love God? Therefore I say, God's love of good will [facit homines Dei amantes] makes men lovers of him.  
His love of good will is the fountain and spring of our love to him; it begets our love to him, as the image of his love to us: To Love God, is the gift of God, our active love whereby we love him, and our passive love whereby we are beloved of him, are both the gifts of God, and the gifts of his free and first love.  
Yet there is a love of God whereby he loves us not, till we love him; He cannot love thee with delight till thou art Lovely: God's love of good will makes the object, his love of Friendship doth presuppose the object; he cannot love thee as his Friend till thou art his Friend; There is no Friendship without mutual love; he cannot love thee as his child, till thou art his child; he doth not love thee as thy Husband, till thou art his Spouse: I say, he cannot love as an Husband, till he is thy Husband; and he is not thy Husband, till thou take him to be thy Husband. But doth not God's love begin to me? Doth not he love sinners first? and make suit to them as a lover, before they love him? yes, with the love of Good will: He bears good will to thee, and therefore he breaks his mind to thee in the Gnspell, and woos thee (it may be long) before thou lovest him; but he doth not love thee with the love of espousals, till the Nuptial day, till thou canst find in thy heart to have him, and the marriage-knot be tied up, and thou take him for thine Husband: He cannot love thee with this Relationlove, till thou come under this Relation-bond.  
Secondly, This love of God, his Love of Complacency is a necessary love: His love of Good will is free; his love of Complacency is necessary: ah dear God he loves us freely, that he may love us necessarily: As 'twas free to God (at first) to make man, but if he would make him, he must of necessity make him Righteous, and love him so made; so when man was fallen, 'twas free to God whether he would show him any good will or no, whether he would repair his Image again in him or no, but if it be his Pleasure to Restore him, he cannot but love his own design; if it be his pleasure to set up a new Creation, he cannot but love his new Creation. His love of Good will is (as I may say) his Rectorall love, his love of Friendship is his federal love: his love of Good will is his love of Dominion, whereby he loves whom and where he pleases to love; his love of Friendship is his love of Communion, whereby he is engaged by Covenant to love his Friends, to love those that love him.  
Thirdly, This love of God, his love of Complacency, admits varieties of weather, and looks with several faces upon his Saints: It hath its Spring and its Fall, it hath its summer and hath its winter, it riseth as our obedience riseth, and falls as our obedience falleth; it grows hot and cold according to the vicissitude of his people's tempers, as they are hot or cold in their affections: according to his love of Complacency and Friendship he is said sometimes to smile, and sometimes to frown upon us: as long as David walked close with God, his love did shine upon him, but when David sinned in the matter of Vriah, his love of Complacency did retire, and draw in its beams from him: In respect of this love, God is said to forsake and desert his Children, his Desertion of them is the departure of this his love in some degree from them: as the Philosophers say, There is a lux, and lumen, light inherent in the Sun, and light fluent from the Sun, that is ever Perfect and Permanent; but this may suffer changes, and be obscured: so God's love of Friendship, our sins may lessen it, and our recoveries make it rise brighter on us: Look then to your walkings.  
Lastly, This love of God, his love of Complacency and Friendship, is unequal to his Saints; its higher to some, it's lower to others; its more to some, and lesser to others, according to the measure and proportion of their Graces: Some are Greatly Beloved, and some are Not so Greatly Beloved with this love; as the Sun shines hotter upon some Climates, than it doth upon others; and the water overflows some Pastures more than others: The Sweeter Rose a Saint is, the more deliciously God wears him in his Bosom; He doth Enlarge his graces in them, and then Enlarge his heart towards them. To conclude, John the Evangelist was One whom Christ loved marvellously, he was the Delight of Jesus Christ, his Benjamin, therefore he is called, the Disciple whom Christ loved: and as Christ loved him above others, so he loved Christ more than others did; for he stood by the Cross when all the other left him, and fled away for fear.  
And now having given light of Explanation to the point, I am next to make proof of it.  
First, In Isa. 41. 8. God speaks with high and honourable Respects of Abraham, Abraham my Friend, a huge Favour and Princely title from God's mouth: But are not all the Saints the friends of God? yes, but Abraham was his friend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by way of eminency, God admitted him into nearer Communion, he lay deeper in God's bosom than others did: All the holy Saints of God are his friends and dear ones, but Abraham was (as it were) the crown and cream of all his friends, and therefore saith he, Abraham my friend.  
'Tis observed by some, that among the Jews their King had one whom he loved and conversed with above the rest, and him they called the King's friend: The King had more friends than one, all that 
1 Kings 16. 11.  were of his Council, and his Officers were called his friends, because he committed his great affairs to their hands, & steared all his designs by their advice, yet among them all the King had some one Courtier called the King's friend by a specialty: as Hushai is called 
2 Sam. 15. 37.  David's friend, & 'tis said of Solomon, that Zabud the son of Nathan was his Principal Officer, and the King's Friend, that is, his singular 
1 Kings 4. 5.  and darling friend (that had the quintessence of the King's friendship) the Cabinet of his most retired communications: and in this sense is Abraham styled the friend of God; God carried his heart upon his lips to Abraham, Shall I hid from Abraham that thing 
Gen. 18. 17.  which I do? Abraham was Of God's Privy Council; all w●re not, and all are not: surely then God bears more Respects to some Saints than he doth to others.  
Secondly, God associates himself more familiarly with some Saints than with others, which is a sign of more entire love: Thus he did with Moses, And there arose 
Deut. 34. 10.  not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face: And when Aaron and Miriam swelling with Envy, burst out into mutiny against Moses, see how God doth interpose for him, and highly magnify him, And he said, hear now my words, if there be a 
Numb. 12. 6, 7, 8.  Prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a Vision, and will speak unto him in a Dream: My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house; with him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches, and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? They eclipse and diminish Moses, God advanceth him: They equal themselves to Moses, God prefers him to them: Their Plea was that God had spoken by them, as well as by Moses God's Reply is that he had in a more affectionate and sociable correspondence spoken to Moses than to them, with him will I speak mouth to mouth: God spoke to the best of them, but either in a Dream, or Vision, but to Moses he spoke with more lively Representation, The similitude of the Lord shall he behold, God would have them know, that he puts a great difference between them and Moses; he professeth that he hath, and will show more respects to Moses, than to them.  
