Here is
a man, indeed!
We pass through a threefold state from nature to glory; the state of
grace in this life, the state of felicity in paradise, and our state
in glory after the resurrection.
They are all kings that go to that world, and so shall be proclaimed
there. They shall also be crowned with crowns, and they shall wear
crowns of life and glory, crowns of everlasting joy, crowns of
loving-kindness.
The coming man, the man that comes to God by Christ, if his way, all
his way thither were strewed with burning coals, would choose, God
helping him, to tread that path rather than to have his portion with
them that perish.
"The angel of the Lord encampeth about them that fear him, and
delivereth them." This, therefore, is a glorious privilege of the
men that fear the Lord. Alas, they are some of them so mean, that
they are counted not worth taking notice of by the high ones of the
world; but their betters do respect them: the angels of God count
not themselves too good to attend on them, and camp about them to
deliver them. This then is the man that hath his angel to wait on
him, even he that feareth the Lord.
It is said, that when the church is "fair as the sun, and clear as
the moon," she is "terrible as an army with banners.
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