THE BEASTS DOMINION over Earthly KINGS.

THE occasion of this daies solem­nity hath beene long and well known, and we have often in this place spoken of it; and it were a thing not unseasonable for the day, to set out in its lively colours that facino­rous act, which will scarcely bee credible to [Page 4] posterity, it exceeds my conceit to set it out in the right colours: I have therefore taken a text tending that way, and serving for our present purpose.

It pleaseth our blessed Saviour out of his love to his Church, not only to give directions what to doe, and what not to doe, what to be­lieve, and what not to believe, but to foretell likewise al future calamities, that so the Church might be fore-armed, and might not be surpri­sed with terror upon the sight of some sudden or strange accident; as especially the flourish­ing estate of Antichrist: Hee therefore fore­tels all, both the beginning, the growth, the strength, the proceeding, and at last the destru­ction of that Man of Sin.

The Church in this world is alwayes under some prophesie, it is alwayes under somewhat that is unfulfilled; for untill wee come to hea­ven there is not an accomplishment of all pro­phesies.

This Booke is a setting downe of prophesies of future events to the end of the world.

This Chapter sets out in lively colours the state of the Pontificality, the state of Rome, under the Bishop of Rome, the Pope: and not the state of Rome under the Heathen Empe­rours. It sets downe likewise the judgement of God in this life upon this Beast, and upon the Whore that sits upon the Beast.

The description is large in the former part of the Chapter, it would take up a great deale of [Page 5] time to unfold that; but because I have divers other things to speake of, I will passe that by.

The judgement of God upon the Beast and Whore, is set downe partly in the verse before the Text: The ten Hornes which thou sawest upon the Beast shall hate the Whore, and make her de­solate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burne her with fire, for God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree to give up their King­domes to the Beast, &c.

Here the Iudgement is set downe, what it is, and by whom it shall be, by the ten Hornes; that is, the ten Kings; and secondly, what they shall doe, and that is set downe in order.

First, these ten Hornes, these ten Kings, Western Kings, They shall hate the Whore.

Hatred is the beginning of all actions that are offensive; for it is the strongest, and stiffest affection of ill, as love is the strongest of good affections, They shall hate the Whore: It is not only anger, but hatred.

They shall make her desolate and naked; that is the second degree, they shall leave her, they shall strip this Strumpet of her ornaments and strength, whereby she set out her selfe.

They shall eat her flesh, that's the third; that is what they have given her before to inrich her, withall, that which made her in such well li­king, that which commended her, that wh [...]ch is her living, the riches of the Popes Clergie gotten (most of it) by ill meanes they shall take from her.

[Page 6] But that is not all, but there is a higher de­gree then all this, They shall burne the Whore with fire.

So that in the foregoing verse you see is set downe what the Iudgement is, and who shall bthe Executioners of this judgement.

But why must all this come to passe? Hee riseth to the highest cause: God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree with one consent to give their kingdomes to the Beast: God afterwards put into their minds to hate the Beast.

So that in this verse is the severity, and the mercy of God, his justice and his goodnesse: His severity in putting into the hearts of these Kings to agree with one consent, to give up their kingdomes to the Beast. A great Iudge­ment so to besot them: but here is a limitation of that severity at last, till the time come, untill the Word of God shall bee fulfilled; that is, untill they shall cease to be thus deluded by the Bishop of Rome, and then they shall begin to hate the Whore, as much as ever they were de­luded by her, and shall eate her flesh, and consume her with Fire.

For the explication of these words, they be­ing somewhat hard, I will spend a little time to unfold them. And first I must shew who is this Beast.

For God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast.

[Page 7] The Beast is mentioned in three places in the Revelation, in the ninth Chapter there is mention of the Beast comming out of the bot­tomlesse Pit; and in the 13. of the Beast that rose out of the Sea; and here in this 17. of a scarlet coloured Beast, having seven heads and ten hornes.

The Beast (in a word) is the state of Rome, sometime under the heathenish Emperours, sometime under the Pontificality: the Que­stion is, whether the Beast here spoken of bee the state of Rome, under the Roman persecu­ting Emperours before Christianity prevailed much, or the state of Rome under the usurpa­tion of the Bishop of Rome?

I answer, undoubtedly it is here meant of the state of Rome as it is upheld, the Whore. The Beast, that Beast: For it is meant here of one that seduced by lying miracles, of one that should come in a mysterie, of one that should deale with fornication, and such cour­ses.

Now heathenish Rome it overcame men by violence, and by force, and not by whorish insinuations, by drawing them on to Idolatry: It is said in the fifth verse, that upon her fore­head was a name written, Mysterie, Babylon the great, Mother of Harlots: Babylon in a Mysterie, and this Mysterie is a great word too with them: the Mysterie of the Masse, in every thing there is a Mysterie, all their Ceremonies are Mysteries: This word Mysterie therefore in [Page 8] the fore-head of the Whore, sheweth what Beast it is, that is here meant.

It is observed by divers Writers, that in the Frontlet of the Popes Diadem, there is writ­ten this name, Mysterium, as in Iulius the se­conds time; but afterwards when they smelt that he was construed thereby, to be the very Whore, they rased out that, and put in Iulius secundus, &c.

And she sits upon many waters, She sits, marke, the Spirit of God will not suffer us to erre: what is the regiment of the Pope called, Sit­ting? such a Pope sate so long, the Whore sits in the very phrase, and what is the seat cal­led? the See of Rome, the See of Antichrist: Divers other particular things there are to shew that he means Rome; that is, the state of Rome under the Bishop of Rome to bee the Beast here spoken of.

Especially considering the connexion of this Chapter with that following, where is set down the finall destruction of this Beast: now wee know that heathenish Rome ended long agoe; therefore that Beast which is here meant must needs bee that which followes in the next Chapter, and therefore it must needs be Rome, as it is under the Bishop, the Pope of Rome.

It is said in the 13. Chapter, that this Beast made the former Beast to speake, did enliven and quicken the former Beast; so indeed this Beast, Rome considered under the Pope, which [Page 9] succeeds that Beast, Rome as it was under the Roman Emperours, quickens the former Beast: for now all is as glorious as ever it was in heathenish Rome: For after that the Gothes and Vandals had possessed Rome, the Pope put some life into the Empire of Rome, and did himselfe become Emperour. For indeed the Emperour of Germany, though he be inti­tuled King of Rome, yet that is but a meer ti­tular thing, the Eagle is deplumed of her fea [...] ­thers, of her authority; it is only the title hee beares: And if any Emperour come to Rome, the Pope will make him sweare fealty, and hee must not long stay in Rome, he cannot endure that.

And it is well said in the Revelation, that this Beast is the Image of the former Beast, for the Pope is altogether like the Emperours, al­most in every thing. For the Emperours were crowned: The Pope for failing hath three Crownes: The Emperours had their scarlet: this is a purple coloured VVhore in scarlet; They spake the Latine tongue, and forced all nations almost to speak Latine, as a monument of their slavery. So all in the Popish Church is in latine, their prayers in Latine, all in latine, even for the simple and sottish people to use. Ancient heathen Rome had their grave Sena­tors; the Pope hath his Cardinals. The hea­then Emperours, as Domitian and others would be adored as Gods: So likewise is the Pope of Rome adored, and marke the slight; hee [Page 10] hath a Crucifix upon his feet, and Kings must kisse that, & so with adoring of the Cross they adore his person, as they did Heliodorus, that heathen Emperour. Thus in every thing al­most they agree with ancient Rome, and in ma­ny other things I might runne over their like­nesse to the former Beast.

Now this Beast (to describe him a little bet­ter, that we might know what these Kings did, when they gave up their Kingdomes and Thrones to the Beast.) It is said in the 13. chap­ter, that the Dragon gave power to the Beast: the Dragon is the Devill; and as he wrought effectually in the former Beast in heathen Rome, to make war with the Saints, so is this Beast, Pontificall Rome stirred up, and acted by the Devill, the Dragon to persecute the Church: So that this Beast hath the power, and the spirit of the Dragon, the Devill him­selfe.

And that you may discerne that I doe them no wrong, consider how the Dragon, and this Beast (which is moved, and lead, and acted by the spirit of the Dragon) agree in their cour­ses. I will name two or three to you.

The Dragons course is to make us distrust God; you know how in Paradise hee taught our first Parents to distrust the word of God, Yee shall be as Gods, knowing good and evill. So the force of Popery is to dishonour, and to dis­credit Gods truth, to put out the peoples eyes, to lead them blind-fold, to make the Scripture [Page 11] a matter of errour and heresie, and bid the people take heed of it; as if God meant to deceive them, to goe beyond them in giving them his Word; as though it were not a word of salvation. As the Dragon himselfe said to Christ, If thou wilt fall downe and worship me, all these will I give thee: So the Pope takes upon him the Dragons power, these that will bee good sonnes of their Church, these and these preferments will he give them, when hee hath as much right to them as the Devill had to those.

The Devill fell from heaven at the preach­ing of the Word, at the preaching of the Go­spell; the Apostles when they returned from preaching, told our Saviour that they saw Sa­than fall downe like lightning. So Antichrist fals by the preaching of the Gospel, by the breath of the Lords mouth, he is not able to stand before it no more then Dagon before the Arke; the VVord preached is as fire to con­sume him, so he is like the Dragon in that.

In disposition he is like the Dragon: The Devill is a Lyer and a Murtherer from the be­ginning, the father of lies; so likewise the Pope is a Lyar, all Popery is nothing but lies; therefore 2 Thess. 2. it is said, They are given over to beleeve lies, Popery is a grand lie, it is a lie in the primacie,; for it came in by forgery and intrusion, it is a lie in Purgatory, which is a meere conceit; it is a lie in their miracles, which they have devised to maintaine their [Page 12] false worship with; It is a lie in their works of supererogation, that they can fulfill more then the Law requireth. So that all Popery consi­der it distinctly from our Religion (because they have that which wee have, and some pat­ches of their owne) consider it by it selfe, it is a meer lie.

Besides that, they maintaine the doctrine of Equivocation, which is a lie, a justifier of lies, which is worst of all.

And to murther; this present day and oc­casion tels us that murthers come from them, their Doctrine maintaines it, and they make orations in commendations of Traytors, as Sixtus Quintus did in praise of him, that killed Henry the third, King of France, and the bloody Massacre of France is pictured up in the Popes Court: As the Devill is a Lyar and a Murthe­rer, so is this Sonne of the Devill, who is led by the Spirit of the Dragon, in disposition they are alike.

In course of life they are alike. The Dra­gon is said to draw the third part of the stars of heaven downe to the earth; that is, to draw men which were as the stars of heaven, to make them deny their Religion. So this Dragon, this Pope, the instrument and vassal of Sathan, hee drawes the third part of the stars from heaven, and hee drawes men from the love of the truth by preferment and honour, men that are learned, men that are otherwise of excellent parts, hee drawes them from hea­ven [Page 13] to earth; that is, hee drawes them from the knowledge of the truth and goodnesse to earth, and lower then earth too if they do not repent, even to hell it selfe from whence hee came. Thus I might goe on to shew that this Beast is Rome under the Pontificality, and not Rome under the Heathen Emperours: like­wise that this Beast is acted, lead, and guided by the spirit of the Dragon, by reason of the resemblance which it holds parallel with him in these and other things. So much for explica­tion of this Beast.

But why is the state of Rome called the Beast?

Daniel first knew the great Empires, the one of Babylon, called a Lyon, the Persian Monar­chy, a Bear, the Grecian a Leopard; but here in this Chapter is a strange Beast, that hath all the cruelty and fiercenesse of all those Monar­chies: Called therefore a Beast for her fierce­nesse and cruelty.

Gods Church they are sheepe and lambes, Christ himselfe the Lambe of God, the oppo­site Church of Antichrist, a Beast, acruel Beast. If you go to plants, Gods Church are lilies, the opposite kingdome are thornes. If you goe to Fowles, Gods Church are Doves, Turtles, mild and gentle, the opposite Church are Ea­gles and birds of prey.

But I say they are called Beasts, for their cruelty: The state of Rome under those heathenish Emperours was a Beast, and in [Page 14] those ten persecutions the Emperours are rightly called Beasts; so likewise Rome Papall is a Beast. Our Religion, true Religion enter­tained makes of Beasts men, the true know­ledge of Christ alters their natures, turnes Ly­ons into Lambes, as the Prophet saith, Isa. 11. But the Popish religion, it makes of men beasts, makes them worse then themselves: For these Gun powder-traytors, many of them as they were by birth Gentlemen, so their dispositions were gentle and mild, divers of them, not of the worst dispositions, only that bloody Reli­gion made them worse then their nature was: So I say Papall Rome is a Beast, and popish re­ligion makes men beasts.

Well, I will not inlarge my selfe in the uses of this point, because I shall speake of it after­ward, if the time will give me leave, only this, have nothing to doe with this Beast, keep out of her pawes, keepe out of her clawes: A Li­on, or a cruell Beast may seeme to bee calme for a while, but a Lyon will (as we say) shew a Lyons trick once a yeare. Meddle not there­fore with this Beast, it is a Beast; so much for that, what the Beast is, the state of Rome un­der the Bishop of Rome.

‘For God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree to give up their kingdomes to the Beast.’

Whose? The Angell sets down in the verse before, the ten Horns, the ten Kings; the ten western [Page 15] Kings, whether it be a certaine number for an uncertain, or whether it be a certain number, I wil not dispute of now, but take it so as it cannot be disputed against, a certain number for an un­certaine: A number of the VVesterne Kings gave up their kingdomes for a while to the Beast, untill the Word of God should bee ful­filled.

But marke the phrase, God put it into their hearts to give up their kingdomes to the Beast. Wil God put into their hearts to give up their kingdomes to the Beast? why then the Pope of Rome need not pretend Constantines dona­tion, that he 300. yeares after Christ gave un­to them many territories about Rome: But they may depend upon a higher donation, God put it into the hearts of the Kings to give up their kingdomes to the Beast: Here is a higher title then the donation of Constantine.

But we must know that this is not meant, as if God gave him a right, by putting into the hearts of the Kings to give up their kingdomes to the Beast: but God seeing these ten Hornes, these ten Kings to be in a sinfull estate, who de­served to be left of him, and to bee given up to further illusion, and by with-drawing his grace to give them up to the occasions of sin, to this seducing Beast and Whore, he put into their hearts to give up their kingdomes to the Beast.

But this must be a little cleared. Is God the Author of sinne? God put it into their hearts, he [Page 16] did not only rule the events, but he put into their hearts, &c.

I answer: The phrases of the Scripture are well enough knowne in this kind. God gave them up to a reprobate sense, Rom. 1. 12. The fal­ling of the people from Rehoboam, it is said, it was of the Lord; And God bad Shemei rayle, divers such phrases there are in the Scrip­ture: How must these bee understood? thus. Not that God doth allow or command any thing that is evill, much lesse that hee doth in­fuse any evill into men, so that, when it is said he put these things into their hearts, here is nei­ther an outward command, nor an in­ward infusion; what is it then? Here is a fin­ding of them in an evill and sinfull estate, and God useth that evil and mischiefe, and wicked­nesse that he finds to his owne end, and pur­pose, He infuseth no malice or evil, but finding of it he useth it to his owne particular end and purpose, & makes way and vent for it upon par­ticular occasions. These ten Kings, he infuseth no love of superstition into them, but finding them evill, and not as they should be Subjects of his kingdome, and misliking his sweet go­vernment, it was just with God to give them up to be slaves to the Beast, & by consequence to the Devill himselfe, that spake and wrought by the Beast: So I say God tooke away the impediments, and opened a way to their evill disposition: He used their evill disposition to this or that particular thing, even as a Worke­man [Page 17] that finds an ill piece of timber, he makes not the timber ill, but when he finds it ill, hee useth it to his owne good purpose; and as a man (it is Luthers comparison) as a man that moves a Horse that is lame, hee doth not put lamenesse into the Horse, but useth him to his owne purpose being lame; so God finding these men evill in the generall, he directs this ill into particular courses, to worke it selfe this way, and not that, in this particular action, not in that: For God although he be not the Au­thor of evill, yet he is the Orderer of it, and he determines and directs it, both to the ob­ject, and also to that end which he pleaseth.

In a word, consider sinne in three distinct times, before the commission, in it, and upon the performance: Before, God doth not com­mand it, nor infuse it, but disallow and forbid it: In the sinne, he permits it to be done; how? by substracting of his grace, in not working, then by offering occasions that are good in themselves: And thirdly by tradition, by gi­ving men up to Sathan; as here the Beast is gi­ven up to Sathan, and the Kings were given up to the Beast: So that God gives men up by substraction of his grace, and by tradition, and then he doth uphold them in the commit­ting of sinne, upholds the powers: And when it is done, applies them to this particular, and not to that particular: In the doing of it, hee limits it, he sets the bounds of it, both for the time of it, as also for the measure of it, as here [Page 18] in the Text: Thus long shall the ten Kings give up their Crownes to the Beast; and thus farre shall they goe, untill the time come, that the Word of God shal be fulfilled: so hee limits sinne in the commit­ting of it, both for the measure, and also for the time: The Rod of the wicked shall not rest up­on the backe of the righteous.

Thus you see the meaning of the words, God will put into their hearts; that is, by with­drawing of his grace, which they deserved by their sinfull courses; and offering to them this Man of sinne, this Beast, which shall come with such efficacies of errour, so that his grace being with-drawne, and they given up to the Devill, to Sathan, and the Beast, they shall without doubt be deluded, and seduced, but with this limitation, untill the time come, that the Word of God shall be fulfilled,

I might be large in this point, but it is not so sutable to the occasion, onely somewhat must be said for the unfolding of the Text: So much therefore for that.

‘God put into their hearts to fullfill his will, and to agree to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast.’

They agree all unto it, and therefore it was not a thing done by force: Rome, and the heathen Emperours did compell men, did overcome men by force of Armes; these agree, it was a voluntary, and a free act in them; necessary it was in regard of Gods judgement, but it was free and voluntary in re­gard [Page 19] of themselves, for with one consent they gave up their Kingdomes to the Beast.

Thus having unfolded the meaning, wee come to observe some truths and conclusions that doe arise out of the words. I will not men­tion all, or the most that might bee observed, but only some speciall.

‘God put into their hearts to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast.’

Here first of all from this ariseth, Gods spe­ciall providence in Ill, in the greatest evill that can be there is his speciall providence appa­rent; God put into their hearts to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast: Observe here many acts of his Providence, the with-drawing of his grace, the giving them up to Sathan, and to ill occasions, the presenting them with good occasions, which meeting with an ill disposi­tion makes them worse; for good occasions meeting with an ill disposition makes it worse, makes it rage the more; as the stopping of a torrent makes it rage and swell the more; as also the limitation of all this, untill his Word shall be fulfilled; thus in this worke, Heaven and Earth and Hel meet in one action: Thus it was in that great action of the crucifying of our blessed Saviour, there is the action of God, in giving his Sonne to be a sweet Sacrifice, and the action of Iudas, and the Devill in him be­traying of Christ, and the action of the Soul­diers, [Page 20] in crucifying him. Saint Augustine in the unfolding of this point, of the Provi­dence of God in Evill, observes how many may concur in one action, God without blame, man without excuse: God without blame, he finds men ill, and leaves men (deserving to bee left) hee takes away his grace, and as a Iudge gives men up to Sathan: Man without excuse, because man workes willingly, They with one consent gave up their Kingdomes to the Beast. That is the first.

The second is this, that the will of man may be swayed by divine governance, and yet not­withstanding work most willingly, and freely.

Here, God puts into their hearts to do this, and yet they willingly, and with one consent gave their Crownes to the Beast.

God first hath his Providence in ill, and then that providēce is such, that it doth not rob man of his liberty, because God finding man in an ill course, he forceth him not to this or that particular ill, but directs him only: The hearts of Kings are in the hand of the Lord, as the Ri­vers of waters. A Man when hee findeth a Ri­ver of water, hee doth not make the streame, but only makes way, that it may runne this or that way, as it pleaseth him; so God, finding the hearts of Kings, or the hearts of any, as the Rivers of water, Hee opens vent, that they should run this, and not that way; that they should be given to this, and not to that, here is the action of God, and yet the free li­berty of man.

[Page 21] But how could this bee free, when they [...]ould not avoid it?

I answer, they were not privie to Gods di­recting, they worked not in conscience of Gods moving, but they followed their owne [...]usts and will: Betweene Gods worke and Mans will, there is alwayes sinne: God never workes immediatly in Mans will; for Mans will is free, but Mans sinfull Free-will is the [...]ext cause in sinne: Although God put it in­ [...]o their hearts, yet hee found them sinfully disposed.

And then, the judgement is not bound or [...]yed. The hearts of these Kings told them, that they might give their Crownes, or not give them to the Beast, their judgement saw they had reason to doe it, though their judge­ment were corrupt; so, a sinner sees reason to doe this or that, and although it bee corrupt reason, yet it moves him at that time, his judgement is not bound up, but God lets his judgement be free, though hee take away his heavenly light, and so hee judges perversely That's the second.

The third is, That it is a terrible judgement of God to be given up to a mans owne will, to leave a man to his owne consents.

It is here spoken by way of judgement, That God put it into their hearts to give up their King­domes to the Beast. And indeed so it is a terrible judgement.

There are some objections to be taken [Page 22] away, for the clearing of this weighty point.

How is it a judgement, or a punishment, when it is voluntary? They willingly gave up their Kingdomes.

I answer, the more voluntary, and free a man is in sinne, the more and greater the judge­ment is; and as when sinne is more restrained, either inwardly by the Spirit, and by the con­science, or outwardly by the Lawes and ter­rour, the more mercifully God deales with men, so the more free the current of the dispo­sition runs in ill wayes, the more wretched a man is.

Yea, but will the heart of some Atheisticall person presently say, what punishment is it, as long as I have liberty in evill, and meet with no hinderance in my courses, and feele no harme, but rather the contrary, as many that get their riches by ill meanes, and those great Papists, those great Vsurpers, wee see what estates they get to themselves.

I answer, Spiritual Iudgements are so much the greater, by how much they are lesse sensi­ble, because if they bee not sensible to us here, they will bee the more sensible to us hereafter: And those that have their will most here, shall suffer most against their will hereafter: It is the greatest judgement in this world, for a man to have his wil in sin­full courses: Hee that shall make an Idoll of his will (especially a man that is in great place of Honour) that shall make all wayes serve for [Page 23] the accomplishment of his will, when he hath [...]t, he is the most miserablest man in the world; [...]or hee that hath his will most in courses un­justifiable, shall suffer most against his will, when he commeth to a reckoning: such men therefore are the more miserable, because such taking themselves to be absolute persons, and their waies the best wais, though they have many determents from their base courses, yet they will heare no counsell; and therefore the [...]rder to be reclaimed; It doth not therefore take away from their punishment, but rather aggravate it.

I beseech you let me presse this a little, that these Iudgements are great Iudgements (al­though wee doe not feele them) when with a free consent we give our selves unto ill: It is a heavie Iudgement when God leaves us to our owne lusts, and takes away the guidance of his Spirit, we had better that God should give us up to the Devill for a while to bee tormen­ted, we had better be in Hell (if a man might come out at a certaine time) then to bee given up all our life time, to doe with our owne con­sent and will, that which is liking to our owne will and lust; because by yeelding to our own will, wee yield to the Devill that rules in a Mans affections and will: For a Mans affecti­ons, when they are carried to evill, they are the Chariots of Sathan; when the Devil sees excessive sinfull affections; as excessive sinfull joy, and delight in sinfull pleasures; he being [Page 24] about us, is alwayes carried in these affecti­ons, and carries us also strongly in the wayes that lead unto eternall perdition.

Wee judge, when a man suffers some out­ward punishment, as casting into prison, or the losse of his sight, oh hee is infearfull case; but what is the case of a man blinded by Sathan, and his owne lus [...]s? A man that is a slave to his owne base affections, and by consequent to the Devill, which rules in his affections, and so consequently to damnation; A man that lies under the wrath of God, that hath no heart to repent; If a man had spirituall eyes, to consider the case of that man, he would ne­ver pitty so much the case of those men that suffer outward losses, as hee would pitty those which he sees to live, and oftentimes to die in evill courses of life.

This should therefore be an use of direction to us, that seeing we heare, that God rules the hearts of men, that hee takes away his Spirit, and leaves men to occasions, wee should pray to God to rule our hearts himselfe; Lord take thou the rule of our hearts to governe them thy selfe: It was a good prayer of the Ancient Church, Oh God from whom all holy desires, and all good counsels doe proceed, &c. Indeed it is hee from whom all good counsels doe proceed. These ten Hornes, they were ten Kings, no doubt but as they were men of great place, so of great parts, but without Gods Spirit, with­out his light, the greatest and the wisest man is [Page 25] but mad, he is as a man out of his wits, puzzeled in darknesse, and knowes not which way to goe. When God gives men over to their own lusts to their blind affections, they lead men to judgement, & they must needs fall into the pit.

Let us desire God to put into our hearts ho­ly desires, holy purposes; for from him all ho­ly desires come; let us desire him not only to governe our estate, and to preserve our bodies from danger; but Lord keepe thou our hearts, we cannot keepe our hearts of our selves, doe thou bend our understandings, bow our affecti­ons, and our wils, that they may run in the right way.

And (to stirre us up to this the more) wee must know, that that Evill which wee do not, we are beholding to God for, as much as for the good wee doe. Why doe not men, having an ill disposition, and corruptature, doe ill? Because God offers not occasions of ill; if God should offer occasions, they would com­mit the Evill as well as others; It is God that puts into mens hearts to hate that Evill: If God should take away his Spirit, men would not hate evill, when occasions are offered, as these men did not, when the occasion was offered, They gave up their kingdomes and thrones to the Beast. So that we are beholding to God, for all the ill that we do not, either it is his not offring occasions, or else his giving us strength in the occasions. This we forget. Wee are apt to say, this wicked man hath done this, [Page 26] this good man is fallen into this, this man hath done that: but where is our devotion at this time? we should rather say, Lord it was thee for causes thou best knowest, for if thou hadst left me (especially when occasions were presented and offered, and there was a correspondent corruption in my heart) to close with the oc­casion, I had fallen into the like sinne, it was thy keeping, and not my goodnesse.

One thing more, the Beast is exprest before in Chapter 13. to bee lead by the Devill. So that howsoever the Devill, who by Saint Paul is called the God of this world, and the Pope the subordinate Vicar to the Devill (and so by consequence he is the Devill, for the Devill, the Dragon rules him:) Howsoever I say there be the Devill, the God of this world, and the Pope in this world, the Vicar of that Dragon, yet there is but one Monarch, one that rules all, both Devill and Pope, and all the wicked limbs of both to his owne ends. It was God that put it into the hearts of these Kings to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast: It is he alone that is absolute, that gives the liberty of the Chaine, both to men and devils: Thus farre they shall goe, and no further. It is a good saying of the Schooles, There is no Ill so ill, as there is good that is good, there is not any ill so strong, as God is good: but every ill must come under the government of God: The Devill himselfe, nor the vile heart of man can­not goe out of his rule, yet may runne out of [Page 27] his Commandements, but then it runs into his Iustice, hee may goe against the revealed will of God, but then hee runs into his secret will: there is no Ill, Ill in that degree, that God is good, but every Ill is in somewhat, and from somewhat, and for somewhat that is good, as it is over-ruled by God. The cruci­fying of Christ, which was the worst action that ever was, yet it tended to the greatest good, viz. the salvation of mankind. So this giving to the Beast, of these ten Thrones, by these ten Kings, it was a sinne, and a punish­ment of their sinne, but it was for a good end, as wee shall see afterward, if the time will give leave.

This should teachus absolute dependance, and subjection to this great God; they need feare no creatures, that feare God, they need feare no Devill, nor Turke, nor Pope, nor all the lims of them, for God is the absolute Mo­narch of the world, he can doe what hee will, and if God be on our side, who can be against us? It is said, that hee is a wise Politician, that can make his owne ends out of his enemies designes: The great Governour of heaven and earth can doe so; He can put a hooke into the nostrils of the Leviathans of this world, and can draw them, and rule them as hee plea­seth; they may doe many things, but it shal be all to accomplish his ends and purposes, they shall doe his will: God put it into the hearts of these Kings to fulfill his will; (Hee) put it [Page 28] into their hearts, to agree to give up their king­domes to the Beast; and so they did submit themselves to Antichrist, for a great while.

In the next place it is expressed how this came, They (Gave) their Kingdomes to the Beast. Wee are to see how farre faulty these Kings were, and how farre faulty the Pope, the Beast, was to whom they gave their Kingdomes. For it may be objected, that these men they did but obey God, for hee put it into their hearts, and for the Pope, they offered their Kingdomes to him, and who would not re­ceive offered Gold? But here is a deale of devillish deceit; for first, God gave them over to themselves, and they gave themselves, and their Kingdomes to the Beast; what then was sinfull in them? This, to give their Kingdomes to the Beast?

This, they betrayed their Kingdomes; Here is a wrong to God, a wrong to themselvs, and a wrong to their Subjects. A wrong to God, whose Vice-gerents they were; did he give them their Kingdomes, to give them to his Enemy, to give them to the Beast, and by consequence to the Devill? Doth God raise up men to rule, that they should enthral them­selves, and their Kingdomes to the Beast, to give them to Gods Enemies? No, Kings raigne by Him; The Pope saith, by mee: Is their constitution of men? No, Kings raigne by God, they derive their authority from him: It is he that hath power over Kings, Dan. 2. [Page 39] They raigne not if he will, and they may rule [...]f he will, by his will permitting, else no man can raigne, By mee Kings raigne: If then they reigne by him, it is a treason against God to betray the Kingdomes, that hee hath given them, into the hands of his Enemies: It is a wrong to Christ, whereas they should kisse the Sonne, by kisses of subjection, as Princes use to doe in the Eastern Countries, to fall downe and kisse their Soveraignes toes, they doe (in this) the cleane contrary.

Here is a wrong to themselves, they betray their owne authority, that when God hath made them Kings to rule, they will bee slaves, and it is a great sinne for a man not to maintain his standing, as it is well observed by his Maje­stie, who (if ever Prince did) doth vindicate himselfe, and challenge his regall authority, and it shall continue, and make him live even to the worlds end. It is the greatest sinne for a man to betray himselfe; Every man is to maintaine that place and standing, that God hath set him in. These ten Hornes they wrong­ed themselves, and their place, God made them Kings over their people, and they be­come slaves to an Antichristian Priest.

It was a great wrong to their Subjects, king­domes we know follow their Kings, and if Ie­roboam make Israel to sinne, all Israel will quickly sinne: diseases come from the head, if the head be naught, there will bee a disease in the body ere long; A greater stone being tum­bled [Page 40] downe from a Hill, it carries lesser stones along with it; so, great Kings when they fall themselves, they draw their Kingdomes after them: therefore the phrase of the Scripture is, God put into their hearts to give, not onely themselves, but their Kingdomes to the Beast: for commonly the Idoll of the people is their King, and being led by sense, and not by faith, they feare him more then they feare God, and their owne restraint, more then they feare Hell, and so they come to this damned Reli­gion by depending upon him: therefore it is a wrong to the people, knowing they are so sla­vish by nature, and wanting faith, are fearing terrour led by the present command of their King. Thus it was a wrong in these Kings eve­ry way.

But the Pope, the Beast, what was too blame in him? He did but take that which was offe­red him, They gave their Kingdomes to the Beast.

I answer, Indeed hee tooke that which was offered him, but he did abuse these Kings, hee abused the Christian world, Hee had no title to these Kingdomes, but was a fraudulent Possessor of them, because hee came to them by a slight; Hee raised himselfe to the Pope­dome by the ruines of the Empire; for upon the divisions of the Empire, the Empe­rour having enemies in the East, hee was faine to rest in Constantinople, and thereupon Rome being much neglected, at last was over­run by the Gothes and Vandals, and the Pope [Page 41] taking occasion of the absence of the Empe­ [...]our set up himselfe; thus raising himselfe by [...]e ru [...]nes of the Empire, and then hee being [...]stablished, set up Pepine, Father of Charles the Great, and put downe Childerick; who (being [...] weake Prince) he deposed, and set the other [...], that he might gratifie him so; so hee col­ [...]ogued with Princes.

And then againe, hee wan respect and au­thority from the Hornes, by diabolicall and [...] courses. For first, hee abused their under­ [...]andings, keeping them from the Scriptures: [...]nd then he abused their affections, and drew [...]em this way, and that way with toyes. They [...]ave him great matters, and he gave them In­ [...]ulgences and Pardons, & consecrated Grains, [...]nd such like things.

Then againe, hee would oft force them to [...]ield by Excommunications, and many false [...]itles of Peters Successor, and Peters Chaire, so by the terrour and dread of Excommunica­ [...]ion, hee awed them.

Againe, he wrought by subtilty, joyning with one Prince against another, setting one against another: And if hee joyned with any party, he had such a slight, that hee would be sure to make him a slave to the Papacie, one way or other, or else hee would excommuni­cate him, and then before they should bee ab­solved, they must either pay a great summe of money, or else they must goe such a voyage, or set such men or such on such an Enterprise.

[Page 42] And then againe, hee gave dispensations to sell soules, and so men might doe what they would, they should have Pardon, otherwise they should have Excommunication.

And then againe, hee had preferments for the Sonnes of the Hornes, Cardinals places for their second Sons, that they should be great Princes, he had high places for them.

Then againe, hee layed his foundation on false grounds; He would be universall Bishop, and the Church could not erre, and al of them must fetch, and determine of their matters from him, and appeale must be made to none, but to him, and in certaine cases none could satisfie the Conscience but him. So that hee greatly raised his authority by these false and cousening meanes, and all that yielded to him, were a deluded company of people, that were deluded by the false and subtill courses that he tooke. And therefore, although they gave their Kingdomes to him, yet he possessed them by a fraudulent ritle, the meanes he used were diabolicall. ‘They gave their Kingdomes to the Beast, till the word of God should be fulfilled.’

Well, wee see here the Iudgement of God upon the Christian world; It was not onely a Iudgement upon these Kings, as they were Kings, but God punished the peoples sinne in [Page 43] the slavery of these Kings to the Beast.

See here, the Iudgement of God upon Kings and Princes, for not esteeming as they should doe the glorious Gospel of Christ, for they both, Princes and people had it, but they esteemed it not, but delighted in untruths; therefore God gave them up to believe lies.

We are not therefore over-much to pitty our Ancestors, though they deserve pitty, yet wee excuse them over much this way; for certain­ly God is just in his Iudgement, who seeing them delight in lies, more then in his truth, tooke away his grace, and gave them up to this Beast, that they should give up their authority, both Prince and people to him; And because they would not be ruled by Gods will, think­ing themselves wiser then he: He appointed them to be ruled by one that should bee ruled by the Devill: For the Devill was in the Pope, and who would serve the Devill, if hee knew it? But because they would not yield unto Christs sweet government; therefore he gave them over to a government fit for them, even to be governed by the Beast.

I beseech you take notice of this point, when we entertaine not the glorious Gospel of Christ, the good word of God, that word that declares salvation unto us, and which is an In­strument to worke grace in us, to fit us for hea­ven; that word that is the seed, and the food of our new Birth, the Evidence of our Inhe­ritance; that good word, which is the greatest [Page 44] Iewell under heaven, when we doe not value that, it is the greatest errour that can be, and it is just with God, to give us up to this, and to that errour, if not unto Popery, yet unto some one errour that the Devill is in, and contrary to the Spirit of God. Doe yee thinke, if a Ma­ster should see his servant take ill courses, and would not doe according to his appointment and admonition, that he would not leave him to take his owne course, and so let him do his owne will, that thereby he might see his folly, in not being ruled by him▪ So it is just with God, when hee sees that wee doe not make much of his Gospel, of his soule-saving Go­pel, that we will not have that alone, but Tra­ditions with it, and that besides Christ, wee must have other Mediators, as if Christ were not rich enough: It is just with God to give both Prince and people up to the Beast. Let us therefore make much of the Gospel: what moved God to give up the Easterne Empire, those glorious Churches in Saint Iohns time, unto the Turke? nothing but this, they did not value the Gospel: What moved God to give up those Western Kings to Romish An­tichrist (for those two, the Turke and Pope are twins, they had their beginning at once, about 700. yeares after Christ) what moved this? But only when God had dealt graciously with them at the first, and gave them his truth to save their soules, (which is the most com­fortablest thing in the world, to have God dis­cover [Page 45] what he meanes to do with us, and what he would have us to doe) when he discovered his will to them, and saw them leave his will, saw them leave Gold, and take Drosse, prefer the traditions and wisedome of men before the wisedome of God, it was just with him to give them up to beleeve lies. ‘They gave their Kingdomes to the Beast (marke the limitation here, untill) until the word of God should be fulfilled.’

I see I cannot make an end of the Text; a lit­tle further, and so I will conclude.

Here is an Vntill, here is a stop, the Devill and the Beast had their time to seduce the Kings, and the Kings had their time to bee se­duced, and to give up their Kingdomes, but God hath his time, Christ hath his time: Christ gives his enemies time, and then takes time himselfe: Vntill the time that the Word of God shall be fulfilled.

We see here then a mixture of mercy with justice, that after God had given them up just­ly, not only the Easterne Empire, but also the Western Kings to the Pope, yet notwithstan­ding here is an Vntill. God limits Ill, not only for the measure of it, but also for the time of it; God at length turnes the streame of things, so that these Kings that were thus abused, and baffeled by this Man of sinne, this Beast, at last they grow wise, by the in [...]nct of God, [Page 46] and hate the Beast, as much as ever they loved her.

So then this is the point. That the same God, that by divine Providence gave way to these Kings, to abuse the doctrine of the Go­spell, and that gave way to these people, that were unthankefull, to yield themselves in such slavery to the Pope, yet notwithstanding in mercy God at the last put into the hearts of these Kings to with-draw their necks from this yoke, and to put their necks under Christs yoke.

This Vntill, hath had a beginning many yeare agoe; for wee know, (to omit other Kings of other Countries) King Henry the Eight of famous memory, (take him without those things we cannot upbraid; now he was a man of great, and excellent parts, as hee was of great vices:) Hee was an excellent instru­ment of Christ, to unhorse the Pope, to shake off his government, to hate the Whore, and to eat her flesh; that is, to overthrow the Mo­nasteries, those Cages of uncleane Birds, and those Peter-pence, those exactions; for indeed the Pope made England his Asse, to beare his burthens: It would move any mans patience, to see how pittifully the Popes of Rome have abused this Iland, so that we may now truly say as Christ saith: If the Son make you free, you are free indeed; Christ hath made us free, the Gospel hath made us free, and ever since the comming of the Gospel wee have [Page 47] flourished. King Henry shooke off the yoke first, and after him King Edward, and after him Elizabeth of blessed memory, and now our gracious King. So that this Vntill, it begun long since to hate the Beast, and to eat her flesh; one thing ther [...] is yet undone, To burne her with fire, if they hate the Beast, and eat her flesh, this will c [...]me to [...], to burne her with fire, even the ten Kings that were subject to her be­fore shall doe that.

Wee see wickednesse shall not thrive al­wayes, it shall not alwayes bee night, but the Sunne shall arise at the last, Impostures shal not alwayes abuse the world, their madnesse shall be made manifest at length; as Paul saith, 2 Tim. This is our Comfort, that there is an Vntill, a time prefixed of God, to discover, and to lay open all Impostures: And now the time is come, that most of this should be fulfilled, some of these words of God are fulfilled, the Beast is hated, and now the Beast is known to bee the Beast, to bee cruell, witnesse the blood of Saints, the Murther of Kings, those horrible acts that are allowed from Rome. The Beast I say is now discovered, and hated.

The Affections that are due to the Beast is hatred. If ever we hatred any thing, we may hate the state of Rome: It is a Beast, and the object of hatred, and ever was; and if ever I say wee hated any thing that was deserveable of our hatred, it is that, why? do we not hate a Harlot? doe we not hate an old Strumpet, an [Page 48] old painted Strumpet? doe wee not hate her that is a Bawd? there was never Bawd, there was never Whore that did the thousand part of that harme, that this Bawd, this Beast, this Whore of Rome hath done, drawing so many thousand soules to hell.

Of all the Iudgements that ever were since the beginning of the Christian world, that God hath visited the pride and wickednesse of men with, there was none so grievous, as to suffer this Man of sinne to rule in the Church: the spirituall judgement of the Papacie, it is the greatest judgement of God, that was ever inflicted upon any.

We hate them that misuse us under the pre­tence of love, that cheat and cozen us, and we delight in their punishment; there was never Cheater, never Cozener like this: And surely so God hath fulfilled his word, that shee is ha­ted even in our Children, that know but the grounds of Religion, to whom Christ hath shined by the evidences of his thuth, that have the Spirit of God in them, they hate those Impostures, those abuses of Christian Reli­gion, with which this Beast hath deluded the Christian world, which shewes that they have a contrary spirit to the Spirit of God; and in­deed so they have, for besides their own base government, they maintaine the corruptions of men, feeding the pride and vanity of mens natures, with outward, formall, empty things; so that the very weake ones, even Children [Page 49] now they hate the Whore, hate her Impo­stures, hate her Cruelty, hate her Lying, and all.

I see the time is past, I can goe no further, [...]ut will draw to an end, only a little to still us up. Shall God then reveale, and discover this painted Strumpet, this Bawd, and shall wee la­bour to conceale her ill, shall we dawbe, shall we make her better then she is? shall we hin­der Gods purpose? Gods word is, that shee shall be revealed, the Princes shall hate her, and consume her with fire: Let every one of our purposes helpe Gods purpose and Providence, and decree in this point, that this shall be, it is Gods purpose; and whosoever stops it, cer­tainely they bring the judgement of God up­on them; those that would reare up [...]ericho againe, wee know what befell them, and they that reare up Rome, that begins now to bee discovered, they bring the Iudgement of God upon them: God will performe this as well, as he performed the other, as he put it into the hearts of these Kings to betray their King­domes to the Beast, so hee will put into their hearts to hate the Whore.

Now that we may hate her, let every one la­bour in his place, Ministers in their place to lay open their Impostures, their cousenings, and all their filthinesse, whereby they deceive the people: Magistrates in their place to ocun­tenance the Ministers, to see the lawes execu­ted as they may: These that through ignorance [Page 50] are seduced, that are not Iesuited (for there is no hope of them) but others, their persons many times in the policie of state may have favour, but not their Religion.

Let us all take heed that wee grow in know­ledge: Let us labour to make more of the Gospel of Christ, the more Christ appears in glory, the more Antichrist will appeare in shame; Let us labour by prayer, and not give God over by prayer, to plant the love of the truth in our hearts, to entertaine the truth with love, to value it according to the respect it de­serves at our hands, and let us labour to be mol­ded into that truth, to obey it, else though we have it; yet if wee doe not love it, if wee be not transformed into it, though our wits and parts be never so great, we may be seduced to errour: God gave over these Kings, men of great place, and of great parts, because they did not love the truth, to beleeve lies.

My purpose was to have shewed the danger, if we do not further Gods purpose in discove­ring this wicked Antichrist: A state wherin the Devill, the Dragon, is effectuall, and this Book wondero [...]sly sets downe the danger. It is ano­ther manner of danger now to relapse, and to apostatize, after the appearing of the glorious Gospel of Christ: then it was a hundred years agoe under darkenesse, and we know it to bee so: of all the judgements in this world it is the greatest for God to give up a man to decay in his love to the truth, to affect this cursed Reli­gion, [Page 51] that the sentence of God hath past upon, and it must be fulfilled, That they shall hate the Whore, and burne her with fire, that she shall be left desolate and naked.

But you may object. Alas how is that like­ly to be, when wee see now what strength the Beast hath gotten, and how he ru [...]fleth in the world at this time, how he triumpheth and trampleth the poore Church under his feet.

Well, it is but a living before death, un­doubtedly Babylon is fallen, it is fallen, saith Iohn in his time; that is, it is as sure to fall, as if it were fallen already: the word of God hath said so, the power of man cannot hinder it: He that put it into the heads & hearts of the Kings to betray their Kingdomes, he shall also put it into their hearts and heads to hate, and burn the Whore with fire at the last; It must be so, the Angell said it was done, as if it were done already, it is as sure as if it were done; there­fore let us never take scandall at the flourish [...]ng state of the enemies of the Church abroad, let us never dislike our Religion for that. Ba­bylon is fallen, the time will come when it shall be done, Heaven hath concluded it, and earth cannot hinder it, no nor Hell neither, God hath said it, and shall not he doe it? It is the word of him that is Lord of his word; because hee is Lord of hosts, and Lord of the Creatures: It is the word of him that is Lord of Lords, that is Lord of heaven and earth, [Page 50] [...] [Page 51] [...] [Page 52] Lord of all things; He hath said that Babylon is fallen, and therefore it must be so, he being Governour and Lord of all things, and of his word too, that can make all things prove ser­viceable to his purpose: Let us comfort our selves therefore, as if it were present, and not take offence at the state of the Beast, and the Whores flourishing, but present him to your selves as hee is set out in the Text, see him growing, see him rising, see him decaying, and at last see him cast into the bottomlesse pit, to burne in the Lake of fire for ever: It is you see the word of God from heaven, that he is fal­len, and cast into the earth as a Mil [...]one, and shall never [...]ise againe: He shall never quicken againe. Heathen Rome was quickned by Pa­pall Rome; the Pope quickned the former Beast: But there shall never be Beast after this Rome, and therefore he is said in this Chap­ter, To goe into destruction; that is, he, and his state, and all (without repentance) shall so go into destruction, that there shall never be other Beast.

And that that shall helpe this destruction forward, shall bee the course that themselves take; God as he hath decreed their destruction, so hee hath appointed that their owne plots, which they have devised for their owne main­tenance, shall turne to their confusion: Doe you not thinke that the ruine of the Pope will be by the Iesuits, who are growen (by their pressing themselves, and by their pragmaticall [Page 53] medling into Princes affaires, by their draw­ing and assuming all busines to themselves, and by their striving, and bringing all to their pro­fession) to such hatred of the world, that even these meanes, which they themselves take, will be the meanes of the overthrow, and downefall of Popery: As the counsell of Achi­tophel was, the meanes to infatuate him, so their owne courses will cause their own overthrow.

In the Powder-treason, they thought they had been made for ever, but God turned their wickednesse upon their owne heads. And now in these later times, we may see that God takes his cause into his owne hands, and you know who spake it by observation, Hamans wife, If thou begin to fall, thou shalt not prevaile, but shalt surely fall before him; so if God take the mat­ter into his owne hands, as hee hath done al­ready, let them feare; For they shall surely fall and not prevaile, untill he hath wrought his worke in Sion, untill he hath thorowly purged his Church: they shall prevaile; there is a little time alotted them, but it is nothing, let us see by the eye of faith, what this Book saith of them, that they shall be destroyed, and let us looke on the courses they themselves take which wil cause their destruction; was there ever any thing that weakned Popery so much, as this despe­rate attempt that we now celebrate this day? Indeed if wee goe to an ignorant Papist, and tell him what doctrine they teach, and what upholds their doctrine, tell him of the Pow­der [Page 54] treason, aske him concerning the tray­tors, he will mince the matter, oh they were unfortunate Gentlemen, &c. But how did Six­tus Quintus mince the matter when they had successe in the massacre in France, when many thousands of people we [...]e sl [...]ine, against the Law, slaine under pretence of being mar­ried, and bidden to a marriage? He was so farre from disallowing the act, as that he cau­sed it to be pictured in his Palace: So if these had achieved this, they had not been unfortu­nate Gentlemen, they had beene made, they had beene sainted, as some of them are; Saint Garnet, S. Devill; if the Devill himselfe will helpe them, and further Popery, hee shall be sainted, and if they be never so base, yet for their Rebellion, and destruction of Kings, they shall be sainted by them; will not this provoke men to hate the Beast and the Whore, to make her desolate and naked, and to eat her flesh, and to burne her with fire?

Well, the time is past, I cannot finish the Text as I thought to have done: To speake to the particular occasion I need not, it is yet fresh: And what should we speake of the Gun­powder-treason? the Iesuits and Priests ha­ving the Devill for their Mid-wife, they are big of such like plots, Hell, Rome, and Sa­than, and the Iesuits, those Frogs of the Bot­tomlesse pit, they are full of devising such at­tempts. But I rather thought to speak against Popery, against the Beast, and her Religion at [Page 55] this time then Rhetorically to amplifie that act of theirs; when indeed we are ready to have a new one continually, for they are alwayes plotting and devising, I meane those Iesuits; Our comfort is to looke to the Scripture, to looke here what shall bee the end of these Frogs, and of the Beast, ere long they shall be cast into the burning Lake: Let us blesse God that we live under this government, of so Gra­cious a Prince, that hath more weak­ned the Pope by his learned Wri­tings, then ever any Prince did. So much for this time.

THE RVINE OF MYSTICALL IERICHO.

THIS Verse suites somewhat to Novemb, 5. the occasion: therefore I have made cho [...]se of it at this time. This Chapter containes the tri­umph of Faith in the hearts and soules of those in whom this blessed grace is planted; so that the excellencie and office of all graces are attributed to it, there is a stir­ring up of al other graces whatsoever in saith. [Page 60] All the Worthies that are spoken of before they did that they did, And obtained a good re­port by faith. The Spirit of God goes on here, and shewes a glorious effect of this blessed grace, in the falling downe of the Wals of I [...] ­richo. This short Verse is taken out of the Sto­ [...]ie of the Conquest of Iericho, mentioned in Ios. 6. in the later end of the Chapter, where Ioshua 6. you have the whole Storie set down at large, I need not rehearse it: And withall you have there a curse set downe; that whosoever should goe about againe to build the wals of Iericho, he should lay the foundation in his first borne, and in his youngest Sonne he should set up the gates. Hee that would raise up such a cursed building againe, hee should doe it with the overthrow of his owne building, of his owne Family; (as the Scripture cals a mans house a building) he should lay the foundation in his eldest Sonne, and build the Gates at the death of his youngest Sonne.

And a little to acquaint you with the ful­nesse of the word, before I come to the Story: you have an audacious cursed attempt to build the wals of Iericho againe, in 1 King. 16. to­ward the latter end, in a wicked Kings time, in 1 King. 16. 34. Ahabs time. There was one so adventurous, one Hiell, that he would build Iericho, hee laid the foundation in Abiram his first-borne, and set up the Gates in his youngest Son Segub, ac­cording to the word of the Lord spoken by Ioshua, the Son of Nun: you see whence this [Page 61] storie is fetched. By faith the wals of Iericho [...]ll downe, after they had beene compassed about se­ [...]en dayes. They were compassed about seven [...]ayes, and the Arke in the midst; and the se­ [...]enth day, they went seven times about, and [...]en the wals fell downe, as you have it in the [...]tory. But to come to the words, and to ha­ [...]en to that that I specially meane to touch at this time.

First of all observe here, that Iericho had mighty wals, as you see in the Storie; it had wals, and trusted in these wals; or else they would have come out, and have made condi­ [...]ions of peace with Israel: but as they had [...]als, so they were confident in them; as you [...]ee the Spies, in Numb. 14. they tell what Numb. 14. [...]alled Cities they had, and that terrified them.

And next you see here, that God over­throwes their wals, and by what meanes? by [...]oore, and base means, by Trumpets of Rams­ [...]ornes; they had silver Trumpets, but they used not them, but meaner Instruments, Rams­hornes, those were the meanes, and the time that they used them seven dayes together, and then that by faith, using these meanes, they overthrew the wals of Iericho, they fell down. From hence by Analogie, and proportion wee may see.