Chytraeus saith, 'tis very likely and probable, that the Son of God did with the same face, and form of humane nature which he afterward assumed, show himself friendly and familiarly to Moses, and our first Parents: and to that speech, wherein 'twas said, that there arose not a Prophet since in Israel 
Deut. 34. 10.  like unto Moses, some observe that Moses surpassed all the other Prophets, not only in sublimity of Prophecies, but also in Excellency and number of Miracles; for Moses within one age only, wrought seventy six Miracles, when the rest from the beginning of the world quite down to the ruin of the first Temple, wrought only seventy four, as Manasseh Ben Israel reckons them: besides, Moses (they say) had one hundred and seventy three conferences with God, which none of the Prophets had.  
Thirdly, God Prefers some Saints above others: Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, 
Ezek. 14. 14.  were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God: and again, Though Moses & Samuel stood before 
Jer. 15. 1.  me, yet my mind could not be toward this People. Now the Lord doth instance in these, as those that could do more with him, than any others, and upon whom his heart was set upon above others; as if he should say, though my dearest friends that sit at the stern of my heart, and could move me which way they please, should come and Plead, yet I would not yield: as if God had said, if any could persuade me, they were the men that should do it.  
Fourthly, God doth Glory in some Saints and servants, more than others: Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none 
Job 1. 8.  like him in the Earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil?  
1. Hast thou considered my servant Job? it is (saith one) as if you should say to a man come down from the City into the Country, were you at Court? did you see the King? because he is the most Eminent and considerable Person; so doth God speak here of Job.  
2. Again, My Servant Job: when God saith, My Servant, he doth (as it were) glory in his Servant, God speaks of him, as a man doth of that which he glorieth in: As the Saint's glory in God, when they say, My God, and My Christ, this is a kind of glorying and triumphing in God; so this Expression of God carrieth such a sense in it, My Servant Job, as if it were his honour to have such a servant, one that I am proud of.  
3. But God hath not done yet glorying in Job, he adds another grain, That there's none like him in the Earth: God speaks not this high Praise of Job in Reference to the wicked, as if none of them were like him, that's too low, but in Reference to all the Saints, that were then upon the Earth, among those there was not such a man as Job, none of them all like him, they were not equal to him in this or that or the other Grace, Job was a man above them all, thus God glorieth in him: I say, God doth glory in some Saints more than in others.  
Fifthly, God shows some Saints Extraordinary favours: He Exempts them from the common condition of all the Saints, they are Exceptions from the general rule: and surely, Extraordinary favours do not flow from ordinary love: The Apostle saith, that ' 'tis Appointed unto men once to die: but Enoch must not die, he must not go the common road of man kind, the Text saith, He was translated that he should not see death, he soared up to Heaven (as if Adam had been taken out of Paradise before he sinned) upon the wing of immortality: so, Elijah must receive an unparalleled Honour, die like other men he must not, but God sends for him in state, he Rides in his Glittering Coach drawn by Angels to the Gates of Glory: Surely these were Gods Greatly beloved.  
Sixthly, God would have us love those Saints most, to whom he hath given most Grace: and when we love those more that are Gracious, we are the more like to God.  
Seventhly, God, for aught I know (though some learned Heads speak the contrary) gives some Saints more Glory in Heaven than he gives to others.  
Their objective beatitude will be 
Beatitudo. 1. Objectiva.  one and the same, which is God himself, One God among them all.  
Their Receptive Beatitude, that is, their Participation of God will 
2. Formalis, as the Schoolmen speak.  be Equal and the same too in the Essentials of it, the Beatifical vision shall be communicated to them all, they shall all have the fruition and possession of God, but they shall not all drink the same measures: Or, if you will, more Plainly thus, Life eternal in the substance of it, is one and the same, equally given to all that are saved: as by Christ's Righteousness we are Equally justified, so by his merits we are equally saved, and equally made partakers of the Inheritance: but in the Degrees of Glory, so it is unequally distributed, to some more, to some less: Different degrees of glory answering the Different degrees of grace (bestowed upon his Saints) in this life, and proportioned to the different degrees of labour and service they have gone through for him: and this is that which Ambrose saith, God gives to all that are saved aequalem mercedem vitae, non gloriae, an equal reward of life, not of glory.  
1. And this appears by that Expression, in 1 Cor. 3. 8. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are One, and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour: a different reward according to their different labour: he speaks of the Faithful Servants of Jesus Christ, he names himself and Apollo in particular, himself as Planting, and Apollo as Watering, and each of them shall receive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, their proper reward according to their proper labour.  
2. Again in 2 Cor. 9 6. Paul tells us, He which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly, and he that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully: Here is a sparing reward to a sparing liberality, and a bounteous reward to a bounteous liberality: The Harvest answers the measure of seed, he that soweth but little, shall reap but little; and he that soweth much, shall reap more: and this Harvest Paul in another place refers to the life to come, Gal. 6. 6, 7, 8. The present time is the time of sowing, the future time is the time of reaping, the Harvest is the End of the 
Mat. 13. 39  World.  
3. In 1 Cor. 3. 11, 15. There are Teachers that build Gold, Silver, Precious stones upon the Foundation; and there are other Teachers that build wood, hay and stubble upon the Foundation: The work or Doctrine of the One will abide the fire (saith the Apostle, v. 14.) and he shall receive a Reward; but those Teachers that lay wood, hay, stubble, upon the Foundation, yet (if their Errors be not damnable) they shall be saved (saith the Text) yet their work shall be burnt, and they shall suffer loss, that is, they shall be deprived of much of that reward they should have had, and which the other shall have who build gold, silver, and precious stones upon the foundation, Jesus Christ.  
4. Lastly, I would fain understand that Text in Luke 16. 22. where 'tis said, that Lazarus was carried up by the Angels into Abraham's bosom: The Expression is taken from the custom of the Jews at their Feasts, as John at supper lay in Christ's bosom: Therefore Abraham sits above Lazarus at the Royal Feast of Glory, Abraham hath a Diguiority there beyond Lazarus.  
I must now give you the Reasons.  
Reas. 1. And first, they that have more Grace, are more like him than others; They bear his Image in a Greater Print: Parents▪ though they love all their Children well, yet they love them most, that resemble them most, the Parent loves that Child most, that hath most of the Parent In it: as God is the Father, so he is the Idea of the Saints: God is the Idea of the Saints, and the Saints are his Reflections: I conceive therefore that God cannot but love them most, that have most of himself in them: He doth by an holy Necessity of nature love them most, that have most Grace: For God is holy not by will, but by Nature: His will is not antecedent to his holiness, 'tis natural to him to hate sin, and 'tis natural to him to love Grace, and therefore to love more grace with more love.  
