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For I reckon that the Sufferings of this present time are
not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall
be revealed in us.

By ANTHONY HORNE C K, D. D.
Late Preacher at the Savoy.

LONDON:

Printed and Sold by H. Hills, in Black-fryars, near
the Water-fide, For the Benefit of the Poor.
1708.

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ROM. viii. Ver. 18.

For I reckon that the Sufferings of this prefent time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that fhall be revealed in us.

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See no Reason I have to change my Text: for tho' the Church at this time celebrates the Memorial of Chrift's Resurrection from the Dead, yet upon Confideration, I do not find that the Subject I am upon is unfuitable to the Solemnity; for what is Chrift's Refurrection from the Dead, but a Refurrection from Sufferings to Glory; from a dark and dismal Grave, to a Paradife; from a miferable, contemptible and defpicable Life, to a Life glorious and beyond the Dignity of Angels ? And indeed Chrift himself in this Manner reprefents his Refurrection, in the 24th of St. Luke and the 8th Verfe, Ought not Chrift (faith he) to suffer all these things, and to enter into his Glory.

The Method I have refolved to handle thefe Words in, as you may remember, is this:

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I. To fhow you what the Sufferings of this prefent time is, and what Notions we are to entertain concerning them.

II. What that Glory is, that shall ere long be revealed in us.

III. How it doth appear, that the Sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that fhall be revealed in us.

As to the First,

I. What the Sufferings of this prefent time are, I hew'd at large: The Apostle doth not fo much de

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fine here the Calamities that are common to Mankind, as the Troubles that many do fuffer upon the Account of the Gofpel, or upon the Account of Righteousness; Sufferings which they fuffer willingly, and fuch Sufferings which reach no further than this present Life.

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II. As to the Second, why doth the Apostle here chufe to express that Felicity of the Saints in the other World by Glory? It is for these Two Reasons;

Firft, Because he writes to the Romans, who were at that time martial, Heroick People, and naturally ambitious of Glory. And,

Secondly, Becaufe Glory is the great Idol of the World. And the defire of Glory is a Paffion more. potent and stronger than the defires of any other thing in the World; more than Riches and Pleasure and if the Glory of another VVorld be fixed in the Soul, a Man will stick at nothing to arrive to it.

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Thirdly, I fhew'd you wherein the future Glory doth not confist. Having told you that Glory, in the Sense of a fenfual Man, is nothing but a grand Reputation and Injoyment of the Praises, and Commendations, and applauses of Men. And here I did peremptorily affert to you, that the Glory of the other VVorld, that Saints fhall injoy, doth not confist in their receiving the Praises, and Commendations of God, of Angels, or of Fellow Saints for whatever Commendations God may bestow on their first Entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven, their Felicity afterwards imports fomewhat else: For this I gave Four R eafons, which I fhall not now stand to mention ; and having thus shown wherein the Glory of the other VVorld doth not confist,

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I

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I come this Day to treat of a Refurrection, and pofitively to show the true Nature and Import of that future Glory that fhall be revealed in us; and and to refolve this, feems to be a very bold attempt; fince the Apostle hath told us, that Eye hath not feen, nor Ear beard, neither Heart of Man cannot conceive what God bath laid up for them that love him, in the 1 Cor. 7. 8, 9. But tho' we cannot comprehend it, our Souls being finite, and therefore unable to comprehend that which is infinite; yet fince God gives us leave to fpeak of it according to our Capacities, and the Measure of his own Revelation, I fhall tell you in few words, That that future Glory is a Complex or Confluence of all things that are great and excellent, and the glorified Saint his Understanding, his Knowledge, his Injoyment, his Eloquence, his Riches, his Honour, his Life, his Joy, his Actions, and his Virtues, will all exceedingly glitter and be God-like: All this will meet and concenter in him, as Sun-Beams in a BurningGlafs Here on Earth thefe Bleffings are divided, and they do never fall to the Share of one and the fame Man: One may have great Knowledge and great Understanding, but his Fortunes may be but Imall: Another may have great Riches and Honour, and his Merits inconfiderable, and Actions pitiful and mean: Others may have great Souls and great Virtues, but their outward Accommodations in this World may be very inconfiderable; but in Heaven all these Bleffings will unite in every individual Perfon, and incompafs the glorified Creature in the highest Perfection. And here,

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