First of all, that carnall men they build up wals, and put their trust in them.

The secondis, that God confounds these courses.

[Page 62] The third is, that God doth it by weak, and silly means beleeved by faith.

The last point is, that faith in the use of these meanes overcomes all. By faith the wals of Iericho fell downe after they had beene compassed about seven dayes. And then wee shall come to other things that concerne us, and apply it to the time. ‘Naturall men since the fall they must have somewhat to trust to.’

Since man lost his first prop, and confidence, and communion with God, hee turnes to the Doct. 1. Men natu­rally trust to somewhat. creature, there is alway some confidence in some creature, and men leave God in what measure they trust that. When Cain was ba­nished his Fathers house, then hefals to build­ing of Cities, he must have some contentment▪ and those that were escaped the flood, within a hundred yeares after the Flood they must build a Tower of Babell, that should reach to Heaven, to get themselves a name, wanting better courses. Every one will have some Ca­stle, and wall of Iericho to trust to; Riches are the Rich-mans strong hold, as Salomon saith. Achitophel trusted to a shrewd head and poli­cie, that proved his ruine afterwards. The Iewes had outward sanctitie to trust to, oppo­sing it to the righteousnesse of Christ, the righteousnesse of faith, Rom. 10. they would set a foot a dead Righteousnesse that could not Rom. 10. [Page 63] stand, and therefore they were shut from the Righteousnesse of God in Christ. Man will have a holinesse, a wisedome, a strength, and power of himselfe, in the things below here, as I might shew at large, both in examples, and otherwise: naturally we find it in our selves; if we be sicke, we trust to the Physician, and other meanes; if we be in danger, we flee to the arme of flesh, to some mighty man, wee trust in some great friend, if we have any; If we be in danger of invasion, or such like, wee trust our wals and defences, and till strong temptations come, we trust in our ownstrength till Sathan picke so many holes in it, that wee cannot stay there, and that conscience up­braids us: Alwayes a man hath somewhat to trust to, till he be brought to desperate condi­tions; and rather then he will have nothing to trust to, hee will trust to the broken Reed of Egypt, hee will trust to that that will deceive him, and hurt him, as the Reed of Egypt did the Iewes, rather then they would trust God, and the word brought by the Prophets, they would trust Ashur, and Egypt.

Now the Spirit of God in the Scriptures takes notice of this pronenesse to false confi­dence: Issue of false confidence dangerous. Trust not in uncertaine Riches. If Riches increase, set not your hearts on them. And man when he sets his heart upon false confidence, the issues are more dangerous, hee will come against God; he doth not onely set up these holds, that hee hath in rebellion against God, [Page 62] [...] [Page 63] [...] [Page 64] but he proclaimes (as it were) defiance to God, and his word, and his ordinances, till after­wards God destroy all his false confidence, and bring him to shame.

In 2 Cor. 10. there is a notable place to shew what holds there are in the heart of man, that 2 Cor. 10. oppose against God, and his truth in his word, holds that Sathan keeps in man, and man joyn­ing with Sathan the Enemy, holds against God and his truth. The weapons of our warfare (saith he) are not carnall, but mighty through God, to cast downe strong holds: The holds are within us, and wee are so farre from preparing our selves to Grace, and to entertaine Grace when it is offered, that naturally wee set up holds against God and Grace. There must be strong power to over-turne all, to lead them into cap­tivi [...]y to the obedience of Christ; To cast downe the imaginations, and every high thing, every high thought that exalts it selfe against the knowledge of God, and to bring in Captivity every thought. So there are three mighty things in 3 things in man by na­ture. every naturall man.

This false reasoning, and Sophistrie; there is no man will goe to Hell without reason; take the debauchedst wretch that lives, he is 1 False reaso­nings. mad with some reason, and he will be damned with some reason; God is mercifull, Christ is come; and others are as bad as I, and I hope in time to repent; this vile reasoning must be turned out of a man before he can be saved. 2 Proud thoughts.

Then there are proud thoughts, what? shall [Page 65] I yield to such a one as he? I am better then he; I understand these things as well as hee: As that proud Cardinall in Germany said, I confesse these things that Luther finds fault with are naught; but shall I yield to a base Monke? so men thinke, shall I yeeld to a Minister? the proud, rebellious heart of man, is lift up in proud thoughts against God.

And then there be fore-casts; if I do thus, 3 Fore-casts of danger. this danger will come of it, I sha [...]l provoke such an Enemy, I shall lose such a friend, I shal in­danger my selfe: Now when the truth of God comes, downe goes all these sophistries, and high thoughts, and all these fore-casts, they all lie flat when the Spirit of God comes in the power of the word: but naturally every man hath these, hee builds up some Castle against God, hee builds up the wals of Iericho, and trusts in them too. Thy wisedome hath caused thee to rebell, saith God to the King of Baby lon: Let not the wise man trust in his wise­dome, insinuating that wise men are subject to trust in their wisedome, and the rich man in his riches, and the strong man in his strength; therefore God commands that they should not doe so. Thy wisedome hath made thee to re­bell.

Let us take notice of this, and make this use Vse. Trial of our trust. of triall of it, that if by the power of Gods Spirit, we can use all outward meanes, and not trust in them, that we can trust in God, and not to our strength, then wee have somewhat in us [Page 66] above nature; for naturally every man before he be in communion and covenant with God, he hath some earthly false support or other to trust on, either within him; some policie, and wisedome; or without him some friends, or riches; some Bulwarke or other, and this sets him against God, and against the means of salvation, till God come in effectuall calling, and overturne all: but this doth but make way to other things, therefore I only touch it.

The second thing is this, that ‘God first or last overturnes all vaine confidence in the creature, Observ. 2. God over­turnes vaine confidence in the crea­ture.’

The wals of Iericho, downe they must; and whatsoever exalts it selfe against God, either it shall end in conversion, or confusion: because the time must come, that God must have all the glory: Was there ever any man sierce against God, and prospered? The rage of man turnes to the glory of God, saith the Psalmist. There is neither wisedome, nor policie, counsell nor strength, or any earthly thing against the Lord, as the Wise-man saith, Prov. 6. God will confound all, he scattered Proverb. 6. the proud in the Imagination of their own hearts, as the blessed Virgin saith: And when they had built Babell, to get them a name, they found confusion. There is a notable place in Esay 50. Behold all you that kindle a fire, that compasse your selves about with sparks; Walke Isay 50. (saith God) in the light of your fire, and in the [Page 67] sparkes that yee have kindled; this yee shall have at my hand, yee shall lie downe in sorrow: Men that will walke in the light of their owne fire, that will have a wisedome of their owne; distinct may contrary (oft times) to Gods: Well, goe on, walke in the light of your own fire that ye have kindled; but take this with­all with you: You shall have this at my hands, saith God, yee shall lie downe in sorrow. What became of Hamans plots? what became of Achitophels policie? they all turned upon their owne heads; although men build up Castles to secure themselves in their earthly defences, and munition, yet God overturnes all.

Therefore let us make that use that Ieremy Vse. Ier. 20. doth, Ier. 20. Therefore let not the wise man trust in his wisedome, or the strong man in his strength, or the rich man in his riches, let a man joy in none of these: but if he will joy, let him joy in this, that he knowes the Lord, that hee is in covenant with God. That for the second, briefly.

The third is this, that ‘God doth this by base and weake meanes.’

He confounds great, and mighty Enterpri­ses, Observ. 3. God dothit by weake meanes. and mighty persons, and useth but base and despised meanes: As here the wals of Iericho fell downe with the noise of Rams-hornes. This I might carry along through all the sto­ries in the Scripture, from the creation to this present time, to shew how God doth great [Page 68] things by despised meanes, sometimes by no meanes at all; sometimes cleane contrary to all meanes. When our Saviour Christ gave sight to the blind, hee put clay upon his eyes, that one would thinke were fitter to put them out. We see in the storie of the Israelites what an Oxe Goad did, and what Sampson did with the law bone of an Asse: Wee see by what a trick the Midiani es were put to flight by Gi­deon. In all the Stories wee see when God would doe great matters, hee doth it by base meanes: when hee would confound the pride of Pharaoh, he will doe it by Frogs, and Lice, and such base creatures, that were fittest in Gods wisedome, to overthrow the pride of that wretched King: God, as he over-turnes the pride of men; so for the most part hee doth it by weake, and despised meanes.

And the Reason is cleare, that he may have all the glory; sometimes the meanes that hee Reason. That God may have the glory. useth have no influence at al to effect the thing: but are only joyned with the thing; as here, what influence could poor Trumpets of Rams­hornes have to cast downe Wals? they could have none, but only it was a thing joyned be­fore the wals fel down; they were things that must be used to try their obedience; and that they might know that it was not by chance that they fell downe, but by Gods power, and for other reasons. But if there bee any influ­ence from the cause to the effect, it is supposed it cannot produce the effect of it selfe: there­fore [Page 69] I say God doth this, that he may have all the glory; for that is his end, and it ought to be our end: we see here though they had sil­ver Trumpets, yet they must by Gods ap­pointment use these base meanes, Trumpets of Rams-hornes.

Now they were to use them seven dayes Digression. together, and therefore on a Sabbath day: but it was no breach of the day, because God can dispense with his own Law; In case of Charity good workes may be done on the Sabbath, and in case of duty likewise, as the Priests killed the sacrifice on the Sab­bath: so here was sufficient warrant for them, God gave them a command, God that made the Law, can dispense with his owne Law in things that touch not upon his nature, as his truth, and purity, &c. doth: In things that touch his nature, hee should deny himselfe, if hee should dispense: God cannot lie, because truth is naturall to him; God cannot doe any thing that is unfit for his nature: but for things that are out of him, he is Lord of dayes, hee is Lord of goods and life, hee hath a right to dispense here, as we see in the taking away the Egyptians Iewels, and the like; they were outward things: But for those things that are intrinsecall in God, hee cannot command that which is contrary to his truth, and nature, other things belong to his Soveraignty; but that by the way.

They were to compasse the wals seven [Page 70] dayes: if they had made an end before the se­venth day, the wals had never fallen down: howsoever there was no power in their going about to effect that, yet God would not worke the effect till hee was waited on in all the seven dayes. The meanes appointed by God must be used, and so long as God will have them used, there must be a depending and waiting upon God all the time.

To give a little further light, to that I touch­ed before, you will aske, why God useth Quest. meanes, and doth not worke immediatly? why hee did not cast downe these wals by his owne will, and pleasure?

Besides, that I said before, God useth second Answ. causes, not for defect of power, but for de­monstration of his goodnesse, and for the trial of our obedience, and the like: therefore be­ing Lord of Hosts hee hath multiplicity of rancks of creatures, which he useth to effect those things, that hee could doe himselfe, if it pleased him: therefore let such questions cease: it pleased God so to doe.

The last point is this: ‘It was by Faith, in the use of meanes, that the Observ. 4. It is by faith in the use of means. Wals of Iericho fell downe.’

If they had not depended upon God, in their going about seven dayes, the wals had stood still. It was by faith they did it, and it was a great faith, that using such a ridiculous stratagem as this, to goe about the wals with [Page 71] Rams-hornes, they should thinke the walls would fall: It might shake their Faith, and like­wise expose them to the scorne of those of Ie­richo within: therefore it was a great faith in them: Not that all had faith; for certainely divers of them were unbeleeving persons: But Ioshua their Captaine, and some others of them had faith, and al of them had hope of the best. It was faith that believed this in this un­likelihood of second causes; for there is the strength of faith, when second causes are weake, then faith is strong. Abrahams faith was the stronger, by reason there was more in­disposition in the second causes, in Sara's wombe to conceive a child; for her wombe was dead; in the course of nature shee could not conceive: therefore it is said by Saint Paul, Rom. 4. He being strong in faith, gave glory to God, strong faith gives glory to God. So here Rom. 4. was a strong faith, because the meanes were weake, or none at all; for these meanes had nothing in themselves to work such a glorious effect as this, that the falling of the wals should follow; it was but a meanes adjoyned; that it should be done by such a poore thing as this, it was the strength of faith. But was it the strength of faith in it selfe? could faith do this? Quest.

Oh no; but that which that faith laies hold Answ. on doth, that faith is said to doe: God ho­nours the grace of faith, by terming that to be Faith said to doe that which God doth. done by it, that he doth himselfe; for it was the power of God, the goodnesse of God to [Page 72] them, and the justice of God (against the sins of these people) that overturned the wals of Iericho, faith it was, but an empty hand to lay hold upon this power; it was the grace, whereby they went out of themselves, and denied themselves, and gave glory to God, in accomplishing the truth of his word, and his wisedome, and power, and justice. So God did it, but it is said to be done by faith; because as I said, God honours faith thus much. What strength God and Christ hath, when faith la [...]es hold on them, faith hath that strength: be­cause it builds upon them, faith sets a man up­on God and Christ, and upon the truth of God: Hereupon it comes to be so victorious, & conquering a grace as it is, because it caries us to that that doth all, by faith they did this.

But here were other graces likewise that Why only faith is na­med. sprang from faith, that helped them also: There was a great deale of patience to goe a­bout after that silly fashion, with Rams-hornes seven dayes together, here was patience, and perseverance, and hope: But as I said before, because faith doth enliven all other graces, it gives life to all, and stirs up all, therefore that is named. In the whole Chapter the exercise of other graces is attributed to faith, because they draw strength from that to quicken them all, and to stir them all to their several offices: strengthen faith, and strengthen all other gra­ces whatsoever. Thus you see we have briefly gone over these foure maine things.

[Page 73] Now let us by way of proportion raise them 1 Kingdom of Sathan re­sembled by wals of Ie­richo. higher, and make use of them to other things. To give a little touch. The wals of Iericho represent to us many things. The Kingdome of Sathan in generall, the power of the Devil in himselfe, and in his instruments, who hin­ders what he can, our comming out of Egypt to Canaan, he labours to come betweene us, and Heaven, to hinder us all he can by all means. He hath wals of many kinds, the strength of Tyrants, the subtiltie of Hereticks. What a world of adoe was there to bring Israel out of Egypt? God was put to it (as it were) to worke so many Miracles, to bring that poore despised people out of Egypt, to bring them through the Red Sea, when they were in the wildernesse: what ado was there to bring them thence? what opposition? and then when they came to Iordan, what Miracles were wrought? the division of the waters by the Arke comming through, and then the first, the frontier Towne, that was (as it were) the key to let in all, and to stop all: Iericho the first towne, for the entrance into Canaan, there was opposition made, when they would have en­tred into Canaan. It is no easie thing to come out of Egypt, and to enter into Canaan, it is a mighty worke to bring a poore Christian out of the Kingdome of Sathan, to bring him out of spirituall Egypt, through the Wildernesse of this life, [...] bring him through Iordan, those waves of death to put him into Heaven, to [Page 74] bring him at length to his owne countrey, to Canaan: because there is spirituall wickednes­ses stand in the way, both in regard of Sathan himselfe, and in regard of the instruments hee useth.

But Christ came to destroy the workes of the Devill, as it is said 1 Ioh. 3. 8. and he himselfe 1 Ioh. 3. 8. overcame Sathan, and triumphed over him, as it is Colos. 2. He lead him in triumph: hee tri­umphed Coloss. 2. over Sathan himselfe, and he will tri­umph over Sathan in all his members: as hee over-came Sathan in himselfe; so hee will overcome in us all; For stronger is he that is in us, then he that is in the world. The Spirit of God, as he is in us, is stronger then Sathan, not only Christ our glorious Captaine overcame him, and is now in Heaven, but the Spirit of God in us weak creatures, with faith laying hold upon the word of God, is stronger then he that is in the world, he is stronger then the Devill, and all that are against us.

But besides Sathan, there is in us much oppo­sition, 2 Our owne corrupti­ons. that must be subdued before we come to Canaan: as we saw before, in 2 Cor. 10. those reasonings and sophistries, proud high thoughts, all must be brought downe, because Sathan doth joyne with these; and if it were not for enemies within us, Sathan could not prevaile over us; as it was Dalilah that betraied Sampson, or else the Philistines could not have hurt him: so it is with our owne corruptions, there be these wals within us, these betray us [Page 75] to Sathan, he could not hurt us, but that wee [...]etray our selves.

Now by little and little, all these wals [...]hall fall; not all at once, as the wals of Ieri­ [...]ho did, but they shall molder in pieces by lit­ [...]le and little; God by degrees will perfect the worke of mortification, and sanctification, [...]ill hee make us take his Son Christ; like our Husband, and Head, that wee may be fit for so glorious a Head.

But to come to the particular occasion: 3 The King­dom of An­tichrist. Besides other enemies that are betweene us, and Heaven, Sathan is powerfull, and effectu­ [...]ll, and strong in the Kingdome of Antichrist: And by all meanes, that Church (which is op­posite to Christ) hath studied to build up wals, to build up Iericho, and to stop the Church of Christ, to hinder it what they could. Now what wals have they built up? As Pharaoh said, Let us deale wisely, how wittily have they gone to worke, to overthrow the Church of God in all times, and to set up themselves, and their owne Kingdome? It were a large discourse, it would take up the whole time to shew their policie and the plots they have had, to give an instance in a few.

How strongly have they built up wals in their owne conceit, when they had got the whole world almost into subjection to them? before Luthers time all the world followed them: They had used the matter so, that Kings themselves had betrayed their very Crownes [Page 76] to them, they had betrayed their Kingdomes, they were rather Vassals to them then Kings; they had gotten the temporall sword into their hands, as well as the spirituall. And they had raised up to themselves a bloody Inquisi­tion, to suppresse all light of tru [...]h as soone as ever it sparkled out, all beames of truth were stopped with their bloody Inquisition; they thought they had fenced themselves safe enough. Then againe they had disabled all the Kings, and Princes of Christendome. And then because the Pope would ingage Princes to him, to strengthen the wals higher, and to make them stronger; the young sonnes of Princes hee would make them Cardinals. And then hee would arrogate to himselfe a power absolute to dispense in case of marriage, and oathes, and such like: And besides, what plots have they had for the counterfeiting of Authors, for falsifying of Authors, purging out true Authors, that they might have none give witnesse against them? what tricks have they to keepe people in ignorance? (because it is a Kingdome of darkenesse) the Bible they must have: God hath preserved that; but they would have it in an unknowne tongue: And what other devises to abuse the people withall? How have they fenced themselves, by applying themselves to humour all sorts of people? For even as the Devill enlargeth his Kingdome, by applying himselfe to the cur­sed sinfull disposition of men: so doth the [Page 77] Pope here upon earth, apply himselfe to the [...]infull disposition of all sorts of men. There [...]re no kind of men, but they have a baite in Popery. For loose Libertines, there are stewes. For others that are of a more reserved, and se­vere disposition, there are Monasteries. For superstitious persons, there they have a world of ridiculous Ceremonies, devised to them­selves of their owne braine, and never used in the Primitive Church: For those that are co­vetous, they have the riches of the world in their owne hands; they have had at least be­fore, more then they now have. For proud ambitious persons, they have honours of all sorts. For the people, they have many carnal liberties for them. And for all the senses of the body, they have something to delight them, to draw people from the power of Re­ligion, to carnall outward worship. So they have studied, and whetted their wits all the wayes that might bee to apply themselves to the dispositions of all sorts of men whatsoe­ver, that so they might strengthen the wals of Iericho. I might be large, I give you but a taste.

Well, but what hath God done? God hath infatuate, and overthrowne their wals, and by weake meanes. Luther a poore Monke, with a Luther. Trumpet of Rams-hornes, with his preaching, and with his writing; you see how he shooke the wals of Rome, how much they have lost within the last hundred yeares, the last age, the last Centurie of yeares they have lost a great [Page 78] part of this Westerne part of the world, that they had in slavery before, and how by weak meanes (as you heard) by the preaching of the Gospel, by Learning, and Knowledge. It is no wonder that the Devill hates Knowledge and Learning, as Luther saith well, Hee hates the quils of Geese, because they are Instruments to write against them. Hee hath a Kingdome of darkenesse; and Hell, and the Pope is a King of darkenesse: Now when the light of Know­ledge, the light of the Word of God, the or­dinance of God, when preaching came; these poore Trumpets did shake the Church of Rome: As wee see in England, the wals of Iericho fell downe; by what m [...]anes? by a Child (in manner) King Edward the sixt, and Edward 6. after by a woman; and if the word of God had gone on in like proportion in other places▪ Popery had beene lower then it is.

So wee see then, that as high as they built, and as much as they fortified, though they bee not wholly cast downe, yet they are shaken, and that by weake meanes. Now the way to effect this, that these wals may fall down more The means to cast down the wals of my­stical Iericho. and more: It must be by the spiritual meanes that God will use; wee must use the meanes that God hath appointed us, poor contempti­ble meanes, Trumpets of Rams hornes, the 1 The preach­ing of the word. preaching of the Word, the discoverie of the truth; and by this meanes we shall more and more gaine upon them. And undoubted­ly, let them but give free liberty, to the preach­ing [Page 79] of the Word in other countries, and wee shall see them shortly as hereticall (as they terme it) even as London, and England is. Such a power there is in Gods Ordinance, the Spirit of God accompanying it, that it carries all before it, it layes all flat, it beats all strong holds downe before it.

What shall wee doe then?

By faith use the meanes that God hath ap­pointed, the weapons appointed, and sancti­fied by God, they are strong through God, to beat downe all strong holds. And take heed especially that we doe not build up the wals of Iericho againe, nor suffer them to build them: You know Ioshua pronounceth a curse upon al that should build the wals of Iericho, he should lay the first stone in the death of his eldest Sonne, and the last at the death of his youn­ger; and so as wee have it in the storie of Hiel, it was made good. I beseech you there­fore, let every one of us in our place, labour to ruinate these wals of Iericho, and take heed how wee build them againe, or suffer any to build them againe.

What way have we to prevent their build­ing, Quest. that the wals of Iericho be not built again? they goe about it what they can; we see what course they take: They have all the art of Hell, to helpe them, lies, and equivocations; How many Kings, and great ones have they at this day to support, and helpe them, to keepe them from falling? they doe all that they can [Page 80] to keepe life now; how shall we prevent this, that they build not up the wals of this spiritu­all Iericho againe?

First of all, every one labour to doe what they can in their callings. Magistrates to exe­cute Answ. How to pre­vent the building the wals of spi­ritual Ieri­cho. the Lawes of the Kingdome, which (as those say that are well acquainted with them) are very beneficiall to the Church of God: Therefore the Magistrates in their place should do what appertaines to them.

And so for Ministers; the spirituall means, 1 whereby such heresies must be confounded, it 2 is by the breath of the mouth of Christ, as it is 2 Thess. 2. He shall consume him with the breath of his mouth: For things are dissolved contrary 2 Thess. 2. to that way that they were raised at the first, and contrary to that way they were maintai­ned: Popery, as it was raised; so it is main­tained by darkenesse, and blindnesse, and igno­rance of the word of God, and of divine truth: the way to hinder it therefore from be­ing built againe, is to lay open divine truths, and to plant the ministerie: Every one must labour for this, to be faithfull in their place, and standing. Saint Paul saith, 2 Tim. They shall prevaile no longer, because their madnesse shall be manifest. How doth that follow? The very manifestation of errour hinders the prevailing of it: That is the way to hinder Popery from prevailing, to manifest it by preaching, and writing, and such good meanes: For the de­monstration of errours to be so, is a refuting of [Page 81] them: For who would willingly be deceived? Therefore the laying open of the madnesse of Popery, and the folly of their devises, it hin­ders their prevailing; no man willingly would have his soule led into errour: There­fore let us lay their errours open in the Mi­nisterie, and the grounds of them, the dan­ger of Popery, how pernicious it is. When this is discovered in the Ministerie, men as they love their owne soules will take heed: That is the way therefore to keepe the wals of Iericho from being built, to set an able Ministe­rie every where, and to countenance them; and those that are Gods Captaines to fight his battels against them.

It is a world of hurt that comes to the Church by impropriations, especially in the North parts; as wee heare too much by re­ports: In great and mighty Parishes to set up poore, and weake men, and others wholly to receive the Revenues, and that is the reason of the swarm of dangerous Papists in those parts. Oh! that these things had beene looked to in time; The wals of Iericho had not beene built againe in those parts so much as they are. This is one maine way, the planting of an able mi­nistery: for this painted Harlot, shee cannot endure the breath of the Ministerie, it disco­vers all her painting, it layes her naked and open, she knowes it well enough.

Then againe, take heed of the spreading of 3 infections: Men should bee carefull this way; [Page 82] they build up their Religion thus, that else would fall downe more and more: Wee are so confident in our cause, that we suffer men to reade any Popish Treatises. They on the other side watch all things, so that there cannot a Sparke of our light breake into them, what by their Inquisition, and other cou ses that they take; Confidence in our cause hath made us carelesse, and secure in this kind; therefore care this way is one meanes to helpe it.

And then incouragement of good learning: Popery fell with the beginning of good lear­ning; 4 Religion, and good learning came in together; If I were in some place, I should speake more of this; for as I said before, it is a darke Religion, not onely in regard of the Religion it selfe; but it growes, and thrives with Ignorance, and Barbarisme, and not un­derstanding of Arts, and tongues, they have helped very much towards the overthrow of these wals of Iericho. Every one should contend for the faith once given. As Saint Iude admo­nisheth; every one, the poorest man may con­tend with his prayers. He that saith, Thy King­dome come, what doth he pray for? If he pray in faith, he desires that God would pul downe all opposite Kingdomes, to the Kingdome of his Sonne Christ; that the Kingdome of Christ may come, more and more in the hearts of his people, that he may raign every where more freely, and largely then he doth; every one may helpe forward the Kingdom of [Page 83] Christ, he may helpe forward Ierusalem, and [...]ull downe Iericho, every one that hath a fer­ [...]ent devotion of prayer.

And by a holy life; for when men are vici­ous, 5 and carnall, they occasion God (for not [...]oving, and imbracing the truth) to give them [...]p to Popish errours, and such like. Many waies there be to stop the building up of Iericho.

But this is one especiall, which this day oc­casions; 6 that is, thankfulnesse to God, a thank­ [...]ull Remembrance, how God hath fought for [...]; how God hath by little and little ruinated the wals of this Iericho, and hath helped us to build the wals of our Ierusalem. A thankful Re­membrance is a notable meanes to hinder the growth of Poperie: For when we remember their attempts, how God hath cursed and crossed them, it will make us love our Religi­on, that God hath witnessed to by so many De­liverances, and it will make us hate theirs the more: Therefore it was a worthy worke of that Reverend Bishop, that set out in a Treatise all the Deliverances that have beene from Po­pish Conspiracies, from the beginning of Queene Elizabeths time to this present; it was a worthy worke, beseeming that grave, and Reverend Person. Prayer gets blessings, but thankefulnesse keeps them: so thankefulnesse to God for that which is past, for so many De­liverances, is a means to preserve Gods love, and care of us still; that he wil be our Buckler and castle, & hold, and al defence, thankfulness will do this. [Page 84] We are over prone to looke upon civill grie­vances (which are to be regarded, and helped in season) but naturally our nature is subject to complaine more then to be thankefull; we are so sensible of ill, as to pray for remedy: but then let us alway be thankfull to God for the good we have had these many years toge­ther, and the good that still (blessed be God) wee enjoy. What cause have we to be thank­full, that we are as the three young men in the Furnace? Al Europe hath been in combustion, and wee have beene untouched, and safe in the middest of the Furnace, under a quiet govern­ment. What cause have wee to blesse God, f [...] continuing the liberties of the Gospel, where by the soule is built up in saving knowledge, and Ignorance banished? It was a fault in Re­hoboams time, in the beginning of his Raigne, it was a fault in these men, they could com­plaine of the government of Salomon; and cer­tainly there were many grievances in Salomons: He was a great Builder, and it was not without some cause they complained: Yet notvvith­standing Salomons time vvas a blessed time, and they had great cause to blesse God, for the go­vernment of Solomon: Novv it is very likely in the story, that they forgat it, and only ligh­ted upon some grievance. I beseech you let us in these times stirrpour hearts to be thankful, as upon other occasions; so upon occasion of this day, we are to blesse God for this glorious deliverance, vvhich vvee have spoken of [...] [Page 85] againe, and againe, and therefore we need [...]t be much in the particular setting out that [...]inorous, and prodigious fact, that gives the [...]y occasion to be remembred, as it hath oft [...]ne before. Let that Remembrance I say [...]re us up to thankefulnesse, to shew our [...]ankefulnesse, and love to that truth that God [...]th defended. Hath God beene a wilder­ [...]sse to us? As the Prophet complaines; hath [...]ligion done us any harme? why should [...]e grow cold, and luke-warme? why should [...] decay in our first love? why should we be [...] unfruitfull, when God hath given us so [...]any encouragements to be thankefull, and [...], as he hath done? I beseech you let [...] consider with our selves, if we be not more [...]ankefull upon these occasions for these deli­ [...]erances, and worke our hearts to love Reli­ [...]on, and to hate Poperie more; it will be just [...]ith God, that they shall bee thornes in our [...]des, more then they have beene, and pricks [...] our eyes, that wee shall see what a dangerous [...]ction they are, and what case we are in. For [...]ose that are drunk with the Cup of this Har­ [...]t, it takes away their wits from them, those [...]hat worship Images and stocks, they are stocks [...]hemselves. Though the danger be great to [...]hemselves, yet they labour to make others [...]orse than themselves, there is no trusting to [...]hem: we should more feare them, then forrain [...]nemies; both reasons of State, and reasons of Religion, and reasons of our owne safety, all [Page 74] [...] [Page 75] [...] [Page 76] [...] [Page 77] [...] [Page 78] [...] [Page 79] [...] [Page 80] [...] [Page 81] [...] [Page 82] [...] [Page 83] [...] [Page 84] [...] [Page 85] [...] [Page 86] should be forcible to have a speciall regard to prevent the growth of Popery.

For our selves, that heare of the destruction of this Iericho; we have heard what Iericho was How to prevent our own destru­ction. before it was destroyed. For ought we know God may destroy Ierusalem, as well as Iericho, and by a worse people then themselves, as the Prophet saith, Ezek. 17. by a base people. It Ezek. 17. is no matter, though others be worse then our­selves: God when he plagues his people, will doe it by worse then themselves, and cast the Rod into the fire when he hath done, Ash [...] the Rod of my wrath, Esay 10. Therefore let us Isay 10. looke to our selves, that we bee thankfull to God: It will be no plea that we have bin safe thus long, thus many years: for these people of Iericho, God let them alone foure hundred years, as it is in Gen. 15. They were threatned, but Gen. 15. the sinnes of the Amorites were not yet [...] Iericho was a part of that Countrie; but when their sins were full, then they were destroyed. God had patience foure hundred years, to the sins of the Amorites, to this people: And at last judgement came upon them fearfully. So howsoever God hath beene forbearing, and long suffering towards us: Yet let us looke about us, oh destruction may be neer. It is not sufficient to thinke that God will destroy An­tichrist, that the wals of Iericho shall down, he may doe that, and yet he may destroy us, there may bedanger toward us too. And it is no com­fort to them neither, that God will punish us; [Page 87] or that easeth not their overthrow neither: [...]or if hee doe so to the greene Tree, what will hee [...]oe to the dry? If his Children bee whipped with Scorpions, what will he doe to Rebels? [...]f the Children of God scarcely be saved, where [...]hall the sinner and ungodly appeare? If the Chil­dren taste of the wrath of God, then the ene­mies shall taste of the dregs of his wrath; it is no comfort for them; for their Doome is set downe, Babylon is fallen. It will not be so much comfort to us, that God will destroy them, as it will be to looke to our selves in time before a peremptorie Decree come forth to make our peace with God. The King of Sodom, and others, were delivered by Abraham: but a [...] ­terwards we see how fearfully they perished. Pharaoh was let alone for a time, yet after hee was destroyed in the Sea: Ierusalem had war­ning after warning; yet afterwards it was de­stroyed: so, though we have had deliverance upon deliverance, yet if we make not more of Religion, and grow more in detestation of that Religion, that God would have us set our selvs against, it will be just with God to punish us, and to lay us open to them that wee have sin­fully favoured. Vse. To set a­gainst Po­pery by faith.

Wee see what great matters faith will doe in the use of meanes: though they be poore, weake, base meanes: Therefore let us set upon Popish Religion in our places, and callings in a spirit of faith, in the use of meanes; and let us never thinke, we are too weake, and now [Page 86] [...] [Page 87] [...] [Page 88] they are mighty, and strong. It was said to Luther, when hee began to write against the Luther. Pope, oh! poore Monke, get thee into thy Cell, and say Lord have mercy upon thee, dost thou thinke to overcome the whole world with thy writing? so the wals of Iericho may seeme so mighty, the opposite power that we are to set against, as if wee should loose our la­bour to set against it: but whatsoever is oppo­site to Christ we have a promise, it shall be o­verthrowne: Let us, in a spirit of faith set upon them in the use of meanes, and God wil make it good, as in former times.

And for all other things that stand between To set a­gainst our corruptions by faith. us, and heaven, all the wals of Iericho, all op­position, let us set upon them with a spirit of faith in the use of meanes: for hee that hath overcome for us (as I said) will by little and little overcome in us: These corruptions of ours shall fall before the Spirit of God, by little and little; And as Hamans wife could tel him, If thou begin to fall before that people, th [...] shalt certainly fall: so if the worke of Grace be begun in us, that corruptions begin to fall, undoubtedly, and certainly they shall fall: they cannot stand before the Spirit. For grace is in growing, and corruption is in decaying conti­nually in a Christian. Quest. Why God doth not subdue cor­ruption at [...]

Why doth not God all at once subdue these wals of Iericho in us; but by little, and little?

God will exercise our faith, and patience: wee are Warriers here in this world, our life is Answ. [Page 89] a warfare, and he will exercise grace in us, hee [...]ill have us combate with enemies; these in­ [...]ard enemies among the rest.

Againe, he will let us see what he hath done [...]r us: If we were not exercised with enemies, [...]e should not be thankfull sufficient, for victo­ [...]e over the Devill: When we have bin vexed [...]ith the Devills temptations, then blessed be God, and Christ, that at last these troubles are [...]ased. How much are wee beholding to Christ, that hath freed us from the danger of [...]hese? we are only annoyed with the trouble. [...]his will make us thankfull, when wee have [...]arted.

This keepes us likewise from soule devour­ [...]g sins: lesse infirmities in us, keepe us from [...]ide, and securitie: God hath many ends. [...]ut to cut off other things, because the point [...] large, I only give a taste.

Let this comfort us, that the wals of Iericho [...]hat is to say, whatsoever opposeth us in [...]ur comming out of the state of nature, and [...]ur entrance into the state of heaven, whatsoe­ [...]er opposition is between shall fall: Therfore [...]et us strengthen our faith, in the use of means.

How shall we strengthen our faith this way? Quest.

Faith is strengthened by the knowledge of Answ. How to strengthen faith in the fall of our corruptions. [...]he attributes of him, whom we lay hold upon, [...]hose power doth all: the more wee know [...]im, the more wee shall trust him: Let us la­ [...]our to know God in Covenant, to be our Fa­ [...]her, and to know Christ as he is, in his nature, [Page 90] and offices, what he is to us: to know his wise­dome, and power, and truth, that there may be a bottome for faith to build on: the more wee grow in spirituall knowledge, the more wee shall grow in faith, and the more wee grow in faith (the more we shall grow in other graces) whereby we overcome all our enemies that set against us.

Againe, let us make use of all former expe­rience to strengthen faith: Hath God beg [...]n the worke? doe the wals of Iericho begin to f [...]ll? He that hath begun a good worke, will finish it to the day of the Lord. Let us take in trust the time to come, by experience of Gods truth for the time past: for the worke of the Spirit is a continued worke. The Spirit of God in subduing our corruptions, he would not have begun, if he had meant to have left off, and interrupted the worke. The Spirit suffers us to fall sometimes, but it is to teach us to stand better afterward; he turnes our very fals, and slips to our good. Let us strengthen faith ther­fore from former experience, as David did: we have overcome the Beare, and the Lyon; therefore let us set on the Philistine: And as Ioshua set his foot on the necks of the tenne Kings, and said; Thus shall the Lord thy God de­stroy all thine enemies: so hath the Spirit of God, set his foot as it were upon some corrup­tions? thus shall God deale with all corrup­tions, and temptations at length, and never leave the blessed government of us, till hee [Page 91] have subdued all. Let us rise from one experi­ [...]ent to another, to strengthen faith; God is [...]like in all truths. You know in Iudges 5. saith Iudg. 5. [...]he holy woman Deborah. So let all thine ene­ [...]ies perish: The heart of that blessed woman [...]as (as it were) enlarged prophetically; when [...]ne fals, they shall all fall, there is like reason. See how gloriously Hannah in her Song enlar­geth her faith, by Gods power, and goodnesse, [...]ecause she had experience in her selfe: so ex­ [...]erience in our selves, or others will-inlarge [...]ur faith to looke for greater matters stil from [...]ur gracious, powerfull God: thus we ought [...]o labour to strengthen our faith.

And the third thing to helpe faith in all spi­ [...]ituall 3 oppositions that we meet with, is daily [...]xercise in using it, to make it brighter conti­ [...]ually every day, by working with it upon [...]ur enemies. And in the state of Grace to live by it, both for this present life, to depend upon God for all things; and likewise for ne­cessary grace: As the Disciples when they were enjoyned a hard dutie, Lord increase our faith, say they; they goe to exercise their faith upon it. If that be increased, all is increased. And so in our callings, exercise it by depend­ [...]ng upon God for strength, and successe. Saith Peter to Christ, Lord at thy word I will cast out the Net, though it were very unlikely it should doe any good; they had fished all day, and catched nothing: but yet he would wait, and goe on still, At thy word I will cast out the Net: [Page 92] He did it, and the Net brake with the multi­tude of fish. Let us exercise our faith, in daily obedience to God, depend upon him in the use of meanes.

And learne this, to wait in the exercise of 4 our faith; as they that went about the wals of Iericho, they did it seven dayes: Put case they had done it sixe, and no more, the wals had stood still. He that hath ten miles to goe, and goes but nine, she shall never come to his jour­nies end: When God hath set downe such a time, so long thou shalt waite, and use the meanes, and depend upon me by faith, in the use of the meanes; if we be short spirited, and lengthen and strengthen not our faith in the use of the meanes, wee shall never attaine our desire; therefore let us labour to wait. Here is the difference betweene Christians, and o­thers; Difference betweene Christians and others. there is no man, but he would be hap­py, if so be it were not for this waiting: If a wicked man should see Hell open, would hee commit sinne, if hee should see it present? If hee should see Heaven open, and Christ com­ming with his reward with him, hee would be godly: there is not the vilest wretch in the world, but hee would be so, if these things were present: but because it is only discove­red in the word of God, and faith must be­leeve, and wait for the reward, and faith must waite all the time of our life, here is the trial: So that a Christian differs nothing from a worldly man, but in a Spirit of faith, and wai­ting, [Page 93] and continuance of that faith, in the [...]ane time before a man come to enjoy, and [...]eive what hee looks for: Faith gives God [...] glory of all his attributes, the glory of his [...]th he hath spoken, and therefore hee will [...]ke it good. The glory of his wisedom that [...] hath found out such a course for us to walke [...]; The glory of his mercy that hee hath [...]de such promises to such wretches; so all [...]er attributes faith gives glory to; therfore [...]od glorifies faith, and the speciall act of [...]ith is waiting: If I tarrie long, waite thou: [...]nd we have need of patience: Faith stirs up [...]tience to helpe, and assist it, as wee see here [...]ese waited seven dayes: Remember there­ [...]re to exercise faith in continuall dependance [...]pon God; take heed of being short spirited, [...]ough God deferre the rewarding of the [...]ighteous, and the punishment of the Wic­ [...]ed: yet hold out still, hee that hath promi­ [...]d will come in time, and make good that that [...]e hath said in due time. Give God the glory [...]f appointing the fittest time; Hee is the best [...]iscerner of opportunities, Our times are in [...]is hand, all kind of times, therefore let us de­ [...]end upon him for that, only labour to have a [...]trong spirit of faith, that wee may waite his good leisure.

And to helpe us, doe but consider, what if wee waite a few yeares, what is that to Eter­nitie? I might inlarge the point: what great matters faith will doe, both in heaven, and [Page 94] earth, every way. Wee see here, faith shakes the very earth: God he is the Lord of hea­ven, and earth. The earth is the Lords, because these wals were built upon Gods earth, we see here one puffe of God blowes them all down; and faith laying hold upon this casts them downe; though faith doth it not immediatly, yet God doth it, because he is laid hold on by faith.

Let us labour therefore to have faith above all other graces: It is the Mother Grace, it is To labour for faith. the Grace that is the spring of all Graces, if we wo [...]ld have patience, and hope, and love, and perseverance, and constancie together; let us labour to have faith strengthened, and to feed our faith the more, let us looke to the word of God, make it familiar to us: the Spirit goes together with the word, to strengthen and increase our faith, and that being strength­ned, all is strengthned whatsoever.

Now the way to try, whether we have this To try if vve have faith. faith or no (not to speake largely of the point, but as the Text leads me) is, if we humbly at­tend upon the meanes that God hath appoin­ted, though they seeme base to carnall reason: As how doe we know that these Israelites had faith, when they went about the wals of Ieri­cho? because they have humbled themselves to use the base means, that God had appointed, though they were very unlikely. Naaman, out of the pride of his heart, saith he, what are the waters of Iordan? have not wee waters that [Page 95] can doe as much? but if the servants had not beene wiser then the Master, hee had gone home a Leaper as he came: so when men hear the word preached, they thinke, cannot wee reade good bookes at home? and for the Sa­crament, it is a poore Ordinance; what is there, but wine and bread, and such like? Take heed of a proud heart: God will have weaker meanes to try us, whether we will humble our selves to his vvisedome, or no: vvhere there is true faith, it will be carefull to use all good meanes, or else it is a tempting of God, and not a trusting of him, when wee doe not use the meanes that he hath sanctified.

And where there is faith, as there will bee a carefull use of all meanes, so there wil be a care in the use of meanes, not to depend upon the meanes, but to trust in God. There will bee a joyning of both together; faith doth not take away the use of means; nay, he that is most cer­taine of the end, should strive to be most care­ful of al means used to that end. There ought no man to be more diligent in using the means, then he that is most certaine of the end; be­cause hee is incouraged to use the meanes, knowing that he shall not beat the aire, that he shall not loose his labour, so if we by faith lay hold upon God for the destruction of Anti­christ, and that God would subdue our cor­ruptions, and that they shall fall before the Spi­rit by little, and little; if by faith we lay hold upon this that God will perfect the good [Page 96] worke hee hath begun in the use of good meanes; this will stirre us up to use all means with chearfulnesse, and constancie. There are none that are more carefull of the means, then those that are most sure of the issue. Those that are carelesse of the meanes, let them pre­tend what they will, they are presumptuous persons, they have no faith: for that will stirre us up to use the meanes, and in the use of meanes to depend upon God: so carefull is faith to use the meanes, as if without them God would doe nothing; and yet in the meanes it is so carefull to depend upon God; as if the means could not doe any thing without God▪ Thus, faith walkes betweene the means, and the great God.

Let us goe on constantly in living the life of faith, and using all the blessed means that God hath sanctified: God ha [...]h sanctified the preaching of the Word to beat downeal these spirituall wals, let us goe on, all our life time, and at length, the last Trump shall sound, another Trumpet shall sound; and then not only the wals of Iericho, but the wals of hea­ven and earth shall fall downe; and then wee shall enter into that heavenly Canaan, both bo­dy and soule. In the meane time, let us exer­cise faith: and to quicken our faith the more, let us have those blessed times in the eye of our soule; let us see them as present: It is the nature of faith to apprehend things to come, as present: let us see heaven, and earth on fire: [Page 97] see Christ coming to judgement; let us see [...]ll the wals downe, the Graves open, whatsoe­ [...]er opposeth, and stands betweene us, and glo­ [...]y; see all gone, let us see our selves at the [...]ight hand of Christ, and triumphing in hea­ [...]en: For the Scripture speakes of that, that is [...]o come, as if it were past: Wee sit in heavenly [...]laces with Christ, and we are saved by faith, and [...]ee are glorified. Thus the Spirit of faith [...]eakes of the glorious times to come, when [...]ll enemies shall be trodden under foot: Sa­ [...]han, and all enemies whatsoever, shall goe to their place, the opposite Church shall bee no longer; when the last Trump shall blow, wee shall all stand together at the right hand of Christ, and be for ever glorious with Him.

THE PROSPEROVS BVILDER.

THE words are a terrible denun­ciation of a curse; of the man of God Ioshua, wherein you have the Curse generally set downe. Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth to build this Citie Iericho, and then a specification in particular, wherein the Scope of the words. Curse stands; the two branches of the Curse are these, Hee shall lay the foundation of it in his First-borne, and in his youngest Son set up the Gates thereof. It shall be with the rasing out of [Page 102] his posterity. So that the Text is nothing else but a terrible denunciation under a curse of the destruction of the family of that person, that should labour to build up Iericho againe. I will not speake much of Cursing or Blessing, being not pertinent to my purpose; onely to give a touch of it. As in Blessing there are three things considerable, that come neer one another; there is a Blessing, a Prayer, and a Prophesie; the Prayer is for a blessing to come, the Prophesie, is of the certainty of it, that it shall bee, the Blessing is an efficacious application of the thing to the person. I mean those three, because the one gives light to the other. So it is likewise in Cursing, there is a Prayer, that God would poure forth his ven­geance upon the enemies of the Church, and a propheticall Prediction that God will doe it, and a Cursing, when it comes from a qualified person, that is lead by a better Spirit then his owne (for every one is not fit to cast these bolts;) Cursing is an efficacious application of the curse to the person. When a man is (as it were) the declarative instrument, where­by God workes, and brings the curse upon the person; so that we must account a curse to be a wondrous deepe thing. The persons quali­fied for cursing or blessing, they are Parents, either politick, as Magistrates, or Parents na­turall, to curse or blesse their children, as we see in Noah, Cursed be Cham, &c. Or else Pa­rents spirituall, whose office it is indeed espe­cially, [Page 103] to blesse, or curse. It is a greater mat­ter then the world takes it for, a blessing, or a curse, especially from a spirituall Father. The Apostles that were spirituall Fathers of the Church, they begun their Epistles with bles­sings, and so the Prophets and Patriarkes.

Therefore wee should regard the blessing, Blessing of Mi­nisters to be regarded. that God gives by his Ministers: Some are ready to runne out before the blessing, as not esteeming either blessing or curse. Luther a man of great parts, and grace, saith of him­selfe; That if a man of God should speake any thing terrible to him, and denounce any thing a­gainst him, hee knew not how to beare it, it would be so terrible. The Iesuits themselves, amongst the rest one De Lapide, he saith, The Priest can­not sooner come into the Pulpit, but if there bee a Noble-man there, downe he fals, and all looke for the blessing of the Priest. The Devill is alwayes in extreames, either to drive people to super­stition, or else to prophanenesse, and Atheisme, either to regard the blessing of those whom they should not regard, or not to regard any blessing at all; not to regard that good men should pray for them, or their Children; if the Devill can bring men to Hell, by either ex [...]reames, he hath his will. As for the blessing of Rome we expect it not; and for their curse, wee need care no more for it, then an armed man, needs to ca [...]e for a headlesse arrow, or for a Childs Pot-gun. But those men that come in the name of God, and are qualified [Page 102] [...] [Page 103] [...] [Page 104] with callings to pray, and to blesse, their pray­ers and blessings are highly to bee esteemed, and so likewise their curses. I would it were more esteemed, it would bee a meanes to con­vey Gods blessing more then it is. ‘Cursed be the Man before the Lord.’

Take this Caution by the way; though Iosua were a man of God, hee was a mixt per­son; he was both a Magistrate, and in some sort a Minister: As we say of Kings, they are mixt persons, they are Keepers of both tables; Custodes utrius­que tabulae. there is more in the supreme Magistrate, then is common. Every one must not take upon him to curse upon every motion of the flesh; for here it is not (as one of the Ancients saith well) The wrath of a man in commotion, and fu­rie; but the sentence of a man in a peaceable tem­per, who is the Conveyer of Gods curse; it is pas­sive here, as well as active.

In the New Testament we are commanded to blesse, and not to curse. It is a common fault, upon every distemper to fall a cursing, and oft times it lights as an Arrow shot up­wards upon the head of the Curser: wee are people of Gods blessing, all true Believers, and wee should delight in blessing, having felt the blessing of God our selves upon our soules, we should be moved to blessing; both by way of gratitude to those that are our superiours, and have done us good, that God would blesse them: and by way of amity, and friend-ship [Page 105] to those that are under us, or about us; and by way of mercy to our very enemies; we should pray for, and blesse our very enemies them­selves, as our Blessed Saviour praied for them­that cursed him. This should be our ordinary disposition, wee should be all for blessing. As for curses wee must take heed, that wee direct them not against any particular person, we have Not to curse particular per­sons. no such warrant, though the Primitive Church pronounced a curse against Iulian, a notable Enemy: And Saint Paul, he cursed Alexander the Copper-smith; but for us this time, the safety way is to pronounce all those curses in the Psalmes, and else where in Scripture, upon the implacable, and incorrigible enemies of the Church, the whole body of the malig­nant Church, and so we should not erre. I will not dwell longer upon this Argument, only I thought good to remember you to regard the blessing, of those that have the Spirit of God to blesse, especially that have a calling to doe it, and to take heed of cursing. But to come to the particulars. ‘Cursed be the Man before the Lord.’

That is, let him be cursed indeed, that that is done before the Lord is truly, and solemnly done: this was a solemn Curse, a heavie Curse, & it did truely light upon him. And let him be cursed before the Lord, however the world blesse him, as a man cannot doe such a thing, [Page 106] as to build a Citie, but the world will com­mend a man for doing such a thing, but it is no matter for the worlds commendation, if a man set upon a cursed cause, so much for the phrase, Cursed be the Man before the Lord; that is, hee is truely, and solemnly cursed and cursed before the Lord, though men blesse him. ‘That riseth, and builds this Citie Iericho.’

That is the cause why he should be cursed? because he would build that Citie, that God Why God would not have Iericho built againe. would have to bee a perpetuall monument of his Iustice. Why would not God have Iericho built againe?

God would not have it built up, partly, be­cause hee would have it a perpetuall remem­brance of his goodnesse, and mercifull deal­ing As a monu­ment of Gods mercy and justice. with his people, passing over Iordan, and comming freshly into Canaan: for wee are all subject to forget; therefore it is good to have dayes set apart for remembrance, and some­what to put us in mind, as they had many things in old time to helpe memory. If this Citie had beene built againe, the memory of it would have beene forgotten, but lying al waste and desolate, the Passengers by would askethe cause, as God speakes of his owne people: what is the reason that this Citie lies thus? and then it would give them occasion, of speak­ing of the mercy of God to his people. And likewise it would give occasion to speake of [Page 107] the justice of God against the idolatrous Inha­bitants, whose sins were grown ripe: God fore­told in Genesis, that the sins of the Amorites was not yet ripe: but now their sins were ripe, they were Idolaters.

And likewise it was dedicate to God, as the 2. It was dedicate to God. first fruits, being one of the chiefe mother Cities of the land, it was dedicate, and conse­crated to God, as a thing severed, it was to bee for ever severed from common use. There are two wayes of severing things from common use, one by way of destruction, as here the Citie of Iericho: Another by way of dedica­tion, as the Gold of Iericho. God would have this Citie severed from common use, as a per­petuall Monument, and remembrance of his mercy, and justice.