Reas. 2. Some of the Saints love God more than others do: as some Herbs are hot in the fourth degree, and other● hot but in the second or third degree; such are the gradual inequalities of love in the several Saints of God: some are Warm in love, others are Hot in love to him: All love him unfaignedly, some love him Flamingly: All are serious in love, but some are scorched with love to him; as David, My zeal (saith he) hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy 
Psal. 119. 139.  word: His love to God was so Extreme Hot, that it did even Exhaust and dry up his Moisture; My zeal hath consumed me: Holy affections are able to work upon the body no less than natural affections; Tell him that I am sick of love: Now Love is the curious and acquaint Grace of the Soul: The Queen Grace of the Soul, that transports God himself (as it were) into amorous Passions; when God doth but hear once that a soul is fallen in love with him, his heart is wounded presently, and bleeds Enamoured streams of desire after her, I love them that 
Prov. 8. 17.  love me: Love delights and dwells with love; and they that love most, in them God dwells most; they have most of his company, and are Ravished most with the Heaven of his presence.  
Reas. 3. Some of the Sains seek God's Glory with most ardent and Hyperbolical strains of zeal above others, the Rest of the Saints cannot come near them: In Rom. 9 3. There saith Paul, I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ, for my Brethren, my Kinsmen according to the Flesh: Paul's deep Desire of God's Glory, drowns the desire of his own Felicity: This Text doth crucify the most learned Interpreters, they know not how to understand it; I shall only take up a word of chrysostom concerning it, he saith, We are so far from Paul's love that therefore we cannot understand his saying, we reach not Paul's meaning because we have not his Affection: and Origen saith, What wonder, seeing the Lord was made a Curse for his servants, that his servant would become accursed for his brethren? Now surely, those that so highly prise God's glory above others, are beloved above others.  
And now we are arrived at the Application.  
Use 1. Oh! what shall I say to sinners? or what will sinners say to this Point? I tremble, when I think of them: yet I can tell you what they will say; their judgement is, at least their report and language is, that God loves them as well as the best: Poor souls, how are ye mistaken! for,  
First, Sinners are in the dark, and therefore cannot see who are their Friends, or who are their Foes: They cannot see whether God loves them, or God hates them; and because they pass safely, they think that all are Friends, God is their Friend, and Christ is their Friend, they think that Gods naked Patience is his love, and that Gods mere long-suffering is his dear love; they cannot distinguish, they are in the Dark: A man cannot read letters or manuscripts in the dark; now sinners are in the dark, how then can you read Gods special love to you? God's special love is written in a small print, in a Spiritual Character; you cannot read the prints of Spiritual love with a carnal Eye: you think, God loves you, because you thrive in the world; you think, he loves you, because he doth not smite you: Alas! alas! you are in the dark; For oh! what a difference is there between the wrath of God and the wrath of man? for men punish when they are Angry, but God forbears to punish when he is angry: God is more displeased when he dissembleth a fault, than when he doth presently punish; There is no Greater punishment, than not to be punished, nor yet a sharper Scourge than not to be scourged: Sirs! God is very Angry when he defers punishment unto Hell.  
Secondly, Again, Sinners Anticipate: It is the boldness and presumption of sinners, to take unto themselves divine Privileges, before they should: They say, God loves us, though they go on in their sins; whereas they cannot know that God loves them, till they come out of their sins; they deceive themselves by Anticipation: Oh! saith a sinner, Christ died for me, though he be not yet converted; whereas he cannot possibly know that Christ died for him till he be converted: Thus he rests in his Condition, and damns his soul, because he Anticipates God's love; he takes it for his own before his time.  
Thirdly, Love assimilates the object: divine Love begets after its own likeness; whom God loves, he stamps his image and qualities upon them: As many as 
Rev 3. 19  I love I rebuke and chasten, why so? to refine them from their dross, and make them more splendid and bright, like himself: Ye 
Eph. 5. 8.  were darkness, but now ye are light 
1 John 1. 5.  in the Lord; why so? because God is light, and therefore he takes away the contrariety, that they may be like to him: It is the Nature of Agents to make their passives like themselves; Iron is a dark and opacous body, but put it into the fire, and the fire will make Iron shine, like itself; Sinner, God doth so, if God love thee, he'll Gilled thee with his own Rays upon thee, and make thee shine like himself; The coldest water, fire makes it warm like its self; God acts thus; where he loves, he makes the worst sinner in the world like himself; Amicitia pares aut recipit aut facit.  
Fourthly, Again, God's love runs parallel with his word; his love is of the same dimensions with his word; whom his word condemns, his love doth not acquit; whom his word Excludes, his love will not admit; if his word make thee not a pass to Heaven, his love will give thee no allowance: Now sinner! the word is against thee, Be not deceived, (saith the word) Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?  
Sinners! let me then turn this Use into Exhortation: Doth God love his Saints? Sinner, let this principle make thee long to be a Saint.  
First, Mourn over all that time, wherein thou hast lived out of the Beams of God's love; Thou hast lived in a Cold Climate all this while: some of you are warm with wealth, and warm with riches, but you have lived all this while out of God's blessing in the warm Sun; I say, Though you have lived all this while in the warm Sun, yet you have lived all this while out of God's Blessing: Do ye think, God can love you in your drunkenness, or love you in your oaths, and in your impurities? is it possible that God who is light, should take pleasure in works of darkness? No, no, East and West are inconsistent, Antipathies will not incorporate; as soon may light and darkness be Espoused together, and midnight be married to the noon day, as God Embrace a wicked soul in the Nuptial bed of love: Away, away, then from under the dark side of this prodigious Cloud. Vita non est nisi iis, quibus lux est, God is life to none, but them to whom he is light: 'Tis likeness that breeds liking, he cannot like you till he sees his likeness on you: God and sinners are opposite, God is Good, Sin is Evil, God and Sin Good and Evil are Summa Opposita, the Great and Grand Opponents of the world; God is the chiefest good, Sin is the chiefest Evil, now that opposites may be made friends, there must be a change somewhere, either on God's part, or on our part; God cannot change, with him there is no variableness nor shadow of change, God will not change, there is no reason he should, he is holiness and goodness itself, his perfection stands in an indivisible point; he must not alter a whit, and therefore sinners, you must be changed, or you must be damned; of necessity there must be a change, and the change must be on our part: as we see in an Instrument, those strings that are out of tune, are brought to them that are in; so it is we, that must change and alter, and not God: Go then, and mourn over all that time, wherein you have lived out of the Beams of God's love.  
Secondly, Let this make you long to be Saints; if you would be the Saints of God, you should be the friends of God; if you would un love your sins, God would love you too: You that are Great sinners, come and be Great Saints, and you also shall be Greatly Beloved.  
There are two things that would make you Saints.  
1. Believe the Transcendent Glories and Ravishing Joys to come.  
2. Make no question but they may be yours.  
First, Believe the Transcendent Glories and shining Joys to come, laid up for the Saints of God; I say, believe them, and your hearts cannot but be taken with them; It is impossible that any man who believes those infinite and un-imaginable joys, should not desire them, he cannot but use the means to obtain them: It is not directly in the Nature of man to neglect so great a Good, if he throughly believes the Greatness and Goodness of it; he cannot easily choose any thing else, who believes the worth of it: I say, Faith is a belief of things that are infinite, things so great, that if they be so true as great, no man that hath his reason, and can discourse, that can think, and choose, that can desire and work towards an End, can possibly neglect them; such infinite joys would make you leave your finite joys; such unlimited pleasures would make you scorn these poor and narrow pleasures of sin that are but for a season: This is one thing that would make you Saints presently.  
Secondly, And then make no question but they may be yours: They may be all your own, if you will, you may have them as well as any one that already hath them, You may be saved as well as any that's already saved, God only stays and waits your Consent; wilt thou not give thy Consent to match with Christ, and be saved? shall sin hinder thy so much happiness? why doth God Offer you Heaven, but for you to make choice of Heaven? Make Choice 
Deut. 30. 19  of Heaven, and have Heaven: why doth God open his shop, and set all his Glorious Wares and Treasures before you, but that he would have You to be his Chapmen? Sinners! God sends his Ministers to tender all these Glories to you, and his Majesty himself stands waiting your Leisure, his patience bears, his justice forbears, his mercy entreats you, and his Spirit strives with you to persuade you, and will you make any Question then but Heaven may be Yours? why did the Lord of Glory come down from Heaven, but that sinners might go up to Heaven? Sinners! a way is made for You to Heaven through the sides of Jesus Christ.  
Use 2. Saints, how should this stir ye up to Excel in Grace? Doth God love them most, that are Crowned with most Grace? Saints! this should wing ye with an holy Ambition to be Eminent in Grace; not to be Ordinary in Grace, but Eminent in Grace; not only to Get Grace, but to Grow in Grace: oh! what a sin is it to sit down under Ordinary Grace, I say, to sit down under so little Grace, when they that have much Grace are much beloved? and they that have more Grace are the more beloved? they that are great in Grace are greatly beloved? O Daniel, thou art Greatly Beloved: Filial and ingenuous natures strive after the highest degrees of their Father's love. In 1 Pet. 2. 20. The Apostle Exhorting Christian Servants to suffer wrongs with Patience, saith he, What Glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your Faults ye shall take it Patiently? but if when ye do well and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable to God: But it is some Glory to suffer Patiently even then when we suffer for our Faults: Patience under deserved punishments hath its praise and glory also: It is some glory to suffer patiently, when we suffer meritoriously, and to die patiently when we die worthy of death, Patience under the Punishments we deserve is a Virtue: How then doth the Apostle say, What Glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your Faults, ye shall take it Patiently? I answer, The Apopostle speaks Comparatively; 'tis true, to suffer with patience, when we suffer for our deserts, is some glory and commendation, but 'tis no Glory at all in comparison, I say, compared with that Noble patience, whereby we suffer meekly when we suffer unjustly; There's no glory at all in the other, in comparison of this, this, oh this (saith the Apostle) is acceptable with God: This is an Eminent Patience, and shall have Eminent Acceptance with God. Sirs, God would have his Saints to step up unto an Eminency in in Grace; he would have them suffer most patiently, when they suffer most wrongfully; whatever is more Choice and Excellent in Grace than other, he would have his Saints soar up thither: And Sirs, methinks this one thing were enough to blow you up into a flame of desires, I say this, The more Grace you have, the more Dear you are to God; They that are Greater in Grace are Greatly Beloved: The more Grace you lay up in you, the more love doth God lay out upon you. Saints! what say you? shall not this awake you? The more Grace is in thee, the more would God love thee: The more holy thou art above others, the more would God love thee above others.  
Secondly, Nay, the more Grace thou hast, the more God loves thee above thy former self; he would not only love thee more than others, but love thee more than thy former self; as thy Grace's increase in thee, his love would increase towards thee; as thou growest better, he would love thee better. Luke 2. 40. 'tis there said of Jesus Christ himself, The Child grew and waxed strong in Spirit, and 'tis added at v. 52. That as he Increased in wisdom and stature, he increased in favour with God and man: Do thou (saith Luther) understand the word of the Evangelist most plainly without any Gloss, that our Lord received increases daily, as in body, so in spirit, as other men are wont to do: I say, Jesus Christ in respect of his humane nature did grow and improve in soul and body; His soul improved in wisdom, his body in stature, and thus increased in favour with God and man. This phrase is taken out of 1 Sam. 2. 26. And the Child Samuel grew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and was in favour both with the Lord and also with men: I say, the Evangelist seems to fetch his expression from this Text, to show that Jesus Christ put himself into the same condition with other the sons of men; as Samuel grew in Grace and favour with God, so did Christ: The more Illustrious the Image of God is in the Creature, the more is God delighted in the Creature. Now the Image of God was more Radiant and shining in Christ a man, than in Christ a Child; and therefore Christ is said to increase in Favour: Neither doth this derogate from the Honour of Christ, (for this was done by the wise disposure of God so ordering it for our sake) for upon the same account, you might say that 'twas unworthy of Christ to be a Child: but Jesus Christ did Empty himself for our sake, His descent was our ascent, his Emptying of himself was the Fullness, or Filling of us; he came so low as to grow in Spirit, and as he grew in spirit, he grew in favour with God: This knocks aloud at your doors, and bids you rise out of your beds of slumber and security. Saints, why do ye not put on for more Grace? are ye not ambitious every day to be loved more and more of God? to advance into his favour further to day than you were yesterday? to get up higher still into his heart? Then Act your Graces, and increase your Graces, The more Grace thou baste, the more will God love thee above thy former self.  
Thirdly, He will give more Grace to thee, the more thou hast the more he'll give thee: at first, God gives Grace where there's none; and then (because he loves his own work) where he hath given the Blossoms of Grace, he gives additions of Grace, and the more Grace thou hast, the more he will still give thee: It hosoever hath to him shall be given, and he 
Mat. 13. 12.  shall have more abundance: God gives Grace for Grace, to Grace Improved he makes New and Fresh additions of more Grace: as a Father gives his Son at first a stock to set up with, and seeing him to be a good Husband, and thrive upon it, than he lays out more upon him, the sons care is the father's encouragement to give him more; so doth the Lord Jesus Christ, He delights to 
John 15.  give where his gifts do thrive, and to disburse most, where his Grace's flourish best: Every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.  