And likewise hee would have it never built 3 For terrour to the rest of the people. up againe, for terrour to the rest of the Inhabi­tants: For usually great Conquerours set up some terrible example of justice to terrifie others: Now this being one of the first Ci­ties, after their passing over Iordan: God would have the destruction of it to strike ter­rour, together with this sentence of a curse, upon all that should build it againe for ever.

And then that this terrible sentence might 4 To draw others to come in. be a meanes to draw others, to come in to Gods people to joyne with them, and submit, and prevent their destruction, seeing how ter­ribly God had dealt with Iericho. Many such reasons may bee probably alleaged: but the [Page 108] maine reason of reasons, that must settle our 5 God would have it so. consciences, God would have it so. Iosu [...], he was but Gods Trumpet, and Gods instrument to denounce this curse. Cursed be the man be­fore the Lord, that shall build up this Citie Ieri­cho, wee must rest in that. I will goe over the words, and then make application afterwards to the occasion.

I come to the specification of the Curse, wherein it stands. Hee shall lay the foundation thereof in his First-borne.

If any man will bee so venturous to build it The specifica­tion of the curse. 1 King. 16. 34. up againe, as one Hiel did, in 1 King. 16. 34. If any man will be so audacious, he shall doe it with the perill of the life of his first begotten; and if he will not desist then, he shall finish the Gates of it, hee shall make an end of it with the death of his younger Sonne. It is Gods custome, to denounce a threatning of a curse 3 God threatneth before he strike. before he execute it. It is a part of Gods mer­cy, and of his blessing, that he will curse one­ly in the threatning: for therefore he curseth, that hee might not execute it: and therefore he threatneth, that hee might not smite, and when he smites, he smites that hee might not destroy, and when he kils the body, it is that hee might not destroy the soule, as 1 Cor. 11. 32. Therefore some of you are weak, and sick, and 1 Cor. 11. 32 some sleepe, that you might not bee condemned with the world. Thus God is mercifull, even till it comes to the last upshot, that men by their re­bellions provoke him; Gods mercie strives [Page 109] with the sins of men. Marke here the degrees of it, first God threatens the Curse, Cursed be the man. And then in the particulars, he begins with the eldest Sonne. First there is a threat­ning, and when the execution comes, he takes not all his Sons away at once, but begins with the Eldest; and if that will not doe, he goes to the youngest.

This carriage of God, even in his threat­nings, To move us to turne to him. it should put us in mind of Gods mer­cy; and likewise it should move us to meet God presently, before any peremptory decree be come forth (as wee shall see afterward:) for if wee leave not sinning, God will never leave punishing: Hee might have desisted in the death of his first Son: but if that will not be, God will strike him in his youngest Son, and sweepe away all betweene: for so wee must understand it, that both elder, and younger, and all should die.

Now for the judgement it selfe. ‘He shall lay the foundation thereof, in his First-borne.’

There is some proportion between the Punishment proportionable to the sin. judgement, and the sin. The sin was to raise up a building, a cursed Citie contrary to Gods will: The punishment is in pulling dow ea mans owne building: for Children (according to the Hebrew word) are the building, the Pillars of the house; and since he would rais [...] [Page 110] up a foundation, and building contrary to Gods mind, God would pull up his founda­tion. Cities are said to have life, and to grow, and to have their pitch, and then to die like men: And indeed they doe, observing onely a proportion of time, they are of longer con­tinuance: but otherwise Cities live and grow, and die, and have their period as men have. Now he that would give life to a Citie, that God would have buried in its owne ruines, God would have his sonnes die, hee would have his sons (as it were) buried under the ruins of that Citie, that he would build in spight of God, that would give life to that Citie that was cursed. Oft times we may reade our very sins in our punishments, there is some propor­tion. But to goe on to the particulars. ‘He shall lay the foundation in his First-born.’

A heavie judgement; because the First-borne, Death of the First-borne a great judge­ment. as you know he saith of Reuben, he was his strength, and he was King, and Priest in the Family: the First-borne had a double por­tion; hee was redeemed with a greater price (as wee see in Moses Law) then other sonnes. It was a heavie judgement to have his First-borne smitten in this fashion, to be taken away.

If any aske why God was so severe, that hee Why God sometimes pu­nisheth parents in their chil­dren. did not punish Hiel in himselfe, but take away his children, it may seeme against reason.

But we must not dispute with God: for wee [Page 111] must know that God hath the supream power, of life and death.

Then we must know againe, that children [...]re part of their Parents, God punisheth the parents in their children: and it is a heavier punishment oft times in their esteeme, then in themselves: for they thinke to live, and con­tinue in their children; now when they see their children tooke away, it is worse then death; men oft times live, to see things worse [...]hen death, as those that see their children kil­led before them, as Zedechias, and Mauritius the Emperour: for indeed it is a death oft. A man dies in every child, this man hee died in his eldest son, and he died in his youngest son; he died in regard of the apprehension of death, it was more sharpe in apprehension, then when he died himselfe. So it is a heavie judgement to be stricken in our children: God when hee wil punish, he punisheth oft times in posterity; As we see it was the most terrible judgement of all upon Pharaoh, that in his First-borne, God drew them all to let Israel goe out, when He smote their First-borne: It is a heavie judge­ment for a man to be stricken in his First-born, either when they are dissolute, and debauch▪ ­ed, and lawlesse, (for God hath judgements for the soule, as well as for the body) or else when they are taken out of the world.

But thirdly, which is very likely another reason that moved God (that we may justifie God, in all our sentence, that we give of him) [Page 112] hee tooke them away, because they imit [...] their father in ill; and God hath a liberty [...] strike when he will, when there is cause; and whom hee will, he will spare for so many Ge­nerations.

You will say, why doth he light on such [...] Quest. Generation? and why not on such a place?

It is his liberty, and prerogative, when [...] Answ. deserve it, and hee lights upon one, and [...] upon another: we must not quarrel with God, but leave him to his liberty; it is a part of [...] prerogative, Who art thou oh man that dis [...] ­test? Why God, when all are equally [...] strikes one, and not another, why he exec [...] judgements in one age, and not in another: there may bee reasons given of it, but it is [...] mysterie that must not be disputed; but I can­not stand on these things. ‘Hee shall lay the foundation thereof in his First-borne, and in his youngest Sonne set up the Gates thereof.’

This terrible sentence wee see executed [...] 1 King. 16. 34. In Achabs time, there was 1 King. 16. 34. one so venterous, as to build Iericho againe. There is an accent to be set upon that, that it was in Achabs time. Hiel would needs build Iericho againe, and why should hee build it? Hiel no doubt saw it a wondrous commodious place to found a Citie, being near to Iordan: And then he saw, and considered that it was [Page 113] accounted a famous thing to be founder of a [...]itie. And then no doubt he thought, that [...]hab would not only permit him to doe it, but [...]ould gratifie him: wicked Ahab, which had [...]ld himselfe to worke wickednesse; that was [...] abhominable Idolater himselfe, and coun­ [...]nanced Idolatry, and had set up the false [...]orship of B [...]al; it was likely enough in his [...]me that Iericho should bee built; and there­ [...]ore no doubt, but he did it partly to insinuate [...]imselfe with Ahab. And to shew how little [...]e cared for Iosua's, or Iehova's threatning, as [...]sually such impudent persons that are grown up with greatnesse, that have sold themselves to be naught, that have put off all humanity, and modesty; they are fittest to carry wicked, and desperate causes, being agreeable to them: so this wicked person was a fit man to doe this, and he thought to please Ahab by it.

Man is a strange crea [...]ure, especially in great­nesse of riches, or place, &c. A piece of earth that will be puffed up, if he have flatterers, and sycophants about him, and a proud heart with­all; hee will forget, and dare the God of hea­ven, and trample under foot all threatnings, and menaces whatsoever. As this wicked Hiel, rather then he will misse of his will, hee will breake through thick, and thin, and redeeme the fulfilling of his will, with the losse of his owne soule, and of his children, his First-borne, and his last, and all, Mens mihi pro reg­no, let a man be happy in his will, hee cares not [Page 114] for all the world; if he may have his will, [...] all goe upon heapes: this is the nature of ma [...] One would thinke that this threatning migh [...] have scarred a man that had loved himselfe, [...] his posterity: but nothing would keepe hi [...] hee would venture upon it, as wee see in [...] place, 1 King. 16. Thus wee have passed ov [...] the words.

To come to handle the words by way of The words handled by way of Analogie. Analogie, how they may agree to other thing [...] by way of proportion, and in a spirituall my­sticall sense.

There are divers degrees of men, that ven­ter upon curses, and thereupon grow to be cur­sed Men build Ie­richo againe. themselves, even as this man ventered upon the building of Iericho, so there be many tha [...] doe the like in a proportionable kind. I shall name some few.

God did determine, that the Iewish Cere­monies By retaining Iewish Cere­monies. should determine, and have an end and period: Now in Saint Pauls time, there were many that would put life into them, and joyne them with the Gospel. Saint Paul tels them, Christ shall profit you nothing: Those are they that build Iericho againe, that revive, and put life into that, that God hath determined should never revive againe. When the Iewish Cere­monies were honourably interred, and laid in their graves, these men would raise them out of their graves againe, and so venter upon Gods curse, and bee excluded from Christ. These are one sort of men, that raise Iericho [Page 115] againe. And so afterwards in the Church, [...]here were those that would build up Iericho, [...]hat would still retaine Iewish Ceremonies, [...]nd Heathenish in the Church, and some at the [...]irst with no ill minds. But then afterwards, as Augustine complaines, they so pestered the August. Church, with Iewish and Heathenish Ceremo­nies, that the Iewes condition was better then theirs; for these things should have beene bu­ried. Gerson, that had many good things in him, though he lived in ill times: Oh saith he, good Augustine, Dost thou complaine of those times? what wouldest thou have said, if thou hadst lived now? What is Popery, but a masse of Iewish, and heathenish Ceremonies, be­sides some Blasphemies that they have? I speake concerning what they differ from ours, which are decent and orderly; what a masse of Ceremonies, and fooleries have they, to mis­lead men that are taken away with fancies to distaste the truth of God, and to have respect to fancies, to outward pompe, and gorgeous things, rather then the Gospel? These men build up Iericho againe, and bury the Gospel as much as they can.

There are another sort of men, that raise up 2 By reviving old heresies. Iericho, that revive all the heresies that were damned to Hell, by the ancient Councels. The heresie of Pelagius, was damned to Hell by the ancient Councels: The Affrican Coun­cels, divers of them, divers Synods (wherein Augustine himselfe was a partie) they condem­ned [Page 116] Pelagius heresie. Are there not men now abroad, that will revive these heresies? And there must be expected nothing, but a curse, where this prevailes: for they are opinions cursed by the Church of God, that have bi [...] lead by the Spirit of God heretofore, such opinions I meane, as speake meanly of the grace of God, as if it were a weak thing, and advance the strength of Free-will, and make an Idoll of that; And so under the commen­dation, and setting up of nature, are enemies of grace: These are those that build up Ieri­cho.

There are a company that build up Iericho 3 By breaking statutes and wils. likewise, persons that wil venter upon the [...] of Founders of Colledges, &c. those that have left Statutes, and Testaments, and Wils, established, and sealed them with a curse, as it were against the Breakers of them; yet some make no more bones of breaking these, either Statutes or Wils, then Sampson did of breaking his coards; as if they would venter upon the curse of former times, and persons that very likely were led by the Spirit of God, and could say Amen to their curses, as if they were nothing like Hiel, that would venter upon the terrible curse of Iosua, come what would, hee would breake through all.

But the Iericho especially, that a world of 4 By upholding Popery. people goe about to build againe, is Popery. How many have yee to build up the wals of Iericho againe in this kind? But to make this [Page 117] a little clearer, because the occasion leads to this something, I will be the larger in it.

How came they to build these wals of Ieri­cho? Quest. by what meanes came this Religion, that is so opposite to the Religion of the Scripture, this Religion, that was gathered by the Coun cell of Trent into one Sea (as it were) that whosoever drinkes of it dies, as it is in the Re­velation: how comes this Religion? how crept it into the world?

I could be long to shew that it came by de­grees, Answ. How Popery sprang up. while the Husband men slept, then the Devill sowed his tares by Hereticks, and such like: It grew by degrees. And then the world was scarred, and terrified with shewes, and fancies; as with the succession of Peter, that is a meere fancie; and then they were frighted with Excommunications, the terrible sentence of the Church. And then againe it is a king­dome of darkenesse, Poperie is; by little and little they brought in Ignorance, not only of the Scriptures, but of other things, they had their prayers in an unknowne tongue, forbid­ding the Scriptures, and the like. In the night they might doe what they would, when they had put out the Candle; when they had bu­ried the knowledge of the word of God, they might bring in any heresie, many wayes they came in.

Now the preaching of the Gospel, is the How it is pulled downe. meanes to pull downe these wals of Iericho, it is the going about the wals of Iericho: By the [Page 118] preaching of Luther, and others, the wals have fallen, though not utterly: yet notwithstand­ing, in the last hundred yeares there hath beene a great ruine of Popery.

What meanes have they now to build the wals againe? How they bestir themselves: Quest. there is a new sect of Iesuits, that are the spirit of the Devill for knowledge, and industry, it is a strange project they have now to build up the wals of Iericho againe, and 3. things they have in their project, and these are, to set up the Pope againe, and a Catholike King under him, as he is the Catholike Head of the Church: and to set up the Councell of Trent in the [...] vigour: these are the maine projects they la­bour to set up, and so to build Iericho againe this way, and what cou [...]se doe they take?

The Devill hath a thousand wiles, I cannot Answ. How this Jeri cho is built a­gaine. reckon all the Instruments of Sathan, who can tell all his wiles? They goe about to build the wals of Iericho againe among other wayes,

By shutting out of all light, by their terri­ble Inquisition, a most cruell thing; by the tyrannie of this Inquisition they shut out a [...] light of Gods truth in all places, where Po [...] pery is established.

Then againe they have all Sathans arts to build up Iericho, by slanders, and lies; they la­bour to estrange the hearts of people, what they can against the truth of Religion; and therefore they raise all the lies, and slanders they can; nay and they will not suffer so much [Page 119] as a Protestant Writer to bee named; but the [...]ame of such a one say they bee blotted out­ [...] [...]hen they have their Index Purgatorius, to [...]urge all, that savour of truth, that favour our [...]ause. And then they have their Dispensations. And (to cut off other things, for where should [...] end?) indeed their policie is almost endlesse [...]n this kind, they have the quintessence of their [...]owne wit, and of Sathans, to sharpen them in this kind.

They deale as the Magicians of Egypt, when Moses came to doe wonders, they imita­ted him in all the rest, except in one: so they strengthen themselves much in imitating the Protestants. Wee labour to build the wals of Ierusalem, they imitate us in building the wals of Iericho. We preach, to shake off drow­sinesse, and they fall a preaching. Wee print, and they print. Wee publish bookes of devo­tion, they goe beyond us. Wee set out books of Martyrologie, to shew the cruelty of them, and they have lost much by that; hereupon they do so too, and aggravate things, and adde their owne lies. So by imitating our proceed­ings, wherein we have gained upon them, they like the Egyptian Magicians doe the like, and God hardens their hearts, as he did Pharaoh's, by the Magicians.

Againe, by labouring to make divisions, between Kings and their subjects, what they can in those places, where their Religion hath not obtained ground, that they may get a party [Page 120] they cherish division like the Devill, they di­vide and rule.

It was Iulians policie, to provide that n [...] Christian should beare any office in the war [...] to be Captaine, &c. So if the Iesuits and Pa­pists may have their will, no man that is oppo­site to them, shall have any place; those th [...] shall have the place to manage offices, and suc [...] like, shall be those that incline to them: th [...] they bring to passe, if they can; and so [...] Captaines in the wars, &c. As Iulian the Apo­state, he cared not for Iudaisme, but did wh [...] he did, out of spight to the Christians: so [...] the most of their plots thus they worke [...] way or other. I say there is no end of their plots, only it is good to know them; for so we may the better prevent them.

How shall the building up of Iericho be stop­ped, seeing they goe about it so: and indee [...] Quest. they have built much of late yeares, and ha [...] raised up their wals very high, and labo [...] what they can to stop the building of Ierus [...] lem?

The way to stop this Iericho, that it nev [...] Answ. How to stop the building of this Iericho. goe up againe, is the judicious knowledge [...] Popery, that it is a Religion contrary to the blessed truth of God. God hath left us hi [...] Testament, his Will, wherein he hath be que [...] ­thed us all the good that wee can challenge from him. Now this Religion is contrary [...] our Fathers will; and they know it we [...] 1 Knowledge of their tenents. enough, and therefore they build their co [...]s [Page 121] upon mens devises, and not upon divine [...]th. They know if people come to know the [...]estament, that they should loose, and there­ [...]re they labour to suppresse knowledge, and [...]xtinguish it; wee should labour to know the [...]ontroversiall truths betweene us, and them, [...]nd to have the knowledge of the Scriptures: [...]or knowledge is a notable meanes to streng­ [...]hen us; there are none that know Popery; [...]hat will be deceived by it.

And then, together with the knowledge of 2 Of their practise 2 [...]im. 4. [...]heir tenents, to know their courses, and pra­ [...]tises, and policie, in 2 Tim. 4. They shall pre­ [...]aile no longer (saith Saint Paul) for their mad­ [...]esse shall be made manifest. Why shall they not prevaile any longer? their madnesse shall bee manifest: so that the manifesting of the mad­nesse of men, is the cause why they shall pre­vaile no longer. It were good to know al their [...]ndermining tricks, and all the policie of the Iesuits, and Papists, that lay their traines a farre off, that they may be the lesse seene: As the Spider gets into a corner, that she appear not; so themselves will not appeare; but they draw women, and other licentious persons, and they have greater then them too: so they lay their traines a farre off, that they may have their will: It is good to know their devilish practises, that so their diabolicall madnesse may be manifest, that so they may prevaile no longer: for undoubtedly, if their courses were laid open, there is no man that loves his [Page 122] owne safety, and the safety of the Kingdome but would hate them.

Another way to stop the building of Ieric [...] is to have young ones instructed. I would Pa­rents 2 To instruct young ones in grounds of di­vinity. would have more care of catechising▪ and others in their places, would have more care of grounding young ones in the ground of Religion. Popery labours to overthrow that: for the worshipping of Images, it is di­rectly against the second Commandement, and they are só guilty of it, that they take it away in some of their bookes. The young [...] sort that are the hope of the succeeding Church should be well grounded in Religion: that that is right, will discover that that is crooked, it would make them impregnable against all Popish solici ations.

The neglect of this, is the cause why many Gentlemen, and of the Nobility; the neglect of their education by those that should over looke them, hath made them fit for Iesuits▪ and Priests to work on, having ripe wi [...]s other­wise; And al because of the Atheisme of those that have neglected their breeding, and filled their heads with other vanities, it hath beene the ruine of many families in this Kingdome; therefore it is good to season younger yeares with the knowledge of the grounds of Reli­gion.

And in all the darke corners of the land to 3 To set up lights in darke place. set up lights that may shine; for these Owles fly in the darke, they cannot endure the light [Page 123] of the Gospel by any meanes, they see the [...]reath of Gods mouth is too hot for them, and [...]ey must be consumed at length by that, by [...]e preaching of the Gospel; not with the word, but with the sword of Christs mouth, [...]ntichrist must especially be consumed; and [...]ey know this by experience, therefore they [...]bour under hand (they will not bee seene in [...]; but oft times others are Instruments more [...]en they are aware) to stop the preaching of [...]e Gospel, by all the policie they can.

Againe (as I said before) Popery is a King­ [...]ome 4 To cherish good learning. of darkenesse, and nothing will undoe [...] but light: therefore wee should labour to [...]errish all good learning; it is a notable [...]eanes to assist against Popery. Iulian knew [...]at well enough: therefore he would not suf­ [...]er Parents to send their children to Schoole, [...]ut to be brought up in Ignorance: And so [...]apists would have a neglect of learning, that [...]ight helpe this way.

And because they labour to reigne in divi­ [...]on, let us labour to unite our selves, and not 5 To labour for Vnity. [...]reakeupon small matters, but to joyne toge [...]her with one shoulder, as one man, against [...]hat malignant Generation; and marke those [...]mong us, that are the causes of division, as the Apostle saith, Marke them, they serve not Christ, but their owne bellies, they serve their [...]wne turnes that reigne in division. Let us la­ [...]our as much as may be, if wee will joyne [...]rongly against the enemies of God, and his [Page 124] Church, to unite our forces together, and no [...] to entertaine slight matters of breach on [...] from another.

And with these, let us joyne our prayers to 6 To be thanke­full. God, and our thankesgiving; wee are not thankefull enough, that God hath brought us out of the Kingdome of darkenesse; not only out of the darkenesse of sin, and Sathan; b [...] from the darkenesse of Poperie. We have no [...] beene thankefull to God for that Deliveran [...] in Queene Elizabeths time, out of the Egyptia [...] darkenesse, and the Deliverance in our la [...] Kings time, and deliverances in later times▪ wee are not thankefull enough; and we beg [...] to shew it, in not making much of Religion▪ and growing in further, and further obedienc [...] of Religion. Is this our thankefulnesse t [...] God? what doth Religion hurt us? are [...] not beholding to God for our Religion, and t [...] Religion for our peace, and Deliverance [...] hath not God witnessed the truth of our Reli­gion from Heaven by Deliverances? hath no [...] God beene with us strangely, by the confusio [...] of the plots of others? and how doe wee [...] quite it? by growing to a luke-warme tem­per. A luke-warme temper is odious in th [...] sight of God. I would thou wert hot or cold, saith Christ. The best Religion in the world is odi­ous, if it be cold; God will not indure us t [...] joyne the Arke and Dagon, Christ and Beli­al. Certainely, if we doe, God will spue [...] all out; it will be the confusion of the Church [Page 125] d State; and yet this is the thankefulnesse [...]at we give to God, for the Gospel of peace, [...]at wee have beene so much beholding to [...]im for.

Therefore it is good to take occasions, as [...]ee have one ministred this day, to call to [...]ind the former dealing of God to us, in the [...]un-powder-treason, and other Deliverances; [...]hich wee have had severall occasions upon [...]is day to speake of. And (to come neerer [...]ur selves) let us stirre up our hearts to thank­ [...]ulnesse, which is the maine end of this day; [...]nd among the rest for our gracious Prince, [...]hat God hath delivered him as the 3. Chil­ [...]ren in the fierie Furnace, they were kept, and [...]reserved untouched of the fire: so God hath [...]reserved him in the fiery Furnace. The not [...]eing thankefull for these things, will bee a [...]eanes for God to lay us open to his, and our [...]nemies. Therefore let us make use of this [...]ay, especially to stirre us up to thankfulnesse. To goe on.

For the building of the wals of Iericho 7 To set against our corrupti­ons. what should I speake of Popery, and the like? We should labour to overthrow that Iericho. All of us have vowed in Baptisme, to fight a­gainst the world, and the Devill, and the maine Enemy of all that is within us, that is our flesh: we could not be hurt by them, wee betray our selves, as Sampson betrayed himselfe to Dali­ [...]ah. Those that are baptised, and especially that have renewed their vowes by solemn fa­sting, [Page 126] and renewed their Covenant, in taking the Communion; as there are none of us all▪ but have vowed against our corruptions, and sins, in Baptisme, and have renewed their so­lemne vowes in the Communion, and in pub­like fasting: Well, when wee goe about to strengthen our corruptions, and the corrupti­ons of the times, in the places where we live; what doe we goe about? to build the wals of Iericho againe: what doe we goe about, but to strengthen that that God hath cursed? There is nothing under Heaven so cursed, as this corruption of ours, that is the cause of all the curses of the creatures; of all the curses that ever were, or shall bee, even to the last curse, Goe yee Cursed to eternall destruction. This Pride, and Sensuality, and secret Atheisme, and Infidelity, that we cherrish, and love more then our owne soules; this is that, that many goe about to build, and oppose all the wayes that are used to pull downe Iericho: and ha [...]e nothing so heartily, as the motions of Gods Spirit, and the meanes that Gods Spirit hath sanctified, to pull downe these wals of Iericho.

Must not this be a cursed Indeavour, when wee goe about to build, that that wee our selves have vowed to pull downe? when wee goe about to raise that, that we have formerly destroyed by our owne vowes? As Saint Paul saith, Gal. 2. If I againe build the things I have destroyed, I make my selfe a transgressor. Indeed when we goe about to build the things that we [Page 127] have vowed their destruction, wee make our [...]lves transgressors.

Let us take notice of the wondrous poyson, [...]nd rebellion of the corruption of our hearts [...]n this kind. Hath not the Lord threatned [...]urse upon curse, against many particular sins? [...]ursed is the man that cals evill good, and good [...]vill; have we not many that doe so? In Deu­ [...]ronomie there is curse upon curse, to those [...]hat mislead others. And in the New Testa [...]ient there is curse upon curse: Saint Paul [...]hreatneth, that such and such shall not enter [...]nto the Kingdome of Heaven; yet not with­ [...]tanding the Curse, we goe about to build Ieri­ [...]ho againe, to set up that that God hath pro­nounced a Curse upon.

Wee cry out against Popery, and well wee may, when the Scripture directs curses a­gainst their particular opinions, as where it [...]aith, If an Angell from Heaven, shall teach other doctrine, let him be accursed. The Coun [...] cell of Trent hath cursed those that s [...]y tradi tions are not of equall authority with the Scriptures, and so they set curse against curse. Wee wonder at them, that they are not af aid of the curse of God, nay to countercurse God as it were; when he curseth disobedience, to curse the practise of obedience to him. And then there is a curse to those that shall adde or take away from the Scripture. Saint Iohn seales the whole Scripture with a Curse. Cur­sed is hee that adds, or takes away, &c. Now they [Page 128] adde to the Scripture that that is no Scripture; and they take away what they list, as the se­cond Commandement, and the Cup in the Sacrament, I say wee wonder at them, tha [...] they will run upon the curses, that they wil be stricken through with so many curses, more then Absalom with Iavelins, or Acha [...] with stones, Cursed is hee that worshippeth graven Im [...] ­ges; besides particular things that are cursed in Scripture: Wee wonder at them that they are so desperately blind to run on. But are no [...] wee as ill? are there not many curses in the Scripture, and denunciations of being exclu­ded from the Kingdome of God, against the courses that are taken by many men? and ye [...] wee venter on it. Will a negative Religion bring any man to Heaven, to say he is no Pa­pist, nor no Schismatick? No, certainly, therefore prophane persons that maintain cor­ruptions, and abuses, and abhominations, a­gainst the light of conscience, and nature, and Scriptures, they raise up Iericho againe, and they are under a curse.

Let mee aske any one why Christ came? Application concerning the feast of the na­tivity. The Apostle saith (and they will be ready to say) To dissolve the cursed workes of the Devill▪ It should seeme by many notwithstanding, especially at these times, that he came to esta­blish the workes of the Devill: for what good we doe in the Ministerie, in three quarters of a yeare, it is almost undone in one quarter; At the time when wee pretend great honour to [Page 129] Christ, wee live as if he came to build up the [...]ursed wals of Hell, to breake loose all. Whereas hee came to destroy the workes of [...]e Devill: Hee came to redeeme us out of the [...]ands of our enemies, that wee might serve him [...]ithout feare, in holinesse and righteousnesse all the [...]ayes of our life, He came to redeeme us from [...]ur vaine conversation: nay, many live as if [...]ee came to give liberty to all conversation. [...]s not this to raise Iericho? to raise a fort for [...]athan, to enter into our soules, and keep pos­ [...]ession in us? to beat out God, and his Spirit? [...]o fight against our knowne salvation, when we reare up courses contrary to Christs com­ming in the flesh, and to the end of Christs dying for us, which was to free us from our [...]aine conversation, and to redeeme us from the world, that we should not be lead as slaves to the customes of the world.

Therefore let us consider what we do, what To consider our course of life. [...]our course of life is, if it be a proceeding, and [...]edification, and building up our selves more, and more to Heaven, a growing in knowledge, and in holy obedience, to the divine truths we know; if it be a pulling downe of sinne more and more, a going further, and further out of the Kingdome of darkenesse, and a setting our selves at a gracious liberty to serve God; oh! it is a happy thing, if it be so: if our life be a taking part with Christ, and his Spirit, and his Ministerie, to grow in grace and piety; oh! it is an excellent thing when wee grow better; [Page 130] the longer wee live in the world, and this cur­sed Iericho, the corruption of nature (which if wee cherrish, will bee the cause of an eter­nall curse after) if it goe downe, and we r [...]ine it more, and more, and we suffer the word to beat downe the forts of Sathan, those strong Imaginations, &c. But if our life be nothing else but a living answerable to our lusts; that as wee are dead, and cursed by nature, so wee make our selves twise dead, a hundred times dead by sinne, and bring curse upon curse by our sinfull conversation; wee are then under Gods broad seale cursed. Wee are all borne accursed, til we get out of the state of nature, to free us from which, Christ became a curse; if wee get not out of this, but goe on, and feed our vanity, and corruption, what will bee the end of it, but an eternall cursr afterwards? Therefore let us consider what we doe, when we maintaine, and cherish corruptions, and abuses in our selves, and others; We build that that God hath cursed, wee build that that wee have vowed against our selves.

And how will God take this at the houre of death? thou that art a carelesse drowsie hea­rer of the word of God, and a liver contrary to the word of God; how will God take this at thee, at the houre of death, when thy con­science will tell thee, that thy life hath beene a practise of sin, a strengthning of corruption? The old Adam that thou hast cherished, it will stare, and looke on thee with so hideous a [Page 131] looke that it will drive thee to despaire. For conscience will tell thee, that thy life hath bin a strengthning of pride, of vanity, of cove­tousnesse, and of other sins, thy whole life hath beene such; and now when thou shouldst looke for comfort, then thy corruptions, which thou shouldest have subdued, they are growne to that pitch, that they will bring thee to despaire, without the extraordinary mercy of God to awaken thy heart by repentance. Why therefore should we strengthen that that is a curse, and will make us cursed too? and will make the time to come terrible to us, the houre of death, and the day of judgement? How shall men thinke to hold up their faces, and heads at the day of judgement, whose lives have beene nothing else, but a yielding to their owne corruption of nature, and the cor­ruptions, and vanities of the times, and places they have lived in? that have never had the courage to plead for God, that have beene fierce against God, Who ever was fierce against God, and prospered? When men make their whole life fierce against God, against the ad­monitions of his word, and Spirit, and their whole life is nothing but a practise of sinne; how can they thinke of death, and judgement without terrour?

Now it were wisedome for us, to carry our selves so in our lives, and conversations, that the time to come may not bee terrible, but comfortable to thinke of; that wee may lift [Page 132] up our heads with joy, when wee thinke of death, and judgement: but when we doe no­thing but build Iericho; when we raise up sin, that wee should ruine more, and more, what will the end of this be, but despaire here, and destruction in the world to come?

You may shake off the menaces, and threat­nings Christs sen­tence unavoid­able. of the Ministers, as Hiel shooke off I [...] ­suah's; he was an austere, singular man, and it is a long time since Iericho was cast downe, and God hath forgotten; hath hee so? hee found that God had not forgotten. So there are many that thinke, that words are but wind of men, opposite to such, and such things: but though our words may bee shooken off now, and the word of God now in the preach­ing, may be shooke off; yet it will not when it comes to execution. When wee propound the curse of God against sinfull courses, you may shake off that curse: but when Christ from Heaven shall come to judge the quick, and the dead, and say, Goe yee cursed, that were borne cursed, that have lived cursed, that have main­tained a cursed opposition to blessed courses; that have not built up your owne salvation, but your corruptions, you that loved cursing, Goe yee cursed to Hell fire, with the Devill and his An­gels for ever: will you shake off that? No, no, howsoever our ministeriall in r [...]aties, may be shaken off: yet when God shall come to judge the quicke, and the dead, that eternall threatning shall not be shaken off. Therefore I [Page 133] beseech you, consider not so much what wee say now, but what God will make good then, What wee bind on earth, cut of the warrant of Gods booke, Shall be bound in Heaven, and God will say Amen, to that wee say agreeable to his word.

Thinke not light of that wee speake: for To tremble at Gods word. God will make good every word, hee is Ieho­vah, he will give being to every word. Hee is not only mercie, but justice (we make an Idol of him else) and wee must fea [...]e him in his justice. He loves to dwell with such as are of a contrite Spirit, that tremble at his word.

It is said of David, that when Vzzah was stricken, he trembled. Hiel, and such kind of persons regard not the threatnings of God, but goe on, and treasure up wrath. It is a signe of a wicked man to heare the menaces, and threatnings, and not to tremble. To end all with two places of Scripture; saith Moses, He that heares these things, and blesseth himselfe, my wrath shall smoke against him. Gods wrath shall smoake, and burne to hell against such a one as blesseth himselfe, that knowes he is cursed un­der the seale of God, that doth ill, and yet hee blesseth himselfe in doing ill: therefore take heed of that, adde not that to the rest, Gods wrath will smoake against such a one. And you know what Saint Paul saith, Rom. 2. If thou goe on and treasureup wrath, thou buildest Iericho, that thou hast vowed the destruction of. Every time thou takest the Communion, thou trea­surest [Page 134] up wrath against the day of wrath. For there will be a day of the manifestation of the just wrath of God, and then these things will be laid to thy charge.

Let us every one labour to get out of the state of nature, to breake off our wicked lives, and to get into Christ the blessed seed, and then we shall be blessed, we shall be made free, free from the curse of nature, and of sin. Let us renew our Covenants against all sinne, and make conscience to bee lead by the Spirit of Christ, that wee may gather sound Evidence every day, that wee are in Christ, and so out of the Curse.

The Successefull SEEKER.

IN the former Verse, David be­gins a prayer to God, Heare oh Lord, have mercy upon me, and an­swer mee. This Verse is a ground of that prayer, Seeke yee my face, saith GOD; the heart answers againe, Thy face Lord will I seeke; therefore I am incoura­ged to pray to thee: In the words are contai­ned,

GODS Command, and Davids Obedi­ence.

Seeke my face, thy face Lord will I seeke. Gods warrant, and Davids worke answerable, the [Page 138] Voice, and the Ecchoe: the Voice, Seeke m [...] face: the rebound backe againe of a gracious heart, Thy face Lord will I seeke.

When thou saidst] it is not in the originall, i [...] only makes way to the sense; passionate spee­ches are usually abrupt, seeke my face, thy f [...] Lord will I seeke. The first thing that I will ob­serve from the inco [...]ragement is, that

God begins you see, seeke my face, he mu [...] open his meaning, and shew himselfe first, God comes out of that hidden light that hee dwels in, and discovers himselfe, and his will to his creature, especially in the word. It is our happinesse now, that we know the mind, and meaning of God.

What is the ground of this? what need God stoope thus?

There is the same ground for it, as that there is a God; these things goe in an undivi­ded knot, God.

The reasonable, understanding creature, and Religion that ties that creature to God, a dis­covery of God what that Religion shall be.

For in the entercourse betweene God and Man must not appoint how to serve God. Man, man can doe nothing, except he hath his warrant from God. It is extreme arrogance for man to devise a worship of God. Doe we thinke that God wil suffer the creature to serve him as hee pleaseth? No, that were to make the creature, which is the Servant, to be the [Page 139] Master. It belongs to the Master or Lord to appoint the service: what Master, or Lord will bee served according to the liberty, and wisedome, and will of his servant? And shall [...]he great God of Heaven and earth bee wor­shipped, and depended upon, as man pleaseth, or from any incouragement from himselfe▪ shall not hee designe his owne worship? hee that singles out his owne worke, makes him­selfe master in that; therefore God begins with this command, seeke my face, and then the heart answereth, thy face Lord will I seeke. God must first discover his mind of necessity to the creature.

Scriptures might be forced hence to shew the dutie owing from the creature, Man, to God: for the creature must have a ground for what [...]he doth, it must not be will worship, Infringit, &c. It is a rule, it weakens the respect of obe­dience that is done without a cause: though a man doth a good deed, yet what reason, what ground have yee for this? and that wee may doe things upon ground, God must discover himselfe, therefore he saith, Seeke my face.

It may bee objected, that every thing pro­claimes The knowledge of God by the creatures insuf­ficient. this, to seeke God, though God had not spoken, nor his word, every creature hath a voice to say, seeke God, all his benefits have that voice to say, seeke God, whence have we them? If the creature could speake, it would say, I serve thy turne, that thou mayest serve God, that made thee and me: as the Prophet [Page 140] saith, the rod and chastisement hath a voice, Heare the Rod, and him that smiteth, every thing hath a voice. We know Gods nature somewhat in the creature, that he is a powerfull, a wise, [...] just God, we see it by the works of creation, and providence: but if we should know his na­ture, and not his will towards us, his comman­ding will, what hee will have us doe, and his promising will what he will doe for us; exce [...] wee have a ground for this from God, the knowledge of his nature is but a con [...]ed knowledge, it serves but to make us unexcusa­ble, as in Rom. 1. it is proved at large. It is too confused to be the ground of obedience, un­lesse the will of God bee discovered before, therefore we must know the mind of God.

And that is the excellencie of the Church of God above all other people, and comp [...] ­nies of men, that wee have the mind and will of God, what heere qui [...] of us, by way o [...] dutie to him; and what he will doe to us, as a liberall, and rich God: These two things which are the maine are discovered, what wee looke for from God, and the dutie wee owe backe gaine to God, these are distinctly ope­ned in the word; you see here God begin [...] with David, seeke yee my face.

Indeed God is a God of order: in this subor­dination of God and the creature, it is fit that God should begin, it is Gods part to command, and ours [...]o obey. This point might be inlar­ged, but it is a point that doth but make way to [Page 141] that that followes, therefore I will not dwell upon it. ‘Againe in this first part Gods command or war­rant, Observ. 2. God is willing to be known. seeke yee my face; you see here,’

God is willing to be knowne, He is willing to open and discover himselfe; God delights not to hide himselfe: God stands not upon state, as some Emperours doe, that think their presence diminisheth respect: God is no such God, but he may bee searched into. Man, if any weakenesse be discovered, wee can soone search into the depth of his excellencie, but with God it is cleane otherwise, the more we know of him, the more we shall admire him. None admire him more, then the blessed An­gels, that see most of him, and the blessed Spi­rits that have communion with him; there­fore hee hides not himselfe, nay hee desires to be knowne, and all those that have his Spirit, desire to make him knowne: Those that sup­presse the knowledge of God in his will, what he performes for men, and what he requires of them, they are enemies to God, and of Gods people; they suppresse the opening of God, cleane contrary to Gods meaning, seeke my face, I desire to be made knowne, and lay open my selfe to you.

Therefore we may observe by the way, that That God doth not shine on us is our owne fault. when wee are in any darke condition, that a Christian finds not the beames of God shining on him, let him not lay the blame upon God, [Page 142] as if God were a God that delighted to hide himselfe; oh no, it is not his delight, he loves not strangenesse to his poore creature; it is not a point of his policie, hee is too great to affect such poore things: No, the fault is al­together in us, we walke not worthy of such a presence, wee want humility and preparation. If there be any darkenesse in the creature, that he finds God doth not so shine on him, as in former times, undoubtedly the cause is in him­selfe, for God saith, seeke my face, he desires to open himselfe; but it is a point that I will not be large in.

We see hence likewise, that ‘Gods goodnesse is a Communicative, spreading Observ. 3. Gods goodnes communica­tive. goodnesse.’

That is peculiar to God, and to those that are lead with the Spirit of God, that are like him, they have a communicative diffsive goodnesse, that loves to spread it selfe, Seeke my face. I am good in my selfe, but I desire to shine on you, to impart my goodnesse to you.

If God had not a communicative, spread­ing Or else he had not created the world. goodnesse, hee would never have created the world: the Father, Sonne, and Holy-ghost, were happy in themselves, and enjoyed one another before the world was, but that God delights to communicate, and spread his good­nesse, there had never beene a Creation, nor a Redemption. God useth his creatures, not for [Page 143] defect of power, that he can do nothing with­out them: but for the spreading of his good­nesse: and thereupon comes all the subordi­nation of one creature to another, and all to him.

Oh that we had hearts to make way for such a goodnesse, as God would cast into us, if wee were as wee should be. Gods goodnesse, is a spreading imparting goodnesse. It is a com­mon distinction, there is the goodnesse of the Fountaine, and the goodnesse of the Vessell, that is our goodness, because we contain some­what in us that is good: the goodnesse of the creature, that is but the Channell, or the Ci­sterne, but the goodnesse of God is another manner of goodnesse, the goodnesse of the Fountaine. The Fountaine begs not from the River, the Sunne borrowes not light from the Candle, God begs not goodnesse from the crea­ture. Ours is a borrowed goodnesse, but his is a communicative goodnesse, seek my face: that I may impart my goodnesse. The Sun delights to spread his beames, and his influen [...] in infe­riour things, to make all things fruitfull: such a goodnesse is in God, as is in a Fountaine, or in the brest that loves to ease it selfe of milke.

I note it, that wee may conceive aright of Gods willing­nesse to bestow his goodnesse. God, that is more willing to bestow good, then we are to aske it; hee is so willing to bestow it, that he becomes a Sutor to us, seeke yee my face, he seekes to us to seeke him. It is strange that heaven should seek to earth; & yet so it is.

[Page 144] Whence comes this in God, the at ribute o [...] Quest. goodnesse, the spreading goodnesse in his [...] ture, that he desires to impart, and to comm [...] ­nicate himselfe?

There is no envie in God, he hath none above Answ. No envie in God. him, and therefore he labours to make al good▪ There is a mysterie in it, but if some bee [...] good, the fault is in themselvs; as it is a preroga­tive in him to make some more, and some le [...] good; so there is a fault in them: that I [...] no better, it is my owne fault. The preroga­tive belongs to God, we must not search into that: but every man may say, I might have beene better, and more enlarged, I did not seeke his face, that hee might take occasion to [...]nlarge himselfe towards me; would wee be like our heavenly Father? let us labour to have large affections, to have a spreading goodnesse.

Two things make us very like God, th [...] Two things wherein we are like God. much concerne this point: To do things free­ly, of our selves, and to doe them farre. To communicate goodnesse, and to communi­cate it fa [...]e to many. The greater the fire is, the further it burnes, the greater the love is, the further it extends, and communicates it selfe. There are none more like God, then those that communicate what good they have to others, and communicate it, as farre, and re­mote as they can, to extend it to many. Our Sa­viour Christ, you see what a world were be­holding to him, Heaven and earth were be­holding [Page 145] to him; and the nearer a man comes [...]o Christ, the more there is a kind of felfe­ [...]eniall, to doe good to others. Saint Paul had [...] great measure of Christ in him, he was con­ [...]ent to bee bestowed for the good of the Church, the care of all did lie upon him. A [...]ublike mind is Gods mind, a publike mind is a mind that loves to do good freely, and large­ [...]y to others: therefore God saith, seeke my face, that I may have better opportunity to empty my goodnesse to you. Seeke my face, that is, seeke my presence; the face is the glasse of the soule wherein we see the mind of a man, seeke my face; that is, seeke my mind, seeke my presence, as wee shall see afterward. I will speake no more of that point, Gods warrant, or command, but goe on. ‘My heart said unto thee, thy face Lord will I seeke.’

Here is the worke, and obedience, My heart said unto thee, &c. Davids heart was set in a good, and sanctified frame by God; it was be­tweene God, and his obedience. The heart is betweene God, and our obedience, as it were an Embassado [...]r, it understands from God what God will have done▪ and then it layes a command upon the whole man. The hear▪ and conscience of man is partly divine, partly humane; it hath some divinity in it, especially if the man be a holy man. God speakes, and the heart speakes; God speakes to the Heart, and [Page 146] the Heart speakes to us: And oft times when we heare conscience speaking to us, we neglect it; and as Saint Augustine said of himselfe, August. God spake often to me, and I was ignorant of it. When there is no command in the word, that the heart directly thinkes of (as indeed many prophane carelesse men, scarce have a Bible in their houses) God speakes to them thus, con­science speakes to them some broken com­mand, that they learne against their wils, they heed it not, but David did not so, God said, Seekeyee my face, his heart answers, thy face Lord will I seeke.

The heart lookes upward to God, and then to it selfe: My heart said] It said to thee, and then to it selfe: First his heart said to God, Lord I have incouragement from thee, thou hast commanded that I should seeke thy face, so his heart looked to God, and then it speakes to it selfe, Thy face Lord will I seeke: It looks first to God, and then to all things that come from it selfe.

My heart said] it said of that point, concer­ning the thing thou saidst, seeke my face.

My heart said [to thee] David saw God in all his commandements, Thou saidst to me, seeke my face, My heart said to thee. I know the com­mand is from thee, I have to deale with thee, in the command and incouragement, and in the warrant, I looke not to the words, but to thee, the authority, and strength of them comes from thee. ‘[Page 147] My heart said to thee, thy face Lord will I seeke.’

Betweene the answer of David, and Gods command and warrant; the heart comes to thinke seriously upon the command, and then to enjoyne the dutie. This is to be considered, because there is no knitting of these two toge­ther, but by the heart, the serious consideration of the heart, when God faith, seeke my face, he answers, I will seeke thy face. How comes this returne? The soule considers the ground of the returne, before the returne. A man when he doth any thing, hee doth it from the princi­ples of a man; a holy man when hee doth a thing, he doth it from the principle of a holy man; and what is the principles and founda­tion of the practise of a holy man: a sanctifi­ed understanding to tell him what God hath said, and what he hath promised, and wherein God hath discovered himselfe.

Well, when the heart knowes that once, the heart hath enough from heaven-ward, it hath enough from heaven, God hath said, and pro­mised it: then the heart by a worke it hath of it selfe, speaks to it selfe, and to the whole man, to seeke God. The heart will not stoop without reason, the heart of an understanding man, but when it sees the command first, seeke my face, then it answers, thy face Lord will I seeke. So that this command of God, and this incouragement, and warrant from God, Seeke yee my face, it was in Davids heart, it was writ­ten, and set, and grafted in his heart, and then [Page 148] his heart being awed with the command of God, God hath said thus, the heart goes again to God, thou hast said thus, Lord, Thy face will I seeke.

See the depth of Davids speech, when hee faith, Lord thy face will I seeke. It came from his heart root, not only from the heart, but from the heart grounded upon the command, and incouragement of God. Seeke my face; there is the ground, the heart digesting this thorowly, this is Gods Command, I under­stand it, and understand it from God, I see the authority from whence itcomes, therfore I wil stirre up my selfe, Thy face Lord will I seek: I shall have occasion to speake somewhat of it after­wards, in the next thing his obedience, there­fore I goe on. ‘Thy face Iehovah will I seeke.’

Here is his returne againe to God, that he will seeke the face of God, I will seeke thy face in all my necessities, then I will seeke to thee; and in all thine ordinances I will seeke to thee, whereinsoever thy presence is discovered, thy presence is in all places, especially in thine ordinances, thy presence is in all times, espe­cially in the time of trouble, and need; in all times of need I will seeke to thee, in all exi­gences I will seeke unto thee, and in all thi [...]e ordinances wherein I may find thee; I know I may meet with thee there, thou givest thy people meetings in thine ordinances, it is thy [Page 149] walke, therefore thy face Lord will I seeke where I may be sure to meet thee, in thine owne way and ordinances: So much for the meaning. ‘Thy face Lord will I seeke.’

Here is first of all an Application, and obe­dience from Application; they be words of particular Application: Thy face will I seeke. God had given him a ground, Seeke yee my face, his heart makes the Application, Thy face I will seeke, applying the generall incourage­ment to himself in particular. So that you may observe hence that, ‘The ground of all obedience, of all holy enter­course Observ. The ground of obedience, ap­plication. with God, is a Spirit of Application.’

Applying the truths of God, though (gene­rally spoken) to our selves in particular. It is spoken here in the plurall number, Seeke yee my face; but the generall implies the particu­lar, as London is in England, Seeke yee my face, all yee that are the people of God; but I am one of them: what though I be not named? (that tenent in Popery is against sense) when a man is condemned by the law, is his name in the law? It is against such a fact; hee is a Ma­lefactor: And so the particular is included in the generall, Seeke yee my face. David knew that, reason taught him that, and not Religion.

[Page 150] Now the ground of Application of divine 1 Gods truth be­longs to all. truths to our selves in particular, is this; that the truth of God (setting aside some circum­stantiall things, that arise sometimes to parti­cular persons, that sometimes limit the com­mand to one person, or the promise to one per­son (cut off those distinctions) all comfor­table truths agreeto Gods people in all ages, while there is a Church in the world. Al truths are eternall truths, die not as men doe. David is dead, and Moses is dead, but this truth is not dead, Seeke yee my face: Paul is gone, and Peter is gone, we are the Davids, and the Mose's, the Peters, and the Pauls now, those truths that were good to them, are good to us. Whatsoe­ver was written before, was written for our comfort. There is an eternall truth that runs through all ages of the Church, that hath an everlasting comfort▪ God hath framed the Scriptures not to be limited to the times, wher­in they were written, as the Papists idly speak, Bellarmine and others, as if they were occasio­nall things, that the Scriptures were written by occasion of such, and such men, and concer­ned only those times: but the Scriptures were written for all times, and it concernes a times to apply all truths to themselves (setting aside those circumstances, that are applyed to par­ticular men, which are easie to discern) in Heb. 13▪ that that was said to Iosua, Ios. 1. the Apo­stle applies it to the Church in his time, and to all: Bee not afraid, I will not faile thee, nor for­sake [Page 151] thee, it is a generall truth. And Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righte­ousnesse, that whosoever beleeves as Abra­ham, is a sonne of Abraham. These truths are universall, and concerne every one, as well as any. And so many other places of Scripture: The promise of the blessed seed, the beleeving of it runs from the beginning of the world, in all ages to the comming of Christ. All other promises were but an inlargement of that, that was the Mother-promise; that is the ground of Application, that the generall truths agree to all the Churches. The truth of God is the portion of every child of God, he may claime every promise, and ought to follow the dire­ction of every command.

The reason is, because al the Church of God are Heires alike; Heires of the Promise, Children of Abraham, Heires of salvation, they have interest in Christ-alike, in whom all the promises, are Yea, and Amen; in whom all the promises have their making, and their performance. And by reason that there is an indifferent equality (in regard of the maine things) of all the children of God: they have interest alike in all the benefits by Christ; in all truths, in all substantiall duties to God, and all favours from God, that is the ground of the equity of Application.

But if you will have the ground of the ne­cessity 2 Ground of ne­cessitie of ap­plication. of it, nature will shew that: for the truths are food, if food bee not taken, what [Page 152] good doth it doe, without application▪ The word of God is a sword: what will a sword doe, if it hangs up in a mans Chamber▪ or if it be not used, when the enemy approacheth▪ The Application of the sword of the Spirit gives the vertue to it, it is to no purpose else, divine truths are physick, if it be not applyed, what use is there of physick?

There is a necessity (if wee will obey God) of a Spirit of Application; there is nothing that will doe good, but by application, neither in nature, nor in grace: There must bee a vir­tuall application at least: the heavens worke upon the earth, there is no Application bo­dily, the heavens are too high; but there is a virtuall Application, there comes light in, and influence to these inferiour bodies: therefore we say the Sunne is in the house, and in the place we are in, though there bee only his in­fluence there. But there must bee application of divine truth to the soule, it must be brought neere the soule, before the soule can moove▪ There is a necessity of Application from a principle of nature, to make it our owne.