Fourthly, He will manifest himself more to thee, than to others; he will converse with thee more than he will with others, thou shalt know more of his mind, and drink in larger depths of his discoveries: Paul was a great Saint, and the more Grace he had the more Revelations he had; 
2 Cor. 12. 2, 4.  oh! what a Revelation had he, when he was caught up into Paradise, into the third Heaven, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful [or possible] for a man to utter?  
Fifthly, He will love thy services more than others; he would love to hear thee pray, and thee repent: the more Grace thou hast in thee, the less of the Flesh there is in all thy duties; the more Heavenly and Holy thou art, the more of God and the less of man is in every service.  
Sixthly, The more Grace, the more Masculine and Heroic hearts you'll have for God: Grace Ennobles the heart, and the Higher it reseth in the heart, the higher it raiseth up the heart: you would propose high things to yourselves, you would dwell nearer God, and soar up nearer the ultimate end; you would be able to scorn sin, and the world, you would not only resist sin, but you would be able to scorn sin and the world, you would trample upon temptations with the foot of disdain, you would have brave spirits in a good cause, you would estimate public good beyond all private reflections and self interests, you would open your hands liberally for God, and the Gospel, you would embrace sufferings cheerfully, and look upon death with fresh blood in your cheeks.  
To Heroic Grace all services are more facile and easy, than to those that have but ordinary Grace: Heroic Grace differs from ordinary Grace [Non specie sed tantum Gradu] not in kind, but only in degree; as heat in the fourth degree differs from heat in the first or second, and therefore add new degrees still unto your Grace and then 'twill come to be Heroic Grace: It is a part of Badness not to grow better.  
Use 3. In the next place I must lay down an Use of Caution, as an Antidote against some Emergent thoughts and surmizes that may arise from this point.  
First, Afflicted Saints have not less of God, love than others: They that are more afflicted are not less beloved, and yet the afflicted children think not so, they conceive their Father loves them less than others, because he Afflicts them more than others, They interpret his love by his Rod: It is true, There is a great similitude between a Curse and a Cross, and oftentimes the children are deceived by it; but I pray, mistake not yourselves, sometimes, They are in deepest Sufferings that are his dearest Darlings: Jesus Christ, the best beloved, was put to the worst Sufferings, Jesus Christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was greatly beloved, and yet greatly afflicted; Jesus Christ was the King of sufferings, The King of Saints was the King of Sufferings, and the Gospel is directly a Covenant of sufferings and sorrows: The old Law was built much upon Promises of Temporal prosperity, the Gospel is founded in Temporal adversity: The Heirs of God are Heirs of Sufferiugs: Jesus Christ was a Pattern of sufferings, and the Gospel of Christ is a Covenant of sufferings; and the Saints must be followers of Christ in this Covenant of sufferings: as men do well and suffer ill, so they are dear to God; whom he loves most, he afflicts most, and doth this with a design of the greatest mercy in the world.  
Secondly, God doth not love them more than others, that have more gifts than others, but that have more grace than others: for gifts qualify, but graces sanctify; gifts may make thee an able man, but 'tis grace that makes thee an amiable man.  
Thirdly, God doth not always love them more than others, that do him more service than others; for he that hath less grace, may do God more outward service, because he hath more outward power and estate: a man that hath less Grace may have more Purse than a better Saint, and such a one may give more to the Gospel, and pour forth more Acts of Charity, than a better Saint that hath more grace and less means can do: Nay a man that hath no grace at all (moving in an Orb of Power and greatness) may do God more service in some things than many private Saints can do. Jehu in rooting out Ahabs family, and Baal's Idolatry, did more for God in that case, than all the Saints in that Kingdom could have done: oh than look to your graces, God loves grace and your services for your graces.  
Whom then doth God love more than others?  
First, Great Persons matched with graces suitable, are Gods greatly beloved; Those that are more Noble in Family, and more Noble in Grace too, are greatly beloved: for this is a Rule in nature, those Creatures are most Honourable, which have the greatest power, and do the greatest good: Greatness is a brave subject for Grace, Gracious Great men are Great Stars, stars of the first Magnitude, they give more light than a Constellation of lesser stars and meaner Christians; How doth their light shine before men, and our Father glorisied in Heaven? and as they shine brighter than others in the lower Heaven, so I doubt not but they shall shine brighter than others in the upper Heaven: How Exemplary are their Examples? How convincing and compelling is their Golinesse? How powerful on others is the power of Godliness in them? If for their Greatness They are styled Gods. How near are they to God when they Act God in their Greatness?  
Secondly, Men of great parts adorned with Grace's proportionable are Gods greatly beloved: Thus Christ's Apostles were his greatly beloved, and after them his Ministers are his chiefest favourites above others: These are Gods great Love-tokens to his Church and people, they are Gods Incarnate Angels to his Church, so they are styled, The Angels of the Churches: Now Angels are not only Holy Creatures, but Intelligent Creatures; as they are Gracious, so they are Gifted Creatures.  
Thirdly, God loves those more than others, that believe more than others, because Faith gives most glory to God: I think none will deny, but tha● Grace which ascribes most glory to God, is the darling-grace, most tenderly beloved; and such is Faith: Faith Honours God, and Humbles the Creature; it greatens God, and annihilates the Creature.  
1. Faith advanceth free grace in our justification: Here she lays man in the dust, and lifts free grace upon the throne, ascribing all to mercy, nothing to merit, admiring free love, having the least thoughts of selfe-worth: Faith decks Christ alone with the golden feathers of a saving righteousness, and deplumes the Creature of all gay and proud Imaginations, amidst all her graces she relies only on free grace.  
2. Faith (in respect of grace and sanctification) lives only as a receiver, that's her Name in Scripture, As many as received him: and What hast thou which thou hast not received? Faith comes to God's door, and knocks there, as a mere beggar: she confesseth that herself is the gift of God, and that all Grace is the gift of God; she waits as a beggar at God's gate for every Grace.  
3. So when she hath the principle of Grace, she depends wholly upon divine Influence and assistance for the acting of Grace; the new Creature cannot move without the breathe of the Spirit upon it: The Spirit must plant graces in the soul, and then must dwell there and be with them still, to keep them in being, and keep them in action.  
4. Faith sets up the strength of God: A believer hath no opinion of his own strength, when he prevails with God, it is with a power which he hath from God, I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.  
5. Faith pleaseth God: wicked men may serve God, and some wicked men do him eminent service, they who are evil, may do that which is good for the matter of it: but though it be possible to serve God without faith, yet it is impossible to please God without faith; though God may be pleased with a work, which is done without faith, yet he is never pleased with the Person doing any work without faith.  
Fourthly, God loves them more, that are more humble: I dwell with him that is of a contrite 
Isa. 57 15.  and humble spirit: thou desirest not sacrifice, thou delightest not in  
Psal. 51. 16, 17.  offering; what is it then, God takes such delight in? The sacrafices of God are a broken spirit: Let Gods love Exalt you, but let his gifts and graces humble you: and surely the more solid and ponderous Grace is, the more it humbleth; the weightier a piece of Gold is, the more it presseth down the scale: Have ye learning and parts? let me tell ye, the modest opinion of our knowledge, is better than knowledge: Humility in Excellency Excelleth Excellency itself; I could wish, every one that hath gifts and parts, that like Moses, he saw not the beams of his own face.  
Fifthly, God loves them more that are more selfe-denying; that are not selfe-seekers, but seek his glory more than others: The upright are his delight.  
Sixthly, God loves them more, that love him more: Love is the loadstone of love; Love hath an attractive virtue, it draws God down from his throne into the soul, He dwells with love: What a great drawing power then hath a great love? This is the divine language of Lovers, I live, yet not I, it is my beloved that 
Gal. 2. 20.  lives in me: I love myself not with my own love, but with the love of my beloved, that loves me: I love not myself in myself, but myself in him, and him in me.  
Lastly, God loves them more, that are more Active for him: Idle Christians, and idle Professors, God nauseates: what is a thing that is of no Use? It is a Nothing: so saith Job to his miserable comforters, his friendless friends, For now ye are nothing: Ye 
ob 6. 21.  are nothing for ye contribute nothing of comfort to me; They that speak not to purpose, speak nothing. What is Idleness, but a privation of diligence, or absence of Action? and privations are nothings: lazy Professors are but so many privatives, they are not workers, they are not Agents, they profess and do nothing; They believe in Jesus Christ, and yet do nothing for Jesus Christ: The Philosophers say that in Nature there is no Vacuum, I could wish it were so in Christianity. But I have done with this Use.  
Use 4. Yet this speaks Comfort to weak Saints; to Saints of more infirmities, and lesser Graces than others: You will presently object and say, than the Lord cares not much for me; he'll scarce look upon me, I have so little grace; if he loves according to grace, I shall have love little Enough, for I am sure, I have grace little enough; such and such Saints shall go away with all his love. But be Comforted, you that are young Christians, and weak Christians, for  
First, God loves you too; nay God loves his weak Saints with more love of Compassion, though he loves great Saints with more love of Communication: as we love our young, as well as our strong; nay, we love our babes and young ones with more tenderness, than we do our strong ones. Aristotle observes it a special instinct of nature, whereby Parents are most tender of the youngest Children, because they can least help themselves: so the weakest Saints have the most kisses from God, the Parent kisseth the babe and little child, when the elder child is not kissed; For, saith he, this is but a little child: And so, when the Prodigal comes home, the Father falls upon his neck, and kisses him, why? but because upon his first Return, he is a Babe in Christ.  
Secondly, Because thou hast but little grace in thee, do not say, that God's love is but little, for a little grace is the gift of great love, 'twas great love in God, to give thee any grace: little grace is of a great price, as a Pearl of small size, is of huge worth; God gives himself to thee in the least grace: little grace shall have infinite glory; and therefore little grace was the gift of infinite love.  
Thirdly, Thy time is coming, wherein God will love thee as much, as greater Saints; it may be, more: for as thou growest up to more grace, God will love thee with more love. Sometimes one that is but a child, (when another is a man) groweth taller by far than the other: so though thou art now but a child in grace to a greater Saint, yet thou mayst be taller in grace one day than he is; and than God's love will be higher to thee than to him.  
Fourthly, Some Saints Excel in one grace, and some in another: Though some Saint's over-match thee in this or that grace, yet (it may be) thou dost outbid them in some other graces. Thus do some reconcile those two Scriptures, in 2 Kings 18. 5. there 'tis said of Hezekiah, that after him there was none like him among all the Kings of Judah: and in 2 Kings 23. 25. there 'tis said of Josiah, that like unto him there was no King before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart: It is said of Hezekiah, that after him there was no King like him, yet 'tis said of Josiah, that before him there was no King like him: How can truth stand in both these? When 'tis said of Hezekiah, that after him there was no King like him, 'tis to be understood of some particular Grace especially wherein he Excelled, that is, his trusting in the Lord; as 'tis said, He trusted in the Lord, so that after him there was none like him, they explain it thus, He broke in pieces the Brazen serpent, that Moses had made, and in this and other acts of Reformation, he met with strong opposition, his Princes and great ones (some of them) did not like what he did, and ('tis probable) they discourage him, and tell him, if you do those things, if you change these things, if you change these ancient customs, you will bring a world of trouble upon yourself and the Kingdom, you will make your people mutiny, the Brazen serpent, which you go about to stamp to powder, it was of God; yet (saith he) I care not for all you say, I will do my duty, and trust God with the Issue: Thus of all the Kings that were after him, there was none like him in trusting in the Lord. And as for Josiah, of all the Kings that were before him, there was none like him in another particular, his zeal for the Lord. Thus some Saints Excel in one Grace and some in another.  
Fisthly, If thou canst not attain Greatness in Grace, yet be sure to have uprightness in Grace: An upright Saint loves God by himself, abstracted from the world; It is to be doubted, that many of us love not God abstracted from the comforts, liberties, and enjoyments we have with him: many of us (I fear) would count our profission our punishment, were we to suffer reproach, and poverty, for our profession: as one that loves a woman in her fine  and apparel that sets her out; so do many love God whilst he is dressed up in Rich Robes of liberality and bounty to them, these set him out to their carnal Eye: but an upright Saint loves God abstracted from the world, when he is disrobed of all Gifts and Bounties to them.  
And this leads me now into the Discourse of this great man, and great Saint, whose Funerals we at this time Celebrate; He was a Great Man by birth, he was a Great Saint by Grace, and therefore Greatly beloved: I shall not speak the Greatness and Antiquity of his Honourable Family, although these shining Adjuncts set him out in brightness and splendour to the Eye of the world, yet because they make not a man Greatly beloved in the Eye of God, I shall rather speak of those Titles of Honour that are not written in Dust, those things that did Greaten his Greatness.  
I know he had his Humanity's, for we are all but men, till we are glorified Saints, and then our infirmi- Parts: This Country lay under a Veil of darkness till he began to shine. He set his first choice upon that Transcendent Holy man, Mr. Peacock in Oxford, but God took him to Heaven, which prevented his coming to Brampton: Then Providence led him to the knowledge of that now-blessed servant of God, Mr. Peirson, whose Exemplary Graces and Ministry shed a rich Influence abroad the Country.  