Now as in nature there is a power in the soule, to worke out of the food, that that is good for every member, which we call a dige­stive power and faculty; that applies, and as [...] ­milates the meat and nourishment we take to every part.

There be fibra sucking veines, that suck out of the meat strength, for this and that purpose. [Page 153] So there is in the soule of every Christian, and holy man, there is a spirituall sucking, there is a drawing, assimilating digesting Spirit, that digests and drawes out nourishment out of the booke of God, that is fit for him, that hee can say, this is mine, this is for me; I want comfort, and strength, and direction, here it is; I want light, here it is; I am weake, here is supply for it: so there is a digestive power by the Spirit of God in every Christian, to suck, and to draw out of the word, that that is fit for all purposes and turnes, and he can apply the word upon every occasion; as if it be a command, hee obeyes it; if it be a threatning, hee trem­bles at it; if it be comfort, he rests in it; if it be a direction, hee followes it likewise: Hee applies it answerable to the nature of the word whatsoever it is, his heart is moulded answer­able to the word, by reason of the Spirit of Application.

As there is a ground of the Application of A principle of Application. the word, and a necessity of it; so there is a principle of Application; that is, the Spirit of God in the hearts of the children of God, teaching their spirits to draw wholsome truths fitting to themselves, and none but the chil­dren of God can doe it, that have the Spirit of God, they cannot apply the word of God aright. False Application of the word of God, is the cause of all mischiefe sometimes, when those that apply the law, should apply the Go­spel; and on the contrary, when those that [Page 154] should apply the law, sinfull secure persons, ap­ply the Gospel. Many times poore distressed persons, that comfort belongs to, Oh comfort my people, they apply the Law that belongs not to them, in that case false application is the ground of mischiefe; therefore the Spirit of God is the principle of Application of divine truths, according to the exigence, and estate of Gods people.

Therefore wee should be stirred up to beg Vse To beg the spi­rit of applica­tion. the Spirit of Application, to maintaine our communion, and entercourse with God, that we may apply every thing duely, and truly to our selvs, & our own foules; all is to no purpose else, if we do not apply it: if it be not brought home to our soules, and digested throughly in our hearts, wee must say, this is from God, and this belongs to me; when we heare truths unfolded, to say of our selves, this concernes me; and say not, this is a good portion, and a good truth for such a one, and such a one, but every one take out his owne portion, this is for me. God saith, Seeke my face, thy face Lord will I seeke, with a spirit of Applica­tion.

If wee doe not, as indeed it is the fault of the times, to heare the word of God loosely; wee care not so much to heare the word of God, as to heare the gifts of men, wee desire to heare fine things to increase notions, we de­light in them, and to heare some empty crea­ture, to fasten upon a storie, or some phrases by [Page 155] the by) alas you come here to heare duties, and comforts, if you be good, and sentences against you, if you be naught, wee speak Gods threatnings to you, that will wound you to hell, except you pull them out by repentance. It is another manner of matter to heare, then it is took for. Take heed how you hear saith Christ, so we had need, for the word that we hear now, shall judge us at the latter day, thereupon wee should labour for a spirit of Application, to make a right use of it, as we should.

Therefore those humble soules that are cast downe in the sight, and sense of their sins, they must apply the sweet, and blessed comforts of the Gospel, such as are contrite in spirit, Blessed are the poore in spirit, blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse. Come unto mee, all yee that are weary, and heavie laden, &c. Those on the other side, that goe on in a course of sin, and will not be reclaimed, let them consider what Moses saith, Deut. 29. If a man goe on, and blesse himselfe, my wrath shall smoake against such Deut. 29. a man, and burne to hell. I will not remove my wrath from him, till by little and little I take my good spirit from him, and let him goe with some temporall comforts, and then bring him to hell. I will curse him in his blessings, hee shall have blessings, but he shall be cursed in all that he doth, and all things shall bee in wrath and anger, that shall burne to hell. Such like places let such men apply to themselves: there is no comfort at all to men that live in sin wittingly, [Page 156] and willingly: If I regard iniquity in my heart, God will not heare my prayer. If a man [...] me ordinance of God, hearing, and good means, His prayer shall be abhominable. Hee that will [...] heare the Law, his prayer is abhominable. The applying of these things would make men be­thinke themselves, and turne to God, when he considers what part of the word belongs to him, and makes a right Application.

If we make not a right Application of Gods Danger of not applying the word. truths, this mischiefe will come ofit, we [...] hour God, and his bounty: hath God beene 1 We dishonour God. so bountifull, as to give us so many instructi­ons, and such promises, and shall not we [...] them our own? what is the end of the ministe­ry, but to spread before us the unsearchable riches of Christ? they are yours, if you will take them, when you have not a spirit of Ap­plication, and are not in case to take them, they are lost; Gods bounty is discredited.

The Devill rejoyceth, when hee seeth what [...] We rejoyce the Devill. excellent things are laid open in the Church of God, in the ministery, what sweet promises and comforts, but here is no body to take them, and lay hold on them: Like a table that is richly furnished, and there is no body comes and takes it; it makes the Devill sport, it re­joyceth the enemy of mankind; when we loose so great advantage, that wee will not apply those blessed truths, and make them our own. There is no greater delight to Sathan, then for us to refuse those dainties that God hath pro­vided [Page 157] for us; what can rejoyce an enemy more, then to see courtesies refused? He sees that all the Scripture is for comfort to poore distressed soules, and when they refuse their comforts, and set light by them, as they tell Iob, Settest thou light by the consolations of the Almighty? Then Sathan, the enemy of man­kind, and especially the enemy of our com­fort, since he hath lost all comfort, and al hope of it himselfe, hee rejoyceth to see us in this condition comfortlesse; therefore let us lay claime to the promises by a spirit of Applica­tion.

Againe, we are inju [...]ious to our selves, wee 3 We injure our selves. rob our owne soules; the want of this makes Christians be discouraged, and droope as they doe; when they are cast downe, all comfor­table truths belongs to them; yet they put them off, this is not for me; and those in my case, when God saith, hee will come and dwell with a humble heart, this is not for me: this spirit of peevishnesse and frowardnesse, is that that keepes them long from that comfort that they might enjoy: What, to be in the middest of comforts, and to starve, for a man to be at a feast, and to starve, because he hath not a spirit to digest, and to take that that is fit for him?

We detest, (and deservedly) those misers that in the middest of all their abundance, will not spend six pence upon themselves; what a spirit of basenesse is this, in the middest of spi­rituall contentments and refreshings, when [Page 158] God offers to feed our soules with the sa [...] things of his house, to say oh, no, this belon [...] not to mee; and cherish a peevish froward spi­rit that puts all away. Why doe we not labo [...] to be in such a condition, that we may be che­rished? and that wee may have satisfaction▪ to be truly hungry, and poore in spirit, that we may be filled, and satisfied; and not to goe on thus stubbornly. There is a proud kind of modesty, oh, this belongs not to me, I am un­worthy: if we will hearken to our owne mis­giving hearts in the time of temptation, wee shall never answer God, and say, Lord thy face will I seeke. Therefore let us labour for aspi­rit of supplication: I will not inforce that point further.

Now from this spirit of Application (from this generall, seeke yee my face) comes obedi­ence: for it is a speech of obedience. ‘Thy face Lord will I seeke.’

I will seeke by thy strength and grace: for We seeke God by his strength. when God utters a generall command to his children, theregoes with that command a se­cret vertue, whereby they are enabled to seeke him. There came a hidden vertue with this, seeke my face, when Davids spirit was raised by God to thinke of it, together with the thought of this, seeke my face, there was a vertue ena­bling his soule to returne back to God, to say, Lord thy face will I seeke. So though David [Page 159] said, I will seeke thy face, yet there was a spiri­ [...]uall vertue that enabled him. God must find is before we can seeke him; he must not only give the command to seeke his face, but toge­ [...]her with the command, there goes a work of [...]he Spirit, to the children of God, that ina­ [...]leth them to seeke him.

In the covenant of grace, God doth his part [...]nd ours too: our part is to seeke God, to [...]lease him, and walke before him (they are all [...]ne, I need not be curious in particulars.) Now [...]his was not a speech of selfe confidence: but [...] speech of the spirit of God, that went with the command to him.

This is a greatincouragement (by the way) to heare good things, and to come to the Con­gregation; we heare many great things, high duties, but we are not able to performe them; It is true, but the Gospel is the ministerie of the Spirit, and together with the dutie there goes the spirit to inable us to the duty. Stand up and walke, saith Peter to the poore lame man, and there went an enabling vertue to raise him. Arise, saith Christ to Lazarus, and there went a divine vertue to make him rise, and here, seeke my face, there went a divine vertue to make him seeke, which those that contemne the ordinances of God want, because they will not attend upon the ordinances: so much for that.

Now I come to his obedience, ‘[Page 160] Thy face Lord will I seeke. Davids obedi­ence.’

This obedience ariseth from Application and his obedience hath these qualifications.

It was present, as soone as hee heard God 1 Present. will, as soone as his heart did thinke of the word, he puts not off. The Spirit of God, and the workes of it are not slow in the children o [...] God; but when they heare their dutie, then is a spirit presently, Thy face will I seeke, before the heart grow cold againe.

Againe, this returne and answer, as it wa [...] 2 Pliable. present, so likewise it was a pliable obedience, Thy face will I seeke: It is a speech of a ready cheerfull, pliable heart. Where the Spirit o [...] God workes, it makes not only present, and quick, but cheerfull, and pliable: For the Spirit of God is like fire, that softens the hard­nesse of the heart, that naturally is like iron, and makes it pliable. Gods people are a vo­luntary people, as it is Psal. 110. a people of de­votion, Psal. 110. of readinesse of will, and cheerfulness, a free hearted people, a people set at large they are lead with a Royal spirit, a spirit above their owne; and that makes that easie, and pleasant to them, that otherwise is difficult, and impossible to nature.

When Isaiah's lips were touched with a co [...] from the Altar; that is, he had somewhat from the Spirit of God, to incourage nature, th [...] here I am Lord, send me, he detracted the busines [...] [Page 161] before, and put it off as much as he could. The Spirit of God makes pliable, as wee see in the Acts, they cared not for suffering whips, or any [...]hing, because they were made pliable to Gods Act. 4. service, they accounted it an honour to suffer [...]ny thing for Gods sake; the obedience that is good, is pliable and cheerfull.

God would have things in the Church done by such people, the very building of the Ta­ [...]ernacle was done by such voluntary people, [...]hat brought in, as God moved their hearts. Oh (Beloved) a Christian knowes what it is to have a Royall Spirit, a free spirit. David knew it, when he had lost it by his sin, he pra [...]ed that he might have a free spirit, a cheerfull spirit in the service of God, and in his particular calling: for sin darkens, and straitens the soule. Thy face will I seeke, his heart was weary, and pliable now as God would have it.

So should our hearts be, and they will be so, if we have the Spirit of God, ready, and cheer­full. God hath none to fight his battailes against Satan, and the Kingdome of Darkenesse, but voluntaries: all Gods people are voluntaries, they are not prest souldiers; I meane, not a­gainst their wils in that sense. Indeed they have presse-money in Baptisme, to fight against the world, the flesh, and the Devill; but they are not prest, they are voluntaries, they know they serve a good Generall, that will pay them abun­dantly; therefore they labour to be volunta­rie: It is a good saying, there is no vertue in [Page 162] men that doe things against their wils: for that is vertue, and grace that comes from a man, from his owne principles, from cheerfulnesse, God loves a cheerfull giver. I might inlarge this, but I doe but take it, as it may strengthen the point: our obedience to God, it must be plia­ble, and cheerfull, and voluntary.

Againe, obedience, if it be true, it is per­fect, 3 Perfect or sin­cere. and sincere, looking to God. Thy face Lord will I seeke: we must eye God in it, and Gods commandement, and not have a double eye, wee must not looke to our own selves, it must be perfect obedience; that is, opposite to that which is hypocriticall, that is the best perfection: for the perfection of degrees is not to be attained here, but this perfection of soundnesse is to be laboured for, as wee see here, it was a sound obedience, Thy face Lord will I seeke, I will not seeke thy favours, and blessings so much, as thy face. It was perfect obedience, as perfection is opposed to un­soundnesse.

It was likewise a professed obedience, be­fore 4. Professed, or re­solute. all the world, in spight of Satan. Thy face will I seeke; let the devill, and the world doe what they can, let others doe as they will; but as Iosua saith, If you will worship other Gods, if you will fall away doe: But I and my house will serve the Lord: what if his house will not serve the Lord? If my house will not serve the Lord, I will. So wee should all be of Io­sua's mind, I and my house will serve the Lord; [Page 163] let the world goe which way it will. In blessed Saint Pauls time, oh, saith he, There are many of whom I have told you often, and now tell you weeping, who are enemies to the Crosse of Christ, whose end is damnation, who mind earthly things. What doth Paul in the meane time? oh, but our conversation is in heaven, we swim a contrary way, we care not to let the world know it, our conversation is another way. So our obedi­ence must not only be present, and pliable, and perfect, but a professed obedience, that is, to breake through all the oppositions of the De­vill, and the world, with an invincible resolu­tion, to b [...]eak through all difficulties, and scan­dals, and examples of great persons; and of this, and that; if we will goe to God, and say truely, Lord thy face will I seeke: Let other men seeke what they will, let them seeke the face, and favour of others, thy face will I seeke, thou shalt be in stead of all to me, as indeed hee is.

Againe, as it is a professed, so it is a conti­nued, 5 Perpetuall. a perpetuall obedience; hee is resolved for the time to come: Thy face will I seek, not onely now, and then turne my back upon thee afterwards: but I will seeke thy face, till I see thee in heaven. I see thy face in thine or­dinances, in the word, in thy people, where two or three bee gathered, thou are among them. I will see thy face as I may, till I see it in heaven: so here is a perpetuall resolution, Thy face I will seeke.

Lastly, the [...]e is one thing more in this obe­dience [Page 164] and answer to Gods command, that his answer to God, is an answerable answer; that is, the answer and obedience is sutable to the command; Gods command was, seeke my face, his answer is, thy face Lord will I seeke. So the point is, that, ‘Our obedience to God must be proportionable to that, that is commanded. Observ. Obedience to God sutable to his command.’

It must not be this, or that devised by men, when the Lords eye is on you in this place, and gives you a charge to doe thus; the obedience must be sutable; when he saith, seeke my face, wee must obey, thy face Lord will wee seeke. Therefore it may in some poor sense be com­pared to an Eccho, we returne obedience in the same kind: the Spirit of God teacheth the children of God to doe so, to answer God in al the things hee doth. I know not a better evi­dence of a child of God, then this answering Spirit. How shall I know that God loves me? I love him againe, therefore I know hee hath loved me first, it is an undoubted argument: How shall I know that God hath chosen mee? I chuse him, Whom have I in heaven but thee? and what is there in earth in comparison of thee? It is an undoubted Argument, shall I be able to single out God, to be instead of all to me, and hath not hee chosen me first? Can there bee any thing in the Current, that is not in the Spring before? It is impossible. I know God, [Page 165] I looke on him as my father, certainly he hath shined on me first. I have said to him, thou art my God, certainly he hath said before, thou art my servant; If I say to him, thou art my God, certainly he hath said before, I am thy salvation, hee hath begun: for this is the or­der, God begins, he saith, Seeke my face, then if wee have grace to returne answerable obe­dience to God, Thy face Lord will I seeke, when thou biddest me, Lord, I will love thee, I will chuse thee, and delight in thee, thou shalt bee my God; if we have this returning spirit back againe, we cannot have a better argument, that God loves us, then by answering Gods course.

This is that that Saint Peter hath in 1 Pet. 3. 1 Pet. 3. that that doth all in Baptisme, it is not, the washing of the filth of the body, but the [...], the answer, or the demand of a good conscience, but answer is better: the answer of a good conscience cleanseth in Baptisme. What is that?

In Baptisme, dost thou beleeve, saith the Mi­nister, in God the Father Almighty? I doe beleeve, that was the answer: dost thou be­leeve in God the Son? I doe beleeve: dost thou beleeve the Forgivenesse of sins, the Re­surrection of the body, and the life everla­sting? I doe beleeve; dost thou renounce the Devill, and his workes? I renounce them; that is the answer of a good conscience; where that is from the heart, there God hath [Page 166] spoken to that heart before, and there is obedi­ence to purpose; Thy face will I seeke, it is that that brings comfort, not the washing of the water, it is not the eating of the bread, and drinking the wine, and hearing the word of God, when there is not the answer of a good conscience; when we say we beleeve, and we will doe this, to doe it indeed, Lord I will be­leeve, I will goe out of the Church with a purpose to practise what I heare. Here is the answer of a good conscience, when wee min­gle what we heare with faith, and labour to practise it, or else it will doe no good.

Our obedience must be sutable, and answe­rable, as I said before, if it be a direction, to follow it; if it be a command to obey it; if it be a threatning, to feare it; if it be a comfort, a promise, to rest upon it: Let there be a suta­blenesse of obedience to the word, thereafter as the word is. Let us have a spirituall desire to these things, to imitate the holy man of God, as we desire to share in his comforts.

I will follow this point of the answerable­nesse of obedience; a little further, and then come to the particular of seeking.

Let our obedience bee every way answera­ble first, let the heart thinke, what God saith, what God commands, and promiseth, let the heart take the word of God, the second time, and ruminate on it, and goe over it againe. Let us looke into the word, and see what is commanded, and what is promised, and then [Page 167] let the heart goe over it againe. And then up­on that all eage it to God.

Put case a man be in trouble, Lord thou hast To alleage the promise to God. commanded, Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will b [...]re thee, Psal. 50. Let the heart thinke of it, and goe over that incouragement (it is 1. In trouble. Psal. 50. rather an incouragement then a command, though indeed God lay a command on us, to be good to our own soules; it is a duty to love our selves: Therefore he commands us to goe to him, to seeke his face, as though wee wronged him by disobedience, when wee in­jure our selves by our peevishnesse, as indeed we doe. God loves us better, then we love our selves) let us thinke of the command, and in­vitation; thou hast commanded mee Lord, and incouraged mee to come; I am now in trouble, experience teacheth me. I come to thee, thou hast said, He that sitteth in darknesse, and seeth no light, let him trust in the name of the Lord. I am in darkenesse, and see no light now, I trust in thy name, let the heart thinke of the promise, and then alleage it to God, and come with an obedient answer, and cast it self upon him, and trust in him.

We are in want perhaps, and see no issue, no 2 In want. supply, thinke of Gods gracious promise, I will not faile thee, nor forsake thee. I come to thee, and claim this promise, I am in covenant with thee, &c.

So wee should take the promise, thou hast 3 For accepta­tion. said, At what time soever a sinner comes to [Page 168] thee with a repentant heart, thou wilt forgive his iniquities, and though his sins, were [...] scarlet, thou wilt make them as snow, and white as wooll; my soule thinkes of that command, and I come to thee.

Thou hast bid all that are wearie, and [...] laden in soule, that are troubled in conscience with the sense of their sins, to come unto thee: my heart thinkes of thy command, and invi­tation, I come to thee, I am weary, and heavie laden. First let us thinke of the incourage­ment, that is our warrant, and then yeeld pre­sent obedience: And then what will bee the issue? what will spring from it? when the heart and obedience joyn with the command, that there is a meeting, that they concentrate the heart, and obedience: God bids the heart obey, the heart saith I doe obey, when these meet, the issue must bee exceeding comforta­ble, it cannot be otherwise. When the obedi­ent heart meets God in his command, in his promise.

In all perplexity of busines, Commit thy way to the Lord, and hee shall establish thy thoughts, Prov. 3. Prov. 13. and other places: Lord I commit my wayes to thee, establish my Prov. 3. Prov. 13. thoughts and designes, agreeable to thy will: because thou hast bid mee commit my wayes to thee.

In the houre of death, let us commend our selves to God, as to a gracious, and mercifull Creator, 1 Pet. 4. Lord I commend to thee my 1 Pet. 4. [Page 169] soule, who art the Creator of my soule, and the Redeemer of it, here is an obedience an­swerable, what can be the issue of it, but com­fort?

Therefore let us learne by the example of this blessed man, that when he had but a hint from God, seeke yee my face, answers, Thy face Lord will I seeke.

Faith will see light at a little crevice, when it sees an incouragement once, a command, it will soone answer; and when it sees a promise, halfe a promise, it will welcome it; it is an obedient thing, The obedience of faith: it be­leeves, and upon beleeving, it goes to God: As the servants of the King of Assyria, they catch the word presently, Thy servant Benha­dad, so faith it catcheth the word.

To put God in mind, it is an excellent thing with the Prophet, whosoever penned the 119. Psal. 119. Psalme, whether David, or some other, Re­member thy promise, wherein thou hast caused thy servant to trust. As it is Nehem. 1. Remember Nehem. 1. Lord, hee puts God in mind of his promise; and so it is good often, to put God in mind, Lord thou hast made such and such promises, I know thou canst not deny thy selfe, if thou sh [...]uldest deny thy word, thou must deny thy selfe, thy word is thy selfe. Remember thy pro­mise, wherein thou hast caused thy servant to trust: If I be deceived, thou hast deceived mee, for thou hast given me this promise, and this com­mand: This is an excellent way to deale with [Page 170] God (as it were) to wrastle with him. By t [...] promise thou hast quickned me, Psal. 119. Whe [...] Psal. 119. I was dull and dead hearted, then I thought o [...] such, and such a promise, I alleage that promise, and apply it by a spirit of faith, and that quick­ned me.

And indeed (as I said) God hath made us fit to answer him, and wee should study in all things to returne unto him by his spirit; what­soever God doth, the heart should returne back againe, love for love, knowledge for knowledge, seeking for seeking, chusing for chusing. He begins with us, he chuseth us, he loves us, he seekes us; and wee if ever we in­tend to be friends with God, and to entertaine a holy communion (as all that shall be saved must doe) we should labour to have our hearts to returne to God, what wee find from God first. Thy face Lord will I seeke.

To come more particularly to this seeking, which is the particular of the obedience, and of the application. ‘Thy face Lord will I seeke.’

Seeking implies, that our happinesse is out What implied by seeking. of our selves, it implies that there is somewhat in our selves, in the application to which there must be some happinesse; therefore wee goe out of our selves to seeke. It is a motion, and it is out of an apprehension of some want, a man seekes out of some want, or out of some [Page 171] losse, or out of some duty. Ether hee hath losse, and therefore hee seekes; or else hee Ground of seeking. wants, and therefore he seeks; or else he owes respect and dutie, and therefore he seekes: it is somewhat without a man that moves his seeking.

God need not seeke the creature, hee hath all fulnesse in himselfe: Indeed his love makes him seeke for our love, to bee reconciled to him. But the creature, because his happinesse is out of himselfe in communion with God, the Fountaine of all good, he must seeke. ‘Christians must be Seekers. Christians are seekers.’

This is the generation of Seekers, Psal. 24. Psalme 24. All mankind, if ever they will come to hea­ven, they must bee a generation of Seekers. Heaven is a generation of Finders, of Posses­sors, of Enjoyers, Seekers of God: but here we are a generation of Seekers; wee want somewhat that we must seeke; when we are at best, we want the accomplishment of our hap­pinesse. It is a state of seeking here, because it is a state of want, we want something alway.

But to come more particularly to this seek­ing the face of God, or the presence of God.

The presence of God, and the face of God, Presence of God. where is it to be sought for?

Know that first for a ground: The presence 1. Every where. of God it is every where: but that is not the thing here purposed.

[Page 172] There is a face, and presence of God i [...] every thing, in every creature: therefo [...] In the crea­tures. every creature hath the name of God, some times a Rock, because as God is strong, so [...] Rock is strong. So likewise a shield, as a shie [...] defends, so God defends us: there is som [...] resemblance of God in the creature, therefore God hath the name of the creature: but th [...] is not here meant.

The presence of God meant here, is that presence that hee shewes in the time of need, 3 In necessitie. and in his ordinances. Hee shewes a presence in need and necessity, that is a gracious pre­sence to his children, a gracious face. As in want of direction, hee shewes his presence of light to direct them: In weaknesse hee shews his strength: In trouble and perplexity he will shew his gracious, and comfortable presence to comfort them. In perplexity he shewes [...] presence to set the heart at large: answerable to the necessity there is a presence: So in need God is present with his children, to dire [...] them, to comfort them, to strengthen them, if they need that.

And in the issue of all busines, there is a 4 In the issue of all. presence of God to give a blessing: for there is a presence must be even to the end of things: when we have all wee would have, yet God must give a blessing: so you see there is a pre­sence of God answerable to the necessity of man; as it hath reference to this place.

Thy face will I seeke, to direct me by thy hea­ [...]enly [Page 173] light when I know not what to doe, as [...]ehosaphat said, we know not what to doe, but our [...]yes are towards thee. And so in weakenesse when we have no strength of our owne, then goe to God, to seeke the face of God that he would be present with us. So, when wee are comfortlesse, goe to God that comforts the abject. The God of all comfort, goe to him, for his presence, for helpe. And when wee are troubled in our hearts about successe; what will become of such and such a businesse, goe to GOD that gives successe, and issue to all. Thus we see a presence of God answerable to every necessity of man.

There is a gracious presence of God like­wise 5 In the Ordi­nances. in his ordinances; that is the chiefe pre­sence, next to heaven, the presence in Gods Ordinances, that is, in the unfolding of the word, in the administration of the Sacraments, in the communion of Saints. Indeed in the Ordinances God is graciously present; Where two or three are gathered together, I will be in the midst of them. Therefore in Rev. 1. It is said, Revel. 1. that Christ walks in the middest of the seven gol­den Candlestickes, that is, in the middest of the Church; There is a gracious presence of of Christ in the middest of the Candlesticks; he takes his walkes there, Christ hath a speci­all presence in his Church in the ordinances, and that David aymes at here too, not onely, I will seeke thy face introuble, and necessitie, when I need any thing from thee: but, Thy [Page 174] face will I seeke in all thine ordinances, to inable me for the other. For it is in vaine for a man to thinke to seeke God in his necessity and exi­gence, if he seeke not God in his ordinances and doe not joy in them. So you see where the face, and presence of God is to be sought: in necessities of all kinds, and in the ordinan­ces.

Now in our seeking the presence or face of In seeking Gods face there is, God, there is foure or five things that I will touch the heads of.

First of all, seeking implyes observance, 1. Observance. seeke my face, that is, observe me, respect me as a God. Thy face I will seeke, I will bee a follower of thee; As in English an observer is a follower, a creature, It is a proud word: as if man could make a man of nothing. And indeed they are creatures in that kind, they are raysed of nothing. To seeke a man is to observe him, there is a notable place for it, Prov. 29. 26. Many seeke the rulers favour. Prov. 29. 26. In the Greeke translation, the Septuagint the word is, to observe, and respect a man, which is translated seeking. Many observe the ruler, but every mans judgement commeth from the Lord. You see, those that thinke to rise by the favour of such or such a man, they will be his followers, as I said, and observe him, they stu­die men: as those that rise by favour that way, they study not bookes so much as men, what may delight such a man what hee re­spects; surely they will serve him at every [Page 175] turne. A base Atheist makes a man his god; that he may rise, he will deny God and the motions of Conscience, and honesty, and all to observe the face of a great man whom hee hopes to rise by: but a true Christian observes the great God, the greatest preferment comes from him; so it signifies to observe.

In Psalme 62. there you shall see the ground Psalme 62. of observation is that power belongs to God. I have heard once, nay twise. Hee heard it twise by the meditation of it by going over it in his heart againe. I have heard, once, nay twise, that is, I tho [...]ght againe and againe on it, that is hearing of it oft. We may heare a truth a hundred times, that is, by meditating of it, I have heard once nay twice, that power belongs to God, that is, riches and power to advance a man. Atheisticall men thinke, all belongs to the creature, but power belongs to God. That is one thing that is meant by seeking, diligent observing of GOD, and respect to him and his will and commandements in all things.

If so be that a person of great place should say, observe me, and I will prefer you, I hope men would bee ready enough, they need no more words: Here is the Atheisme of our hearts, God saith, I will doe all good for you; the greatest preferment is to bee the child of GOD here; and the heire of heaven after. What preferment is there to that of Christia­nity? and he saith, seeke my face, observe me, respect me, let the eye of your soules be to [Page 176] me; as it is in the Psalme, As the eyes of a mayd are toward the hand of her Mistris. The o­bedience of a servant is toward the eye of the Commander; so the obedience of a Christi­an is toward the eye of God, to see what God commands; we should be more serviceable to God. It is an argument of the atheisme of our hearts, to take more incouragement from a mortall man that can raise us, and doe us a pleasure, then f [...]om God himselfe. But to let that goe, that is the first branch, Seeke my face, that is, observe me.

Then seeke my face, that is, depend upon 2 Dependance. me, to seeke Gods face is to depend upon him for all, it argues dependance: for him that we observe, we observe him for something; we depend upon him to be our rayser and maker; so seeke my face, seeke my countenance and favour, depend upon me, and it shall bee sufficient for you.

Then, in the third place. Seeke my face, that 3 Seeke Gods favour. is, seek my favour, and grace; favour appeares and shines in the face: Seeke my face, observe me, depend on me, for what? for my favour. What is that? It is all, if we have the grace of God, we have all: for the grace of God is in every thing that is good to us. If we have the graces to salvation, they come of free grace: every good gift is the grace of God. Chil­dren are the grace of God: So if we have the grace of God, we have all for our good: we have all in the spring of good which is the [Page 177] grace and favour of God. As men, if they be graced from a great person, they studie not this and that particular thing, they think I have his favour; and that favour of his is ready for all exigences. And therefore in way of complement, they say, I seeke not this or that, but your favour.

The favour of God it is a store-house and spring and fountaine better than life it selfe, as the Psalmist saith. The loving kindnesse of the Lord is better than life. When life failes, the favour of God never failes: life will faile, and all earthly comforts, but the favour of God is better than life it selfe, it is everlasting: and eternall. In Psalme 4. you see how worldly Psalme 4. Atheisticall men rejoyce, when their Corne, and Wine, and Oyle increase. And who will shew us any good? Who? It is no matter who, any good, any hope of preferment, it is no matter what way; and it is no matter what, any good: and let them but shew it, and wee will wo [...]k it out, we have wit enough. O saith he, but your wit I stand not upon, nor your courses: but Lord, let thy face shine upon me, lift up the light of thy countenance, and that shall be instead of all honours, and preferments. So in seeking, we must observe God, and depend upon him, and for what? for his favour espe­cially: for the face, and favour of God; let me have a good looke from thee oh Lord, let me have thy favour and love, for other things I leave them to thy wisdome, thou art wise [Page 178] enough; only let thy face shine on mee.

Oh this favour and face of God it is a sweet thing, this presence of God. What is heaven, but the presence of God there? Let God be present in a dungeon, it will be a paradise; let God be absent, Paradise, it is as a hell or dun­geon, as it was to Adam; after he had sinned he runne to hide himselfe. What is hell, but the want of Gods presence, Gods face and fa­vour is not there? What makes hell in the heart of a man? God is not there, but leaves the heart to its owne darknesse, and confusi­on; oh, therefore the face, and favour of God, seeke that especially.

Againe to seeke the face of God, is to pray to him, to put this in execution in prayer: eve­ry To pray to him where in Scripture, it is all one, to pray, and to seeke Gods face, it is called the spirit of pray­er: which because I have spoken of at large out of another Scripture, I will now say no­thing of it.

Likewise in the next place, to seeke he face 5 To seeke him in his ordinan­ces. of God, is to attend upon the presence of God, wheresoever he reveales himselfe: to attend upon the word, and ordinances, is to seeke the face of God. It is said that Caine went from the face of God, when he went from the wor­ship of God in his fathers house, hee went out from God. Where God is worshipped, there God is present; and when we leave the place where God is worshipped, we leave Gods pre­sence, God is more especially present there: [Page 179] therefore seeking the face of God is to attend upon Gods ordinance. I will seeke thy face, that is, wheresoever there is any presence of thee, I will seeke thee.

Christ when hee was lost, hee was found in the Temple: that hath a literall sence, but it is true in a spirituall sence; if we loose Christ, and have not comfort from Christ, we shall find him in the Temple, the sweetest presence of his spirit is there. His body is in heaven, and his spirit is his Vicar in the world: if we want comfort and direction from Christ, we shall meete him in the Temple: there he gives us sweet meetings by his spirit; there we have the comfort, and direction, and spirituall strength that wee wanted before wee came. There is the best meeting. As in the Canticles, Christ goes into the Garden of spices. He goes among his children, that are as a watred gar­den, and as so many plants of righteousnesse, and beddes of spices; he delights to be there. Christ is in the communion of Saints, in the ordinances, Therefore, Thy face will I seeke, especially in the Tabernacle, and Temple af­ter, especially in the Church, and communi­on of Saints, there thy face will I seek. Thus we see, the unfolding of this promise of a gra­cious, obedient, respective heart, Thy face will I seeke. I will adde no more, but come to the use of it. Use. Direction to seeke Gods face.

And in the first place by way of direction: That we may seeke the face of God; that is, [Page 180] observe him, and depend upon him, and en­joy his favour, and meet with him in his ordi­nances, 1. Know him and our selves. we must first get,

The knowledge of

• God,
• Our selves.

Get the knowledge of God; for they that know him will seeke to him: they that know his riches, his power, his sufficiency; in a word, his all-sufficiency for all things, they will seeke to him. And they that know them­selves; that know their wants, their inability to supply those wants, and know the greatnesse of those wants, and that they must be suppli­ed, they will out of themselves. They that have nothing at home will seeke abroad. The knowledge of these two therefore: of the great God, the all-sufficient God; and of our selves, the unsufficiency of our selves every way, either for direction, or for protection, [...] for comfort in distresse, or for strength in [...] tie to goe through businesse; or for issue when we are about any thing, They that know that the way of man is not in man, as Ieremie saith, they would certainely out of themselves. There­fore let us grow in the knowledge of God, and of our selves, of our owne wants and ne­cessitie.

And especially know God now in Christ's. To know God in Christ. For there is enmity betweene the nature of God, and the nature of man, of sinfull man: but that Christ hath taken our nature now and made it lovely to God, and God lovely to us. [Page 181] Christ Emanuell, God, and man, God with us, hath made God and us friends: therefore now we must go to God in that Emanuel, in Christ, that Ladder that joynes heaven and earth to­gether. See Gods face shining in Christ, his gracious face, and this will incourage us to go to God, together with our wants; goe not to absolute God, a god without a mediator: for then God is a consuming fire.

In the next place when we goe to God, and seeke to God, be sure to seeke his favour, and 2. Seeke Gods fa­vour first. grace in the first place. If we want any parti­cular thing, protection, or direction, or com­fort in distresse, goe not for that in the first place, but let us see in what tearmes God and we are; let us be sure that reconciliation, and peace be made. For if we seeke to God in our particular wants, and have not made our peace before, but have sought to other gods, to men, and to our shifts, God may say, you seeke to me? Goe to the gods you have served, to the great men you have served, to the riches you have trusted unto, goe to your shifts. There­fore first, make peace and reconciliation with God before you seeke other things. If a man have offended a great person, he doth not goe and seeke particular favours, till first he have made peace and taken up the quarrell. Let us take up the quarrell between God and us by re­pentance, and a promise of new obedience, get reconciliation that way, and then seeke for particular favours after.

[Page 182] For what if God give you particular favours, if they bee not from his grace and favour, what will they doe us good? What will all that a reprobate wretch hath doe him good? What will his favours, his riches, and ho­nours and preferments doe him good when he dies, when hee shall conflict with the anger of God? when he shall see hell before him, and see heaven shut? Hee seeth he hath all, from a generall providence, and as a reward for his care in this world; God answereth him with a civill inlargement for his civill obedi­ence, but he hath his reward: heaven he hath not, hee cared not for it; what will all doe without the love of God in Christ? therefore I beseech you, let us first seeke the favour and mercy of God in Christ.

And then for particular things goe to him as the exigence is: for in God there is a supply for all turnes; and that is the ground of seek­ing: for our seeking, it must be a wise seeking: now it were not wise, unlesse there were a supplie in God for every want whatsoever it is. If the creature could doe any thing without God, we should upon good ground make that God. If any thing could raise us without God (I mean) to comfort, we might seeke to them, and make them God, upon good reason: but what can they doe? In anger, God may let a man enjoy favours, as the fruits of his displea­sure, but what can they doe without him? They can doe nothing. Therefore it must be [Page 183] the supreame cause, the highest cause, the great wheele that turnes every little inferiour wheele in the world, they turne with the great wheele of divine providence, and goodnesse, therefore goe to him as the first cause.

Againe in seeking the favour of God, we 3 With pure con­sciences. must search our consciences, to come with pure and cleane hearts to God to seeke him. If we regard iniquity in our hearts, God will not Psalme 66. heare our prayers. Wee come to God with a purpose to offend him; if we come not with a purpose to leave our sins, why do we come? God will not regard our prayers. We must come with pure consciences to God, as it is ex­cellently set downe, Psal. 24. 3. Who shall as­send Psalme 24. 3. into thy hill, O Lord, who shall stand in thy holy place? He that hath cleane hands, and a pure heart. And then he saith after. This is the gene­ration of them that seeke him, those that have cleane hands, and a pure heart. Thou hast foule hands; thou art a briber, a corrupter; thou hast an impure heart, thou art a filthy creature, thou hast lived in such and such sins, cleanse thy hands, and thy heart. This is the ge­neration of them that seeke him. If a man seeke the pure and holy GOD, with an uncleane heart, and uncleane hands; if he be corrupt in his hands, and in his heart, that is the foun­taine, he may seeke God long enough, before hee finde him; and if he see GOD, it is in anger.

Againe if we would seeke the face, and fa­vour [Page 184] of God, let us study the word hard; study the promises as I said before, bind him with his own word; thou hast said thus, I alleage thy owne word: Iacob when he wrastled with God, Genesis 32. then he saw God; he called Gen. 32. the place Penuell, that is, the face of God, be­cause of seeing God. Vpon wrastling; when the heart by faith wrastleth with God by the promise. Lord thou hast done this: though I feele no comfort, yet I will rest upon thee; that place will bee Penuell, The face of GOD will bee there, GOD will shew him­selfe.

And let the extremity be what it will; seeke Seeke God in extremity. God in extremity: alleage the Word of God in extremity. What word have you for ex­tremity? In the mountaine God will bee seene. His face will be seene in the mount, that is, when there is no other help whatsoever. God is a present helpe in trouble, Psal. 46. He is the God that comforteth the abject, that none else can Psal. 46. comfort, And he that is in darknesse and sees [...] light, let him trust in the name of the Lord. And though I were in the valley of the shaddow of death, if the Lord be with me, I will trust in him, Psal. 23. And though thou kill me, yet will I trust in Psal. 23. thee, saith Iob. In extremity seeke God then; and find out words and promises then, as the Scripture is large in that kind: for then there is most need of seeking God. Lord if thou help not now, none can help. Difference of men in extre­mitie.

And this is the difference betweene a true [Page 185] Child of God and another; in the time of ex­tremity Saul seekes to the witch: but David seekes to God as here, Lord thy face will I seeke. Many things upbraided David no question with his sinne, and the affliction he was in. Thou seeke God? thou hast offended him, and now thou indurest some signe of his dis­pleasure: a heavie case (beloved) somtimes, especially in the time of extremity, then con­science saith, I am in extremity, and withall God followes mee with such, and such sins, a guiltie conscience meetes me in my prayers to God and upbraids me, thou hast done so, and so: that if there be not faith, and a word of God to lay hold on in extremity, what will be­come of the poore soule? It is swallowed up. No question David was now in pangs, and many things offered to thrust him off; and he might say. I have many things to discourage me, yet thy face Lord will I seeke, for delive­rance out of trouble, and for pardon of sinne. Set the promise of God, and the pardon of sinne above all extremity whatsoever. God is the God of all, and above all, he is the God of comfort, if comforts be wanting, hee can make them a new. In the want of means, and when meanes are against us, let us see lie to God. Ionah in the Whales belly, that was a creature, that might have consumed him with heate, When he was in the belly of hell, he called unto God. If a man be as low as hell, if he have a com­mand to come, and a promise, it will fetch [Page 186] him thence, therefore alleadge the promises, and the word.

What a miserable taking are they in, that in extremity have no acquaintance with Gods word? with the promises, or good exam­ples? that have stored up nothing? Alas, they are in the middest of a storme; naked, in the middest of warre, and opposition, disarmed: they lie open to all assaults. Therefore as you love your own soules, gather grounds of com­fort, treasure up promises and holy truths; that in extremity you may say with David up­on good ground, Lord, thou hast said thus, and thus, and in this extremity I come to thee. Thy face LORD will I seeke: breake through all feares, and discouragements whatsoever, alleadge the command of God, and the pro­mise of God and the incouragements of God: my discouraged heart saith thus, and Satan saith thus, but Lord thou sayst thus, seeke my face, shall not I believe and obey God, more than the devill or mine own lying false heart? therefore except we will betray our soules to temptations, and betray the comforts that wee have, let us seeke GOD in all extre­mities.

I desire you to remember these directions, To seeke God in his ordinan­ces. and bee incouraged to seeke to God: joyne the seeking in extremity with the seeking him in his ordinances. If we doe not seeke him in his ordinances, in the time of peace, let us ne­ver thinke he will be so familiar with us, in the [Page 187] time of trouble. If wee be not acquainted with him in his ordinaces in prosperity, in extremity he will be farre off. Therefore seeke the face of God now in all his ordinan­ces; that is the way to have provision of strength against all other extremities whatso­ever. It is a great comfort in extremity to one that hath sought God in his Ordinances be­fore. Foolish Atheisticall men seeke not the wisedome of God in his Ordinances, God Prov. 1. cries to them, and they regard it not; but then they cry to God, and God will not answer them, but laugh at their destruction. And as it is in Zachary, you cry, and I will not heare, because I cryed, and yee would not heare. When GOD speaks, and we regard it not, we shall cry, and he will not regard it: Therfore as we desire his presence in the evill day let us labour to heare him now. Let us search his will, what hee re­quires of us, and what he will doe for us, and labour to be armed with obedience against the time of distresse.

And let us seeke him betimes, now present­ly To seeke God betimes. Psalm. 63. seek the favour of God, you that are young, In the morning early will I seeke thee, Psalm. 63 In the morning of your yeares, In the mor­ning of the day it is good to seeke God before the heart be possest with other businesse, that he may blesse all our affaires: Seeke his face, that his blessing and direction and strength may be upon all. Let us set upon things in his wisdom and strength, and hope on his blessing.

[Page 188] And in the morning of your yeares, early put not off: for here is the mischiefe, if we [...] seeke not God early, betimes, the heart wi [...] be hardened and willgrow worse: to morro [...] we shall be more unfit then to day. The [...] those that seeke in their sicknesse, and at th [...] houre of death, that is selfe-love; it is grace, to seeke God for himselfe, out of old acquain­tance and love; but to seeke him in sicknes [...] only, and to neglect his ordinances, it is mee [...] ­ly selfe-love. As a malefactor that carries himselfe ill in prison, and then seekes the judg­es face at the barre: when God arraignes [...] man at the barre, then to seeke him, it come from selfe-love. But that obedience we ow [...] to God is to seeke him out of a new nature, o [...] of love of Gods goodnesse and grace: wh [...] we seeke him in extremity, not out of the lo [...] of grace, but to escape the danger of hell and damnation, such seeking seldom proves good. Many make a great shew of repentance and turning to God; many of those prove false. Hee that is good in affliction onely is never good. Therefore put not off seeking Gods fac [...] by prayer, and the use of all good meanes.

Many men, first settle their estates, and then send for a Physitian, and the divine la [...] of all, when they are sicke. Oh, but seeke God first, and above all things in the world, or else wee have adulterous, Idolatrous hearts, to make the face of man our Idoll, or health ou [...] Idol, we should seek Gods face above all.

[Page 189] The Scripture sets him out sweetly to us: Incourage­ments to seeke Gods face. [...]erefore one way to encourage us to seeke to [...]OD, is to present to our soules GOD under [...]ose sweete tearmes. He is a rock in the mid­ [...]st of the waves, Hee is a habitation in the [...]ddest of a storme, thou art our habitation. [...]e is called a hyding place, he hath the shad­ [...]ow of his wings to coverus, let us flie under [...]e shaddow of his wings, hee is presented [...]eetly to us in Christ. Therefore let us have [...]course to him upon all occasions, and now, [...]w, that we may be familiar with him, that [...]e may bee acquainted with him now, in the [...]yes of our youth, and he wil know us in age, [...]d sicknesse; if we be not acquainted with him [...]w, hee will not acquaint himselfe with us [...]en: therefore seeke his face now, and above [...]l things seeke it.

And can we have more incouragement? [...]here was never any that fought the face of [...]od that went away sorry. It is said of some [...]ood Emperours, that never any man went sor­ [...] out of their presence, either they had the [...]rant of their sutes, or good words. God sends [...]one sorry away; there are none that come [...]to the presence of God but they are the bet [...]er for it, they goe away more chearefull, and [...]ore satisfied; their consciences are quieted, [...]hen they poure out their soules to God. There is the peace of God which passeth understan­ [...]ing preserves their soules, as it is, Philip. 4. In Philip. 4. [...]othing be carefull, but let there bee thanksgiving [Page 190] for favours received, and let your requests be [...] knowne to him, and the peace of God shall prese [...] your hearts and mindes. You shall not despaire, and be over much cast downe, peace will pre­serve you.

And if we doe not seeke the face of God, now when we may enjoy his presence, we [...] shall never see his face in glory hereafter: [...] must now be acquainted with him or else we shall not when we would. Therefore, as we may injoy the presence of God in his Ordi­nances; so in all our affaires let us seeke his face, and blessing; let us have what we have, and doe what we doe in his blessing and assi­stance, and not in the strength of wit, and shifts. Let us do what we do by divine strength, and in confidence of his blessing. That, that we do by his strength we may expect his blessing on, we cannot doe so by our shifts. Let us in▪ ­ure our selves in these courses, and we shal find much peace, and by long acquaintance with God we shall be able to commit our soules to him, we shall be able to looke him in the face at the houre of death. He that lookes God i [...] the face often in prayer, and seeking him, may looke death in the face. These things may be made effectuall if your hearts be prepared, as the Scripture phrase is.

And because I mentioned preparing, that is a word in Scripture that is set before seeking. Rehoboam did not thrive; he did not prepare his heart to seeke God. Iehosaphat was blessed of God, [Page 191] hee prepared his heart to seeke the Lord. There­fore let us come prepared to seeke God, pre­pare our hearts to seeke him. Thinke, when I goe to the congregation, I goe to seeke Gods face, therefore come in humility, and subjecti­on. And in all the courses of our lives, let all of us prepare, and set our hearts in frame to seeke God in all things: and let us set upon no­thing that we cannot depend on him for assi­stance, and looke to him for a blessing. And when wee cannot injoy his favour, and bles­sing in any thing, we were as good be without it as have it.

This is the way to have our wills in all things. Christ, the truth it selfe hath left [...]s this one sweete promise, Seeke yee first the kingdome of God. He speakes there of seeking our owne good, what is the best thing wee should seeke for? Seeke ye first the kingdome of God, of grace, and of glory: the favour of God, and the fruit of his favour, grace. Seeke those best things in the first place; what then? It is the way to have all things else as farre as they are for our good. But we would have more, we thinke if we seeke to God, and depend upon Gods divine principles, and rules, it is a way to beggery and disgrace. Oh, no, It is the way to have our owne desire in all things as farre as is for our good. Let us seeke first the kingdome of God, that God may rule, and raigne in us, and we shall raigne in the kingdome of God. For other things, God [Page 192] will bring it to passe I know nothow, they shall be cast upon us. He that is f [...]ll for heaven and happinesse, GOD will make him full for the world, and successefull, as much as he sees [...] to bring him to heaven: if God see any thing that would hinder him, he must leave that to his wisdome.

Therefore let us labour to bee able from truth of heart, to returne to the commande­ment, and promise of God, this sweete and gracious answer of the holy man David, when God saith generally or particularly, Seeke my face, Thy face Lord will I seeke.

FAITH TRIVMPHANT.

THis Chapter is a little booke of Martyr [...]; it discovers the life, and death of the holy Patriarchs, and by what meanes Gods Children are brought into possession of that that they have an interest, and right unto upon ear [...]h; it is by faith: by faith we do, and suffer, all that we doe, and suffer, all that God hath ordained us to goe through, till he have brought us and invested u [...] to heaven, which is prepared for us.

[Page 196] In the former part of the Chapter there is an induction, the instances of perticular bles­sed Patriarchs: and after he had named di­verse particulars he summes, them up in this generall. All these died in faith.

In this verse there is,

First, the generall set downe. All these di­ed in faith.

And then the particular unfolding of this. They received not the promises, having scene them a-farre off, and were perswaded of them, and im­braced them, and confessed they were strangers, and pilgrims on earth. He sets downe their faith particularly, hereby setting down what might hinder it and yet did not hinder it, the not re­ceiving of the promises. They received not the promises, and yet they beleeved the promises, that is, the things promised, they were afarre off, and yet they saw them.

There is one faith from the beginning of the One faith from the beginning of the world. world: as there is one Christ, one salvation, so there is one uniforme faith for the saving of our soules, wee hope to bee saved by Iesus [Page 197] Christ as they were. I doe but touch that.

Then againe here is implied, a continuance Perseverance in faith. and perseverance in faith. All those died in faith, that is, they lived in faith, and by saith, till they died, and then they died in faith. Faith first, makes a Christian, and then after he lives by faith; it quickens the life of grace, and then he leades his life by that faith, he con­tinues in it till he come to death, which is the period of all, and then he dies by that faith. But of perseverance to the end, and the helps to it, I spake at large upon another occasion, therefore I omit it. All these died in faith. Faith carried them along all their life time till death it selfe. Now that faith that helped them through all the difficulties of this life, that faith by which they lived, in that faith they died. ‘They dyed in faith.’

In the faith of the Messias, infaith of Ca­naan, in faith of heaven. For the Patriarchs, they had not Canaan till many hundred yeares after, it was a type of heaven; they had not Christ till some thousands of yeares after: So they died in faith of Christ, of Canaan, and of heaven, the benefits by Christ is the upshot of all this. They died in faith. He doth not say how otherwise they died; because it is not materiall whether they died rich or poore, great, or meane, God takes no great notice of [Page 198] that, nor a Christian takes no great notice of it. They died in faith. Whether they died a vio­lent or a peaceable death it is no matter, they died blessed, in that they died in faith. They died in faith, which in other phrases, is to dye in the Lord, to sleepe in the Lord: because whoso­ever dies in faith dies in Christ. Faith lifts them up to Christ, and they steepe in Christ. It is a happy thing to dye in Christ; Now those that die in faith, they die in Christ, Bles­sed are those that dy in the Lord, they rest from their labours, saith the Apostle. ‘All these died in faith.’

They continued in faith to death, and then they ended their dayes in faith: When death closed up the eyes of their bodies, then with the eye of faith they looked upon Christ, upon God in Christ reconciled to them; the point is cleare, that ‘The grace of faith, it is such a grace that it Doct. Faith carries a Christian through all the passages of his life. carries a Christian through all the passages of this life.’