And as God removed godly Ministers by Death, he continued still a succession of them to you, not only Brampton-Brian, but Ye also of Wigmore, and Ye of Leyntwardine, own your very souls to Sir Robert Harley, who maintained your Ministers upon his own cost, that they might seed you with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  
3. He was the Pillar of Religion among Us: How would he countenance Godliness? his Greatness Professing Christ brought Profession into Credit, and cast a lustre on it, Profession began to grow and spread itself under his shade.  
4. His Planting of godly Ministers, and then Backing them with his Authority, made Religion famous in this little corner of the world.  
Oh! what comfortable Times had we (through God's mercy) before the wars! how did our Public meetings shine with his Exemplary Presence in the midst of them!  
5. He would feed hearty upon the Ordinances: He came with hunger to them, and did afterward digest them into real Nutriment; How would his heart melt under the word, and dissolve into liquid Tears! I have seen him thaw and distil, as the weeping Trees under the winter-Sun beams.  
6. He did deal much in Prayer: He would Embark no undertaking till he had fought God, he would frait his Vessel, hoist up the mast, and spread the sails, (he would not neglect the means) yet he would by Prayer beg the winds, and wait the Gales of Providence to set his ship a going.  
7. His house was an house of Prayer: 'twas the Centre where the Saints met to seek God.  
8. He was noble in his liberality to the Saints in their wants: Their Necessity was his Opportunity.  
9 He was spirited with a keen hatred of sin and profaneness: He would not, I may say, he could not brook it in any under his Roof; he would often say, He cared not for the service of one that feared not God.  
10. He was a friend to God's friends: They that did love God, had his love, God's people were his darlings, they had the Cream of his affections; if any poor Christian were Crushed by malice or wrong, whither would they fly but to Sir Robert Harley?  
11. Again, if at any time he had been Angry, he would quickly desire to be Reconciled, saying, We must take heed lest the Devil come between.  
12. He loved his Children most tenderly, I think, no man in the world carried more of a Father's dearness in him, than he did; yet he would never bear with any Evil in any of his Children: he would often say to them, I desire nothing of you but your love, and that you keep from Sin.  
13. The soul of his Religion was sincerity: he knew no End but to serve God, and to be saved. I shall in this place bring in a notable speech of his about a year and half since; when a most Eminent Minister of the Land came to visit him, and asked him, what comfortable Evidences he had of his salvation? he answered, He had nothing to rely upon but Jesus Christ, and he knew no Religion but sincerity.  
14. He was a great honourer of Godly Ministers: he carried them in his bosom, of all men in the world they sat next his heart, he did hug them in his dearest Embraces; I must tell you he was their Sanctuary in Evil Times: How oft hath he interposed between them and dangers? when sinful Greatness did frown upon them, this great man would show himself upon the stage for them.  
When Mr. Pierson was questioned before the Bishop, Sir Robert Harley was not afraid to appear constantly in his defence; I could tell you, that he felt the frowns and displeasures of a near Relation, rather than he would desert that Servant of Jesus Christ: When Dr. Stoughton and Mr. Workman were in trouble, Sir Robert Harley accompanied them to the High Commission, which made the Archbishop dart frowns upon him.  
15. He was also a Magistrate, and herein (I must tell you) he was animated with a most nimble Soul of Zeal against Sin: He was full of spirits against all dishonours done to God, he was a Terror to Evil works, he knew no Respect of Persons in a business wherein God was wronged: among other things, how would he Vindicate the Sabbath from tempt? profaneness durst not appear upon the face of it, by this means the Congregations were frequented on the Lords days, and many thousand souls prevented from their sinful sports, sat under the droppings of the word.  
16. He paid a dear devotion of love to the Lords day (that Pearl of the week) when the licentious sinfulness of times cried it down, how often have I heard him plead it up with Excellency of Arguments?  
And in his own Practice he risen always Earlier upon the Lord's day (and days of Humiliation) even to the times of his extreme weakness: He rejoiced still when the Sabbath came, and was usually more cheerful that day, than others, even in his sickness: He wept much, when his servants suffered him to sleep on the Lord's day later than he used, although he had not rested all that night.  
17. He was one that did Swim deep in the Tide of Fasting and Humiliation; I have seldom seen an heart broken upon such a day as his was wont to be: He was one that did stand in the Gap, that did sigh and cry for the Abominations done in the Land, and for it God set a mark upon his forehead: Though his Castle was ruined, yet God set a Mark upon him, when the naked Sword that Messenger of death walked the Land and looked keen upon you: And God set his seal of safety▪ upon his dear Lady, That Noble Lady and Phoenix of Women died in Peace, though surrounded with Drums and noise of War, yet she took her leave in Peace; The sword had no force against her, as long as God preserved her, he preserved the Place where she was. And the man clothed with linen set a Mark also upon the forehead of his Children, for when they with the Castle were surrendered up, God made their Enemies to treat them gently, he had his Jewels sent safely to him by the hand of Providence.  
18. He was (I know not how oft) chosen by his Country to the High Senate and Court of Parliament: and there (that I may speak within my knowledge) He was a bright and glorious Star in that shining Constellation; as some Stars are more Excellent than others, so was he there: He was a Man of fixed Principles, Religion and solid Reformation was all the white he shot at; He appeared all along for a Settled Ministry, and the liberal Maintenance thereof: He procured the Ordinance for settling the Ministers at Hereford: His Compass without Trepidation or Variation stood Constantly Right to that Pole, the Good of his Country and Gospel, which he kept ever in his Eye. And though his loss were Vast in those Destroying times, yet he laboured not for Recompense of his private losses, nor received any in the world.  
He was very Zealous against Superstition and Heresy: and for Church Government; when one of the Parliament said to him, Sir Robert Harley, why are you thus Earnest for Presbytery? you see it is so opposed, that it is in vain to seek to settle it: he Replied, Let us so much rather be Earnest for it, though we gain it by Inches▪ what we obtain now with much difficulty and opposition, shall be of use one day, when there shall not be heard so much as the sound of a Hammer.  
19 He could (when he was put to it) live by Faith: In the Wars, when the stream of his Estate (which should have maintained and watered him and his Family) was diverted wholly from them, he would say often, Dear Children, it may be God will bring us to want Bread, some say, it is base to live from hand to mouth, but I am of another mind, I find it the best way of living: and (which was an high Expression) Who can be afraid of God's Providence? welcome what the Lord sends, if it go well with the Church it is no matter.  