It inableth him to hold o [...]t to the end, to suffer those things that he is to suffer, and in the end by it he dies: and when all things else leave him in death, when riches leave him, when friends leave him, when honour, and great places leave him, when his life, & sences leave him, when all leave him, yet faith will never leave him, till it have put him in full pos­session [Page 199] of heaven; and then it ceaseth when it hath done the worke it hath to doe, which is to bring us to heaven, then it is swallowed up in vision, and sight, and hope into fruition, and enjoying of the thing hoped for. It is a blessed grace that stands by us, and goes along with us, and comforts us in all the passages of this life, and even in death it selfe, in those darke passages; it never forsakes us till it have put us in possession of heaven. ‘All these died in faith.’

What is it to die in faith? Quest.

To die in faith (as I said) is to die in the Answ. To die in faith what. Lord by faith, and it lookes to the Time

• Past.
• Present.
• To come.

To the time past, to die in faith, is to die in 1 In respect of the time past. assurance of the forgivenesse of sins, when by faith and repentance we have pulled o [...]t the sting of sins past: for faith looks upon Christ, and Christ hath taken the sting of death in his owne body, and death ever since hath beene stinglesse, and harmelesse to his members; he hath disarmed it, death had nothing to doe to kill Christ; now seizing upon him who should not have died, who was our suretie, death hath lost his sting: so that to die in faith is to die in assurance of forgivenesse of sinnes past, by Christ.

[Page 200] For the present, in the present instant of death, to die in faith, is to see God reconciled 2 The time pre­sent. to us in Christ, and with the eye of Stephen to see Christ ready to receave our soules; to see Christ sitting at the right hand of God, to breake through all that is betweene, to see our selves sitting at the right hand of God in hea­venly places with Iesus Christ; This is to die in faith, to see our selves there with our head, where wee shall bee ere long. Faith makes things to come present. To die in faith is to die in assurance of that blessed salvation pre­sently, even at that instant of time, at the par­ting of soule, and body, that Christ will re­ceive our soules that are redeemed with his precious bloud, that cost him so deare; he will not suffer the price of his bloud to miscarry. Faith apprehends that Christ will goe downe with us to the grave, as God said to Iacob, feare not to goe downe into Egypt, I will goe with thee: so God would not have us feare to goe down into the grave, those darke cels, and dunge­ons, God will goe downe with us. Our flesh shall rest in hope, because Christ our surety was raysed out of the grave, and sits in hea­ven in glory, and majesty, therefore our flesh rests in hope, as it is, Psalme 16. 5. Thou wilt not Psal. 16. 5. suffer thy holy one to see corruption; therefore our flesh rests in hope till the resurrection, because GOD did not suffer his holy one to see corruption: this is to dye in faith. 3 The time to come.

And for the time to come, to die in faith is [Page 201] by faith to overcome all the horrour of death. Death is a terr [...]ble thing: and of all the pas­sages wherein we have occasion to use faith, it is most exercised in death. It requires more to die in fa [...]th, then to live in faith: for then the soule it lookes to the horrour of the grave, it sees nothing there but dust, and rottennesse. It lookes to the panges of death, sense; and na­ture doth. And likewise the soule so farre as it hath noth [...]ng but nature in it, it looks to the dissolution of two friends, the body, and the soule, who have been long coupled together, and their parting is bitter. And then it looks to the parting with friends here with whom they have lived lovingly, and sweetely. In death, nature sees an end of all imployment in this world, of all the comforts of this life, &c. and therefore it is a terrible thing. Now to die in faith is to die in conquering all these, with a spirit above all these. What doth faith Faith over­comes all that is terrible in death. in the houre of death? It over-comes all these; and all such like.

For when the soule by faith considers the The horror of the grave. horrour of the grave, as the chambers of death; faith considers they be but resting places for the body, that it sleepes there a while till the day of the resurrection, and then they meete againe. And it considers that the flesh rests there in hope of a glorious resurrection; and faith sees a time of restoring as Saint Peter saith, There shall be a day of restoring of all things, There is a day of refreshing, and restoring to [Page 202] come, when those eyes where with wee now looke up to heaven, and those fee [...]e that carry us about our callings, and about the exercis [...] of religion, and those hands that have beene lift up to God; that body that hath beene the vessell of the soule shall be restored, tho [...]gh it be turned to dust and rottennesse. Faith seet [...] the faithfulnesse of God; that God in Christ hath taken these bodies of ours in trust: [...] know whom I have believed, 2 Tim. 1. 12. and be 2 Tim. 1. 12. is able to keepe that I have committed to him. I have committed to him my soule, my body, my whole salvation. I know he is able to keep that I have committed to him. And I kn [...] that my Redeemer liveth saith Iob, it was his comfort in all extremity, that he should see him with his very same eyes.

And then for the pangs of death which na­ture The pangs of death. trembles, and quakes at, faith consider [...] of them as the pangs of Child birth. Every birth is with pangs: now what is death, but th [...] birth to immortality, the birth of glory? we die to be borne to glory and happinesse. All our life time wee are in the wombe of the Church, and here we are bringing forth glo­ry: now death I say, it is the birth day of glo­ry and a birth is with paine; faith sees it is [...] birth day, it sees that presently upon it the [...] shall be joy, as with a woman after shee hath brought a man child into the world, so it com­forts it selfe against the pangs of death. Again faith sees them short, and sees the glory after [Page 203] to be eternall, it is a little darke passage to an e­ [...]nall glorious light.

Then for the dissolution, and parting of Parting of soule and body. [...]o friends, soule, and body, faith sees that [...]is but for a wh [...]le, and then that that parting [...] a bringing in a better joyning; for it brings [...]e soule immediately to her beloved, our Sa­ [...]our Christ Iesus, and faith sees that it is not [...]g till body and soule shall be reunited a­ [...]ine for ever, and they shall bee for ever with [...] Lord.

And then for friends; faith sees, indeed, [...]at we shall part with many sweete friends; Losse of friends [...]t saith faith, we shall have better friends, we [...]e to GOD, we goe to the soules of per­ [...]ct men, we goe to innumerable company of [...]ngels; wee goe to better company a great [...]ale.

And for all the imployments we have here Company and imployment. [...]we have below, faith sees that there wil be [...]rcise in heaven, we shall praise God with [...]gels and all the blessed and glorious com­ [...]ny of heaven. So consider what you will [...]at is bitter, and terrible in death, faith con­ [...]ers it, it sees an end of it and opposeth to it [...]tter things: because notwithstanding death [...]ts off many comforts, yet it brings better; [...] is a blessed change, it is a change for the bet­ [...]r every way; faith sees that there is a bet­ [...]r place, better company, better imployment, [...]tter liberty, all better. And which is more, [...] die in faith is to die in assurance that all is [Page 204] ours as the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 3. 16. [...] 1 Cor. 3. 16. death is ours, Paul is yours, Christ is yo [...] death is yours. This is our comfort when [...] dayes shall be closed up with death; faith b [...] ­lieves that death is ours, that is, it is for [...] good: for as I said, it brings us to our wish [...] haven, it brings an end to all misery, an [...] our sinnes, an end to our paine, an end to [...] vexations, an end to our discomforts, and to [...] scandalls here below, an end to all the tempt [...] ­tions of Satan. The Lord will wipe all teares fr [...] our eyes then. And it is the beginning of [...] ­pinesse that shall never end. So indeed fai [...] sees that the day of death is better than t [...] day of birth: when we come into misery [...] not so good as when we go out of misery, [...] enter into happinesse. This is to dye in faith. [...] the time past to see the forgivenesse of al [...] [...] sinnes, to see the sting pulled out. And for [...] present, to look to Christ ready to receive [...] soules, and to see him present with us to co [...] ­fort us, to strengthen us against the p [...]ngs [...] death. And for the time to come, by [...]aith [...] over-look the grave, to over looke death, [...] all, and to see all conquered in Christ, [...] our selves in heaven already with Christ; [...] thus a Christian being upheld with this gr [...] he ends his dayes in faith.

This should stir [...] us up (if this be so) to [...] Use. To labour for faith. this grace of faith, above all graces to get [...] ­rance that we are in Christ Iesus, that so [...] may live with c [...]mfort, and end our day [...] [Page 205] with comfort, and live for ever happy in the [...]ord. It is only faith, and nothing else that [...]ill master this King of feares, this gyant that [...]bdues all the Kings of the earth to him. This [...]onster death, hee out faceth all, nothing can [...]ut face him but faith in Christ, and that will [...]aster him. As for your glorious speeches [...]f Pagans, and morall civill men, they are Death terrible. [...]ut flourishes, vaine, emptie flourishes, their [...]earts give them the lie: Death is a terrible [...]ing, when it is armed with our sins, and when [...] is the messenger of Gods wrath, and citeth [...]s before God, it is the end of happinesse, and [...]he beginning of torment. When we looke [...]pon it in the glasse of the law, and in the [...]lasse of nature, it is the end of all comforts, it [...]s a curse brought in by sinne. It is a terrible [...]hing, nothing can conquer and master it but [...]aith in Christ. Oh let us labour therefore to get it while wee live, and to exercise it [...]hile we live, that we may live every day by [...]aith.

It is not any faith that we candie by, it must [...] a faith that we have exercised, and tryed [...]efore; it is a tryed, a proved faith, that wee must end our dayes by: For alas, when death comes, if we have not learned to live by faith before, how can wee end our dayes in faith? He that while he lives will not trust God with his children, that will not trust God with his soule; he that will not trust God with his estate, but will use ill means, and put his hand to ill [Page 206] courses to gaine by; he that will not trust [...] for his inheritance, that will not cast his br [...] upon the waters, and trust GOD to see [...] gaine; he that will not doe this while he liv [...] how shall he trust God for body and soule, [...] all in death? he cannot doe it. It must be [...] faith that is daily exercised, and tryed, wher [...] by we must commit our soules to God w [...] we dye, that wee may dye in that faith: t [...] we may be able to say, all the dayes of [...] life, I had experience of Gods goodnesse, [...] depended upon him, and I have found him [...] in all his promises; I committed my selfe, an [...] my wayes to him, and I found him good, a [...] gracious in blessing me, I found him giving [...] a good issue, and now I am strengthened there by, to trust GOD that hath beene so true [...] mee all my life time, I will trust him [...] with my soule, that hee will never fail [...] mee.

Let us all labour for this faith: for tho [...] it cannot be said of us that we die rich, or th [...] we die great in the world; perhaps wee may die a violent death: (as there be diverse dis­eases that leade the body into distempers) it [...] no matter how we die distempered, and in any estate, so it may be said of us, we die in able [...] ­sed faith.

But it may be objected, that all Gods chil­dren Object. die not in faith, because some die raging Answ. Christians die in faith not­withstanding distempers. and distempered, and in such fits.

But we must know that they die in faith not [Page 207] with standing all that: for then they are not [...]em selves; the covenant betweene God and [...]em was made before, they have given up [...]emselves to GOD, and committed their [...]ules to God before, for a Christian gives [...]p himselfe every day; he commits himselfe [...]ule and body continually to God, as a bles­ [...]ed sacrifice of a free-will offering; so hee [...]arns to die daily, daily labours to live in the [...]state he would die in; he ought to doe thus; [...]nd many Christians doe thus: therefore not­withstanding these distempers, the covenant [...]etweene GOD and the soule remaines still, [...]nd he dies in faith. It is said here, they all di­ [...]d Christians may want feeling. in faith: he saith, not they all died in fee­ [...]ing. A man may die in faith, and yet not die [...]n feeling; and sometimes the strongest faith [...]s with the least feeling of Gods love. Fee­ [...]ing may be reserved sometimes for heaven: [...]et notwithstanding wee must not take it so as [...] there were no feeling where there is faith; for there was never faith yet, but upon the [...]ouch of faith the soule drew some strength [...]nd some inward feeling, though it be not dis­cerned of the soule in regard of the immode­ [...]ate desire of the soule to have more: yet there is alway so much feeling, and strength, and comfort that supports the soule from de­spaire, take the childe of GOD at the worst. Therefore when I speake of feeling, I speak of a glorious demonstration, that God some­times takes away from his children. They [Page 206] [...] [Page 207] [...] [Page 208] died in fa [...]th though not alway in feeling of [...] they died in faith, though not alway by a fai [...] death, or in a comely manner outwardly, [...] the applause of the world: it is no matter, for that they all died in faith, and that is suf­ficient.

It is the desire of Gods Children, that they may dye in faith, and die in Christ, as they have lived in faith, and lived in Christ. Fai [...] is a blessed grace; by it we live, by it we stand, by it we conquer, and resist, by it we indure, by it we die, by it we do all those worthy mat­ters we doe, in spight of the devill, and his kingdome: this is that excellent grace of faith by which we live, and by which we die. ‘These all died in faith.’

For they lived as they died, and died as they As men live so they die. lived. It is a usuall generall rule, as men live so they die, he that lives by faith, dies by faith; he that lives prophanely, dies prophanely. If we suffer the devill to lead us and abuse us all the time of our life, we must thinke God in just judgement will give us up, that he shall de­lude us, and abuse us at the houre of death. Carnall confidence disposeth men, to thinke they shall step our of their filthy blasphemous course of life, out of their sinfull cursed con­dition to leape to heaven presently, it is no such matter. Alas, heaven it must be entred into on earth; there must bee a fiting and preparing [Page 209] time on earth for heaven: we must looke to die as we live. There is but one example of a man that died by faith that did not live by faith, that is, the good thiefe, and yet that lit­tle time of life we see how fruitfull it was: but the rule is, all that will die in faith must live in faith; and usually men are affected, and dispo­sed, and their speeches, and carriage are on their death bed as they were when they lived, GOD in just judgment giving them up to that course.

Many wish that they may live in popery, and enjoy the liberty of that carnall religion, but they would not die by that religion; they live by that religion, and die by ours, when they have had the sweetnesse and liberty that is given them there to sin, and then open all in confession and be cleane, and then sin againe, and such easie courses they have that betrayes thousands of soules to damnation: Now this is their course, when conscience is a­wakened they flie to savation by CHRIST, if they understand any thing at all, or else they die desperate, if they looke to be saved by that religion as they live by it: if we look to die by faith, we must live by it. ‘These all died in faith, not having received the pro­mises.’

For God promised them Canaan, and they died many hundred yeares before, their poste­rity [Page 210] came into Canaan; hee promised them Christ, and they died long before Christ came; he promised them heaven, and they en­tred not into heaven till death, so they recei­ved not the promises, that is, they recei­ved not the things promised; for else they re­ceived the promise, but not that that was pro­mised; they received not the type, Canaan, not the things typified; Christ, and heaven. This is added as a commendation of their faith, that though they received not the things that they looked for, yet notwithstanding they had such a strong faith that they continued to live by faith, and died in faith. The promises here are taken for the blessed things promised.

This should teach us this lesson, that Gods promises are not emptie shells, they are reall things. And then whatsoever God promi­seth God deales with men by promises. it is not barely propounded to the soule but in a promise, it is wrapped up in a promise: hee gives us not emptie promises nor naked things, but hee gives us promises of things which we must exercise our faith in, in depen­ding upon him for the performance of them till we be put in possession. For here all the blessings they looked for, is wrapped up in the name promises; they received not the promi­ses; the meaning is, they received not Ca­naan; they received not Christ in the flesh, not life everlasting. Now the believing soule, it lookes upon all the good things that it looks for from God, not nakedly, but as they [Page 211] are involved, and wrapped, and lapped up in promises, it must have a word for it, it looks to GODS word. For the soule looks not now immediately as it shall doe in hea­ven, it looks not to God, and to Christ direct­ly: but it lookes to Christ and heaven, and happinesse, as it is in a promise. It dares not expect any thing of God but by a promise. Alas the guiltie soule, how dares it look God in the face but by a promise? except he have ingaged himselfe by promise, and he hath in­gaged himselfe by promise that he will doe it, he hath pawned his faithfulnesse that he will doe it: and then the soule lookes to the pro­mise, and in that it looks to Christ, and grace, and heaven, and happines, and all good things.

A presumptuous idle person that knowes not Faith lookes on God by the promise. what God is, that he is a consuming fire, he ru­sheth into Gods presence. Faith dares not go to God but first it pleads his word to him, it pleads his promise to him; it lookes on God by a promise. The very phrase inforceth this upon us that we should make great account of the promises, because we have all good wrap­ped in them. The promises are the swadling clouts; Christ, and Heaven, is wrappped in them. And when wee have a promise, let us thinke we are rich indeed, for God will per­forme his promise. From the promise then the soule goes to the nature of GOD, then it thinkes of his justice, his justice ties him to performe it; it thinkes of his mercie, [Page 212] and truth, faithfull it hee that hath promised. Then it thinkes of that great name Iehovah, that gives being to the world, gives being to [...] things, nay, and that will turne all things that are now to nothing, as when they were no­thing he gave them being at the first: that Ie­hovah hath made these promises of life ever­lasting, of necessary grace to bring us thither, he hath made a promise of perseverance, and of comfort under the crosse, and affliction, a promise of provision, and the like. That great God Iehovah that gave being to all is faithfull, he hath bound himselfe, he hath laid his faith­fulnesse to pawne, that he will make all good, that is here promised. The soule after it sees the promise it riseth up, and lookes to God. They received not the promises, that is, the things promised, so much I desire to observe from the phrase. ‘They received not the promises.’

He speakes in the plurall number, though he Why he saith promises. meane but one maine promise, that is, the Mes­sias, for all other were types of him. Belee­vers are called Children of the promise. Here they are called promises, for the repeating of them. The promise of the same thing it was made oft: there was no new promise, the pro­mise of the same thing was seven times repea­ted, and renewed to Abraham presently one after another. So they are called promises, to [Page 213] shew that the promise can never be too much thought on, though it be the same promise, of Promises to be oft thought on life everlasting, the same promise of grace, and of comfort, the same promise of the resurrecti­on, &c. All the promises of good things to come we cannot think of too oft; nor receive the Sacramēt the seale of the promise too oft; God knowes what we are, he will have us oft receive the Sacrament, and oft heare the same things. We see the Prophet Esay, and the rest, how oft they inculcate the same promises of comfort, to the people in captivity concer­ning their deliverance out of it; they repeate it againe, and againe: the same reason should enforce the soule to have recourse to the pro­mises againe, and againe.

When there is any doubt or darkenesse ari­seth, to comfort the soule with the promise a­gaine, and againe. Satan puts clouds, and darkenesse before the soule every day: there is a repeating of sin, of infirmities, and dark­nesse every day: we should every day repeate the promises still though it be the same pro mise, and the seale of them. This I observe from the number. ‘They received not the promises.’

There is a distinction of the words Evange­lion, [...]. and Epangelia in the Greeke, they have a different signification, Epangelia is of the time of the promises that were before Christ, [Page 214] and they were all in expectation of the pro­mise, of the promised Messias: the time of that dispensation was Epangelia, Evangelion that was the time of the Gospell, when the promise was brought into performance, when our sal­vation was wrought by Christ in his first com­ming: so they lived under the promise, but they lived not under the things promi­sed; they had Epangelia the promise made to them, but they had not Evangelion, that is, the dispensation of time wherein Christ lived, which were indeed glorious times, when Christ came in the flesh, they received not those, yet notwithstanding they died in faith. To shame us, that have so many meanes, and helps, and yet notwithstanding are so earthly minded, and so stagger and doubt in matters of salvati­on, and have our faith to seeke: when all these blessed worthies the Patriarchs died in the faith that they lived in, and yet they received not the promises, no, not the type of the promi­ses, they received not Canaan, which was an earthly type of heavenly Canaan, which was promised them; they came not to reap that till long after, when they came out of Egypt, as for Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, they lived in the land of promise as strangers. ‘They received not the promises.’

They were comforted notwithstanding that their posterity should receive them. Ca­naan, was a type of CHRIST, and of [Page 215] Heaven, I observe this by the way that, ‘God doth not reveale all things at all times. Obser.’

God doth leave diverse things to be revea­led God doth not reveale all things at all times. in diverse ages of the Church. God doth not reveale every thing in every time.

To comfort all ages of the Church. We see not every thing in our times, we must bee To comfort all ages of the Church. content.

There is to come the conversion of the Iewes, many good soules desire that: there is to come the confusion of Antichrist, and ma­ny good things, that God will bring to passe in another age, our posterity they shall see it. Let it comfort us: by faith we see the promi­ses, though we do not receive the things pro­mised, we have the promise in the Scriptures: let us comfort our selves in that, that the bene­fit is reserved to our posterity. Every age hath severall priviledges, that that one age hath not, another hath: these-grand Patri­archs saw not what their posterity saw, their posterity saw not what those that lived in the time of Christ saw: those in Christs time saw not the discovery of Antichrist which we see, our posterity shall see the confusion of An­tichrist, which (it may bee) wee shall not see.

Againe this should help us against the com­mon To be thankfull for what wee have. infirmity that Christians are subject unto, we should be thankful for some things, though [Page 216] we have not all that we would have. These re­ceived not the promises, they had the promise, they had the word, though they had not the things promised, and that comforted them, though they had not the thing, no, not so much as the type of the thing, not Canaan these blessed Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, yet they were thankfull, and chearefull, and died in faith.

It is a common infirmity which our na [...] Vnthankeful­nesse. is too prone to, if the Church bee notinall things as we would, we will not heare, we care for nothing, like curst children, if they have not all they would have, they care for no­thing. Theseall, they had the promises, they had not the things promised; but did they take pet upon this? Oh no; they imbraced [...] promises, and looked for thethings promised in due time, though they had them not them­selves. So it is with particular Christians, o­ther Christians they see goe comfortably i [...] their Christian course, and they have nothing; no grace, no faith, no love, no goodnesse: be­cause they have not all they would have, ther­fore they have nothing, what an ill affection is this? We should be thankful for that we have, that we can deny ourselves, and we should be content to waite for that we have not: this is the disposition of a Christian that is in a right temper: and that is it which holds many from comforts, that they doe not thankefully ac­knowledge that they have. Our covetous­nesse, [Page 217] and greedinesse, of that that wee have not, and yet would have it, makes us that wee doe not see that we have already. Wee all looke forward, wee would have more, and more, and are not thankefull for the present grace. The Patriarchs were not so, they wan­ted many things that they desired heartily to have; and yet they comforted themselves, and died in faith, though they did not receive the promises. ‘They saw them afarre off.’

They saw them afarre off, and were per­swaded Order of Gods Spirit working. of them, and imbraced them, &c. This is the order of Gods spirit, first to open the eye to see, and by sight to perswade, and upon perswasion to stirre up the heart and affe­ctions to imbrace: for good things are brought into the soule through the understanding, by the spirituall sight of the understanding, and from that into the will and affections, by im­bracing the things wee know: this is GODS course daily, therefore he saith they first saw them, and then were perswaded of them, and then imbraced them. ‘They see them afarre off.’

Indeed they saw them a farre off, they were not fulfilled till many yeares, and generations after, yet they see them.

[Page 218] By what eye? The eye of faith.

By the eye of faith: faith makes things present though in themselves they be farre off. It is the nature of faith to make things that are absent to be present to the believing soule, and it affects the soule somewhat as if it were pre­sent. Wee know things worke not upon the soule but as present: a danger that is, many yeares to come, it affects not the soule unlesse Things affect as present. it be apprehended as present; nothing affects the soule but as present. Now there are two wayes of things being present. One is when the things themselves be present, that is, when we shall be in heaven, and enjoy Christ, and all the joyes of heaven; then the things are present themselves. And then there is a pre­sence of faith, when faith apprehends the things promised to us as present; faith makes the things present in somesort, not in all re­spects: for then faith were all one with vision, and possession: but in regard of certainty they are present, and in regard of sound comfort: therefore God gives other graces, betweene faith, and possession, to strengthen and enable faith that it doe not sinke in the worke, be­tween faith, and the full possession of the good things we believe, we have patience, and hope, and many other sweete graces; but all dis­pose the soule comfortably to waite for the accomplishment of the things beleeved. Now though the presence of faith affect not so much as the presence of sight: yet it doth affect. [Page 219] What is the reason that a holy man is so much affected with heavenly things, hee feeles no more joy many times than a wicked man? It is the nature of faith that so represents them to him, and sets before his eyes the ex­cellencie of the things that hee sees them as present.

Faith, hath her eye, faith hath her sences, What kind of eye faith hath. faith hath feete of her owne, whereby shee goes to Christ: faith hath armes of her owne to graspe, and to claspe Christ. Faith hath eares of her owne, to heare the word of God, and believe it; faith hath eyes of her owne; and what kinde of eyes? to seethings afarre off, to see things invisible; to see things with­in the vayle, to see things that are upward, things that sence and reason can never reach unto. Reason sees more then sence, but faith sees more than reason. Faith sees the resur­rection of the body, faith sees the glory in hea­ven, that all the eyes in the world cannot see. Faith correcteth the errour of reason, reason corrects the errour of sense. They saw him a­farre Faith sees a­farre off. off, with the blessed eye of faith. Faith hath an eye that sees a farre off, it sees things remote both intime, and place.

It sees things farre off inplace, faith sees 1 In regard of place. things in heaven, it sees Christ there, it sees our place provided for us there, it sees God re­conciled there, by it we see our selves there, because we shall be there ere long: faith sees all this, it breakes through, and looks through [Page 220] all, it hath most piercing beames, the eye [...] faith. And it workes in an instant, it goes [...] heaven in a moment, and sees Christ.

And for distance of time, the eye of faith, 2. Time. 1. Past. it sees things past, and things to come. It see [...] things past, it sees the creation of the [...]ld, it sees the redemption of us by Iesus Christ, [...] sees our sinnes there punished in Christ our su [...]ety, it sees us crucified with Christ Iesus, [...] sees all discharged by him. Faith see [...] [...] the Sacrament: when we take the bread, [...] hath recourse presently to the breaking of [...] body of Christ, and the shedding of the blo [...] of Christ. Then Christ is crucifyed [...] us, [...] dies to us, when we believe Christ was [...] ­fied for us, and died for us, faith makes it pre­sent.

And so for the time to come, faith hath [...] 2. To come. eye that lookes a farre off, it sees the resu [...] ­ction of the body, and life everlasting: [...] sees the generall judgement, it sees eternall happinesse in heaven; it sees things afar [...] o [...]. It is the Evidence of things not seene.

What is the reason of it?

It makes things not otherwise seene, be seene, and presently seene; it gives a being to things. It is a strange power that faith hath: faith is the eye of the sanctified soule, it is the light of the soule.

In the darke, though things have a colo [...] and a lustre in them, yet till light co [...]e to make them cleare, they are all as if they [...] [Page 221] not, they are not seene: but when the light discovers them, then those things that were impossible to bee seene, and had in them col­lour, and lustre, they come to be actually seene. So it is wi [...]h faith, there is the happinesse of a Christian, there is glory, and grace; reason it seeth not this; here is a night of all these things, if there be not light in the eye of faith: now when there comes the promise of God as a light discovering them, and the eye of faith to see all this, then here is an evidence of the things, a cleare sight of them which without faith are as excellent things in the night that no eye can see. Faith is a further light, a light beyond all, a supernaturall heavenly light, and sight, it sees beyond all other eyes, beyond the eye of the body, or beyond the other eye of the soule, which is reason.

Now this worke of faith is called sight, a­mong Sight of faith quicke. other respects for this, that sight is the most capacious, and comprehending sence; it apprehends its object quickly, and sight it works upon the affections, so faith hath a quick eye sight, it pierceth through the darke things of the world, it pierceth through contraries. Gods children, though they see their estate oft times contrary to the promise, as if God did not regard them: yet they breake through that. You know Gods manner of working is in contrary estates, when we die, faith sees life; when we most apprehend our sins, faith sees the forgivenesse of sinnes: when we are [Page 222] in the greatest mystery, faith hath so quicke a sight that it sees happinesse, and gl [...]y through all. It sees a farre off notwithstand­ing the interposing of any thing contrary, by flesh and bloud.

Faith is sometimes called tast, and by the Things requi­site to sight. name of other senses, but especially by the name of sight. As in sight there is both the light outward, and a light in the eye, and the application of the light in the eye to the ob­ject: so in faith there is a light in the things revealed, a promise, and discovery of it by the light of the Gospell, and an inward light in the soule, answerable to the inward light in the eye: for a dead eye sees nothing, and a quick living eye sees nothing without the light of the ayre. So there is a double revelation, by the word, and by the spirit: the spirit works an eye of faith in the soule, and then it disco­vers to it the things of God. ‘They saw them a farre off.’

God created a new eye in the soule, a new sight which they had not by nature: for even as the natural eye cannot see things that are in­visible; so the naturall man cannot see the things of God, which are seene not by a natu­rall, but by a supernaturall eye, eye hath [...] seene, nor eare heard, nor hath entred into the heart of man to conceive, what God hath prepared [...] his children, 1 Cor. 2. 10, 11. The eye there­therefore 1 Cor. 2. 10. 11. [Page 223] that must see things a farre off, it must bee a supernaturall eye; and the light that must discover them must be the light of Gods truth: for reason cannot see the resur­rection of the body, and the life to come, and such glorious things as the word of God re­veales to us.

If you aske why this sight of faith is so ne­cessary, Quest. this supernaturall sight.

I answer, nothing can be done in religi­on Answ. Sight of faith necessary. without the supernaturall eye of the soule, nothing at all: for a man may see heavenly things with a naturall eye, and be never a whit the better: a man may see the joyes of hea­ven, he may heare much of heaven, and hap­pinesse, and forgivenesse, and thinke oh, these are good things: but yet notwithstanding he doth not see these things with a supernaturall eye, he doth not see these things to be holy, and gracious, and to be fit for him: he wish­eth them with conditions, but not with the altering of his disposition. As a man may see an earthly thing with a heavenly eye: because he sees God in it, and there is somewhat of God in it to lead him to see him: so a man may see heavenly things with a carnall eye, as Balaam wished to die the death of the righteous. A carnall man may be ravished with heavenly things; but he must look upon them as things sutable, or else all is to no purpose.

How doth faith see this? how comes faith Quest. to have this strength?

[Page 224] Because faith sees things in the power of God, it sees things in the truth of God; he [...] Answ. Faith lookes to Gods power and truth. Iehovah, he gives being to things: therefore as God Almighty gives being to things in their time, when they are not: so faith in his pro­mises sees that these things will bee, it sees things in the truth of God, in the promise of God; there it hath these eyes to see a farre off It selfe is wrought by the mighty power of God in the soule, for it is a mighty power for the soule to neglect the things it sees, to neglect riches, and honours, and pleasures, and to stand admiring of things that it sees not: for a man to rule his course of life upon rea­sons which the world sees not, because there is a happinesse to come, and a God that he be­lieves in, &c. It is a mightie power that plants such a grace in the heart, faith is wrought by the mighty power of GOD. As it selfe is wrought by the power of God, so it layes hold upon the power of God, that the pro­mises shall be performed. In all the promises it sees, and layes hold on the mighty power and truth of God, and therefore it hath such an eye.

Our duty then is to labour to have our faith Use. To labour for strong sight of faith. cleare, to have this eye of faith, to have a strong faith, a strong sight.

When is the sight of faith strong? Quest.

When it is as the faith of these Patri­archs Answ. Three things in a strong sight. was.

There are three things that make a strong [Page 225] sight, that makes us conceive that he sight of faith is a strong sight.

When the things are farre of that we see, then if the eye see them it is a strong sight: a weake eye cannot see a farre off.

Secondly, when there are clouds betweene though the things be neare; yet when there are clouds betweene, to breake, and pierce through them, there must be a strong sight.

Then thirdly, when there is but a little light; when there are many obstacles in the middest, and to breake through all by a little light to seethings remote, here is a strong eye, and this was the sight of these blessed men, they had a strong eye.

For the things they looked on were re­mote, a farre off, diverse thousands of yeares 1 When the thing seene is farre off. they saw Christ by faith: the soule mounted up on the wing of faith, it flew over many thousands of yeares in a moment, and see Christ the Messias, and see heaven it selfe typi fied in Canaan. So swift is the eye of faith, it mounts over all in a moment. As the eye of the body in a moment can looke to the v [...]si­ble heavens, so a strong faith, it sees Christ in heaven.

And then betweene them, and that they 2 When there are clouds be­tweene. looked to what difficulties were there? Bles­sed Abraham who was a type of Christ, how many difficulties had he? besides other of the Patriarchs. We see God commanded him to slay his sonne, a command (one would thinke) [Page 226] against reason, against affection, against hope, it was faith against faith as it were, It was a­gainst reason in the eye of flesh. Now in this case to strive against all these difficulties, what a many clouds must Abraham breake through here, against sense, and against affection, hee must hope against hope, hee must have faith a­gainst faith, he must deny affection, hee must goe and take his only begotten son Isaac, and he must be the executioner and butcher him­selfe and slay him for a sacrifice; Here must be a strong faith in the power of God, that must see God raysing Isaac from the dead, as he did after a sort: for when he was bound for a sacrifice ready to bee slaine, he caused a Ramme to be taken in the thicket, and to be offered, and Isaac escaped. It was a strong faith to breake through all these. Indeed blessed Abraham saw more excellency, and power in the work of God then in his beloved Isaac. So faith that is strong it sees more comfort, and joy, and matter of benefit and blessing to the soule in the promises, and in the word of God then in Isaac, that is, then in the dearest thing in our owne account that we have, that the faithfull soule had rather part with all then with God: it will not part with his promi­ses for all that is in the earth, not for the dea­rest thing in this world, Isaac shall goe rather.

Then for their light to goe by it was but 3 When there is little light. little, what a little light had they? Answ. Promises, they saw things in types, and glasses, [Page 227] a few promises, and what was that they sought? A heritage farre off. Wee on the contrary have all set nearer hand that may helpe us, but wee have a weaker faith. One would thinke it should greatly help us to lead our lives till we come to heaven: for that that we believe is nearer, heaven is nearer, how lit­tle a time is betweene us, and the day of judg­ment? how little a time betweene us, and the glory that is to be revealed? For the clouds that we have betweene they are none in com­paring our light with theirs. How many pro­mises have we discovered before hand? we have Christ come in the flesh and risen again: we have the Gentiles called, and all these things we have light upon light: we have larger pro­mises, and a larger unfolding of divine truths; the Canon is inlarged, the Bible is enlarged, more than it was then; there are many books added, and the New Testament. Now how doth it come to passe that we see not so well as they, nor so strongly as they? I answer, the reason is this, their light was lesse, but their sight was stronger, we have more light, and lesse sight; we have things nearer, but our sight is weaker. (the more shame for us) A strong eye may see a farre off by a little light. When a weake eye cannot see so farre by a greater light. The eye of their soule, the eye of faith was stronger, and more light some: the spirit of God was stronger in Abraham, but his light of revelation was lesser; he had [Page 228] fewer promises: for he desired to see Christs day, and saw it not.

So it is with Christians sometimes, when there is a great strength of faith, yet it may be there is not so much light: a weake Chri­stian may have more light, but he hath a weak­er eye, and he in that respect sees better then a stronger. To a stronger God doth not disco­ver to him so much outwardly sometimes su­table to his inward, Gods dispensations are di­verse in this kind.

Now to helpe our sight to heaven, this To helpe the sight of faith. sight of faith, that wee may every day as­cend with the eye of our soules, with this bles­sed sight.

Let us take heed of the God of this world Satan, that hee doe not with the dust of the 1 Take heed that Satan blind not. world dimme our sight: what is the reason that many cannot see the glorious things of GOD? The God of this world, saith the Apo­stle, hath blinded their eyes; hee casts dust in their eyes, they are covetous, they are blind in their affections they have darke soules. The soule when it is lead by affections, and lusts; when the affections will not suffer it to see, it covers the eyes of it. And then the outward things of the world, they are cast into the eyes, we must take heed of these inward, and out­ward lets, take heed of Sathan, that he doe not with outward objects bewitch us. For as it is in prospective glasses: you know such glasses, Simile. some are of that nature, they represent to a [Page 229] man things that are a farre off, as if they were neare, so faith it is a kind of prospective glasse, it presents to the soule by reason of this super naturall light, things that are farre off as if they were neare. Now as God hath his prospective glasses, to see a farre off; so the Devill hath prospective glasses, that when things are neare he makes them seene a farre off (as such glas­ses there are too) when death, and danger, and damnation are nea [...]e; When a man carries the sentence of damnation in his bosome, when he carries a stayned, defiled conscience; the devill with his prospective glasse makes him see death, and destruction as a farre off. I may live so many yeares, and enjoy my plea­sure, and my will. Now this is but a false glasse, the devill abuseth them: for your life is but a death, and when we begin to live we be­gin to die: why should we account therefore of the time to come? death and life goe in equall pace one with another, everyday we live so much is taken from our life; and then the cutting off of all is uncertaine: let us take heed that Satan blind us not.

And withall desire God to open our eyes 2 Desire God to open our eyes. every day, to take the scales from the eye of our soules, that we may see the promises, that we may see Christ, that we may see God shi­ning on us in Christ: that he would take away the vaile from the things by exposition, that he would open the truth to us by his Ministers: and that hee would take away the vaile from [Page 230] our hearts, that our hearts may joyne with the things. That when by ministeriall meanes the things are cleare, that there may not be a vaile of infidelity on our hearts, but that our hearts may sweetly joyne with them. Let us begge daily that GOD would take away the things that hinder, inward and outward, that we may see the things a farre off: that we may not be as Peter saith, mop eyed, that wee cannot see a farre off, but that we may set heaven before our eyes, and the judgement and the happi­nesse to come, that we may see, and view and eye those things by faith, and that wee may square our lives answerable.

Then againe to helpe our sight of Christ, and happinesse, let us get a fresh sight of our 3 Get a sight of corruption. corruption, and sinne every day: let us every day look on that terrifying object of our cor­ruption of nature hang it in the eye of our soules as an odious object to humble us. Let us see every day what a corrupt heart we car­ry about us, see how odious these things are to God, how it offends him, see how it expo­seth us to the wrath of God, if he should take us in the middest of our sinnes, and corrupti­ons: let us have these things fresh in our eyes every day, and that will cleare our sight. Men are loath to looke in the booke of their con­sciences, because they are loath to be disturbed from their pleasures.

Let us see what need we stand in of Christ: the view of our corruptions will make us glad [Page 231] to see a better object, it will make us turne our eyes to CHRIST, to the promises, and all things that we have by Christ, we shal be glad to look to him: What is the reason we have no more delight to see the glorious things a­farre off? We see not the dimension of our corruptions: for then we would be glad to see all the dimensions of Gods love in Christ, the height, and bredth, and depth and all. So much for that.

It was such a sight of the things as was Perswasion fol­lowes sight. with convincing; with perswasion. And in­deed this followes well upon sight: for sight of all other sences perswades best: hearing is not so perswasive as sight: supernaturall sight: brings forth supernaturall perswasion. Sight is a convincing sense even outward sight: so inward sight it is a convincing thing it perswades, and sets downe the soule that a thing is so, when a man sees it. All the men in Sight convin­ceth. the world cannot perswade the weakest man in the world, when it is day, or night; when the sunne shines, or it is darke, that it is not so: when he sees it, he will believe his owne eyes more than all the world besides. And as it is in sensible things, we believe our owne eyes: so much more in spirituall things we believe our eyes. When there is a spirituall light of [Page 232] revelation in the word discovering such things, and also to spirituall light a spirituall eye: when the spirit puts an eye into the soule to see supernaturall things that reason cannot attaine to; then there is perswasion: though all the world should perswade the soule that such a thing were not so, it would say it is so, it will believe its owne eyes. If all the world should perswade a Christian that there is no such excellency in religion, that his wayes are not good, that he is but foolish, &c. he knowes the contrary, and will not be scorned out of his religion, and driven out of it by any con­trary perswasion of men whom hee pitties (though perhaps they are otherwise beyond him) in the state of nature: for sight it is a convincing thing.

Especially when there is some taste with Especially with taste. sight: for tast together with sight convince [...] of the goodnesse of things; as we see in those that lead their life by tasting and feeling. The creatures maintaine their life by tasting some proportionable food fit for them. So a Chri­stian, when once hee hath tasted of spirituall things, the proper food of his soule, when he hath seene, and tasted of them, he will never be driven out of his religion, and his [...] by any meanes, when he hath seene, and [...] ­ed, he is throughly perswaded. A man must not dispute against tast, when he hath tasted a thing to be so, talke to him otherwise, he saith, I have tasted, and feele, and see it to be so; [Page 233] and therefore wee see that after sight comes perswasion.

Now this perswasion is a supernaturall per­swasion, Perswasion su­pernaturall. and it is

• Generall,
• Particular.

A generall perswasion of the things, of the generall truths, and a particular personall per­swasion of our interest in them. When wee are perswaded that the truths are so, general­ly, that are revealed in the word of God; and when we are perswaded by the help of the spirit that wee have a particular interest in them, a portion in them. And both are here meant. They see them a farre off, and were per­swaded of them, they were convinced both of the truth, and goodnesse of them: and of the truth and goodnesse to them in particular.

Now perswasion is a setled kind of know­ledge. Perswasion what. Perswasion comes diverse wayes, there be diverse degrees tending to perswa­sion. Degrees to perswasion.

First, the poorest degree of the apprehen­sion of things, is conjecture; a guessing that 1 Conjecture. such a thing may bee so or otherwise, but I guesse it rather to be so.

Beyond conjecture there is opinion, when a man thinkes it is so, upon more reasons 2 Opinion. swaying him one way: and yet in opinion there is feare on the contrary that it may bee otherwise.

[Page 234] And the third degree beyond opinion is cer­taine knowledge, when a man is not only con­ceited, 3 Knowledge from argument that the thing is so, his opinion is so up­on some reasons inducing him; but hee knowes it by arguments, and reasons: that is science and knowledge, when the mind is per­swaded by arguments; but that is not so much here meant, the perswasion by argu­ment.

There is another degree then, of know­ledge 4 Perswasion from authority of the speaker. which is by the authority of the speak­er, a perswasion from thence: when I know not the thing by the light of the thing so much, because I see the reason of the thing; but because I know such a one saith it; that is the perswasion of faith. When one is perswa­ded of a thing not so much out of his owne knowledge, out of the principles of the thing; setting out the causes of the thing, as out of the credite of the person that speakes. Now this perswasion riseth out of faith in the autho­rity of the person, when I believe a thing for the authority of the speaker: it ariseth from the knowledge of him that speakes; that he is able, and that hee is true and that he is honest, and good: that he will not deceive because he is good, and he will not bee deceived because he is wise; we conceive that he is wise, and holy, and able with all, one that we trust. If together with this knowledge and perswasion, from the authority, and truth, and goodnesse and wisdome of the speaker, there be joy [...]ed [Page 235] sense and experience, we see it proved; and when there is experience, there is reason why And some ex­perience. wee should believe that he saith because wee have found the thing to be so. So when there is both the authority of the speaker, and some inward sense, some sight, and taste, and feeling, and experience of the thing spoken; here comes that setled perswasion: for hee is un­doubtedly true that hath spoken it, and I have found in some degree the thing true that hee hath spoken. Now both are here meant in some degrees, they saw the things a farre off, both by the authority of the promise; as like­wise by their owne sight, and some taste they had.

For God reserves not all for heaven, God gives his children some taste, and feeling, some little joy, and comfort; the first fruits of the spirit here. So they were perswaded, from the authority of the speaker, and some sense, and feeling of the thing in somemeasure.

Now this perswasion hath its degrees. Degrees in this perswasion.

There is a full perswasion.

And there is a perswasion that is not so full that is growing to further perswasion still.

And this perswasion hath degrees, both in the generall perswasion, of the truths them­selves, and in their particular interest: for all Christians are not alike perswaded of divine truths themselves, nor all Christians are not a like perswaded of their particular interest in those truths. There bee degrees in both re­spects. [Page 236] For the things themselves, wee may 1. In generall. grow stronger, and stronger perswaded: even as the light, and our eye growes clearer, the stronger is our sight: so our perswasion while we are here may grow stronger, and stronger. It was strong in Abraham; yet not so uni­formely strong, but that it was weaker some­times then others, as we see in the story. And 2. Particular. so for particular perswasion, the spirit of God may give assurance that may bee shaken, I but he recovers himselfe presently: the tenour of a Christians life is usually a state of fight, and perswasion, when he is himselfe, and when he remembers his owne principles.

To come particularly, you see here that, ‘Spirituall perswasion is necessary. Spirituall per­swasion neces­sary.’

Both of the things in generall, and of our interest in them.

It may bee asked whether there may be Quest. a perswasion of the truth in generall, without a perswasion of our owne particular interest in them?

I answer no; not a sound, undoubted spiri­tual Answ. Sound perswa­sion is with particular inte­rest. Conviction double. perswasion. There is a double conviction, a conviction when a man cannot tell what to say against it: but spirituall conviction is when a man is convinced of the truth, and good­nesse of [...]he thing, and this alwayes drawes the other with it, first or last. A man may be con­vinced that he cannot tell what to say against [Page 237] the truth, but that is not properly perswasion. A man is perswaded by divine truth that all the promises a [...]e true in the Gospell, and it draws with it a particular light: he sees, and is perswaded of his owne interest in it, first or last: for a strong perswasion of divine truth, of Gods word; when I know it is Gods word, it workes in my flesh, it changeth me, it lifts me up, it casts me down, &c. So that a Chri­stian knowes that the word of GOD is the word of GOD by a spirituall perswasion wrought by the efficacy of the word; from an intrinse call principle in the word it selfe.

But sometimes it fals out that a Christian may be convinced of the truth of the word in generall that it is Gods word, and that the promises of salvation are true, and yet not­withstanding he may not feele the particular perswasion of the forgivenesse of his sinnes, and of his acceptation to life everlasting, and his interest in Christ; these two are somtimes separable in regard of feeling. A Christian hath alway a perswasion of the truth of GOD, of the things, but hee hath not al­way a like perswasion of his owne interest in them.

How doe you prove that these are severed Quest. sometimes.

Thus; There is the birth, and infancy of a Answ. Particular per­swasion some­times weake. Christian; when a Christian is in his birth, he is not perswaded of his owne good estate, as hee is after when hee is growne, then hee [Page 238] knowes his estate. A soule that is in the state of grace that hungers and thirsts after good things, at that time it may be it is not acquain­ted that it shall be satisfied, it is not acquain­ted, of its owne interest, but stretcheth it selfe forward for intire satisfaction, and it shall be satisfied: that is, the soule that hungers, and thirsts after the perswasion of GODS love in Christ, and the forgivenesse of sinnes, and life everlasting, there is never soule that thus [...] ­gers, and thirsts but God satisfies it at length, for the most part in this world, or else certain­ly in the world to come forever. But alway where there is this perswasion supernaturall, that the word of GOD is true indeed, that there is salvation to all true believers, when it is wrought by the spirit; there is either a perswasion of our interest, or somewhat ten­ding to perswasion, some hungering and thir­sting, some desire that God accepts for the deed, to shew that such a man is in the state of grace.

I speake this the rather, because some are deceived in their owne estates, they doe not conceive aright of themselves, they thinke they are not in the state of grace when they find not that particular, strong assured perswa­sion.

I answer they may be in the state of grace God suspends the knowledge of being in a good estate. notwithstanding. A Christian knowes not his owne estate alway, at all times. It is one grace to bee in a good estate, and another to [Page 239] have the knowledge of it, they bee different gifts of God, and God suspends the know­ledge of a mans being in a good estate, for se­verall ends.

Sometimes, among the rest for this one, to humble us, to keepe us from security, to make 1 To humble us. us carefull, and diligent; to make us know that hee hath the keeping of our feeling and per­swasion in his owne hands. As hee hath the keeping of all our grace, so he hath the keep­ing of the knowledge that we have grace, and of our comfortable walking, that wee may know we have every thing from him, both grace, and the feeling of grace: and if wee take liberty to our selves, hee will take libertie, to keepe our feeling at that time: to make us humble, and to make us seeke reconci­liation againe, It is one part of Gods dispensati­on with his children, to hinder their perswasi­on of their particular interest sometimes.

Sometimes the children of God may be in such a condition; as that they may thinke for a time in their judgement, that they bee in a contrary esta [...]e; they are misperswaded of themselves, not to bee Gods children (as it were) God may suffer this, that they shall not only have a weake staggering perswasion, but a perswasion to the contrary though it bee a false perswasion.

But how shall they know that they are Gods Quest. children at that time? They say they are so shaken, and at a stand, they are so conceited [Page 240] that they are none of Gods: that God hath left them, and forsaken them.

You may know it by this, that at the same Answ. How to know Gods children in losse of as­surance. time they are conscionable of al heavenly du­ties, at the same time, they neglect no meanes of salvation: at the same time they complaine against their owne corrupt course of life that hath given God occasion to leave them thus to themselves, at the same time they strive against this, and labour to be perswaded of GODS truths in generall. And though the devill sometimes shake that perswasion, that Gods truth is not Gods truth, and make them questi­on whether it be the word of God or no, and whether there bee such a thing as life everla­sting: (the devill shakes us in principles some­times) but yet a Christian in such temptations, though he be shaken in his principles by the force of wickednesse, yet he attends upon the meanes, and goes on more conscionably, he doth not give backe, but labours for satisfacti­on, and further setling still, and is ashamed of himselfe that hee should have such beastly thoughts as the Psalmist saith, so foolish was I Psalme 73. and ignorant, and as a beast before thee, when hee began to stagger in the principle of the provi­dence of God. So sometimes a Christian is brought, to stagger in principles, in the maine generall perswasion of the word of God, but he likes not himselfe, he accounts himselfe as a beast, and labours for satisfaction still in san­ctified meanes and never gives over; Though [Page 241] he have not particular perswasion, he gives not over holy duties, but goes on in spirituall du­ties, he labours to obey God in all things, he is conscionable to God, in feare and trembling in the least thing. A man may say to such a soule, it shall finde peace at the length: for Gods wayes are unsearchable: GOD hath cause, and reason why he keepes such a soule under for a time, and withholds some sense and perswasion: but usually GODS com­forts come more abundantly to such a soule, he reserves it for the time of affliction, or the houre of death.

The truth is, it is a constant rule, that though Vsually Gods children have particular per­swasion. it may be thus with some in some cases: yet ordinarily Gods children may be perswaded of their particular condition; yea, and they ought to labour after this perswasion, and assu­rance, that their soules may be filled with mar­row, and fatnesse, and that they may joy in God, and have boldnesse to come before God in prayer, that they may be fruitfull in all ho­ly duties: that they may be strong to suffer af­flictions, and to resist temptations. Therefore though God sometimes in his wise dispensa­tion, suffer them to be hindred: yet not with­standing this is a thing that is both attainable, and that they ought to labour for, and never give their hearts rest till they attaine to it.

I say wee ought to labour for it: for the soule is never in such a frame as it ought to be but when it hath gotten some assurance of [Page 242] Gods love. But I must adde this; we must la­bour that this perswasion be supernaturall by the spirit of God, both of the truths in gene­rall, of the promises in generall, and of our in­terest in particular in them, we must labour that it be by the spirit to our spirits, that the spirit may seale them to our spirits. For it is not suf­ficient to know the word of God to be the word of God, and the promises, to be the pro­mises, because we have beene brought up in them, and can say them by heart, and it were a shame for us to conceive the contrary, that is not sufficient: for that will deceive us. Wee must labour (as I said of knowledge, that we may be supernaturally convinced, so also that is from that knowledge,) that it may be spiri­tuall, or else it will deceive us.

How doe we prove that? Quest.

To make it a little clearer, because it is a Answ. If perswasion be not superna­turall. point of some consequence, even as I shewed of what consequence the sight of faith is: so I may say of this perswasion. We must labour therefore to know how we come by this per­swasion, and whether it be such as we can hold out in, whether it be such by which wee can stand out in the time of temptation. If there be nothing but that argument of breeding, and of generall light, of discourse, that we see one thing how it followes from another: I say it will deceive us: because constant obedience will never follow upon such a perswasion; nor constant holding out to death, nor constancy [Page 243] in death (if the conscience be once awaked) neither will wee be fruitfull in our lives, and conversations. To make this cleare.

If the soule be not perswaded by the spirit 1 There will not be obedience. of God, together with the spirit of the Scrip­ture, for the same spirit that is in the Scripture, must be in our spirit, working our natures su­table to the Scriptures to be holy: if we doe not by that spirit by which the Scripture was endited, know those truths, we shall never be obedient to them, not constantly. For what is the reason, that men when they are told, God doth forbid you to take his name in vaine; God forbids you to seeke after earthly things, God forbids you by the Scriptures to defile your vessels, he forbids you to seeke these things be­low, he forbids you these courses. Now a man that hath knowledge that is not supernaturall, that hath it not by the spirit, he heares these things with a kind of scorne, and despiseth them as nicities, he never maks scruple of these things, because he knows they are forbidden, or commanded of God, because he heares so; but he hath not knowne by the spirit of God that penned the Scriptures, that these indeed are Gods divine truths, the spirit hath not sealed these truths to his soule, this is Gods word; he hath not felt it in converting his soule in mor­tifying his corruptions, in raising him being cast down; in working wonders in his consci­ence, in bringing all into a spirituall subjection. When he hath not felt the word worke thus, [Page 244] for all his generall knowledge by education, and breeding, and reading, he may be a diso­bedient wretch, and live, and die a rebell, and bitter opposite against the power of grace: be­cause he hath not knowledge of the word of God and of particular truths by the spirit of God, it is no perswasion of the spirit.

And this is that that men wonder at, that know not the mystery of these things: to see great Schollers, men of great knowledge, per­haps Divines, that are Preachers to others, to see such an one vicious, to see him carnally dis­posed as others, when a man seeth this hee thinkes, what doe you talke of the word of God, if there were such a thing, men that know these things must needs lead their lives after the rule. It is no wonder, the devill hath know­ledge enough, but he is no divine at all, because he hath it from his nature being a spirit: so a man may be a devill incarnate, he may have knowledge of these things, and yet no true divine. But hee that is taught by the spirit of God, the things in the word of God, the spi­rit workes a taste in them. Historicall truths are knowne by their owne light, there is no such need of the spirit to discover them, but the promises, and threatnings, and such things, are knowne by the spirit, a man feeles the pow­er of the word of God, then a man is convin­ced; otherwise if the spirit doe not reveale these things, a man will never obey, but be re­bellious.

[Page 245] And as there willbe no obedience, so there will be no holding out in time of perill and 2 No holding out temptation. The perswasion that a carnall man hath that is not a sanctified perswasion, it will not hold out in the houre of death, in the time of temptation, in strong temptation, ei­ther on the right hand by preferments, and favours, or on the left hand by threatnings, and persecutions; it is but a seeming perswasion, when any thing comes that is stronger than it, it will not hold; when there is afflictions, and persecutions in the Church, we see many ex­cellent learned men hold not out in their pro­fession, Why? they were drawne to the pro­fession of Religion by dependance on such kind of men, or they only followed religion as they saw reason for it, or they have been so bred in it, &c. Now reason may bee brought against reason; when men have no other mo­tives then these, when persecution comes that they must loose their preferments or their friends or their life, they fall away altogether: because that perswasion that they seemed to have before, it was no spirituall perswasion wrought from intrinsecall grounds of divine truth, that hath a majesty, and a spiritualnesse in it selfe, but it was meerely wrought out of forraine grounds. Now we see a meaner man that hath his knowledge wrought by the spirit of God; the same spirit seales that knowledge to him with the word of God, that indited the Scripture, and acted the holy men of God, [Page 246] that wrote the Scriptures. As his portion is in­comparably great, so he is perswaded of his interest in those good things, the same spirit that convinceth him of the truth, and of the certainty of the things, it convinceth him like­wise of his part in them, and this supernaturall perswasion together with his interest in those good things perswaded of, sets downe the soule, so as it will not move: he holds out in persecution, because he hath felt the worke of divine truth in his soule; he hath found the spirit of God casting him downe, and raysing him up to comfort, therefore he holds out in his perswasion in all tryalls, and never apostati­zeth from that estate, and condition.

And so for unfruitfulnesse in conversation, 3 No fruitfulnes. notwithstanding all those motives we have in the word of God, a man that is not convinced spiritually of those excellent things, he goes on deadly as if there were no motives, because the spirit of God hath not sealed them to his spirit: hee hath not given him an apprehensi­on of the divine incouragements wrapped up in the promises in the Scripture, and when death and danger come, for the most part such men are desperate notwithstanding all their learning, and knowledge literall that they have. For it will not hold water, all know­ledge that is not wrought by the spirit of God sealing divine truth to the soule, with some evidence of the power of it, it will not hold out in the tryall. all.

[Page 247] Especially when Satan with his fiery darts comes with strong temptations: for the soule never felt the working power of the word. It feeles then the temptation, it apprehends the poysonfull fiery temptation but it hath not so inwardly digested the truths of the spirit, and therefore is surprized with the horrour and spaire: there is not wrought in heart an de­experimentall feeling of knowledge, and ther­fore the heart cannot beat backe the temp­tation.

When the Devill shall come and tell men you have beene thus, and thus, and they have not felt the truth of that they seemed to be­lieve; conscience tels them, it is true I have heard, and read such, and such things, I never believed them, they never sunke deepely into my heart: when temptation shall bee nea­rer the soule then, the truth shall bee, when temptation presseth sore, they are swallowed up of despaire: therefore let us labour that our generall knowledge from the word and our particular knowledge and perswasion that it may be spirituall.

Now how doth the spirit worke this par­ticular Quest. perswasion?

I answer, the spirit of God workes it in Answ. Perswasion wrought by the spirit. the soule together with the word: the spirit and the word goe together, All the men in the world cannot perswade the soule, without the spirit of God joyne, Paul preached, but God opened Lidia's heart. We have it not [Page 248] of our selves, it must come from without, from Gods spirit opening our eyes, and perswading, and convincing our hearts, God perswade Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Sem, no creature can do it, it is passive, it is said here they were perswaded. That perswasion that is sound, that carries a man to heaven, by which hee dies in faith, [...] must be from the spirit of God. All the words of the ministery, and all reasons, nothing will do it but God, God must perswade thesoule.

Now what doth the spirit here?

The spirit enlightens the understanding w^ch Quest. I spake of before, it opens the understanding in Answ. How the spirit perswades. perswasion, it doth propound arguments, and motives from the excellency of the things promised, and the priviledges of religion, and the good things we have by Christ, &c. and together with propounding these excellent in­couragements and motives, the spirit strongly works upon the disposition, upon the will, and affections, it works upon the soule, and so doth perswade and convince.

And thereupon comes imbracing (which I shall have occasion to speake of afterward) The soule being perswaded imbraceth.

Now this perswasion is not only by pro­pounding of arguments by the word, and spi­rit, but likewise a working upon the will, from whence there followes an inclination of the will, and an imbracing of the things wee are perswaded of.

For let all the arguments in the world bee [Page 249] brought to a man to perswade him, that God will be mercifull to him in Christ: tell him of the free offer, Whosoever will, let him come in, all that will; a large offer, let him joyne to that offer of mercie the inviting, Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will ease you: a sweete inviting: Ioyne with the invita­tion a command; it is his command that wee should believe in his son Iesus: let him strengthen that command with the threatning, he that be­lieves not is damned already. Let a man remove all objections that the soule can make, of its unworthines, Come unto me all ye that are weary, and heavie laden, and I will ease you, though you groane under the burden of your sinne. Let a man object againe, I have nothing wor­thy in my selfe. Why, come, and buy though you have no money. Let him strengthen all these proposalls with examples of the mercy of God to Manasses, to Peter, to Paul a per­secutor, to Mary Magdalen and the like, let all these arguments be wondrous effectually pro­pounded, the soule will not yeeld unlesse Gods spirit joyne with these arguments, (and all in that kind) and convince the soule of our parti­cular interest in these things, and perswade the will to imbrace these things offered.

That, God hath reserved in his own power, to bring our hearts, and the promises together: to bring our hearts, and divine truths toge­ther. Let there be never so much set before us in the ministery, he hath reserved this prero­gative, [Page 250] and authority that our hearts, and the truth should close together to imbrace them in hearing. All things depend upon the spirit; when we doe not regard the spirit, in hearing and reading, &c. Let all the things the Scrip­ture hath be propounded, and set on with all the excellency, and eloquence that may be, GOD hath reserved it to himselfe, by his spi­rit, to give faith to perswade our soules that these belong to us, and to incline, and draw the will.

I have shewed you then, the kinds of per­swasion, generall, and particular; and how it is wrought by the spirit, that unlesse this per­swasion be wrought by the spirit, we shall ne­ver hold out in it, though we have all the ar­guments in the world, we shall be disobedient. Disobedience comes when things are not dis­covered by the spirit; and apostacie when the perswasion is not wrought by the spirit: and desperation, when the knowledge is not spi­rituall.

Now the manner is by removeing contra­traries, The manner of working this perswasion. and moving the heart, and drawing it. With the word of man, God enters into the very will, and affections: for as hee made the soule, and framed it, so hee knowes how to worke upon it, and to draw it sweetly by rea­sons, but yet strongly that it may be carried to the things revealed. GOD at the same time workes strongly by carrying the soule; and sweetly with reasons. For God first comes [Page 251] into the soule by divine light, by reas [...]; [...]nd then he sinkes into the soule by his spirit, [...]o draw the soule to these reasons: without this we never yeeld to those reasons, but stand [...]ut in rebellion.

GOD perswades the soule sweetly of the 1. Sweetly. [...]ruth by shewing a man the goodnesse of it, and [...]he sutablenesse to our condition, and the rea­sons of it, how they agree to our nature: hee doth not force the soule, but doth it with rea­sons and arguments sweetly. And [...]e doth it 2. strongly. strongly, that the soule when it is perswaded would not for all the world bee of another mind; it is so strong that the perswasion, and [...]he promises, are stronger then the temptati­ons of Saran, and the corruptions of the [...]esh, or then the candals of the world, that nothing [...]an separate us from Christ; nothing can drive [...]s from our faith, and hope, the perswasion is [...]et so strongly upon the soule because it is a divine perswasion. ‘It is a strong worke to perswade the soule. A strong work to perswade the soule.’

For the spirit of God. When it brings a light into the soule it brings agreat many gra­ces with it, when it shines upon the soule, and discovers better things, it brings other graces [...]o perswade, and to imbrace the things it dis­covers.

As it is an infinite mercy, and goodnesse of God to discover to our soules such excellent [Page 252] things, as we may be perswaded of; as if [...] estate to be such as indeed it is above our [...] prehension in this world, neither eye hath [...] nor [...]are heard nor hath entred into the heart [...] man, the things that God hath prepared for [...] that love him: so likewise it is Gods infinite worke of power to frame the soule to be per­swaded of this: it is as m [...]ch power to [...] the soule to this perswasion, as it is mercy [...] discover them in a manner: there is such [...] ward rebellion, and distrust in the soule, [...] ling these truths into question, as if the [...] things were too good to be true. Consider [...] our owne unworthinesse, and vilenesse, [...] the excellency of these things, laying the [...] together, the unbelieving heart of man [...] prone to unbeliefe above all other sinnes▪ [...] can hardly conceive that there are such thin [...] for Gods children, except the heart be [...] [...] tily wrought on, unlesse together with [...] swasion there be some worke in the soule▪ whence it may gather by the work of the spi­rit that they are those to whom such good things belong, because the spirit of God hath sing [...]ed them out, and set his seale, and stampe on them, above other men by some evidence [...] of grace.

It is another manner of worke then the world takes it to be: For as I said before, to­gether with the Scripture, there must a spirit of perswasion goe, there is a sec [...]et messenge [...] goes with the outward peech, both of the [Page 253] preacher, and of the Scripture or else all the [...]guments will not be to purpose, they will be [...]f no efficacy.

As the Israelites they had arguments, and [...]otives enow to perswade them of Gods love [...]nd care to them, yet notwithstanding GOD [...]ave them not a heart, Deut. 29. In Christs Deut. 29. [...]me, what miracles did they see? yet their [...]earts were hardned, because God together [...]ith his shining in the outward meanes did [...]ot subdue the rebellion of their wi [...] and af­ [...]ections; and therefore the more they saw, [...]he more they were hardned: the Scribes and [...]harisees, and some of their desperate fol­ [...]owers.

Well then considering that the spirit doth Use. To labour for spirituall per­swasion. [...]his great worke, let us labour that our know­ [...]edge may be spirituall; that our perswasion of divine truth in generall, and our part, and [...]ortion in divine truth that it may bee spiritu­ [...]ll: for as Saint Paul divinely, and excellent­ [...]y sets it downe, 2 Cor. 2. 10, 11. that as no [...]an knowes the things that are in man, but the spi­ [...]it 2 Cor. 2. 10, 11. that is in man: so no man knowes the things of Gods word, divine truths, nor his part, and por­ [...]ion and interest in them, but by the spirit of God. If wee bring the Engine of our owne [...]it, and parts to Gods truth, [...]o sermons and [...]ookes, wee may never be the better, if wee [...]ome not with a spirituall intention, with [...]everent, and humble hearts, and implore the [...]eaching of the spirit that together with the [Page 254] revelation of the word there may bee [...] [...] ving of the vaile by the spirit, that vvith [...] outw [...]rd teaching there may bee the inwar [...] teaching of the spirit; that with the [...] opening the [...]are there may be the opening [...] the hear [...], that he that hath the key of [...] may open, and inoline, and perswade the [...] that hee may perswade Iaphet, as the Scrip [...] phrase is.

It is fac [...]legious presumption to come [...] holy places, and to set upon holy duties, [...] heare or read the word of God, without [...] ting up our hearts to God for his holy [...] We cannot plow without his Heifer. Can [...] know the mind of God without the [...] God▪ What arrogancy is this to thin [...] [...] be saved; and the spirit never tell us with [...] word so: but it is only a presump [...] [...] [...]. This is a sacrilegious surpation [...] [...] Gods glory. The spirit of God know [...] [...] things are in God towards us, and reveales [...] our spirits Gods inward love to us, The [...] [...]eacheth us to know the things that are [...] God. Wee only know the good that G [...] meanes us by his owne [...] and therefore let us labour every day more and more [...] [...] spirituall, and heavenly minded.

And above all things to make it [...] [...] To begge the spirit. Luke 11. of our desires as it [...], Luke 11. to pray [...] [...] spirit, he will give his holy spirit to them that [...] it, it is the best, and the chiele gilt of all: [...] this makes our knowledge heavenly, our [...] [Page 255] swasion heavenly; and sound, and constant in [...]e, and death. And this spirit carries the whole soule with it: this spirit makes us like the word of GOD, because it is spirituall it makes us so, and we love it in our inward man, and consent to it, and joy in it. Whereas na­turally there is inward rebellion in the great­est Scholler in the world against the word of God, the heartriseth against divine truths they are as opposite as fire, and water, as heaven, and hell. The proud heart of man slights the promises of mercy as nothing to petty things of the world, it slights the comforts of the word, to carnall comforts, and the Com­mandements of GOD in respect of the commandements of men. The proud man lookes scornefully, upon the things of consci­ence, and of the spirit: only the spirit of God brings the proud heart of man to be subject to the word of God; Nothing that is not spiri­tuall, w [...]ll hold out. Whatsoever is not spiri­tuall, Christ will not owne at the day of judg­ment. I [...] the spirit seale [...], and set a stampe upon us, Christ will looke on his owne stamp of the spirit, where the [...] fr [...]its are not, the harvest will not so low. The spirit is an ear­nest; where the earnest is not, the barg [...]ine will not follow. I beseech you let us labour for the spirit in the use of all meanes: let us [...]ttend upon the word, which is the ministery of the spi­rit, and wee shall find that the spirit will alter, and change us, and shew us our interest in the [Page 256] promises, and the goodnesse of them. [...] more we a [...]end upon the means, the more [...] shall see it, and the more we pray the mo [...] [...] shall have the spirit: and the more wee ob [...] God, the more we shall have the spirit of Go [...] God gives his spirit to them that obey him.

And this should reach us when we come [...] Use. To desire God to perswade us. heare, or to read the word of God. Lo [...] pen mine eyes, LORD penswade my [...] LORD bow the necke of my soule, [...] my inward man, that Iron sinew, Lord [...] away my hard heart and give mee a [...] [...]sh, teach my heart, thou must perswade, [...] incline me, incline my heart Lord.

Wee wa [...] religious carriage in this, [...] come presumptuously upon con [...] [...] wit, to heare Se [...]ons, and to [...] [...] and so wee come away worse than wee [...] Why? w [...] do [...] not [...] too Go [...] [...] swa [...] us. ‘They [...]ere [...] [...] of [...]’

Man [...] here, [...] he opens [...]he eyes, and God perswades with enlight­ning. [...] hee perswades. God perswades the [...] [...] [...], [...] [...] [...] [...] Devill [...] [...] his Vlcar, [...] [...] [...]wade by darknesse, by maintaining [...] [...]ome of darknesse. The Devill all [...] shewes no reason, he keepes the soule [...] [...]esse, and blindnesse. Anti christ pe [...] [...] [Page 257] men to their religion, how? by fleshly allure. men's, not instructing them, and opening their eyes, inlightning their understandings, [...]ut GOD opens their eyes, to see, and [...]hen teaches, and perswades. The devils in­struments they perswade, and so they teach, [...]nd draw away, they perswade with carnall objects, and the like, to draw, and bewitch the [...]ffections, and so the judgment is darke still. But where there is true dealing, there is no [...]are of the light.

Therfore those that are enemies, to the means of salva [...]ion, that feare, Gods people should know too much, they take a course contrary to God: for God enlightens, and then per­swades, and knowledge enlightneth: so that knowledge is necessary. All divine perswa­sion of faith hath the name of knowledge. They were perswaded by the spirit of God of the truth of GOD having their eyes o­pened.

It is an evidence we are not perswaded, we Evidence that we are not per­swaded. come to Church, and attend upon the means, we goe on in a course of sinne; wee are not divinely perswaded, God hath not perswaded our hearts, he hath not enlightned us. For if the covetous man were perswaded, that nei­ther covetous nor extortioners should enter into the kingdome of heaven, would hee not leave that course? Light and perswasion, alway rule the action: for we work, as we see, and are perswa­ded in every thing.

[Page 258] The very beasts do as they see, and as sense leads them: an Asse beares burthens, you know nature hath s [...]amed, and made him for it: but can you drive the silly creature into the fire? he knowes that will consume him. So that men they are brutish, they will not bee perswaded by the spirit of God, they runne into courses, that if they had light in their soules, and if they were perswaded whither it tends, they would never runne into hell fire. If there were a pit open before a m [...]ns eyes, would hee plunge himselfe into that pit that were before his eyes? A man that lives in sinnes against conscience, hee runs into a pit. There are no manner of liers, of who [...] mongers, of covetous persons, of such wret­ches as take the name of God in vaine, that shall escape unpunished. Men leada life in a course wherein they see a pit before them, and yet they runne on; are they perswaded. No, no, certainely they are not perswaded.

And so for the meanes of salvation, men that care not for hearing the word, are they perswaded it is the word of God to salvation? they are not perswaded. We may know the truth of our perswasion by the power it ha [...] to r [...]le our lives and conversations. What is the reason that a simple man, a weake man, [...] lives. Christianly, and dies in the faith he lived by; when as a great man, in conceite, in know ledge he lives wickedly, and dies worse? he cause the one hath not this knowledge of the [Page 259] spirit, the spirit of God never opened his eyes, the spirit of God never perswaded him, hee hath it in bookes, and by education and the like. There are none that ever hold out but those that have the spirit of God to be their teacher and perswader. Wee must see things in their owne proper light, the spirit of God hath to deale with the heart, God hath only power of that: he must deale with the heart, we must not trust therefore to education, or to outward things. If a man should aske the reason of men, why doe you leave these cour­ses, why doe you doe this good? a Christian doth not say, I was brought up to this, or I cannot doe otherwise: but I do it from a prin­ciple of the New Creature. Let us desire God, that we may doe things from reasons of Scripture, from reasons of pleasing God, that we may doe them from a holy sanctified affe­ction, that we may bee perswaded by the spi­rit, and then it will hold out. They were perswa­ded of them. ‘And imbraced them.’

They imbraced the promises: the good things promised, Christs comming in the flesh, and Canaan the type of heaven, and hea­ven it selfe; though they had not these things, yet they imbraced what they had, they im­braced the promises. That is the nature of Faith makes much of what it hath. faith, if it have not that it lookes (as it hath [Page 260] not till it come to heaven;) yet it makes much of that it hath, it imbraceth the pro­mises, and in the promises the thing it selfe promised.

Now these things follow one another in a Imbracing fol­lowes perswasi­on. most naturall order: for sight brings perswa­sion; sight and conviction brings strong per­swasion, and perswasion breeds imbracing: for we imbrace that in our affections that wee are perswaded of to be good. According to the strength of conviction, and perswasion, is the strength of the affections: those things that we have a weake perswasion of, we have a weake affection to, those things that we are fully perswaded of, and are great withall, the affections cannot but stretch forth themselves to imbrace them. When the understanding was enlightned to see the truth, and to be per­swaded of the truth of the promises; then the will, and affections they joyne and imbrace those things: the will makes choyse of them, and cleaves to them, the affection of desire extends it selfe to them, the affection of love imbraceth them, the affection of joy delights in them. Spirituall conviction, alwayes drawes affection. For God hath framed the soule so, that upon discovery of a good o [...] of it selfe, it doth stretch out it selfe to imbrace that object, the good thing presented, it can­not be otherwise.

We see, the eye it cannot but delight in beautifull objects: so the understanding of it­selfe [Page 261] it delights in true things, and the will in things that are good, that are delightfully good, or spiritually and conveniently good to the person, it cannot but be so.

The author of nature, God, doth not over­throw nature, but preserves it in its owne worke: therefore where hee gives a light to discover, and perswade, both of the truth in generall; and of our particular interest in those things; hee gives grace likewise, to the will, and affections, to that part of the soule that is carried to good things to imbrace them; and upon discovery of evill, in that part of the soule that is affected to evill, there is an ave [...] ­sation, and loathing of things that are in con­venient, and [...]itfull, it must needs [...] in the light of reason.

We may know whether the spirit of God Triall of our estate by im­bracing. have wrought any thing in [...] by o [...] imbra­cing of good things: for (as I said) Godhath made our soules thus, when the soule [...] con­vinced of the truth, and goodnesse of a thing, and isperswaded, the affections will alway fol­low that that is shewed to be the best. Now when the spirit of God discovers to the soule the excellencies of religion to bee above all other excellencies whatsoever. That the fa­vourof God is better than life itselfe, and disco­vers to the soule the vanity of all other things; then comes the soule to imbrace them for the soule cannot but [...], which the understanding being [...] [...] [...] [Page 262] best, and best for me: in comparison of all other things, this is now at this time all things considered best for mee to doe; hereupon comes imbracing alwayes; the affections fol­low spirituall perswasion.

There bee two maine branches of faith. 2. Branches of faith. One is spirituall conviction, and perswasion, that things are so good, and that they belong to us. Another branch of faith is to goe out, and close, and meet with the things. Vpon discovery of the excellency of the things; the heart opens it selfe to let in those things.

It is in grace as it is in nature; the heart is open upwards, and pointed downeward: [...] the heart and soule of a man opens to heaven ward when those things are discovered by the spirit to bee best, the spirit opens, and closeth with those things.

A man may know what he is in religion by his affections, by his affection of love: for the affection of love, will open to the things that are discovered to bee best whereof heeis perswaded, and his affection of joy, h [...] will delight in those thing [...]: and his affection of griefe, his heart will bee shut to things that are contrary: and his affection of zeale, in the p [...]sute of the meanes, and in opposing that that is an enemy to that good, it is alway so, the heart imbraceth what wee are perswa­ded of.

God hath made the affections of the soule for supernaturall things: hee [...] made our [Page 263] understanding to conceive, of the heavenly light and those prerogatives, and priviledges; and hee hath made our affections to imbrace those heavenly things. And then a man is in his right subordination, in his right state un­der God, he is framed as he should be; he is in a right frame of soule: when his soule is convinced of the excellency of the best things and when his affections of joy, and love, and delight, of zeale, and trust, and all are set on those things. For then a man is raysed above the condition of an ordinary man: such a man is come to his perfection, hee is come out of that cursed estate that naturally all are in: for now the soule is set upon things that make it better than it selfe. For the soule is as the things are it is carryed to: when the soule is perswaded of heavenly things, and of its inte­rest in them, and is carryed to them by the sway, and weight of the affections of love, and joy, and delight (which is called here im bracing) then the things imbraced transforme the soule to be like them, as they be heavenly, and glorious, and excellent, there is nothing in the world to be named with them, all else is [...]g, and drosse: then a man comes to bee holy, and heavenly, and spirituall, hee is ray­sed in a condition farre above others, above all othermen, though hee bee never so meane in the world: when his soule is enlightned, and answerable to the light, there is heate; when there is light in the understanding, and heate [Page 264] in the affections accordingly to imbrace, then the soule is in a right temper, a man is a holy, and happy man, therefore no wonder if up­on perswasion, and sight, they imbraced those things.

Let us trie the truth of our estate by our af­fections, To trie our e­stàte by our af­fections. by our imbracing of good things, by opening our hearts to the best things, by our joy, and delight in them. Is there a holy won­derment at them? Oh! how I love thy [...]! and one day in thy courts is better than tenne thou­sand elsewhere, and Oh, the depth of his mercie! and one thing have I desired of the Lord, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life. When the soule stands in admiration of God, and good things; when it is ready to welcome Christ, and heavenly things, and the state of religion; now away all former vani­ties; away all lusts of youth, away all confi­dence in beauty, and strength, and riches, all these are but dung to the soule; the soule hath seene better things, there is a discovery of bet­ter things, and now the respect of all other things falls downe in the soule, when there is a discovery of better things.

The soule cannot doe otherwise, when it is convinced supernaturally; the same spirit that discovers better things, opens the soule to [...] ­low them, it is so with every soule that hath the true worke, and stampe of the spirit in it, it is set upon heavenly things; it saith with Saint Paul, I account all dung and drosse, in com­parison [Page 265] of the excellent knowledge of Christ. There is an attractive, a drawing magneticall power in heavenly things, when they are propo [...]n­ded to the soule, by the spirit to draw the affections and to make us spirituall like them­selves.

Let us therefore labour more and more to have our affections wrought upon. As wee are in our affections, we are in religion. It is impossible that a Christian should be spiritu­ally convinced that there are such excellent things belong to religion, and that hee hath his part and por ion in them: and not bee transformed to a spirituall state, and frame of soule, to love, and delight in holy things, and to despise that which is contrary.

And when he is in such a state, what is all the world to him? What cares he for riches, or pleasures, or honours, when the soule sees incomparable better things? Whom have I in heaven but thee? and what doe I desire on earth in comparison of thee? saith David. When hee had a little meditated of the vanity of earthly things, and saw the goodnesse of God to his children. It is good for mee to draw neere unto God. It is a speech of conviction: the soule is convinced that it is good, and best to draw neare to God in holy meanes, and in holy du­ties to keep close to him, and then it cries out, whom have I in heaven but thee?

Therefore let us never rest in such a know­ledge of holy things, as doth not convince us [Page 266] of the goodnesse of them, and of our interest in them so farre as may draw, and worke upon our affections to imbrace those things.

When we finde our hearts, and affections wrought on, that holy things, as they are ex­cellent in themselves, so they have an answe­rable place in our hearts; that as they are ho­ly, and high, and best, so they have a high place in our hearts, then a man is in the estate of a Christian: or else a man may very well doubt of his estate, when he can heare of hea­ven and happinesse, and of the excellency of the children of God, that they are heires of heaven, &c. and his heart bee not affected with these things: he may well question him­selfe: doe I believe these things? here are rich and precious promises, but where is my precious faith to close with, and to imbrace these things? doe I believe them? If Idoe, how is it that I am no more affected with them? and so let us stand in the meditation of the excellencies of Religion so long till our hearts be affected and warmed with them. This will follow affections, a desire to thinke oft of them: as David joynes both together. Oh! how doe I love thy law, it is my meditation continually. That that a man loves, hee oft thinks of, that stirres up love, and love makes him oft consider of it: and when it is thus with a man, hee is in such [...] condition as these holy Patriarchs, fit to live and die by his faith. They saw them, and were perswad of them, and imbraced them.

[Page 267] Therefore I say we may know whether we have this spirituall light; whether wee have true faith or no, if we have these imbracings; if wee be so perswaded of them that wee im­brace them, with delight, and desire, and love, and joy: if we make choyse of them, and e­steeme them highly, and cleave constantly to that which is revealed to us; then it is a di­vine light, and perswasion; because wee im­brace them.

Certainely, there is nothing in religion di­vine, Faith carries the whole soule unlesse the affections bee carried with it. True faith carries the whole soule, to whole Christ, out of a mans whole selfe. It carries the understanding to see, and the will to chuse, and to cleave, it carries the affections to joy, and delight, and love, it carries all. There­fore those, that when holy things [...] discove­red, they have not a high esteem of them, that they pri [...]e them not above earthly things, that they cleave not to them with a disesteeme of other things, that they joy not in them as their best portion, that they doe not imbrace them, there is no true faith at all, for where there is true faith there is this imbracing.

God hath made the soule (as I said) for these The soule made for hea­venly things. heavenly things; and when the soule and they close together, there is a sweet imbracing then the soule is raysed above it selfe, the soule is quieted, and stilled, and satisfied. There is nothing in the world else will better the soule, but the imbracing of these things; nothing [Page 268] else will beautifi [...], and adorne the soule in God [...] sight, our soules are made forthem, our desires are made to imbrace them, our love, and o [...] joy to delight in them, our wills to cleave to them, and [...]ke choyse of them above o­ther things.

We abuse our soules: they are not made [...] Love of earth­ly things aba­seth the soule. close, and graspe with the world: they are no [...] made for th [...]se things that are base [...] [...] [...] selves, we abase our soules. A cove [...] [...] [...] himselfe wo: sethan [...]is: [...] he is called the world, because hee hath nothing in him better than the world. If we imbrace Christ, and the promises of salvation, the things of anotherlife the imbracing of these rayseth the soule to bee excellent like the things, and it doth [...], and rest [...] [...] [...] For nothing [...] [...] but in its [...] [...] as the heavic [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] What quiets the soule. in the middle p [...]int of the earth; and light bodies rest [...] to their [...] So the soule it [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] faith resting in the [...] [...] God [...] [...] soule [...]rying it to the thing it is made for. [...] these holy men, in all the [...]yles, and [...] bles of tho world, in all confusions, th [...] soules of these blessed [...] rested in Christ.

We may say of all earthly things, as [...] hath this sentence of them, Micah 2. [...] [...] Micah 2. hence, here is not your rest so we may say to the soule concerning ri [...]hes, and honours, and friends, here is [...] yours rest. You were not [Page 269] made to imbrace, and to cleave to these things, Our rest is in Christ, and in the good things we have by him. These good [...] imbraced him with their whole soule.

This shewes that many men have not faith, Want of faith, scene by want of affections. they know not what it meanes. Where there is tr [...]e faith, there is alway, love, and joy, and delight in the things believed, it carries the soule with it. In what measure we apprehend the goodnesse of a thing, in that measure our love is to it: In what measure wee apprehend the greatnesse, and fitnesse of a thing in that measure our affections are carried to it. The understanding reports it to the affections of love, and liking, and they are naturally carried to that which the soule makes report of to bee usefull; the understanding makes them fol­low it: therfore it is a signe our understandings are not perswaded, our eyes are not opened, when wee love not good persons, and good things, when wee cleave not to them above all things. Those that do not imbrace, and cleave in their will, and affections to good things, let them say what they will, they doe not believe. If there were but a light conjecture in men, if there were but a guessing, that there were such a happinesse, and that there were such horrible [...]orments for sinners that live in sinne, they would live otherwise then they doe. There­fore deadnesse in the affections discovers A­theisme in the judgment, and heart, it shewes there is unbeliefe: for how is it possible that a [Page 270] man should not be carried in his affections to a good that he is perswaded of? and how is it possible he should not loath ill, and dest [...] things? If he were perswaded that hell were such as it is; and that these courses lead to hell, and destruction, and estrange him from the fa­vour of God, whose loving kindnesse is better then life it self, if men were perswaded, of [...] things in any strength, their soules would not be affected as they are.

Therefore if wee would know whether na­ture How to know nature is cor­rupted. be corrupted or no, we may do it by this. You have some men that are conceited, especi­ally when they are in their ruffe, and have all things plenty. Divines talke much of the cor­ruption of nature, and such things; they think all is well. O! but do but lay these things to­gether, the excellency of the things promised, and the terrour of the things threa [...]ed, and our [...]ndisposition to these things in regard of perswasion, that we live as if we did not think these things to be true. What a disposi [...]on o [...] soule is that that cals divine truths into questi­on? To believe the lies of our owne hearts, and the temptations of the devill, and the world that lies in mischiefe, before the [...] ­ved truth of GOD it selfe, that is sealed [...] the oath of God? And yet the heart of man [...] naturally carried to believe these things mo [...] than God himselfe. Witnesse the lives of me [...] who have dead, car [...], base affections [...] regard of heavenly things: they shew [...] [Page 271] they are not perswaded of them, notwithstan­ding all the sweete arguments, and perswasi­ons that the Scripture hath. They doe not professe that they call them in question: yet they live as if they made no doubt that they are all false. It is a folly not to believe those things that are sealed by so many evidences as divine things are: but it is more desperate folly to live as if wee did not believe them at all.

If these things were digested, they would make us out of love with our owne naturall e­state, and to labour for a spirit of faith to per­swade our soules: both that those things are so indeed that God hath revealed, and to get assured perswasion of our part, and interest in them. Indeed a dead faith is no faith at all; it is the effect of the whole Epistle of S. Iames, that it is no faith that is dead, it doth not worke upon the heart, and affections, nor the life, and conversation: a dead faith is no faith at all.

Let us shame our selves therefore: Lord, To shame our selves in want of affections. doe I professe I see things above nature? that I see Christ in heaven, and see my selfe there? and do I professe that I am perswaded that the word of God is true, and am I no more affect­ed? where is my love? where is my joy? where is my comfort? doth my heart runne after other things, that professe my selfe to bee perswaded of better things? Let us never rest, but bee angry, and wroth with our hearts [Page 272] and affections: for they are made for these pro­mises, our precious faith is made to imbrace precious promises, and to carry the whole soule to them.

And let us helpe this with complaining of To pray for af­fections. our selves, and with prayer. Lord, thou hast discovered excellent things in thy word, and hast perswaded me, Lord open my heart, the heart is thy throne: the heart, and will and affections thou dealest with especially: Lord incline my heart, inlarge my heart. The LORD hath promised in the new covenant to teach our bowels to love: Lord teach my heart to love thee. Thou hast opened my un­derstanding to conceive holy things; or else I had never beene able to understand thee, and thy truth: teach my bowels also to love, teach them to cleave to the things: take off my love, my joy, and delight, from earthly things and plant them where they should be, inlarge them the right way: fill my heart with thy selfe, as thou hast made it for thy selfe. This should be our desire.

What be the affections wherby the soule im­braceth Quest. these good things it is perswaded of?

The soule imbraceth these things in the af­fections of faith, and hope in the first place: for faith is an emptiegrace in it selfe, it is car­ried Answ. What affecti­ons imbrace good things. to somewhat out of it selfe, that it imbra­ceth, and layeth hold on; and hope is with faith alway. Together with the work of faith and hope there is a sanctifyed affection of the [Page 273] imbracing soule, there is a love of the things promised; (which is imbracing;) and a love of the meanes; and likewise joy, and delight in them, expressed by thankfulnesse. As you see the Patriarchs in the story of Genesis, when God discovered holy things to them a [...]resh that he would give them the land of Canaan; and the Messias to come, and all that happi­nesse; there was thankfulnesse, presently they built Altars to God. And which alway ac­companies thankfulnesse, humility. As A­braham, Genesis 17. 3. downe he falls when God made him such a large promise, he fals downe on his face, as if he were unworthy of Gen. 17. 3. such a thing: so, this disposition alway ac­companies a soule that imbraceth, together with faith, and hope, that leads the affections after them, there is love, expressed in a constant obedience and care of duty to God, many wayes; As it is an affection that will not bee concealed. And joy, and delight, with thank­fulnesse, and humility, considering the excel­lency of the things, and our unworthinesse, that we cannot but have this disposition alway; thankfulnes, and humility. And likewise con­tentment to end our dayes: a disposition that followes imbracing in faith, for where im­bracing of faith and love is in an imperfect­estate, there will be joy when that comes that makes way to full imbracing, that is, in hea­ven it selfe: as Simeon rejoyced when hee im­braced Christ in his armes; what did the old [Page 274] man thinke we, when he came to heaven when Christ and he met there? And Abraham re­joyced to see CHRISTS day with the eye of faith, and likewise imbraced it with faith, and that wrought joy. What did Abraham then when he came to heaven? when he see all ended there? I say death, that makes way to full enjoyning, and imbracing, in this very respect, it is not only patiently entertained of Gods children, but comfortably, as letting them in to the good things that they esteeme above all the world besides: to the possession of Christ, to heaven, and happinesse. Let us consider of these things.

To come to direct us a little, about this imbracing, in faith, and hope, and love, and joy, and the whole soule, when the soule (as it were) goes out to the things wee are perswa­ded of. Quest.

How shall this be wrought upon the soule?

This imbracing wee see it followes upon Answ. How this im­bracing is wrought. perswasion; and perswasion followes seeing: they saw them farre off, and were perswaded of them, and thereupon they imbraced them. There­fore let us labour for a cleare understanding of divine things. That which the eye sees, the heart grieves for in ill; and that that the eye 1. By superna­turall know­ledge. sees the heart imbraceth in good. And in what measure our eye sight of heavenly things is clearer, and our perswasion stronger, in that measure our imbracing is lovely, and full of joy and delight. Therefore let us labour to [Page 275] grow in knowledge, in supernaturall spirituall knowledge; and that our perswasion may be stronger every day more and more, for answe­rable to that, our affections will grow, and will be carried to the things discovered.

And there is nothing more effectuall to commend knowledge to us then this, that it is a meanes to work, a holy and heavenly dispo­sition, and temper in us, especially if it be spi­rituall. And let us meditate upon what wee seeme to know and are perswaded of; let us dwell upon things still, to work them upon the will and affections, let us dwell upon them till our hearts bee warmed well with the things knowne; and that we professe our selves to be perswaded of.

And joyne with it an enquiry upon the soule; are these things so? doe I know these things? and am I perswaded of these things that they are so? how is my disposition an­swerable then, am I so affected as I should be? is my love so hote? and my joy so working, and spiritly, and quicke as it should, or no? and hereupon take occasion to stirre up our selves, and to checke our owne soules. Alas that I should have such things discovered, and that I should see such things, in such a strong perswasion in the booke of God, and professe my selfe to be perswaded of these things and yet be so dead at all times.

And if we find our affections any thing work­ing, that wee are disposed to imbrace these [Page 276] things then wee cannot but be in an excellent temper and blesse God that vouchsafed toge­ther with the excellency of the things them­selves, to shew us our portion by his holy spirit, to enlighten our understandings, and to per­swade us, let us blesse God for this, for it is a worke above nature.

And withall, because the soule cannot close To let goe o­ther things. with, and imbrace these things; but it must let loose other things: (for you know, in im­bracing there must bee a letting goe of those things that were formerly within the gripe) if we would gripe these things in our affection and will, we must have them only, we must not think to graspe the world, and them together; the things here below, and them together; as wee shall see after in that point, they accoun­ted themselves strangers to earthly things. Therefore this is one way to come to this im­bracing, to come to the sight of the vanity, and insufficiency of all things in comparison of Christ, and the happinesse wee have by Christ. To see in matter of judgment, the insufficien­cie of workes, and merit, and such like in the matter of justification; the insufficiency of all such trash as the popish religion abuseth the world withall. And so in matter of con­versation, to see the insufficiency, and emp [...] ­nesse, and vanity, yea the vexation of all things besides these good things here offered, the good things that Gods spirit offers to the eye of our soules that he offers to our wills and af­fections; [Page 277] what are all, to these; and effectual­ly thinke so, thinke what should draw a mans affections after it; beauty or strength; con­sider what will become of these ere long.

And then withall consider the excellency of the estate of the body, and soule in heaven, if we carry our selves as wee should doe, and preserve our selves in our spirituall condition; let us lay these things together, and then wee shall see how infinitely the one is beyond the other. If it be for honour, and favour of the world; consider the vanity of them, and how short a time wee may enjoy them; and the things themselves are subject to alteration. And withall consider the constant excellency of the favour of GOD in Christ Iesus which will comfort us in life, in death, and for ever. And so for riches, and possessions in this world consider how soone all here must be left, and how the soule is larger then all these things, if wee had a thousand times more abundance then we have, and that our soules that are more large, and more excellent, they are not made for these things, but for better; and what use we shal have of better things when these faile, the soule being immortall, and eternall. This will make us let goe earthly things in our af­fections and hold them in their place, in a se­condary place, as things serviceable in the way to heaven, and not to graspe them in our affe­ctions, for then they pierce the soule to death and damnation.

[Page 278] And if we would be affected as we should be to good things, let us keepe our affections Keepe the af­fections tender tender, and keepe them cleare from the guilt of any sinne, that may work feares, and doubts: for together with sin goes feares, and doubts, they are bred in sinne naturally: therefore if we would maintaine this imbracing, oh, let us keepe our soules, as we keepe our understand­ings cleare, so keepe our affections tender by all meanes, and keepe our consciences unspot­ted; that so our affections of joy, and delight, and love, may bee ready prest to good things, even to the best things.

Another way is in particular to meditate To meditate of Gods love in Christ. of the love of Christ, the love of GOD in Christ, and of his imbracing of us. For wee must know that our imbracing is upon perswa­sion of Gods imbracing of us. We imbrace not the promises of Christ as a man imbraceth a dead post that cannot returne imbraces to him againe: this imbracing of Christ, and hea­ven, it is a mutuall imbracing, and it is a second, reflexive imbracing; wee imbrace God, and Christ, because we find God in Christ imbracing our soules first in the armes of his love, there­fore we imbrace him again in the armes of our affections, because we find Christ imbracing us in the armes of his affections.

Therefore let us attend upon the meanes, upon private reading of the word, and upon the ministry: for what are the ministers but to contract Christ and the soule together? they [Page 279] are friends of the Bridegroome, to discove▪ CHRISTS love to us, and his lovelinesse; his lovelinesse in himselfe, his riches in him­selfe, and his love to us to allure us againe to CHRIST? the ministery is for this end espe­cially, to draw Christ, and the foule together. And what is the Scripture in the intent and scope of it, but to discover to us the excellen ci [...] of Christ, and the good things we have by him, his love & good intention to our soules? Now hearing these things in the ministery, they are effectuall together with the spirit to draw our affections backe againe to him. And naturally wee cannot but love those that love us. Now when we are perswaded of Gods love tous in Christ, and Christs love to us (God having made our soules for love to himselfe, and friendship with himselfe, and the nearest, and sweetest conjugall friendship, now there­fore) the more his love is discovered to us, the more we shall love him.

Therefore let us be constant in attending up­on good meanes; we shall alway heare some­thing, that will either strengthen our faith in the promises of God, or shew us our duty to God againe; we shall have something disco­vered whereby the spirit will bee effectuall to help this imbracing. Let us go to reading and hearing with this scope, and intention: Now I come to heare, I come to have my soule wrought on; I come to heare some message from heaven, to heare some good thing to [Page 280] draw my minde from the world and worldly things; and upon hearing our duty to God, to walke lowly in thankefulnesse for those good things that wee have, and that wee hope for in another world? It is no wonder that men lose their affections that are carelesse in the use of me [...]nes; and if they loose them, will they not loose all? The best man living if he be care lesse in using the meanes of salvation, and give himselfe to the world altogether, or to his cal­ling, things not in themselves unlawfull, his affections will be dead, he shal loose them: for God hath ordained that our affections should be quickned by heavenly meanes, and GOD knoweth better than wee our selves that hath sanctified these meanes to this purpose. In at­tending upon the meanes, we shall heare a dis­covery of good things, and heare comforts, and have our light strengthened by new disco­very of new Scripture, or by old Scriptures lively applyed, something to increase the life of our perswasion at every Sermon, and rea­ding good bookes, and by every good compa­ny, and that which increaseth knowledge, and perswasion makes our affection, and imbracing stronger.

I beseech you let us take these courses, or else all is to no purpose: the maine thing in religi­on is the will and affections: and when the wil and affections are wrought on, the worke is done in the matter of grace. And there is no other way to know whether the former wor [...] [Page 281] of the understanding, and perswasion bee ef­fectuall and to purpose or no but this; to know whether the will choose, and cleave to good things; and whether our affections joy, and delight in them: there is the tryall of the maine worke. The worke indeed is especially in the judgment, when it heares soundly and supernaturally of the ills that are to bee avoy­ded, and of the good things that are to be im­braced: bu [...] where is the tryall of the judge­ment, but when it carries the whole soule with it; when it carries the sterne of the soule with it. Now that which is immediate to our soules is our affection of joy, and delight, and the the like. Therefore let us take to heart these things, and never think we are any thing in re­ligion till our hearts and affections be wrought upon; till our knowledge be such as may sway that whole inward man.

Againe consider the excellency of these The excellen­cy and necessi­tie of the good we hope for. good things that we have discovered to us in the Gospell, (that are the object of our imbra­cing) together with the necessity of them, that without them we are wretched creatures, there is no hope for us. Let us every day consider what ground of hope wee have, (though the things be not yet possest) whether the things be true that we hope for; whether they bee confirmed to be true or no; and how we rest on them: for let things be never so excellent, and necessary, unlesse the soule conceive of them as things attainable, as things belonging [Page 282] to us, all is to no purpose, this effect of im­bracing will not bee wrought in the soule. Therefore consider more and more the hope­fulnes The hopeful­nesse of them. of them, that may help this imbracing.

A Christian, when he believes, and hopes for that happines that shall be revealed to him; the things promised; what a world of grounds of hope hath he for it? hee hath the word of God for an inheritance immortall and [...]; he hath the will of Christ: Father I will th [...] where I am, they may bee, Ioh. 17. his prayer to his father is his will; and his will must be performed: for he lives for ever to make good Iohn 17. his own legacy to his Church. And he is now in heaven, preparing that happinesse for us that we so imbrace with faith. And he hath left us here his spirit to be a pledge that he will come againe: he hath left his spirit, and hath taken our flesh to heaven, to strengthen our hope, that this shall follow. Our flesh is in heaven in him already, and his spirit is in earth in [...]; as a mutuall depositum in trust betweene him and us; and all to strengthen the hope of that happinesse that is reserved.

Besides, the Seale of the Sacrament; the end of which is to cherish hopefulnesse of Christ, and of all the good we have by him. His oath is added to his promise, that all things might be immutable, and unchangeable of the forgivenesse of sinnes and life everlasting &c. Now especially when we find our hearts [...] sinke downward, and not to have that life [...] [Page 283] they should have, by meditating on these things, of their excellency, and necessitie, and to conceive in Scripture the grounds of hope of them, it will quicken us.

Adde likewise (for our owne interest) what worke of the spirit we have; and then what singular promises we have, that where GOD hath begun he will make an end. For why is the worke of the spirit called an earnest, but that God will make good the bargaine? Con­sider what worke of the spirit we have: for whatsoever is spirituall is eternall in a man: what joy is spirituall, what love is spirituall, what knowledge is spirituall, it shall be made up in perfection, it shall never be taken away.

See then how the spirit seales us by the worke of it; and what earnest wee have, in peace of conscience, and the work of it. This will cherrish hope: for that is part of this im­bracing, to imbrace them with faith and hope.

And this should be a daily course, to work upon the affections, to estrange them from all things and from the meditation of all things else. And as I said before to consider the love of God to us, and to love him again. And con­sider likewise the hopefulnesse of good things, that nothing in the world is so made good to us as the things of a better life, the things of grace, and glory. And God hath borrowed from all assurance amongst men, terms to shew the assurance of the good things we have in hope and faith. The pledge of the spirit; the [Page 284] earnest of the spirit; the seale of the spirit: the witnesse of the spirit. What termes are there used among men that may confirme any thing, that you have not used to strengthen this supernaturall assurance of these supernatu­rall good things? GOD herein succours our weakenesse, knowing how prone we are to call these things into question. And consider especially our owne unworthinesse, our vile­nesse, and basenesse, that we deserve none of this: when conscience is once awaked to know aright our owne unworthinesse, then we shall find it a difficult thing to believe these things. Therefore it is a worke worthy our daily in­deavour, to search the Scriptures, which ap­plyes it selfe to our capacity, and confers al the help in the world to increase our grounds of hope of the best things; and then our disposi­tion is as it should be.

And let us deepely consider of the necessi­tie of heavenly things, and the foulenesse of sinne, and the danger of our naturall condition, and this will make us imbrace better things, He that sees himselfe in danger of drowning, will imbrace that that may stay him. He that sees himselfe in danger to be pulled away from that that upholds him from sinking, he will claspe about it fast. Let us consider what a many things we have in this world to pull us away from God and good things, and to loose our gripe, that wee may not lay such hold of them. The devill envies our imbracing of [Page 285] these things, and there are many things to loose our affections from them, consider the danger, and withall the necessitie of these good things: that if they be lost, we doe not only loose them, but we loose them with the losse of our soules with eternall damnation in the world to come: we do not simply lose them, but we plunge our selves into the contrary. Let us consider of this, and it will make us claspe fast, and keepe our hold by all meanes possible. In that measure that we apprehend the danger, in that measure we shall imbrace these excellent things. Case.

Now to answer a doubt, and a case or two by the way: How happens it then that Gods children sometime, when their judgment is convinced; yet their affections are not so quick, they are somthing flat in their affections. As Gods people complaine sometimes: alas that I should believe such a happinesse as hea­ven is; and such glory; and yet find my af­fections no more stirred! Is it possible that I should be the child of God, and believe these things, and find my selfe no more affected? Sol. Why the affe­ctions of Gods children are somtimes dead.

Indeed this troubles the peace of Gods chil­dren sometimes, and good reason: for we see here, after sight comes perswasion, then im­bracing; the will, and affections, cannot but entertaine that good they are perswaded of; and so there is great ground for the objection.

But there may be some mistake in this, for sometimes the judgment may be convinced, [Page 286] and yet the affections not bee so quick: be­cause there may bee a diversion at the same time: there may perhaps bee some present crosse, that may be fall thee, or some present thing lawfully loved, that takes up the affecti­ons at that time. As for example, the pre­sence of Father, Mother, Wife, or children, or of other friends may take up the affections for the time; now the affections running that way at that time, perhaps not sinfully neither: they are not so inlarged to heavenly things, God knowes our capacity, and what our affe­ctions can doe.

Then againe there may bee some present griefe upon them, that God to humble a man may take up his affections, so that at that time he shall not be so affected with good things: though ordinarily he comfort himselfe with the best things; and so he doth afterward, when he hath given his griefe, and his present affections some libertie. There is a love of in­tention, & of valuing: a man may be deceived that way. A man values his child more than a stranger that he entertaines: yet for the pre­sent he may give a stranger better lookes, and better entertainment. Though he set mo [...] value on his child, or his deare friend that [...] hath secured himselfe of; yet hee will not shew such countenance to them as to a stranger on the sudden.