20. His soul was Paved with humble submission to God in hardest dispensations: When after the Wars he returned into the Country, and came to see with what face Brampton looked, he road toward his Castle Gate, and seeing the Ruins, put off his hat, and said, God hath brought Great Desolation upon this Place since I saw it; I desire to say, The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken, and blessed be the name of the Lord, in his good time he will raise it up again; when his House is built, God (I trust) will build mine: and observe, that he took Care to build this House or Place of worship, and let his own lie buried still in its Woeful Ruins.  
You have had the fair and sumptuous Prospect of his Life, which stood aloft like a beauteous City upon an Hill.  
Let us now follow him to his Sickness, which (you know) confined him some years to his Chamber: And here I see the seven stars, or seven Celestial signs appear in the night of his Sickness.  
First, The greatest trouble of his sickness to him was, that it disabled him from Enjoying the Public Ordinances: He dearly loved the solemn Assemblies, one day in God's Court was better to him than a thousand: The want of the Public Ordinances was the sickness of his sickness.  
Secondly, His divine employment: Most of his time (both day and night) whilst he was detained in his Chamber, was spent in hearing some good Book or the Scriptures read to him: he used very often to hear the 17 Chapter of St. John, and the 8 to the Romans read to him; and those two Golden Texts in the 8 to the Romans, All things work together for Good to them that love God: and, He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? He would repeat often, saying, He knew no such Cordials.  
Thirdly, His Victory over Satan: It pleased God about two years since to permit Satan to buffet him several times; once he lay all night, and slept not, and he was heard to say often, Lord rebuke the Tempter, Lord give Victory, Lord be Gracious, with these Expressions he spent five or six hours: in the morning he spoke very cheerfully, and said, he would be laid to sleep; and having taken quiet Rest he awaked, and said, that all the sins of his life had been laid before him that night, and those things (he said) that he had long forgotten, he then Remembered: He said, the Tempter had been very busy, but blessed be God, I did not sleep until I had made my peace with God, through Jesus Christ: Then he cheerfully said a little while after, God may let Satan buffet us for a time, but he shall never prevail; after this, his cheerfulness continued without interruption.  
Fourthly, His willingness to die: He was wont to say, Many wish to live over their lives again, that they might mend what had been amiss; I would not be to live over my life again, lest I should make it worse, I would not for all the world be young again, because I would not be so far from Heaven: And he would say to his Children, when he had them about him, I have taught you how to live, and I hope I shall teach you how to die.  
Fifthly, His patience under his sharp sufferings: His disease was Stone and Palsy: and they that know these, must look for Tortures; yet in his sharpest Pains and Torments, he would mollify them with this consideration, That is Best which God cloth; He would often say, The will of the Lord be done, above all, and in all, for that is best of all: and he would support himself under his sharp pains with this Meditation, Heaven will make amends for all: and sometimes, when asked how he did, he would answer, Poor, but going to Heaven as fast as I can: his lips (like an honey comb) would drop such sweet Expressions as these, If the Lord see it best for me, that the stone in the Bladder should be the way to bring me to Heaven, his will be done, It is better to die of the stone in the Bladder, than of the stone in the heart: Thus (if you observe) he fed his Patience, under the divine hand, with divine arguments: That place of Scripture, I Cor. 10. 13. There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able, He did often mention with joy, saying, it was the first place, whereby God gave him Comfort: and some few days before his death, when he was in much pain, he said, Blessed be God who brings this place with comfort to me, whereby I had received first joy, and so repeated those words, There is no Temptation, etc. adding further, Blessed be God, Blessed be what comes in the the name of the Lord, Lord be gracious. Thus you see his Admirable Patience.  
Sixthly, His love to the Glory of God, and the Church of God: To joy under great afflictions is a hard matter: water quencheth fire, yet his joy in that which concerned God his affliction could not extinguish: he was wont to pray constantly since the ruins and desolations of Brampton, that God would restore the Gospel hither, and two days before his death he rejoiced exceedingly, when he was told that this Place of Public worship was finished. About three days before his Death, when he arose and went to prayer (as he constantly used to do) though not able to Enlarge in Prayer, because of weakness, he Prayed for the Ruin of Antichrist, for the Churcher of God beyond Sea, naming Savoy, Switzerland, Germany. Upon the Fifth of November, though very weak, and under great pains, yet he blessed God for the Great mercy of that Day to the Church, and the Nation, and to himself, who was of the Parliament, when the Powder Plot was intended, & for the many Mercies God had vouchsafed him to see, since that time in the Church, and in his own Family, for his Lady the mother of his children, who (he said) was gone to Heaven before him, and for his children's Children, and for his Hearing, which being lost, God restored him perfectly: Thus the day before he died he kept A day of Thanksgiving to God for all his former mercies: oh! what spiritual and Angelical Elevation of heart was this? his soul was Musical, like the Swan he sang before his death; which leads me to another Branch,  
Seventhly, his faith & assurance: a godly Minister speaking to him concerning his dissolution, he said what matter is it, if my poor cottage be falling here below? I am sure of a fair house upon the Top of yonder hill. A day or two before his Death, the 5 of Job being read to him in course, he said, he that hath been with me in six troubles, will not leave me in the seventh. And lastly, having (like good old Jacob) given his blessing to all his Children that were then at home, and to his Grandchilds, desiring the Lord to bless and sanctify them particularly, I say, having done this about an hour before his death, though under Extreme Pain, he said, Blessed be God for this quiet Peace: Thus his Peace with God shined like a Candle in his heart, till his lamp of life went out with these last words, I die, Lord be Gracious; In the flame of these words his soul (like the Angel of God that appeared to Manoah) ascended and went up to Heaven: Thus this Glorious Saint went up to Glory.  
In the best times there were few or none better, in these declining times he hath left almost none like him among us, I pray God to double the Spirit of deceased Elijah upon his surviving Elisha: The Lord repair the Ruins of this Castle, and build up this Great Family for the Glory of his Name in these Parts.  
Before I leave, I cannot but tell you, how God hath taken Three brave men of late from us; The First upon whom the lot fell was Mr. Richard More of Linley, the next was Mr. Humphrey Walcot of ●alcot, and now it hath fallen upon Renowned Sir Rubert Harley: I mention them here together, because these Three were the Triangles of our Country; and whilst they lived were special friends, and of one heart for God in the concernments of his Gopell. And now I have done, only to put you in mind a little of yourselves, you see, you are dying creatures, oh then! Consider your later End: The consideration of our last End, should be the Exercise of our First thoughts; to consider our end, would be the end of our sins, and the Resurrection of our Repentance: Ashes keep fire alive, so this consideration, that we are Dust and Ashes will keep our Grace's alive.  
FINIS.