So it is here, Gods children, their constant joy is in the best things, and they are judici­ously [Page 287] carryed to the best things; but on the sudden there may be an entertaining of some other thing, and perhaps not unlawful neither; perhaps it may be sinfull; to humble Gods children: but that is but but on the sudden: his course is to carry his affections above all earthly things.

Againe in another case Gods children are deceived this way sometimes, for they think they have no affections when they have affe­ctions. How is that seene? in case of oppositi­on; let God, and Christ, and heavenly things be opposed, and you shall see then that they have affections. Those that for want of stir­ing up the grace of God in them; or for want of good meanes or by indisposition of body seemed to be dull in their affections; let reli­gion be disgraced, or opposed any way, and you shall finde then their affections deepe in their hearts to heavenly things: but they ap­peared not before, because there was no oppo­sition. These, and such like thoughts we may have to content the soule that is disquieted this way. But the rule is certaine, that a mans af­fections are as his perswasion is, and his per­swasion as his light is: As he hath a heavenly light, discovering heavenly things, so is his perswasion of a better estate then the world can yeeld; and answerable to his perswasion, his soule is raysed up to delight in the best things. This is his course; if it fall out to be otherwise, there be reasons for it, which we [Page 288] must discreetly judge of, and not trouble the peace of a good conscience. To goe on. ‘They confessed they were strangers and pilgrims [...] earth.’

The [...]e words containe, what they were in regard of earthly things: their disposition, and carriage to all things besides the promi­ses; to the things below; they were strang­ers, and pilgrims in regard of their condition below. Itsets downe how they apprehended themselves to be, and how they discovered themselves to the world to be.

They were in regard of heaven indeed, heirs of happinesse, heirs of a kingdome, in regard of the world, and earthly things, they were strangers, and pilgrims. And as they were, so they made themselves, to be no bet­ter than they were, they confessed it, they were not ashamed of it: they apprehended them­selves to bee as they were, and they carried themselves answerable: their life and course spake as much as their tongues, they confessed both in word, and in deed, that they were strangers, and pilgrims.

Now in the words I say, you have their disposition, and their profession; their con­dition, Scope of the words. and their confession. Their disposition, and carriage, and state, and condition, they were strangers and pilgrims.

[Page 289] The discovery of it, they confessed they were so. And this confession is double.

Their confession was either verball, as Ia­cob confessed, when he came before Pharaoh, few and evill have the dayes of the life of my pil­grimage beene, saith old Iacob.

Or it was a reall confession, discovered by their carriage, that they were strangers: their course spake louder then their words.

Those that in the whole course of their life, shew a weaned affection to earthly things, though they talke not gloriously, as some idle persons doe in a bravery, we are but strangers here, and we must be gone, &c. Though I say they doe not speake thus as some doe that ne­ver thinke so: yet notwithstanding their car­riage bewrayes it: their course, and company, and conversation shewes that indeed they con­fesse themselves pilgrims, and strangers.

Now the order of the words is this: stran­gers, Difference be­tweene pil­grims and strangers. and pilgrims: there is little difference be­tweene these two. Strangers, shewes our ab­sence from home, that we are abroad in ano­ther country, that we are in another place.

And Pilgrims, shewes our carriage to our country, our going home: a pilgrim or trave­ler is he that is going homeward. They con­fessed themselves that they were not at home; but they were going toward that that was their home, toward heaven, to that Citty whose builder and maker was God himselfe. Wee are strangers, to shew what we are here on earth; [Page 290] In regard of heaven we are strangers on [...], and not meere strangers that rest, and doe no­thing, but such strangers as are passing home toward their country, we are strangers, and pil­grims on earth: the one implies our absence, the other implies our moving to the place of our abode.

The points considerable are; first this, Th [...]s Gods children upon earth here, are strangers, and pilgrims. They are not at home but are travelling toward their country.

The second is this, that

They prosesse themselves to be so: They know they are so, and they confesse that they are so, they are not ashamed of it.

For the first,

It is the disposition of him that hath truly inter­est Doct. Gods people strangers on earth. in better things (though but in faith, and hope) to bee a stranger, and a pilgrim in regard of all things here below.

And this followes the other: for where the eyes of the understanding, are opened, and a man is perswaded, there is an imbracing of bet­ter things, as our proper good things; there is a considering of all other things as things that doe not belong to us, in a manner we are stran­gers. When faith apprehends Christ, and heaven, and happinesse to be our own, and our country to be above: faith apprehending and grasping these things and imbracing them: at the same time, it is to be supposed, and ne­cessarily followes; that we are strangers.

[Page 291] It followes out of the necessity of the thing it selfe: for upon the very consideration that a man is an heire of heaven, that he hath ano­ther country, and condition, out of the neces­sitie of the thing it selfe, though there were no other reason for it, the affections of the soule will be closed up (as it were) to other things; and he will consider of other things, in an in­feriour condition as they are.

For the things, though they bee good in their kind and order, both the things above, and the things below, yet there being such a difference in these good things; and the things here below, the contentments here on earth, being so meanely good, and so short in con­tinuance, and so weake in their satisfaction of the soule, that they cannot bee possessed to­gether with the blessed assurance of better things, but with the affections of strangers, and pilgrims: this followes I say from the na­ture of the thing, that in whose eyes heavenly things are great, in his eyes earthly things are meane. They are accounted as they are, secon­dary meane things of the way, to help him for­ward home.

If a man were on the top of a great moun­taine, he would see the things below to be ve­ry little, and the things above would appeare greater to him, so when the soule is raised up to see great things, though they be a farre off, as these did with the eye of faith; at the same time, his soule looking to things below must [Page 292] needs apprehend them to be little in quantity, as indeed they are.

If a man were in body lift up to heaven, and should looke upon the earth; what were the earth, but a pooresilly point, the whole earth i [...] selfe, much more a mans owne possession: so when the soule is lifted up to heaven by faith, (which sets a man in heaven before his time;) when it looks from thence to the earth, and earthly things, it must of necessity consi­der them as they are, to bee poore meane things. Therefore this followes, that being perswaded of the promises, that is, of the good things promised in religion, in the word of God: to earthly things, they were strangers, and pilgrims.

He that is from home, and hath another home, which he is not at, he is a stranger: but Christians have another home.

For first, they are bred from heaven, they are borne from heaven, they are borne in Ie­rusalem Christians borne anew from heaven. that is from above; they are borne in the Church by the seed of the word and spi­rit: now as they are from heaven, so their [...] is to heaven againe: for every thing naturally riseth as high as it springeth. As we say of water, it mounts as high as the head of it is: so our affections mount as high as the spring of them is. Now a Christian being borne from Heaven a Christians Country. heaven, he tends to that in his affections, that is his country. It is his country, because his father is there, in his glory; and his Saviour [Page 293] is there; and a great part of his kindred are there, the soules of perfect men, and the glori­ous Angels in a most glorious manner, (though they be in their attendance upon the earth;) there is his country, his Citie, his house, there is his happinesse, his home. I shall not need therefore to prove that the godly are strangers. If heaven be his country, earth must needs be the place of his pilgrimage: there is no que­stion but that followes.

It is said here, they were pilgrims, and stran­gers upon earth. Vpon earth. Because where e­ver a Christian is, if it be upon any place upon earth, he is a stranger and a pilgrim; if he be in his owne house, he is upon earth, and there­fore he is a stranger in his owne house; if he be in his owne possession, he is upon earth, and therefore he is a stranger in his own possession. As David confessed though he were a King, I am a stranger, and a pilgrim here as all my fa­thers were, 1 Chron. 29. 15. A King in his king­dome 1 Chron. 29. 15. is upon Gods earth, and therefore he is a stranger in his own kingdome here. As Au­stin August. saith very well, quisque domus suae, &c. every man is a stranger in his owne house, wee are strangers here on earth; therefore. It is not any condition on earth that exempts a child of God from being a stranger, when the greatest Kings in the world have confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims: so that all Chri­stians, of what condition Ioever they are, from the highest to the meanest, they are all stran­gers [Page 294] upon earth, it is a cleare point.

And it must needs be so, for the head of Christ a stran­ger on earth. Christians was a stranger: his love made him a stranger: for he left his fathers bosome, his love drew him from heaven to earth, and here, he conversed as a stranger: he dwelt in his bo­dy here as a tabernacle which he layd aside for a while, to work the worke of out redemp­tion; and then after to dwell in it for ever. He was the prime stranger of all strangers, he that makes us all strangers here and Citizens of heaven, he was a stranger on earth. He was not indeed a stranger: for hee was Lord of heaven, and earth: yet in regard of his state of exaltation that was to come after; in re­gard of dispensation, he was here as a servant: he lived here as a stranger. And indeed he was as strangely used; for hee came among his owne, and his owne knew him not, as it is in Iohn 1. he was not knowne among his owne Coun­trie Iohn 1. men the Iewes: hee was a stranger on earth.

He conversed with us here, and was among us as a stranger: you see how his speech and carriage and conversation on earth, it was as a strangers. He was talking alway of his fa­thers house, and of the kingdome of heaven. When he speakes of the estate of the Church, which is the only company of people here, in whom God rules by his spirit; yet because they are ordained for the kingdome of hea­ven; he calls them strangers here, and termes [Page 295] them by that that they are ordained to. All his minde was of the kingdome of heaven: we see after he was risen, the matter of his dis­course, as the Gospell tells, it was of the king­dome of heaven, he talked of things that be­longed to the kingdom of God: all his spee­ches were that way, and his comparisons were fetched that way. The kingdome of heaven is like to such a thing, and such a thing. And all his worke was to draw men from the earth. As it was his grand work to redeem men from the earth; that is, from hell, and from their cursed condition: so the matter of his teach­ing was answerable to his work, to draw men to heaven, all the paines that he tooke before, and after his death till he was taken into hea­ven it tended that way.

He came from heaven to earth to wooe us to be a spouse to himselfe, he came from hea­ven into a strange countrie, to take us for his spouse, to take our nature, and in our nature, to winne us to die for us: he carried himselfe as a stranger every way, he regarded not earth­ly things. Now answerable to our head Christ must all Christians bee in their affections and dispositions, we must be conformable to him; we must be strangers as he was.

All that looke to die in the faith of Christ, We must have affection of strangers. and to be happy for ever, they must witnesse their believing, and loving of better things by an answerable carriage to all things here be­low, they must have the affection of stran­gers, [Page 296] and travailers: Faith doth enforce this. It is the nature of the soule from a principle and ground of nature, that when the soule is carried up one way, it is shut another: when it cleaves unto, and imbraceth better things, when it is open to heaven, the point of the soule is shut to the earth, and wee looke upon these things as strangers and pilgrims, only for necessary use.

These, holy men the Patriarchs were stran­gers. The Patriarchs strangers.

Strangers in their owne esteeme, As Abra­ham, and Iacob, they confesse they were sojour­ners, 1. In their owne esteeme. and David though he were a King, yet he saith, he was a stranger, as all his fathers were. Psal. 39. 12. So all the Patriarchs they professed them­selves to be strangers, and sojourners; and they did it not in word only but in deed: they shewed it by dwelling in tabernacles, and tents, poore things, fit for strangers; heaven was their house, Tabernacles are moveable, weak things that have no foundation: So they knew their life was like a tabernacle here. And their manner of life shewed what they looked for, they carried themselves as those that hoped, and looked for better things. They were strangers in their dispositions, they af­fected things above, and cared no more for these things then for necessary use, to helpe them to serve God in their places; and those that are strangers in their dispositions they de­sire to be at home.

[Page 297] Againe they were strangers in GODS e­steeme. God termed them so; and so it is with 2. In Gods esteeme. all that believe in Christ: when we once be­lieve and are new creatures, new borne to a better inheritance, presently at the same time we are strangers here.

Strangers likewise in the esteeme of the 3. In the worlds esteeme. world. The world used them as strangers, strangely. When a man leaveth the world and cleaveth to God; presently the world setteth on him by reproaches, and all they can; be­cause they think he will disgrace them by his change; therefore they labour to make him, as black as they may that way: they use all strangely that breake from them. God will have it so: because he will have his children not to love the world, therefore he will have the world hate them. So they are strangers in that respect, they think it strange that they doe not as they did formerly; that they doe not as they doe, wicked men thinke it strange that they runne not with them into the same ex­cesse of ryot: so, they are strangers in the esteem of wicked men.

So they are strangers in regard of their place, heaven is their hope: they are begotten to an inheritance, immortall, undefiled, &c. they live in a place where they are strangers, they are every way strangers.

But you will say, wicked men are strangers, Object. and pilgrims too? Answ. Wicked men how strangers here.

I answer, they are indeed so: for in regard [Page 298] of the shortnesse of their lives, and the uncer­taintie of the things they injoy: for they out­live all their happines here, they are snatched hence before they bee aware, therefore they are but travellers here; but they goe from ill to worse: yet in regard of their affections they are no strangers, but account themselves at home from a spirit of infidelity, and pride, and earthlinesse. Therefore they are called men of the earth, and those that dwell on the earth, in the Revelation: because they looke no furtherthen the earth, and here they roote, and fix their affections upon this earth: they do not fix their hearts and affections upon the things above, they looke not after them, they care not for them, they value them not nor e­steeme them. Therefore, answerable to their thoughts, and bent of their soule and mind, is their discourse, their speech and carriage: and thereupon they are called men of the earth, and called the world, because they love nothing but the world; they are as it were changed into the things they love, they are earth, as the Prophet saith, Oh earth, earth, &c. and they are the world, because their affection of love joynes them to these earthly things. The Church in the Revelation is called heaven: but the beast is said, to rise out of the earth: for that which bred the carnall religion of Popery it was nothing but earth, and earthly respects. Therefore how ever they are strangers here, that they cannot be here long, and they have [Page 299] soules that are of an everlasting continuance: yet because their affections, and the bent of their soules are all here, they account them­selves at home here, and here they plant them­selves, and their posterity, therefore though in some sence they be strangers, yet not in that sence that the children of God are.

Every Christian is borne from above, and borne to things above, and hee is a stranger here. All his course from his new birth till he come to the possession of his inheritance in heaven, it is nothing but a travailing, he never sits down, but is alway in his motion, and pas­sage. Every good work is a step of his way: he is in motion still; he takes degrees from better to better, from grace to grace, from knowledge to knowledge, till he come to his home.

Let us make a tryall of our selves, how our affections stand to these things; whether our hearts bee weaned from earthly things, un­doubtedly if we have imbraced Christ, we shall use the world as though wee used it not. We shall be transformed into the Image of Christ, and he used the things of this world as a stran­ger, only to comfort him in the way; we shall have the same mind that he had. We shall car­rie our selves as strangers, as those that hope for a country in heaven. Therefore I will name some particulars, to shew the condition, and carriage of a stranger.

First of all, a stranger is travailing to ano­ther The carriage o [...] him that is a stranger. country (to joyne both in one, for the one [Page 300] followes the other) he that is a stranger, that apprehends what he is, and apprehends that he hath a countrie to goe to, hee travailes to­ward 1. He is going toward his country. it.

A stranger that is travailing homeward, he is content with his present condition: for he 2. Hee is con­tented. knowes he shall have better at home. In Iere. 45. God by Ieremy speakes to Bar [...]ch a good Jerem. 45. man, I will destroy all these things, and dost [...] seeke great things for thy selfe? If a Christian did consider, Iam going to heaven, to God, what do I seeking great things here, which God will destroy? What will become of heaven and earth, and all things here ere long? And if the time be long ere heaven and earth be destroy­ed, yet what will become of me ere long? I shall be turned to earth, and shall I seeke great things here upon earth? Shall I not be con­tent with my portion? certainely a stranger is content with his present portion, he that is a traveller, when he comes to his Inne, if per­haps things be not so cleane, if his usage bee not so good; he thinkes it is but a night and away; it is no great matter, this is not the maine; he will not be over much discontent, and quarrell at any unkind usage in the way, for he knowes he shall have better usage when he comes home. Therefore as he will bee con­tent with little, be it what it will be, he knows it is not the maine.

So he will be patient if he meete with un­kind 3. Patient. usage, hee will not stand quarrelling by [Page 301] the way, and so hinder himselfe in his journey. he will be patient in the injuries, and wrongs in this life. If a Prince be mis-used in another country, he is contented, and thinkes with himselfe, I have a country where I shall be more respected; and therefore he beares it the more willingly. So a Christian is a King, he is an heire, and being a stranger, he shall meete with dogges in this world; as, who doe dogs bark at, but at strangers? now being strangers we must looke for dogged usage. It is no wonder that dogs barke at strangers, it is their kind: they consider it is the disposition of wicked men to doe so, they doe but their kind. Would a man have dogs not to barke? and would we have wicked men that have e­vill tongues not to scorne that they know not? to doe otherwise is to forget their kinde. A Christian knowes they doe but their kind, he pitties them, and he doth not stop his journey and his course for it. He will not be scorned out of his religion by a company of prophane spirits, hee will not be laughed out of his course; he knowes what he doth better than they, they are madde, and fooles, he knowes it; and they shall know it themselves ere long. He knowes that he is in a serious judicious course that he can approve, and they cannot theirs, therefore he will not be scorned out of his course.

Thus faith in Christ makes him that is a stranger here, content, and patient. He whose [Page 302] soule hath imbraced Christ is contented with any thing: any thing is sufficient to his soule, that is filled with better things. Nothing will content a covetous earthly man; a man of the earth: such men think themselves at home, they make a league with hell, and death; the men of the world they thinke they shall live here alway: but a Christian, that imbraceth a better life with Christ in happinesse to come, he knowes he shall not be here long, hee is here but as a stranger, and shall shortly bee at home, and therefore he is contented with any thing.

Likewise the knowledge of this that we are strangers and pilgrims, it will make a man not 4. Thankefull. only content and patient, but thankfull, for any kindnesse he finds in this world; that God sweetens his absence from heaven, and his pil­grimage on earth what; that God should love me so, not only to give me heaven; but to give me contentments on the earth to swee­ten my way to heaven, what a mercy is this! He is thankfull for any contentment, hee is thankfull to the world, to those that doe any thing for him, that afford him any courtesie here that may helpe him in his pilgrimage, and make it lesse troublesome and cumber­some to him.

All the Saints in former time were won­drous thankfull for that they had: for what can a travailer look for but discourtesies, and hard usage? and if he find any thing better he [Page 303] will be thankfull: certainely it is more then I [...]ooked for, saith he. When a man is bent to­ward heaven, hee cannot but looke for hard [...]sage from the world. We see when Christ did but look toward Ierusalem, the Samaritans [...]ad enough, they began to maligne him, why? his face was toward Ierusalem. So when base worldlings see that a man will to heaven, and leave their company, and courses, they cannot digest this. A man of an ill con­science when hee sees another oppose that course that he resolved to sticke to, he sees he confutes his course, he sees his face is toward heaven, and therfore labours to disgrace him. As the wench said to Peter, Thou speakest as one of Galile, thy speech bewrayes thee. So when a man is going toward heaven, every base per­son, the veriest rascall of all, hath pride en­ough to scorne Religion: So wee see they make not much of the world, nor the world of them, therfore they are contented, and thank­full if they find better: for what can a stran­ger looke for but strange usage in a strange place.

And therefore we see in Scripture, how thankfull they were, even for refreshings, for meate and drinke: our Saviour Christ was knowne by breaking of bread; he used to be thankfull. In all things give thanks. They saw the favour and love of GOD, in a crum of bread, and in a drop of refreshing in any kind: oh! here is a blessed God, that hath given us [Page 304] these comforts in the way. The Saints of GOD are wondrous thankefull for the com­forts of their pilgrimage, the comforts of this life.

And this should make us more thankfull, be­cause The way to heaven smoo­ther to some. all mens pilgrimages are not alike: [...] do we not see the life of some more cumber. some? some live in a great deale of want, some live in a great deale of opposition more than others do, others goe in a smooth [...] way to heaven. God sees his childrens weakenes, he sees they have not strength, and if in pittie, he keepes them that they shall not enco [...] with opposition, but lead them a better way then others, it is speciall matter of thankful­nesse to God and men too.

He that is a stranger, he is glad of any good 5. He is glad of company. company; oh if he meete with a man of his owne countrie, hee is a man alone for him; so it is with a Christian that walkes in the way to heaven with him, hee is comforted much in it.

A stranger, hee hath his prime intention 6. They minde their journies end. home to his country, and what he doth in the way it is in vertue of his prime intention, though he doth not in every particular action that he doth, thinke of it. A travailer when he rides on the way he doth not think of home in every step. I but he doth that that he doth in vertue of his prime intention when he first set out; and calls to remembrance oft times as he goes home, he thinkes of his jou [...]es and by the way.

[Page 305] I observe this note of some weake Christi­ans that thinke they are not heavenly minded, except they doe nothing but think of heaven, and heavenly things: that is but a weake and [...]lly conceit. It should be our thought in the morning, our thoughts should open with that, it should be the key to open the morning, the thought of this course what will become of us ere long in heaven: but then all that we doe should be in vertue and strength of that prime intention to please God, and to go to heaven: though we think not alway of the present bu­sinesse: yet it is good as much as may bee to quicken our indeavour.

And hence it is that there is another pro­pertie 7. Though he step out of his way, he comes in againe. of a stranger that is going to a place, per­haps he may step out of the way, yet not with­standing by vertue of his first intention he ga­thers himselfe home-ward againe, if he take other matters in hand, he gathers home still: though he go out of his way, in he comes; he considers, this is not my way. So a child of God, sometimes he diverts, and turnes aside, yet notwithstanding he considers, doth this way lead to God ward? to heaven ward? be these actions Christian actions? are they the way to heaven? if he see they be not, though he have stepped awrie, he comes in again, and is gathering homeward. Though he may per­haps forget himselfe a little, (a traveller) yet his bent is homewards. So a Christian man though perhaps in some particular he may for­get [Page 306] himselfe, yet he is alway gathering home, his bent is home, and his course is godly. Take a Christian, perhaps he may step awrie, but his course is godly, and hee labours to recover himselfe: and if a traveller stay at any time by the way, he makes amends afterwards by making more hast. So doth a Christian, if we consider him with his affections loose to good things: yet he recovers himselfe againe, and sets upon religious actions and courses with more violence of spirit, and recovers his for­mer losse againe.

A traveller and stranger he provides before 8. He provides for all incum­brances. hand for all incumbrances; he knows though he meete not with troubles, yet he may, ther­fore he will be sure to goe with weapons, and he will goe with that that may sustaine him by the way. Religion teacheth a man to gather out of the word of GOD, comforts before hand, and munition before hand to carry with him: put the case he never use them; he may have cause to use them, and then if he have them no [...], what will become of him? he lies open to adversaries by the way. Therefore there is a spirit in a Christian, an instinct, that stirres him up, he will be reading the word of God, and good books, and hearing the word: this I may have use of at such a time, this I will lay up for such an occasion: put the case that such an occasion come not, hee looseth no­thing, he seasoneth his soule, in the mean time, and prepares it for worse things if worse come [Page 307] Woe to those that have not layd up strength and comfort against evill times before hand. If a man goe to s [...]a, and be not provided be­fore hand, if he take a journey, and be not provided before hand, then when a storme comes, what a case is he in? It pleaseth God to teach us by these resemblances, heavenly things: therefore because they are fit means to convay holier things unto us, it is good to take this help that God affords us, conside­ring that he shewes us by these shaddowes, better things. When we travaile, and are go­ing on in our journey towards heaven, it is good to consider higher things, it is a good meditation: therefore to goe on a little fur­ther.

A traveller, and stranger is inquisitive of 9. Inquires of the way. the way, whether he be in the way, or out of the way; he askes not at randome, that doth not content him, whether hee goe West, or North, or South, or East, it doth not content him to aske where lies my country, Eastward, &c? No; but hee will aske the particular townes, and particular turnings and windings how he may avoyd going out of his way, and which is the right way; and he will aske upon every occasion, because he knowes, if he goe but a little out of his way, it will bee a long time ere he shall recover it, and he will be asha­med to come backe againe, and the more he goes out of the way, the more trouble it is to come backe againe. So it is with a Christian, [Page 308] he doth not only desire to know in generall, but he desires to have daily direction, what shall I doe in such a case of conscience, and in such a case? how shall I overcome such a temptation if I meete with it? And so he is willing to have daily direction how to walke with God day by day, that he goe not out of his way in any thing.

For even as every step that a man takes is a part of his journey; so every action of a mans life it is a part of his journey to heaven; and therefore he is willing to have direction for every step, that he may walke step upon step, upon good ground: therefore he goes upon good grounds of a good conscience, in the duties of Christianity, he wil have sound con­viction, what is good, and what is true in reli­gion: what religion is true that he may ven­ture his soule upon; and what use he may make of his particular calling; what hee may doe with a safe conscience, and what not; and what he may not doe that he will not meddle with, and what is cleare to his conscience that he will doe. So every step he takes, though it be in his particular calling, it helpes him for­ward: As Saint Paul saith, in the Epistle to the Colossians, of servants, that they serve God in serving their master; so a poore servant in his drudgery may serve God. So in our ordinary professions we are in the way to heaven, if they be sanctified by prayer before hand, and do it in conscience and obedience to God, that hath set us in this way.

[Page 309] There are two callings, our generall, and particular calling, and we shew religion, that is our generall calling, in our particular calling, as wee are placed in this or that calling, and what we doe in either of these callings, is the way to heaven. Now the care of a Christi­an is, that he be well advised what to doe, and on what ground.

And even as a traveller considers of things 10. He useth things as they may help in his journey. by the way as they make to his end, to further his journey or hinder his journey, he looks to heaven as his country that he hopes for, and therfore he doth not tangle himselfe with any more than may help him home; if they hin­der him once, away they go, if they may help him he takes them. A Christian in his travaile in the way to heaven, considers of things that may fall out by the way, as they may help and further him to heaven. If I find that things, Indifferent things. though they be indifferent in themselves, if they trouble me in my way to heaven (it may be they are not so to another, but they are to me) though another can do it, yet I must con­sider whether I can do it, and find my selfe in­larged to heaven as at other times? if not, a­way with it, it is not indifferent to me, because it hinders my journey to heaven. A wise tra­veller will venture upon things, and courses as they serve, or hinder the maine, though they bee things perhaps that hee cannot over­well spare, yet if they trouble him in his jour­ney, off they go, that he may be more expedi [...]e and right in his way.

[Page 310] I wonder at the boldnes of many that pro­fesse themselves religious, and yet dare ven ture upon any thing. Vndoubtedly if they did search their owne hearts, they could not but say that such courses doe dead and dull them, and make them forget religion, that such company is not safe to keepe, I find my selfe the worse by it, why should I venture upon any thing, that may stop, and hinder, or coole, and dead me in my way to heaven? If a man be wise, he will consider of things as they help or hinder him to that.

As for sinnes whereof we are convicted, it is the Apostles counsell, Heb. 12. he puts it Apparent sins. out of all question, we must cast off all that bur­den that presseth downe, &c. A traveller will not have a burden upon him. The sin that hangs so fast on, we must labour to mortifie, to kill our lusts and corruptions more and more, and never leave till wee have cast them off, these things are undenyable. I spake before of things in themselves indifferent, and to other men in different, if they have a larger measure of wis­dome; but for corruptions, and sins, they fight against the soule; they fasten us to the world: therefore above all things wee must cast off them. As Saint Peter saith excellently, in 1 Pet. 2. I beseech you brethren, as pilgrims, and I Peter 2. strangers, abstaine from fleshly lusts, which fight against your soules. Insinuating that pilgrims, and strangers should altogether abstaine from lusts, from the cherishing of carnall lusts, for [Page 311] these fight against the soule, they fight against the comforts of the soule; against the graces of the soule, and against the eternall well be­ing of the soule. The more a man cherrisheth base lusts, the more it damps his comfor [...] and grace, and weakens his assurance of life ever­lasting; they fight against all good in the soule; therefore, let us abstaine from fleshly lusts that fight against the soule. That is cleare, all confesse that: But the other that I spake of before, carefulnesse of things indifferent if we find them not so to us; till we get more ma­stery of our selves, we must even be carefull of our liberties, and not give our selves those li­berties that others doe if we find they hinder us in particular. Yet with a secret concealing of it, not to entangle the consciences of other men, who perhaps may use those things with lesse hinderance then we doe. A wise Chri­stian will be warie in that kind: If he find the things of the world to hinder him, he will not have his heart eaten up with the world, nor eaten out with lawful things: being there­fore to prepare for a better life and to do Gods busines, he will only take the things of this life as they may make for a better life, and be a furtherance of him to his home; he winds home by all meanes, he useth all advantages to come nearer to God, and whatsoever hin­ders him he labours to avoyd.

Againe, he that accounts himselfe a stran­ger 11. H [...] values not himselfe by outward things. here, he doth not value himselfe by out­ward [Page 312] things: saith teacheth a man when he is an heire of heaven, not to value himselfe by earthly things, he thinks himselfe a stranger in his owne house as David did, though he were a King (as I said) every Christian is a stranger at home, hee values not himselfe by his ho­nours, nor dignity, nor by the things that hee hath here; nor he doth not disvalue himselfe by poverty or disgrace, he knowes he is a stranger, he is going home, therefore he va­lues himselfe by that he hath at home. Chri­stians are Kings and heires, they esteeme not or disesteeme of themselves by what they have here below, they account them as things in the way, that God gives them, if they bee good, to sweeten their pilgrimage; if they be ill to sharpen their journey. It is necessary that God should give them these things, good things to sweeten their journey, and if they loyter in their way to heaven, then that they should have crosses to drive them homeward.

In all confusions in the world, faith teach­eth a man to stand as a man upon a rocke im­moveable, because he is a stranger: if any thing fall out in the Citie or place where a stranger is, he carries his owne Iewels, and things about him and so goes away, his goods are not of that place: so in all confusions of the world a Christian hath good things of a­nother world; the good things he carries with him, are not subject to losses or crosses; they are not subject to the misusing of the world: [Page 313] when all things shall bee on fire, a Christian hath his treasure laid up in heaven, in a place where no earthly creature hath power of it; it is not subject to any ill; and that make; him in all estates contented and patient. Let hea­ven and earth goe together, a Christian when hee hath imbraced better things, a Christian thinks himselfe a stranger that is going home, therefore in all his life he carries himselfe as a stranger. To goe on a little further.

A travailer in his way, must of necessitie have refreshings by the way, or else he will faile: therefore sometimes he sings, and som­ [...] suseth other refreshings. Now what saith David? Thy statutes have beene my song in the house of my pilgrimage; that is, when I want other comforts, they are my song, my joy, and delight. A travailer must needs have comforts that may revive him in his [...]ainting, he must have some pleasant walks for meditation. Let us therefore when wee grow weary, refresh our selves in walking, in holy meditation, take a turne there, to thinke of the vanity of all earthly things, and how soone they come to an end; and of the excellency, and eternity, of our glorious condition, and estate when we come home; and then think of the helps and comforts by the way, and such like. The Art of divine meditation is an Art for this end, that since wee are all travailers, that wee are from home, and that we are going home, we may walke in wisdome. Let us learne that art [Page 314] to feed and strengthen our soules with such meditations as may cleare them by the way: to set some time apart when we grow dull, and indisposed in religion; then let us think how to cherrish and refresh our soules with those excellencies that are indeed above our com­prehension, our hearts cannot conceive of it; it is set out in the word of God to our con­ceite, but as it is wee cannot conceive here what is reserved for us when wee shall come home: therefore let us doe as travellers, often thinke of home, and what is at home for us, and that will make us when we are in the way, and any comfort would draw us out of our way, to think. O these are good comforts, but this is not my home, I have betterat home then this, and this will stay mee from home. Therfore the crosse is necessary for travailers, that they may know they are not at home, that they may imbitter his comforts. This consi­deration, that he is not at home, and that this is not his country, as it will keepe a Christian from temptations, so it will draw him on to constancy in his love, and in going on: for a travailer sits not downe, to stay there; hee thinkes, here I am, and home I must goe, and I shall not come home by sitting here.

So the oft thinking of home, it will both sweeten our troubles, and likewise the com­forts that wee meete with in this world, it will make us that wee shall not bee ens [...]ared with them; because, though they be comfortable [Page 315] things, yet alas what are these? these indeed are fit to make a man forget home, to forget heaven, as a man that sees goodly things, good­ [...]e houses, these things saith hee, are they that make a man unwilling to goe out of the world. But he that is assured of a country, and knowes that he hath a better home then all these earth­ly things, that are shaddowes and vanity; he thinkes these are very goodly things, but what are these to that that is reserved? and if I sit downe by these, if a travailer sit down by delights, and gaze upon things by the way, when shall he come home? Let us think oft of home, there are many uses to thinke and medi­tate of that blessed day, this among the rest: that it drawes us on forward, and forward still, that we shall not sit quiet but goe on still, and not rest till we come home.

And the nearer we are home the more busie, and the more chearefull wee should bee: as a traveller, when he comes neare home hee is more chearefull, when hee hath home in his eye: when he sees the smoake of his country he rejoyceth. As these Patriarchs, they saw the promises a farre off. As men when they see the toppes of steeples and houses; they thinke, now wee have them continually in our eye, we see some thing of home, and the nearer they come the more they see, and the nearer they come, still the more they see: so the longer a Christian lives, the nearer and nearer he comes home: if he understand him­selfe [Page 316] and have any assurance in any degree, it makes him more joyfull towards his end.

Thus it was with Gods people, when they were nearer their end, then they sung sweetly the Swannes song, and then they were inlar­ged in their spirits: as Iacob when he was dy­ing, we see what a will he made, what legacies to his children. And Ioseph when he was dy­ing, and Moses the man of God. The song of Moses, and David the sweete singer of Israel. The last words of David what sweete words they were. And Saint Paul when he was to go out of the world, I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, henceforth is laid up for me the crowne of righte­ousnesse, &c. And our blessed Saviour toward his end, wee see how heavenly he was in his prayer. And good Simeon, Lord now let thy ser­vant depart in peace, &c. when he had grasped Christ once, he was loath to live any longer: so it should be with Christians as it is with travel­lers, the nearer they are home the more and more comfortable they should be still.

It is a shame for old men to feare when they come neare their end, when they are neare the haven then to feare. It is as if a man in a storme should feare the haven; or a man that trav [...] and sees a Citie to be afraid of his own house; whereas hee should rejoyce and thinke hee is nearer his happinesse then other men, as Saint Paul tels the Romans, your salvation is nearer now then when you first believed. So we should [Page 317] thinke our salvation, and happinesse in heaven is nearer now then when we first believed; and therfore the lesse time we have to travaile here with incumbrances in the way to heaven the more joyfull we should be. The nearer wee are to death, the nearer to our preferment, the nearer to our country and our home. These are the advised thoughts of a Christian: and when other thoughts come into a man, when he is stricken in yeares, surely they are not in him as a Christian, but as he is weak, and wants faith, and assurance of salvation. Oh, let us therefore labour to get assurance of another a better country: for what made these holy men confesse themselves strangers, and pilgrims here? They saw the promises a farre off and were perswaded of them, and imbraced them, and in that measure they were assured of a better con­dition, they carryed themselves as strangers and pilgrims here.

To wind up all in a word, you see here their disposition. I beseech you make this text your patterne, to be molded into: you see how these blessed men long agoe lived in faith when their light was lesse then ours is, and they died in faith, and will welcome us when we shall come to heaven, we shall goe to Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, and the rest of the Patriarchs and holy men. It will bee a blessed time when all the blessed men that have gone before shall wel­come us to heaven. If we looke to be happy as they are, we must live as they did, and die [Page 318] as they did: though we cannot so strongly as they did, see that with the eye of faith that no eye else can see: yet let us desire God to per­swade us of these truths more strongly, then the devill of our own lusts shall perswade us to the contrary: let us desire God to set on his truths so strongly that all other things may not hin­der us, that we may imbrace them with our best affections, of love, of desire, of content­ment, that we may witnesse all this by our de­meanour to earthly things, by our base esteem of them, and carry our selves as pilgrims and strangers on earth. If we do thus live in faith and die in faith, we shal live with Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob in the kingdome of hea­ven eternally.

THE HIDDEN LIFE.

THE dependance of these words Dependance of the words. (in a word) is this. The Apostle after he had laid the grounds of some Doctrines, hee doth frame the building of a holy life and conversation. It is in vaine to believe well, un­lesse a man worke accordingly: hee that lives against his faith shall be damned, as he that be­lieves against it. Thereupon in this Chapter hee comes to raise their affections to be Heavenly minded, and stirres them up to subdue what so­ever is contrary to Heavenly mindednesse. And [Page 2] because it is a duty of great moment to be hea­venly minded, and to subdue base affections, he inserts weighty reasons betweene: If yee bee risen with Christ, seeke those things that are a­bove. And among other reasons, the [...] [...] this, yee are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. And therupon he forceth seeking of the things that are above, and the mortifying of earthly members. For the duties of Christianity [...]e to be applyed two wayes, to be heavenly affected & to subdue that which is contrary: to be hea­venly minded, & to mortifie our earthly mem­bers. Now how shall we doe both? For yee are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God, &c.

You see the first proposition, yee are dead, A Christian dead, how. with whom? with Christ in God.

A Christian is dead many wayes. He is dead to the law, to the morall law, he lookes not to have comfort and salvation by it: by the law, he is dead to the law, and so flyes to Christ.

A Christian is dead also to the ceremon [...]ll law: now in the glorious lustre of the Gospell, what have we to doe with those [...] element that were for Children? A ceremo [...] dispo­sition is opposite to the glory and lustre of the Gospell, as the Apostle speakes in the former Chapter.

He is dead likewise to sinne, having commu­nion with Christ (when he dyed for sinne) hee is dead to sinne. He that hath communion in the death of Christ, hath the same affection to sinne that Christ had. Christ hated it infinite­ly [Page 3] when he suffered for it; so every Christian thinkes that Christ dyed for my sinnes, and by union with Christ, he hath the same affection to it, he is dead to it.

And because this is but an inchoation, and beginning, a Christian is not perfectly dead to sinne, hee stands in need of afflictions, and in regard of afflictions he is dead, they must help the worke of mortification. And because no affliction can sufficiently worke mortificati­on, but death it self, which is the accomplish­ment of mortification, we are dead in respect of death it selfe, which is the accomplishment of all: though we live here for a time, we are dead in regard of the sentence that is passed on us, as wee say a man is dead when the sentence is pas­sed on him; in that respect wee are dead men, for our life is but a dead life (besides the sen­tence that is passed upon us) death siezeth upon us in the time of our life, in sicknesses &c. And so they prepare us to death: thus, and many o­ther wayes we are dead.

The second proposition is, ‘Our Life is hid with Christ in God.’

We are dead, and yet we have a life. A Chri­stian is a strange person, hee is both dead and alive; he is miserable and glorious, he consists of contraries; he is dead in regard of corrupti­on, and miseries, and such like, but he is alive in regard of his better part, and he growes two wayes at on [...]: it is a strange thing that a Chri­stian doth, hee growes downewards and up­wards [Page 4] at the same time; for as he dyes in sin and misery, and naturall death approaching; so he lives the life of grace, and growes more and more till he end in Glory.

This life is said to be a hidden life, ‘It is hid with Christ in God. Life of a Chri­stian hidden.’

The life of a Christian, which is his glorious spirituall life, it is hid among other respects.

It is hid to the world, to worldly men, be­cause a Christian is an unknown man to them: because they know not the Father that begets, therefore they know not them that are begot­ten, as S. Iohn saith: they know not the advance­ment of a Christian: he is raysed into a high­er ranck then they. Therefore as a beast knowes not the things of a man, no more doth a carnal man, in any excellency, know the things of the spirit, for they are spiritually discerned; there­fore it is a hidden life in the eyes of the world: a wordly man sees not this life, in regard of the excellency, he passeth scornes, and contempts of it, of folly and the like. A Christian, in re­spect of his happy life, is a stranger here, and therefore hee is willing to passe through the world, and to be used as a stranger.

It is a hidden life likewise ofttimes, not only to worldlings, but in regard of the children of God themselves: because by reason of some infirmities that are in the best of Gods children, they are apt to judge amisse, harshly and rashly one of another. Likewise by reason [Page 5] of those calamities that are common to all men alike, they are afflicted as others, and have sick­nesses, and are contemned more then others, and by reason of this, the children of God often censure those that have the beginnings of spirituall life in them. It is hid from them.

It is hid likewise from themselves: for often Gods children know not themselves, in tempta­tion, in their nonage, in the beginning of their conversion, in the time of desertion, and spiri­tuall slumber and sleepe, Grace seemes to bee dead in them, and then they know not that they have this spirituall life, especially if this de­sertion bee joyned with outward abasement, they call their estate into question, as in Psal. Psal 73. 7. 73. 7. and in diverse places of Scripture: Gods children oftimes, by reason of their inquisition and search, they raise clouds, whereby they con­ceale from their owne eyes, their owne life. Partly through distemper of body, and partly by distemper of spirit, there are clouds raysed betweene them and their happinesse, that they cannot see their spirituall life.

But especially it is hid in regard of common infirmities, wanting gifts that others have, that have not a dramme of grace sometimes, that live to please men, and looke altogether to the outside, they doe that many times to pleasemen better then a Christian.

Sometimes God himselfe hides himselfe out of wisedome and mercy to us, when he sees that we carry not our selves so reverently as we [Page 2] [...] [Page 3] [...] [Page 4] [...] [Page 5] [...] [Page 6] should. And this reason may bee sufficient of Gods dispensation: God will have it so: part­ly for the further hardning of wicked persons, and for tryall: for if all were laid open in this excellent estate of a Christian, who should try their patience? who would not be a Christian for the comfort, and for the sence, and fee­ling? Oh, but this is not so, a Christian hath a life, but it is a hidden life: therefore God will try whether men will live by faith or sence, whether they will have their wayes now or no, or whether they will depend up­on that glorious life that God will reveale in time to come, and to exercise and streng­then faith: God will have it so, that this life shall bee now hid, that we may live by the promises, though wee have no feeling at all; that we may perswade our selves in the greatest desertions and extremities, yet I have a hidden Life in Christ, though I have little influence, and manifestation of it in mee: yet I have a glorious life in my head, and I live now by Faith, till I come to live by sight. This is one reason.

Wee should not therefore take offence, wee must not judge of Christians by out­ward shew and appearance, as CHRIST saith, wee should not judge of our selves by outward appearance, nor of the Church. The Whore of Babylon hath more painting and setting out, in all glorious shewes (it being an outside religion) then the true spouse of [Page 7] Christ, whose glory and beauty is within, doth it follow therefore that shee is the true Church? Oh no, for the beauty of the wife of Christ it is a hidden beauty, shee is glorious within, a stranger doth not meddle with the joy of the Church. Christians have a name indeed, and a stone, that none know but them that have it: It is hidden Mannah, we must not judge of the Church, or of Christians by outward appearance, wee shall bee deceived in that. Our Life is hid with Christ, the spring of all spirituall life. The Life of a Christian is a secret life, it is a peculiar life, it is a safe life. It is secret because it is hid; as I said, Gods children are secret ones, they are not knowne to the world, nor to themselves oft­times.

But ordinarily faith in them breakes through the Cloud, and unmaskes God himselfe, and sees Gods Fatherly face, though hee hide himselfe. They have a promise to lay hold upon, and they acknowledge him to be their Father, and wrastle with him, it is a secret Life, but it is not so secret, but that Faith ses into it, it pierceth the Vayle, and sees a glorious Life there. Faith will see Gods glorious countenance; Faith makes it a glo­rious Life though it bee secret, therefore let us not judge our selves nor others by ap­pearance.

And it is also a sure life, it is hid with Christ in God, marke on what grounds it is sure.

[Page 8] First it is hid in Heaven, no enemy can come there, the Divell comes not there since he first lost it, and was cast out. It is safe in regard of the place, it is hidde in Heaven.

And it is safe, because it is hid in Christ, who purchased it with his blood, who hath trampled upon all opposite powers, over death, and hell it selfe, it is hid in heaven, and in him who hath overcome all opposite power, there­fore it is a safe life.

And it is hid with Christ in God. Christ is in the bosome of God; Christ mediator, it is hid with Christ in God, hee is the store-house of this life, it is hid with him. If any can rob God, then they may rob our Life from us, for it is hid with Christ in God; it is a sure life therefore. Oh! but we may lose it, though it bee sure in respect of God. Object.

Nay, saith S. Peter, Wee are begotten againe Answer. to an inheritance, immortall, and reserved for us in Heaven, and wee are kept by the power of God to salvation. It is kept for us, and we are kept to it, God hath prepared it for us, and prepared us for it: so it is a most sure life, especially because Christ lives for ever, with whom it is, It is hid with Christ in God.

It is likewise a peculiar life, only to Gods people: for they only have union, and commu­nion with Christ, and therefore he saith here, your life is hid with Christ in God.

It is likewise a glorious life: for it is hid with Christ, who is the glory of God, and he [Page 9] saith in the next Verse, when Christ who is our life shall appeare, we shall appeare with him in Glory. It is a glorious life, but of that I shall speake in the next verse.

Wee see then that our life is hid in Christ, and what kind of life this is; it is a secret, sure, peculiar, glorious life. Alas, we are ready to judge of our selves by the present, and not to thinke it a glorious life: but hee saith, it is hid­den for us; Light is sowne for the righteous, it doth not appeare for the present. A garden hath seeds sowne, and hearbs, but in the win­ter there is no difference betweene it and a common field; but when the sunne shines and appeares, then the hearbs appeare in their lu­stre: so it is with a Christian, there is light, and immortality, and happinesse sowne for him, when Christ, the Sonne of Righteousnesse, shall appeare, then we shall appeare with him in glo­ry.

As wee may say of all things below, they have a hidden life, the plants and the flow­ers in the winter, they live by the roote, and when the Sunne appeares, then they also appeare with the Sunne in glory. So it is with the Righteous, they have a hidden life, it is hid now in the roote, in their head, in this life, when Christ the Sonne of Righteous­nesse shall appeare, when the spring comes, when the resurrection comes, then we shall ap­peare with him in glory; and so I come to speak of that verse. ‘[Page 10] When Christ, who is our life shall appeare, then shall yee appeare also with him in Glory.’

Our life is now hid, our happinesse is vayled over, there are many things betweene us and our life, but shall it alwayes bee so? Oh no, When Christ who is our Life shall appeare, wee shalt appeare also with him in Glory: hee meets with a secret objection. The parts here to be stood on are these.

First, Christ hee is our Life, hee shall appeare in Glory as our Life. This is taken for gran­ted, it is a supposed truth, When Christ who is our Life shall appeare, it is taken for granted that he shall appeare in glory:

The next thing is, that wee shall appeare likewise with Christ. Christ shall appeare, and wee.

And then the consequence, how these de­pend one upon another, because Christ appears in Glory, therefore we, when Christ who is our life shall appeare.

The Apostle cannot mention Christ, with­out an addition of comfort, and the Christi­an soule loves Christ, it sees such matter of comfort, and such righteousnesse in him, that it cannot thinke of Christ, without a comfor­table addition of Lord, Saviour, Life, Hope, Glory, &c. Christ carryes with him all com­forts, hee is food, the bread of life, the water of life, all that is good to the soule, therefore [Page 11] the Apostle gives this sweet addition, Christ out life. ‘How is Christ our life.’

He is every way the cause of the Life of Grace and of Glory. And not only so, the cause, but the roote, and spring in whom it is: wee have it from Christ, and in Christ: wee have it in Christ, as a root, and from Christ as a working cause, and by Christ as a Mediator: For Christ procured Life at Gods hands, by his Sactifice, and Death. Wee have it in Christ as a head, from him as a cause (together with both the other persons) and through him as Mediator, who by his death made way to life; appeasing the wrath of God: so we are reconciled and pardoned by the death of Christ.

Christ is not only our Life so, but as the matter of our life that wee seed on; when hee hath wrought spirituall life in us, then the Soule lives by Faith in Christ still, and seedes upon him, hee is our life because wee feed on him: for as food nourisheth the bo­dy, so the Soule, being every day set on by fresh temptations, and afflictions, and trou­bles, and fresh discomforts, the Soule of necessity is forced to looke to Christ, eve­ry day, and to feed upon Christ, to feed upon his blood af [...]esh, which runnes conti nually: for hee is a Mediator for ever, and [Page 12] he is in Heaven to make good, that hee hath done by his death and wee looke upon him every day, and feed on him, and so hee main­taines the life he hath begun. Christ is our life thus:

More particularly (for memorie sake) Christ when by faith wee have union with him once, (as we can have no communion with­out union with him) when wee are one with him once by faith; wee have life from Christ; the life of reconciliation in law, opposite to our death in law, and in sentence; for by nature we are all dead, and damned as soone as we are borne for our owne sins, and the sins of our first parents; wee are dead in sentence: Now by Christ there is a reversion of this sen­tence. Christ by his obedience, and suffering hath satisfied his father: so by our union with Christ wee are alive in sentence, we are absol­ved in GODS court of justice, for hee will not punish sin twice.

And then after the life of justification being justified by faith, we have the life of sanctifica­tion, and holinesse: for GOD out of his love, when he hath pardoned our sin, he gives his spirit as the best fruit of his love: and we having our consciences absolved, and acquitted by the spi­rit of GOD through the obedience of Christ, wee love GOD. GOD so loveth us when he is appea­sed by Christ, that the barre being taken away, our sinnes being pardoned, and the sluce of mer­cy open, there is way made for another life, [Page 13] the life of sanctification by the spirit: upon pardon of our sinnes he gives the spirit, and we feeling that love, have love wrought in us to him againe, and that love stirs up every Chri­stian to obedience.

In the next place, after he hath acquitted us by his Alsufficient satisfaction, being God and Man, and hath given us his spirit: there is an­other life, the life of comfort, which is the life of our life, in peace of conscience, and joy unspeakable, and glorious, this life issues from the former: for when we find our conscience ap­peased, that God saith to our soules, hee is their salvation, and find a newnesse wrought in our nature by the spirit of God, and some strength to obey him, then we begin to have a sweet peace, (as the Children of God find in themselves) and joy unspeakable, and glori­ous.

This is the life of this life, having union with Christ, and his Righteousnesse, and spi­rit, wee have this peace, which is the way to Glory, and the beginning of it. For be­sides that, Christ is our life in Glory after­wards, in this life he is our life. Answerable to our servile feare, as wee are dead in law, we have a life in justification. As wee are dead in nature, so we have a life in sanctification, wee are dead in despaire and runne into ter­rours of Conscience, so wee have a life in joy, and peace.

But all those in this life are imperfect, [Page 14] because there is only an union of Grace here till wee come to the union of Glory in Heaven, and then at the day of judgement there will bee a perfect justifying of us, wee shall not only be acquitted in our conscience, as we are now, but wee shall bee acquitted before Angels and Divels and Men, and Christ will acknow­ledge us: these are they for whom I dyed, these are they for whom I made intercession in Heaven, we shall be acquitted there, and there wee shall be acknowledged:

And then the life of sanctification, that is now in part, shall then be perfect, and like­wise the peace that now passeth understanding, shall then bee full, and our joy shall bee full by Christ who is our life:

So then we see we have in Christ the second Adam, whatsover wee lost in the first roote. Whence did we draw sinne, and misery? by union with the first Adam, we have damnation, we have the wrath of God, we have corruption opposite to sanctification, we have terrours, and horrour of conscience. By the second Adam and union with him we have a spring of life, and peace, and all that we lost in Adam, and more then all we lost, he being God-man. The sinne of the first Adam was the sinne of a man: the obedience of the second Adam, was the obedience of God-man, which raiseth us to life everlasting. Rom. 5. So that there is more comfort in the life we have by Christ, then there is discomfort in our death by Adam.

[Page 15] We see then hence that in all our deadnesse and dulnesse, and want of grace, there is a spring in our nature. God hath given Christ, God-man, that there should be a treasure in him for all the Church, that we may fetch sup­ply out of our nature. He is fit to be our life: for our nature in him is united to the God­head, therefore Christ is a fit fountaine to de­rive grace to beleevers; because mans na­ture in him is advanced, by being united to the second person, he is God-man, able to de­rive all grace, and comfort, and righteousnes whatsoever. Shall the first Adam derive unrigh­teousnesse, discomfort and misery that was a man? & shall not Christ God-man, derive righ­teousnesse, and comfort, and joy, and peace, and whatsoever is good? undoubtedly he shall. Therefore in all want of grace, in all tempta­tions and assaults, let us goe to the fountain, to the fulnesse of grace, to the fulnesse of Gods love in Christ, Christ, God-man is our life. As when we are cold, we come to the fire: so when we are dull-hearted, let us come to this quickening spirit.

And to this end, let us be stirred up to use those meanes wherein Christ will be effectuall, (whereby as by veines, the blood of this spiri­tuall life is conveyed;) as the Word, and Sa­craments, the Communion of Saints, and all sanctified meanes, whereby the life of grace, and comfort may be conveyed to us: let us ne­ver be out of such wayes, and courses, as where [Page 16] by Christ derives this life of grace, and let us take heed of those that are contrary.

But, how shall I know, saith a weake soule, Question. (that finds little comfort, and peace, and little sanctification, and is besieged with troubles, and is doubtfull, and knowes not whether his sinnes be forgiven or no, how shall I know) whether Christ be my life or no?

I answer that the life of Christ is but now Answer. begun in us, and it is very little at the first. There is nothing lesse then grace at the begin­ning. The life of Christ is conveyed to us from Christ voluntarily not by necessity. Hee gives the will and the deed according to [...]; therefore we must know that we have more or lesse comfort, and more or lesse grace as he plea­seth. He brings all to heaven in all ages that have the true life of grace, though he make a difference, and give to some more, and to some lesse, because he is a head that flowes into his members, not out of nature, but of his owne pleasure.

And a Christian soule that hath union with Christ, that hath a being, and station in him may know it; there are alway some pulses from this heart: as we know there is some life by the beating of the pulses: so Christs dwelling in the heart, is knowne by these pulses, there will be striving against corruption, and complay­ning of it. (Nature, and corruption will not complaine against corruption: co [...]ption will not strive against corruption,) there will be [Page 17] sighing, and groaning, which is seconded with a constant indeavour to grow better, it is not a flash: these pulses beating in the soule of a true Christian, shew that there is the life of grace in him, that Christs dwells in his heart. And this oft times doth more appeare in the greatest temptations: Take a Christian at the worst, his heart sighs to God, to recover him, he is sick, and yet he hopes in Christ, Christ in the greatest desertion is his life, who was also our paterne, when he was at the lowest, My God, my God. So a Christian at the lowest, he hath a spirit of prayer, (though it may be) he cannot pray distinctly, yet he can sigh, and groane, and God heares the sighs of his owne Spirit alwayes: Therefore when these pulses beate in him, in the greatest temptations hee may know that Christ lives in him.

Sometimes Christ in respect of this life, in this world reserves himselfe to the chiefe occasion; as some great affliction of the out­ward man. In 2 Cor. 4. We see there, when the 2 Cor. 4. body of Saint Paul was afflicted, when it was abased by many afflictions, The life of Christ was most manifested in him. God reserves to poore Christians (that now live in peace and quiet) the greatest feelings and manifestations of Christs living in them, till some great crosse, till the houre of death, till a time of need. The life of Christ is most manifest in the time of abasement.

By the way therefore, let us not avoid cros­ses [Page 18] for Christs sake: avoid not any abasement, though it be imprisonment, or death; the more our outward man is abased, if it be for Christs sake, the more this life of Christ, this blessed life, this peace that passeth understanding, and this joy in the Holy-ghost is increased; we shall feele our ab­solution, and justification the more. This life of Christ is most manifested when wee honour him most by suffering for him. Therfore let us avoid no crosse for him. ‘Christ who is our life, Shall appeare:’

There are two appearings (wee know) of Christ; his first appearing, and his second appearing. His first appearing was to worke our salvation; his second shall be to accom­plish, and finish what he hath begun to worke. His first appearing, was to redeeme our soules from death, & his second shall redeeme our bo­dies from the corruption of the [...] so his se­cond appearing shall be to accomplish all the good that he came to doe and to worke by his first. As verily therefore as Christ is come in his first appearing; so verily and certainly he shall appeare the second time. And as it was the description of holy men before his first comming, to wayte for him, To wayte for the consolation of Is [...]ael: so Christians now; those blessed soules that have the report of this they waite for the comming of Christ.

There were all kind of witnesses then of his first comming, Angels, men, women, shepheards, the Devils themselves, The Trinitie from hea­ven [Page 19] witnessed of him: so for his second com­ming there are witnesses. Christ himselfe saith hee will come. The Angels say, This Iesus that ye see goe up shall come againe. It is an Ar­ticle of our faith, that he shall come. The Spi­rit of God in every Christian saith come, and that is not in vaine, the desires of the Spirit of God must be fulfilled, therefore he shall come; and the Spirit of God stirres up our spirits to say come. There are all kind of proofes, & argu­ments for it. It is an Article of our faith: it is laid here for a ground, and therefore I will not inlarge my selfe in it: but come to the next point. Christ will appeare, and ‘We shall also appeare with him in glory.’

We shall appeare, and appeare with him and appeare in glory with him. Christ himselfe his glory is in some sort hid now: for though he be King of the Church, yet wee see what enemies are in the Church; and Satan ruffles in the Church a great while, and the nearer he is to his end, the more he rageth; so that Christs glory seemes to be hid; but Christ then shall appeare, and his Church shall appeare with him in glory.

Why shall wee appeare with Christ, and be glorious with him? Question.

I answere, this is cleare: partly because it Answer. Iohn 17. is Christs will, in Iohn 17. Father I will that where I am they may be also. It is Christs last Testament that we should be where he is, and be glorious with him, and Christs will must be fulfilled.

[Page 20] Againe, consider what we are to Christ, how neare wee are brought to him, and then this will be cleare, that when Christ shall appeare in glory, we must appeare with him: for Christ is our Husband, and we are his Spouse, when Christ comes to be glorious, therefore his Spouse must be glorious; now is but the time of contract, the time of the marriage, solem­nity shall be at the appearing of Christ: there­fore when he shall appeare, we shall appeare with him in glory. Christ in his owne person, distinct from his Church, is now glorious as a head, but Christ mysticall is not glorious, Christ mysticall suffers: there are many members that are not yet called. Some are abased, & some are not brought to the fold: And Christ hath a care of his mysticall body, as of his naturall body; and as that is glorious in heaven, so hee will bring all his members to be one glorious bo­dy. He gave his naturall body to redeeme his mysticall body, therefore as he is glorious in that in heaven, so hee will be glorious in his mysticall body, in every beleeving soule at the last, when hee shall come to be glorified in his Saints, as the Apostle saith, 2 Thess. 1. Hee is 2 Thess. 1. 10. glorious in himselfe now: then he will be glo­rious in his Spouse.

And then from the ground of predestinati­on, Rom. 8. We are predestinate to be conformed Rom. 8. to Christ, that he might be the first borne among ma­ny brethren. Now Christ being glorious, and we being predestinate before the world was to be [Page 21] like unto Christ; first in abasement, to be aba­sed for him that was abased for us, to suffer for him that suffered for us, and to be confor­med to him in grace; there must be a time to be conformed to him in glory? From the ground of Election, there must be a state of glory, our glory must be revealed when Christ shall come and appeare. I will presse no more reasons that we must be glorious at the second comming of Christ as well as himselfe.

Wherein stands this glory? Quest.

To cleare this point a little, I will not be Answer. long in it; because indeed this glory is such, as eye hath not seene, nor eare heard, nor hath entred into the heart of man. The Apostles speake not much of it, they speak of it in negative tearms, by denying imperfections: It is an inheritance incorruptible, immortall, &c. And when it is re­sembled to earthly things, it is compared to a banket, to a marriage, &c. But this glory, it shall be in body, in soule in the whole man.

In soule, there shall be the knowledge of those mysteries of salvation, that now wee are ignorant of. Now wee are in the Grammar schoole, but that shall be as the University. Then we shall know things more clearely, we shall see God face to face; and then our soules shall be raised to be capable of more know­ledge and grace. Now the vessell of our soule is not capable to know that that we shall then, they are not capable as they shall be in heaven. Saint Paul himselfe was not capable, therefore [Page 22] when he was taken up into the third heavens, least he should be proud of his revelations, he was faine to be abased. Wee are not capable, we cannot know the glory of heaven in a full measure now: but then, God shall inlarge the heart, and sanctifie it, that we shall have strong spirits, and holy understandings, and affecti­ons to understand holy things, we shall know God face to face. There shall be a proportion betweene the glorious things in heaven, and our soule there shall be a heavenly soule for a heavenly place, where as yet it is not so.

I forbeare to shew the particulars of the glory of the body: the Apostle Paul sets it downe, 1 Cor. 15. It shall be a spirituall body: it 1 Cor. 15. shall be guided by the Spirit, and the body, it shall not then need meats and drinks, but God shall be all in all. Now, our life at the best is fed and cloathed by the creatures, then, all shall be taken out of God himselfe, God him­selfe shall be All in all. The presence of God, and of Christ our Saviour shall supply all that we have now other wayes. Now, comfort is conveyed from this creature, and from that; but whatsoever comfort we have now dropped by the creatures, we shall then have all in him, and in fulnesse, and for evermore. So we shall be glorious in soule and body.

And in our whole man, the Image of God and Christ shall be perfectly restored, we shall be like Christ, reserving the difference between the head, and the members, reserving the dif­ference [Page 23] of a naturall Sonne, and of sonnes adop­ted; he shall be more glorious then we; we shall be glorious as much as we are capable off, in all fulnesse of joy, and grace, and dominion over the creature, in freedome from ill, and readinesse to good, we shall be glorious sons of God. I need not to be long in unfolding these things.

When shall this be? Quest.

When he shall appeare, saith the Apostle, Answer. we shall also appeare with him in glory. It is carryed indefinitely to stoppe curiosity, there is no time set downe: but when hee shall ap­peare, &c. In a word, when all the Elect shall be gathered together. It is not meet that our bodies and soules should be glorified, till all Gods people be gathered together. As in a Simile. family they doe not sit downe till all the ser­vants be come in, and then they sit downe together: so in this great family of God; the Saints in heaven and earth, there shall not be perfect glory, till all be gathered, and saved. And then what a blessed time will that be, when every one shall be glorious himselfe, and shall put downe the Sunne in glory in his body, and soule? and when there shall be such a world of them so glorious.

If every Starre be beautifull, how beau­tifull are all in their lustre? when so many Saints shall be gathered together they shall be farre more glorious then the Sunne in his Majestie; and this glory is reserved till [Page 24] all be gathered together. God said of the creatures severally they were good, but when hee looked on them together, they were exceeding good: so the severall soules of Christians are glorious: but at the day of Judgement when all shall be gathered together, there shall be an exceeding glory. It is reserved I say for the gathering together of the Saints: when Christ, who is the head shall have gathered all by his word, and ministery out of this sinfull world (which are scattered here and there) then they shall come to perfect glory. Then there shall be perfect union betweene the body and soule; then there shall be a perfect union betweene us, and all that are dead together; then there shall be a perfect union be­tweene us, and Christ, then we shall have the perfect fruition of God, of Angels, of all the blessed company in heaven. Oh! what a blessed time will this be? and this shall be at the glorious appearing of Christ.

Christ shall appeare in glory himselfe, as verily as he appeared in his first com­ming, and wee shall appeare with him in glory.

Why should wee doubt of it? is not that which is greater done already? hath not God himselfe become man? hath not God dyed? and God beene abased in his first comming? Is not that more wonder, then that man should become like God in [Page 25] his second comming? whether is greater for God to become man, or for men to be rai­sed out of their graves, and become glo­rious? certainely this is the lesser, why should we doubt of it? Let us rayse our hearts with this, that as verily as he came in abasement to worke our salvation, so verily hee shall come, and rayse us to glory, and this is a lesser worke then the former.

But to come nearer, to make some further use of this, surely these are maine points, and should bee oft thought on. O! that the hearts of Christians were exer­cised with them. Could wee be dead ei­ther for grace or comfort, if wee did oft thinke of this with application? Let us oft warme our selves with these things: let us bring our selves to the light, let us thinke of the blessed times to come: could we be un­fruitfull? This made Saint Paul adjure Timo­thy, and the Thessalonians, I beseech you by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ, &c. I shall need no greater argument to presse you, then as verily as Christ shall come in glory, and as you shall be gathered to him: so heare what I say. So Saint Paul chargeth Timothy, 1 Tim. 6. 13. 1 Tim. 6. 13. I charge thee before Christ, who at his comming, &c. Keepe this Commandement. This will moove a mans conscience, and carry him to duty, if no­thing else will. Let us thinke seriously Christ will come with thousands of his Angels in glo­ry and majestie, and all shall be glory then, [Page 26] there shall be nothing but glory; glorious in his company, glorious in himselfe, glorious in his enemies, he shall trample them under his feet, by a glorious confusion, there shall be nothing but glory in heaven and earth then. And wee shall come to the same glory; the Spouse shall partake of the glory of her hus­band. Let us thinke of this, it will quicken, and inspire all our courses with a spirituall kind of light to all actions, it will enliven, and quicken them.

And it will put a kind of manner upon all our actions, that they shall be acceptable to God. For how should wee performe all that comes from us? All should be done in since­rity, and constantly, and abundantly, & cheare­fully, readily, and willingly, for God requires these qualifications in what wee doe; now what stirres us up to do all in this manner, ac­ceptably to God, but this consideration?

What stirres us up to doe things sincerely to Christ? He will appeare in glory, therefore let us doe things that may stand with his judg­ment. It is no matter what the reprobates of the world judge, let us doe things so as wee may stand before Christ at that day. A Chri­stian studies to arraigne himselfe before Christ, that he may doe that that may approve him to him that shall be his judge ere long.

And so let us hold out, we shall receive a re­ward, what will make us constant but this? what makes a man sowe his seed, that he scarce­ly [Page 27] can spare, but the hope of a harvest? what makes a man runne, but the victory, and the Crowne? so what makes a man worke, but the hope of reward? be constant, for in him yee shall receive the reward if yee faint not.

And so for abounding in good workes, your labour is not in vaine in the Lord: what made Saint Paul presse the abounding in good workes? Finally my brethren, be sted­fast and unmooveable, al [...]y abounding in the work of the Lord, why? for your labour is not in vayne in the Lord: your bodies shall rise againe ere long in glory, when Christ shall appeare you shall appeare, and be glo­rious with him. Therefore abound in the worke of the Lord; sow to the Spirit, and you shall reape glory; they that sow sparingly shall reape sparing­ly. What mkes men abound in workes of mercy and love, but this appearing of Christ? If their love be perfect, they have comfort in this appearing, and if they abound in mercy, Christ will appeare in mercy to them.

And so for chearefulnesse: that God also requires in every action, what inlar­geth the heart of a man in Gods worke? what puts fire into his affections but this, that Christ will come and appeare in glory ere long? that he will come, and crowne every good worke, that we shall not loose a good word that hath beene spoken in a good cause, not the least good action, not a cup of [Page 28] cold water, but all shall stand on our reckoning at that day when Christ shall come to be [...] in his Saints. This makes us doe things sincerely, constantly, abundantly, and chearefully.

I beseech you consider from what ground these things come: for these are principles that should be grounds of faith: they are pregnant, and spred themselves through the whole course of a Christians life, and there­fore are worthy to be thought often on.

Againe, why doth God reveale these things before hands, that wee shall appeare in glory in our body and soule, in our whole man? As it shewes us our duty, and the manner ofit, so it is a ground of comfort in all estates; A Christian may thinke: Now my life is a hidden, secret life. I passe un­der censures, it is thus in the world, and thus with me; well there will a time come, the time of Resurrection that will make amends for all; for this sickenesse of body, and disquiet of mind, and all an­noyance, 2 and adversity; and it is revealed be­fore hand for our comfort that there shall be such a time that wee may make use of it, that we may ground our patience upon it. When Saint Paul exhorts to patience, saith hee, The Lord is at hand, and Saint Iames saith, The Iudge standeth at the doore. Let us be patient in infamies, and sufferings, it will bee otherwise ere long, Christ is at hand.

[Page 29] Againe, that wee might continually be breathing out thankefulnesse to God. Our whole life should be spent in thankeful­nesse to God. Even as the Angels in hea­ven that stand in the presence of God, and the blessed spirits in heaven, they spend that vigour that is in them: they spend all that is in them, in praising God, in thanks and laud to God, and sing, Glory, glory: so before-hand knowing that ere long we shall appeare with Christ, and appeare in glory, let us thank him before hand. As Saint Peter saith, Blessed be God that hath be­gotten 1 Pet. 1. us againe to an inheritance, immortall, unde­filed, &c. reserved in heaven for us. Let us blesse God before-hand, as if we were in heaven alrea­dy. Certainely if we hope to be with those that shall sit in heavenly places in heaven to prayse God, we will begin it on earth: for the life of heaven is begun on earth, we are Kings now, we are Priests now, wee are conquerours now, we are new creatures now: we must praise God, and begin the im­ploiment of heaven now for what they do per­fectly, that we begin to do. In heaven we know there is no ill company, we will abstaine from it now; there is no defilement of sinne, wee will conforme our selves to that estate wee hope for: There is nothing but praising of God; as much as may be wee will warme our hearts with the moditation of what God hath done, what he doth, and what he hath reserved for the time to come, with that we have in hope. [Page 30] The best things of a Christian especially are in hope: for that which we have by Christ, principally is not in this world: therefore considering that the best things that Christ died for are in hope, let us rejoyce in hope, and in rejoycing have our hearts inlarged with pray­sing of God, for that we hope for.

And be comforted in all the changes of this life, all the changes for the time to come, and in death it selfe, which is the last change: are not all degrees to make way for that glorious appearing with Christ? for the soule at death goes to heaven, and the body shall come after: why should wee be loath to die, when death is nothing but a change from mise­ry to happinesse? a change from the danger of sinning, to an impossibility of sinning, from a vale of misery to a place of happinesse, from men to God, from sinfull persons that trou­ble our peace and quiet, to better company in heaven, from actions that are sinfull, to actions altogether free from sinne. It is a glorious and blessed change every way; wee shall have better company, better place, better im­ployment, all glorious then, till the time come that all the Elect be gathered toge­ther, and then body and soule shall be for ever with the Lord, 1 Thess. 4. Why then should we 1 Thess. 4. feare changes, when all changes shall end in that that is better? Is a labouring man loath to have his hire, or a weary man loath to have rest? is a King loath to be crowned? is a partie [Page 31] contracted loath to have the marriage con­summate? why should wee bee loath to die? Wee should be ashamed of our selves, that we have bin so long in the Schoole of Christ, and yet have not learned to unloose our affections from earth, to beter things, that wee stand in feare of death, that makes way to the glory of the soule now; and the eternall glory of body, and soule after.

In a word, wee are exhorted in the begin­ning of the Chapter, to have our minds in hea­ven, where Christ is, and wee are exhorted af­ter the text to mortifie our earthly members: two necessary duties, to have our conversation in heaven, before we be there, and to mortifie our earthly members, to dye in our affections to earth­ly things, before wee dye indeed; would wee have strength put into our soules to performe both these? Let us oft meditate of the things that are betweene these verses. Let us consider that we are dead, so we should bee more lively to God. Consider that our life is hid with Christ, that Christ shall appear ere long, and wee with him in glory. Wee should raise our thoughts to be with Christ, and draw our souls up to Heavenly things, for the more our af­fections are upwards, the lesse they will bee be­low: our affections are finice, the more we spend them on heavenly things, the lesse they will run on earthly. As a man in a trance, his thoughts are taken up with one matter, that he is dead to Simile. other things, so the soule which is taken up [Page 32] with the glory to come, and with Christ, it is dead to earthly things, only it takes them for necessary use, as having use of them in our tra­vell, but it useth the world as if it used it not. And this issues from this principle, that wee shall ere long appeare with Christ in Glory. There is no man but will drowne himselfe too much with the things of the world, that hath not this to raise up his soule, I shall appeare ere long with Christ in glory, and then these things will be consumed.

The last point is, how these depend one up­on another, that because Christ shall appeare in Glory, therefore we.

I will touch it a little, because it is a point of faith, that helpes our judgement a little. It is a ground of Divinity, that whatsoever is in us that are members, it is in our head first, for God is first, and then Christ mediator, and then we, whatsoever is good is in us, or shall be to us, it is in Christ first. He is justified from our sinnes, for he was our surety for sinne, hee was abased for them first: therefore hee shall appeare then without sin to Glory. Our sin was but impu­ted to Christ, he became our surety for sin, and he must be abased, therefore we cannot bee glo rious here, because of our corruptions. Christ was surety for our sinnes in his first comming: now his resurrection shewed, that hee had sa­tisfied for our sinnes; the second time he shall appear in glory: why are we justified from our sins? because Christ, our surety, was acquitted.

[Page 33] We ascend glorious [...] to heaven, where is the ground of it? he ascended first, and we ascend for him and in him.

We sit in heavenly places, why? because he is in heaven before hand: as the Husband takes up a place for his wife: why doth she goe into the countrey, and take it up after? because her husband hath gone before and taken it. Our as­cension riseth from his, and our sitting at the right hand of God, from his.

And so at the day of judgement, our being glorious, it comes from his. He then shall ap­peare in glory, as the head, and husband of his Church, and shall shine upon all his members. He, as the Sun, shall cast a lustre and beauty, and glory, upon all that are his, and then they shall reflect that glory they have from him, up­on him againe, and he upon them againe, so he shall be glorious in them, and they in him, but the ground of all is, he is first in glory, he shall appeare in glory, and then we in him.

I speake this the rather, because I would have humble consciences to make use of it in times of desertion, when God seemes to bee a God that hides himselfe, when they find no life nor comfort, yet if they have but grace to believe, they may comfort themselves in this: well, I have it but from Christ, and he is perfect in glo­ry, he is ascended, and I shall ascend, and rise, and be glorious, because hee is so: Put case now I feele no such matter: it is no matter, I live by faith in Christ, that hath all in fulnesse, [Page 34] and what hee hath done for me, hee will doe in me, if I believe in him.

Let a troubled soule comfort it selfe with this, it is as impossible that he should be dam­ned, that believes in Christ, as that Christ should be damned, because hee believing in Christ, is one with him, and as verlly as Christ is in hea­ven, hee shall bee there; for Christ rose for all his. The little finger lives the same life, as the Simile. hand or the foot doth; so a weake christian that hath little grace, he lives by the same faith in Christ that is in glory, as well as they that are stronger. Let us strive and fight with this en­couragement, as S. Paul saith, fight the good fight of Faith. Oh! but shall we be alwayes figh­ting and striving? No saith hee, lay hold of eternall Life, and then wee may well fight a­gainst doubts and despaire. Let us therefore labour to fight so, that we may lay hold on eter­nall life, which Christ keepes for us, and keeps us for it, and ere long we shall partake of that wee hope for.

THE REDEMPTION OF BODIES.

THE Apostle was now in prison, yet hee had a spirit of glory, re­sting upon him: for he speakes as if he were entred into Heaven, as if he were there before his time; and therefore in Chap. 1. saith he, I desire to bee dissolved, and to be with Christ, which is best of all. And I account all dung in comparison of Christ, as he saith in this Chap. and here in the former verse, Our conversation is in Heaven, from whence we looke for the Saviour, Iesus Christ, who shall change our vile bodyes, &c. God reserves a­bundance of comforts to the fittest times, as we see here in Saint Paul in this place. Now he [Page 38] brings in his owne example to good purpose, as opposite to false Christians, and false [...]ea­chers, that he had mentioned before. There are many walke, of whom I have told you oft, &c. they are enemies to the crosse of Christ, that mind earthly things, &c. verse 18. But saith hee, our conversation is in heaven, he regards not which way they went, hee tooke an opposite course to the world, and swims against the stream: As we see the stars, they have a motion of their own, opposite to the motion that they are carried with. So S. Paul had a motion of his owne, opposite to the course of the world, their end is damnation, but our conversation is in Heaven. A christian hath his conversation in Heaven, while hee is on earth, hee rules his life by the lawes of heaven. There are alway in the visible Church, some that walke contrary wayes, who make their Belly their God, whose end is [...]. There were some that were christians, [...] [...] [...]a­chers of Christians many of them, yet he saith, their end is damnation, their God is their belly: car­nall Christians say, wee have all [...] the sacrament, &c. Alas we may all partake of this common privilege, and yet our end may be damnation. St. Paul looked on them with a a spirit of compassion, I tell you weeping. So it may be with us, in our Goshe [...] here, there may be a spirit of cast-awayes in many, and in the abun­dance of meanes there may bee many dead souls. But S. Paul regards not what their course was, for saith he, our conversation is in Heaven. ‘[Page 39] From whence we looke for the Saviour, &c.’

That shewes why his conversation was in heaven, because his Saviour was in heaven, and therefore his hope was in heaven, Where the treasure is, the heart will be. Having entred into this blessed discourse, he goes on still, who shall change our vile bodies, and fashion them like his glorious body. He brings it in by way of an­swering an objection. If our conversation be in heaven, why are our bodies yet subject to such afflictions and basenesse in this world? It is true they are; but the time shall come that Christ shall change these vile bodies of ours, and fashion them like to his glorious body. I, but this requires a great deale of power and strength, and we see not how it may be. Therefore saith he, he shall doe it by that almighty power, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himselfe, therefore he shall subdue death, the last enemy; he will not doe it perhaps according to thy fancy and conceit, but according to the working whereby hee is able to subdue all things to himselfe: we must not regard our weake conceits in great matters, but Gods power; yee erre (saith Christ to the Pharisees) not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.

Saint Paul then in these words, and in the verse before, sets downe three reasons why his course is opposite to the course of wicked men in his time.

First, my City is in heaven, and my con­versation is answerable, I take a contrary [Page 40] course, for I am a citizen of another City.

And then another reason is, his hope and expectation of a Saviour from heaven, the Lord Iesus. Hope & faith, which is the ground of hope, carry up the soule where the thing ho­ped for is, Our conversation is in heaven, wee hope for a Saviour from thence.

The third reason is, from the condition of the body, how ever it was now for the present, He shall change our vile body, that it may be like his glorious body. ‘Who shall change our vile body.’

You see here the Apostle having set him­selfe upon a holy and heavenly meditation, he could not satisfie himselfe, but goes from point to point, setting downe his present holy conversation, grounded upon his future hope of a blessed state to come. Christ shall change our vile body. Our bodies are vile, and our bodies, here is the point then that, ‘The best mens bodies in this world are vile.’

Vile in regard of the matter whence they are taken, the earth, from the dust; the fairest bo­dy is but well coloured dust; base and vile from the beginning, from the wombe, base in the whole life, base in death; most base after death. They are base I say in the beginning.

But especially, base in our life; our bodies are base in regard of labour; Man is borne to la­bour (in this world) as the sparkes flie upward. God would humble the body of every man with labour, or else those that have not the la­bour [Page 41] of men here, shall have the labour of de­vils hereafter. The best body of the best Saints, are condemned to labour.

Vile, likewise in regard of sicknesse, and diseases, which grow out of the body, so that be it kept never so warme and tenderly, yet as the wormes grow out of the very wood, and Simile. consumes the wood that breeds it: so diseases grow out of, and come from the body. There is a fight, and conflict betweene moysture and heate, till the one prey upon the other, and consume it. In regard of sickenesse therefore they are vile bodies.

In regard likewise of disposing the soule the worst way: for take all tempers of the body, they incline the soule to some sinne or other, to some ill disposition or other. Choller, in­clines it to intemperate anger. Melancholy, to dis­trust, and darkenesse of spirit. The Sanguine, inclines it to liberty and loosenesse, &c. Phlegme, to deadnesse, and dulnesse of spirit. So our base bodies make the soule dull, it be­comes an unfit instrument, whereby the soule cannot worke as it would; an unfit house; the body is oft times a darke house: some­times a house that drops in with moist disea­ses, a house that lets in water, and so consumes it to rottennesse; sometimes, it is a house fi­red by hote diseases, it is thus indisposed, and therefore a vile body.

A vile body likewise, that when it is thus indisposed, there is no comfort in the earth [Page 40] [...] [Page 41] [...] [Page 42] that can comfort it: for all the foundation of comfort in this world, is the health of this poore body. A Kingdome, nay all the King­domes in the world will not comfort a man, if his body be not in tune, and alas, how soone is this body out of tune? An instrument that hath many strings, is soone subject to be out of tune, and there are many strings in the bo­dy: how many turnings? how many instru­ments doth the soule use? if any be out of tune, the musicke is hindred, it becomes an unfit instrument, in this regard it is a vile body.

In regard likewise of the necessities of na­ture this body is vile in this world. I speake not of what comes from the body, in which respect it is base and vile: but how many things doth this vile body stand in need of? man in that respect, is the basest creature in the world; he is b-holding to the wormes, he is beholding to nature to feed him in health, & in sickenes the body needs patching up, and piecing by this creature, and by that; so it is a vile body, in regard of the necessities of it, in health, in sickenesse, in youth, in age. It is vile in life. I need not stand on this.

It is more vile in death, in the houre of death, then it is base and vile indeed; can wee indure the sight of our dearest friends? how noysome is their presence after death? and the most exquisite temper, is the most vile, and noysome of all; those that are most delicately [Page 43] fed, and most beautifully faced, are most of­fensive, and this is the condition of all. That head that wore a Crowne, those hands that swayed a Scepter; those braines, and that un­derstanding that ruled many Kingdomes, all are subject to death, yea, and to basenesse after death, as well as those that are poorer. And then they are vile bodies, because they are subject to all manner of deaths: the bodies of Gods Saints have beene cast out to the fowles of the Ayre; the poore Martyrs, how many wayes have they tasted of death? These bodyes are subject to all manner of deaths, to variety of deaths, therefore they are vile bo­dies.

And then they are vile after death; as wee were taken out of dust at the first, so we returne to dust againe; and if these bodies be not transformed to be like the glorious body of Christ, they are most vile of all. The spirit of despayre, the spirit of anger that, is in repro­bate persons, how doth it disfigure their fa­ces? one may see their shame, their griefe, their despayre in their very lookes; so their bodies are most vile, and dishonourable: but I speake of Gods Children. I say here in this world, in regard that they come of parents that are miserable and sinfull, Man that is borne of a woman, hath but a short time to live, and is full of misery, Iob 14. 1. Man that is borne of a woman, of a weake, miserable, sinfull wo­man, Iohn 14. 1. in this respect it is a vile body. And in [Page 44] all the passages of our life, in respect of la­bour and paine, and sickenesses, and diseases; and likewise for indisposing the soule, that it is an instrument to ill: and in death it selfe, more vile then in life, and after death most of all vile. So you see they are vile bodies every way. To make some use of this.

If this be so, considering what the condi­tion of our body is here; let this abate the pride of the greatest: let them consider, when they looke upon their gay apparell, what doth these garments hide? when great Magistrates, and others have their purple on, let them consider, what doth this glorious garment cover? nothing but dust, a vile bo­dy, why should wee be proud then of our bo­dies, or of any ornament of our body, seeing it is a vile body?

Againe, if our bodies be vile and base, why should wee spend the strength of our soules in searching to satisfie the lusts of so vile a body? and so make our soules nothing else almost, but stewards to proule how to content, how to cloath and how to feed this body? as it is the study of many idle, vaine persons, almost all the day long, to give contentment to the craving lusts of this vile body, they make even an idoll of this poore, base piece of flesh, and sacrifice the best of their thoughts, and the best of their studies, and indeavours, and labours to the contentment of it: certainly this is forgotten, [Page 45] which the Apostle saith here, It is a vile and base body.

Againe, is our body a vile body, a base bo­dy, as wee have it here? then let us not make it more vile by intemperate courses, as wic­ked persons doe, they dishonour their bo­dies. They are vile indeed, make the best of them we can, and they will end in dust; but we ought not sinfully to make them more vile and base, as many wretched persons doe by their loose and licencious courses of life.

Againe, if our bodies be vile base bodies, while we live here, let us not offend God for any thing to gratifie our vile bodies, let us doe as Ioseph did, when his mistris tempted him, he left his garment behind him rather: so when we are tempted to any sinne, let us ra­ther leave our garments behind us, let us leave our bodies, they are but vile bodies, let us be stripped of them, rather then offend God. It is pittifull to consider how this vile body, as vile as it is, and shall be in death, how it tyrannizeth over the poore soule, and how men wound their soules for their bodies. How many are there that justifie errours that they condemne in their hearts, to live a lazy, idle, a full, a plentifull life? and how many doe con­demne those things, those courses, and those truths, (to please others, and to live a large, and idle life) which they justifie in their very soules? and all to please the flesh. It is but a [Page 46] bad counsellor, a bad solicitor, I say it tyran­nizeth over the poore soule. Let us not offend God or conscience, to breake the peace of it for any thing, to gratifie this vile flesh. This I thought good to touch concerning that. ‘Who shall change our vile bodies. Change.’

The action that Christ shall exercise about them is Change. Christ will Change our vile bo­dies. They are vile now, they shall not be al­wayes so, but Christ will Change our vile bodies. He will not give us other bodies for them: but hee will change them in regard of quality. For even as the great world was the same after the flood, as it was before the flood, and shall be when it is consumed by fire, it shall be a new world for quality, but the same for substance: so this body of ours, it shall be the same after the resurrection for substance, that it is now: it shall be altered for quality, it shall not be changed for substance. Therefore he shall change, he shall not abolish our vile bodies. This is the action that our blessed Sa­viour will exercise upon these vile bodies, they shall be changed. Man is the most chang­able creature in the world, for soule and for body too.

Take him in his soule, how many states is he in? There is first the state of nature in perfection; and then the state of corruption in originall sinne; and then the state of grace in the new creature, and then the state of glory. [Page 47] So likewise he is changeable in his body, hee was first taken out of the dust, out of the dust God made this glorious creature of mans bo­dy; he is a painefull creature, in labour, in sick­nes, and then from strength he is changed to old age, and from thence to death, and dust, and from dust then he is changed againe to a more glorious estate then ever he was in: the body is made like the glorious body of Christ, hee is changeable in soule and in body.

But this is our comfort, we shall change for the best, all the changes of our bodyes serve for the last change, after which, there shall never bee any more change, when they are changed once to be glorious, they shall be for ever glo­rious: a blessed change, a blessed estate of a chri­stian, all his changes tend to a state that shall never change: for after these bodies are once changed from base, to bee glorious, they shall be for ever glorious,

Who

The person that shall change them is Christ, [...]ho, who shall change our vile bodyes. In the person, wee may consider the object and the action: Christ shall change our vile bodyes, hee that made us will make us againe, hee that is the I­mage of God will refine us, he will renew us in body and soule to be like God, to be like him­selfe, and he that changeth our soules in this world, will change our bodyes in the world to come. His first comming was to change our [Page 48] soules, to deliver them from the bondage of Satan; his second comming shall be to deliver our bodies from the bondage of Corruption, that is, the day of the Redemption of our bodies, as the Apostle cals it, Rom. 8. So it is hee that shall change, but of this I shall speake more afterward.

What is the patterne, according to which this body shall be changed, by this author of it, Christ Jesus? His own body; he shall change our vile bodies. ‘That it may be made like, or fashioned [...] his glorious body.’

He is both the c [...]se and the pa [...]e the ef­ficient, and the exemp [...] cause. He is the pat­terne, our bodyes shall be like his glorious bo­dy, even as our [...]oules are like Christs [...] for this is certaine, wee are renewed in grace, not to the Image of the first Adam, but to the Image of the second Adam, we are conformed in soule to the Image of Christ in [...]nesse, and righteousnesse: so likewise in the body, we shall be conformable to the body of Christ, the second Adam: As we bare the Image of the first Adam in our first creation; so wee must beare the Image of the second in our [...] ­tion, at the day of the resurrection. The glo­rious body of Christ is the patterne of this transmutation and change.

But we most understand this, as I said, [...] re­gard [Page 49] of quality, and not in regard of equality: our body shall be like his glorious body, not equall to his glorious body. There must bee a reservation therefore of difference in heaven, betweene the head and the members, the hus­band and the spouse, our bodyes shall bee like his glorious body, not equall to it. To our ca­pacity wee shall have full satisfaction, and con­tentment for body and soule too, and they shall have security to be in that estate for ever, there­fore, though there be a difference of glory, yet that difference is no prejudice to the glory wee shall have, we shall have that that is fit for us, Our body shall bee made like unto his glorious body. Christ is our patterne.

Whence we see this point of Divinity cleare to us, that

Whatsoever is in us, both for soule and body, (but here wee speake of the body) whatsoever excellency is in us, it is at the second hand.

It is first in our head, first in Christ, and then in us, He is first the Sonne of God by nature, wee are the Sonnes of God by Adoption: hee is the predestinated Sonne of God to save us, to be our head, we are predestinate to be his mem­bers; he is the sonne of Gods love, wee are be­loved in him, hee is full of grace, of his fulnesse we recieve grace for grace; hee rose, and we shall rise, because hee rose first: Hee ascended into Heaven, by vertue of his ascention, wee shall ascend into heaven too. Hee sits at the right [Page 50] hand of God inglory, and by vertue of his sit­ting, we sit there together with him in heaven­ly places. Whatsoever is graciously, or glo riously good that is in us, it is first in our bles­sed and glorious Saviour.

Therefore let us looke to him, and be thank­full to God for him: when we thanke God for our selves, let us thanke God first for giving Christ who is the patterne to whom wee are conformed. Let us give thanks for him, as S. Peter doth, Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ: if he had not bin his Father, hee had not bin ours. Wee cannot stand before God of our selves, but in one that is perfect in himselfe, God-Man. Therefore when we blesse God for grace, and glory that belongs to us, let us blesse him for giving Christ, that in him we are happy, he conformes us in grace here, and in glory hereafter, in body and soule to our glorious Saviour.

And as it is a ground of thankfulnesse to God for Christ, so it yeelds us a rule for medi­tation: when we would thinke of any thing in our selves, let us goe to our head, to Christ, in whom we have all we have, and that wee hope to have: of his fulnes we receive, not only grace for grace, but glory for glory: of all the glory he hath, we have answerable to him; and surely it is a trans­forming meditation, to think of Christs glory, and to see our selves in him, to thinke of grace in Christ, and of our interest in grace in him, we must not thinke of him as an abstracted head, [Page 51] severed from us, but thinke of his glory, and our glory in him and by him, he is glorious, and we shall be glorious likewise.

Againe you see here, that how soever our bo­dyes are vile for the present, yet they shall not be so for ever, they shall be glorious bodyes, like to CHRISTS Body; the point then is that,

As Christ is the patterne of the glory of our body, so our body undoubtedly shall bee glorious as his body is.

This vile body shall bee glorious, even like Christs glorious Body. I need not stand to proveit, I proved it before. What should this affoord us? Then [...]let us use them to a glorious end, let us not use these base bodyes to base pur­poses. Let every member of this vile body, while we live here, bee a weapon of a sanctified soule, a weapon of righteousnesse, ready to doe good. Let us put honour upon these bodyes, that shall be thus honoured, let us use them for honourable purposes. Let us lift up our eyes to Heaven, let us reach forth our hands to good workes: let our feet that have carried us to ill heretofore, carry us to the service of God; for these very vile Bodyes, shall bee glorious bo­dyes. The very same eyes that have bin lift up to God in prayer, those very hands that now are instruments of good workes, those very knees that are humbled to God in prayer, and those feet that have carried us to holy exercises, and those spirits that are wasted and spent in holy [Page 52] meditation, even these, this vile body, that is thus holily used, shall be a glorious body, ther­fore let us use it answerably.

And labour to lay it downe with honour in the dust, to leave it with a good report to the world, considering it shall be so glorious after­ward. Doe those thinke of this, that use their bodyes for base purposes? whose eyes are full of Adultery, whose hands are full of rapine, whose feet carry them to base places, where they defile themselves, whose bodyes, every member is a weapon and instrument of sinning against God? How can these dare to thinke of that glorious day, wherein our vile bodyes shal be made like the glorious body of Christ, can they hope that those hands, and those feet of that body, shall be made glorious, that have bin defiled? that have bin instruments to make o­thers likewise sinne? can such a body looke for glory? let us not deceive our selves; this vile body indeed shall be a glorious body. I but it must bee used accordingly, unlesse wee have a presumptuous hope.

This body shall bee glorious, this very vile body, this corruptible shall put on incorruption, the same body, as the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 15. I be­lieve the resurrection of this body, as we say in the Creed. S. Paul pointed to his own body, this body, this mortall shall put on immortality.

If this body shall be glorious, how base so­ever it be in this world, then againe let us ho­nour poore Christians, though we see them vile [Page 53] and base; and honour aged Christians, and deformed: alas, looke not on them as they are, but as they shall be, as they are in the decree of Christ, and as they shall bee ere long by the power of Christ, hee will make them like his glorious body. Let us not despise weake, or old, or deformed persons, these vile bodies shall be glorious: those that died in martyrdome, whose bodies were cast into the fire, and cast to wild beasts, &c. they shall be glorious bodyes. The Emperour Constantine wold kisse the very holes of the eyes of those that had their eyes pulled out, that had bin martyrd: So even our vile bo­dyes, when they are used in the service of God, in suffering, they shall bee glorious bodyes, let us honour our bodyes, or theirs that suffer for Christ. S. Paul made it his plea, and a ground of his confidence, because his body was vile for Christ. I Paul a prisoner of Iesus Christ, and I carry in my body the marks of the Lord Iesus. The dy­ing of Christ, that the life of Christ might bee mani­fest. He carried Christs marks in his body: making this an argument of respect, that he was a priso­ner: so when any are abased for Christs sake, let us think these are such as shall have glorious bodies, how ere they are esteemed of the world. But to enlarge the point a little further, these bodyes shall be made like the body of Christ.

Wherein shall this Glory of our bodyes Quest. consist?

Especially in these six indowmēts, our bodies Answer. be now vile, and perhaps imperfect, they want a [Page 54] member, a sence or a limbe, our bodyes then shall be perfect, even as Christs body is. Those martyrs that have bin dismembred, shall then have perfect bodyes. Let us not bee asrayd to lose a limbe, or a joynt, for Christ, or a good cause, if our bodyes bee made vile for Christ, they shall be made perfect afterward.

Then again, our Bodyes then shall be beauti­ful Adam in his innocency had such a beauty in his body, that the very creatures reverenced him, he was awfull to the very creatures: so the body of our blessed Saviour, now in heaven, is wondrous beautifull, and so shall our bodyes be, how deformed soever they be now. Let us not stand therefore upon any present deformi­ty of our bodyes now, with yeares▪ or sicknesse, or other meanes, they shall not alway be so, we shall have beautifull bodyes.

Nay more then so, the third indowment is, we shall have glorious bodyes: as we see Christ in the mount, when hee was transfigured, and Moses, and Elias were with him, his body was glorious, they could hardly behold him. And Christ, in Revel. 1. he appeares, as the Sunne in his Revel. 1. full strength, his body is wondrous glorious now in Heaven, and so hee is represented there: If the very representation of him while he was up­on earth, was so glorious in the mount, what is it in Heaven? S. Paul could not endure the light that shined to him. Act. 9. So shall our Act. 9. Bodies bee, like the glorious Body of Christ.

What a glorious time will it be, when the [Page 55] glorious body of Christ shall appeare, and all the Saints shall appeare in glory? what a re­flexion of beauty and glory will there be, one shining upon another, when Christ shall come to be glorious in his Saints? Oh! the glory of the body of Gods children, it shall put downe all created glory, all the glory of the Sunne, and Moone, and all the glory of these inferiour bodies are nothing to the glory of the body of a Christian, that doth abase his body here for Christ, and the Churches sake. You see then these bodies shall be perfect, and beauti­full, and glorious bodies in regard of the Iu­st [...]e of them.

And likewise in the fourth place, they shall be immortall bodies, bodies that shall never die, unchangeable bodies; there shall be no al­toration, no death, no sicknesse, all teares shall be wiped from our eyes, they shall be immor­tall bodies that shall never die, as Saint Peter saith, Wee shall have an inheritance undefiled, im­mortall, &c. This is cleare, therefore I will not stand in the inlarging of it.

In the next place, our bodies shall be powerfull and vigorous: now they are weake, as Saint Paul saith, 1 Cor. 15. Our bodies are 1 Cor. 15. [...]wen in weakenesse, but then they shall be able to ascend and descend; they shall be strong, even as the body of Christ: wee shall have strong bodies, as all imperfection, so all weak­nesse shall be taken away.

In the sixth place they shall be spirituall [Page 56] bodies, that is, they shall not stand in need of meat, and drinke, and sleepe, and refreshings, as now they doe, but Christ will be all in all to them, he will be instead of meat and drinke, & cloathes: yea, and in stead of the Ordinances that we stand in need of here, the Word, and Sacraments, he will be all in all. And our bo­dies shall be spirituall in another regard, be­cause they shall be subject to the spirit; whereas now our very spirits are flesh, be­cause the flesh rules and tyrannizeth over them: so our soules follow our bodies, the soule of a carnall man is flesh; but then out flesh, our bodies shall be spirituall, not that they shall be turned into spirits, that is not the meaning, but spirituall bodies; obedient and obsequious to the very guidance of the soule, to a sanctified and glorious soule: these shall be the indowments of our bodies. They shall be perfect bodies, beautifull, glorious, shining bodies, immortall, unchangeable bodies, powerfull, strong, and vigorous bo­dies, ready to moove from place to place, and spirituall bodies, they shall stand in need of no other helpe; and they shall be obedient altogether to the spirit. You see now, how these vile bodies draw away our soules; then all imperfections shall be taken away, wee shall have purged bodies, and purged soules. Thus you see wherein the glory of the body shall consist.

Let us therefore often seriously thinke of [Page 57] these things: and let me renew my former ex­hortation: let us be content to make our bo­dies here vile for Christs sake, that they may be thus glorious. Let us abase them in la­bour and paines in our calling, in suffering, we doe no more then he did for us first. Was not his body first vile, and then glorious? and doe we thinke that our bodies must not be vile before they be glorious? not onely vile whether we will or no; but we must willingly make them vile, we must be willing to be dis­graced for Christs sake, to carry his death about us, to die daily, in the resolution of our soules. How was he abased before he was glo­rious? hee tooke on him our bodies at the worst, not in the perfection as it was created: but hee tooke the body of man now fallen. Againe, what paines did hee take in this bo­dy? and how was he disgraced in this body? that sacred face was spit upon, those blessed hands and feet, were nayled to the Crosse, that blessed head, that is revere [...]ced of the Angels, it was crowned with thornes. How was his body every way, in all the parts of it, abased and made vile for us? he neglected his refreshings for us: it was meate and drinke to him to doe good. If he became vile for us, if he abased his body for us, certainely wee should be ashamed, if wee be not content that our bodies should be made vile for him, that afterwards they may be made like his glorious body. Away with these nice Christians, that [Page 58] are afraid of the wind blowing on them, or the Sunne shining upon them, that are afraid to doe any thing, or to suffer any thing, and so in sparing their bodies, destroy both body and soule. Consider, whoever thou art, this is not a life for thy body, this present life is a life for the soule: we come now to have the Image of God in our soules in this life espe­cially, and to have in our soules the life of grace here; but the life and happinesse of our body, is for this second comming of Christ, the glory of the body, this life is not a time for the body; doe what wee can it will be a vile body; cherish it, set it out how thou canst, those painted sepulchres that would out-face age, and out-face death, and by co­lours and complexion, &c. hide those fur­rowes that age makes in the face, they are but vile, and age, and death will be too good for them, to dust they will. Why should we re­gard our bodies? this life is not for them, though we [...] dainty of them. Let us use this body here so, as it may be glorious in the world to come: we should suffer our soules to rule our bodies, and to doe all here, that both body and soule may be glorious after. For indeed all that the body hath here, it is behol­ding to the soule for, why therefore should it not be an instrument for the soule in holy things? doth not the soule quicken it? hath it not its beauty from the soule? when the soule is gone out of the body, where is the [Page 59] life? where is the beauty, where is any thing? the body is a loathsome carkasse. Now there­fore while the soule is in this body, looke to the soule especially, that when the soule shall goe to heaven, the soule be mindfull of, and speake a good word for the body; as Pharaohs Butler did for Ioseph, that the soule there may thinke of the body, that it may thinke of the paines, of the suffering; as the soule doth, it hath an apetite in heaven, a desire to be joyned againe to the body, which it useth to labour in, to pray to God in, which it used to fast in, which it used as an instru­ment to good actions. Let us use it so here; that the soule may desire to meete it againe, that Christ at that day may bring body and soule together to be glorious for ever.

That it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.

We see here then, that the best is to come; the best change, after which there shall be no change, is to come. The weakest is the first, and the second is better, the second Adam is better then the first, and the second life shall be better then the first; our bodies as they shall be glorious, shall be better then they were in the first creation: they shall be glo­rious bodies, like unto Christs. Oh! the com­fort of a Christian, there is nothing that is behind, nothing to come, but it is for the bet­ter; there shall be a change, but it shall be a change for the better. A Christian is a person full of hope, he is under a glorious hope, un­der [Page 60] a hope of glory of soule and body, he is al­way under hope, the hope of glory; therefore he joyes under this hope, Rom. 5. 1.

That it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body. Rom. 5. 1.

But how shall any Christian know, that his Quest. body shall be like to the glorious body of Christ?

I answer, hee may know it from this.

The change of a Christian begins in his Answer. soule: Christ begins the change of our soules to be like his, full of love, and obedience to God, full of pitty, and compassion to men, full of industry to doe good; our soules will be like Christs soule: first looke to thy soule, what stampe that beares, is there the Image of Christ on thy soule? certainely he that hath transformed this soule to be gracious, he will transforme the body to be glorious, like his glorious body. Looke to thy soule then; if thou art the child of God by adoption, if thou hast the spirit of adoption and grace, and findest peace of conscience, and joy in the Ho­ly-Ghost; thou maist know thou shalt have the adoption of thy body, thou hast the first adoption, in thy soule, thou art the child of God; know that thou shalt have the second adoption spoken of, Rom. 8. Wee wayte for the adoption of our bodyes. If thou partake of the Rom. 8. first resurrection, that thy soule is raysed from sinne; thou shalt partake of the second resur­rection, at the day of Judgement.

For Christ is a perfect Saviour, hee saves [Page 61] not onely the soule, but the body, though hee begin with the soule, he ends with the body. He tooke our bodies as well as our soules, and hee will glorifie our bodies, as well as our soules; and if wee find the worke of grace, a Spirit of glory in our soules, un­doubtedly wee may know that our bodyes shall be glorious.

Againe, thou maist know that thou shalt partake of this glorious estate, that thy body shall be like the glorious body of Christ, by the use that this body is put to; how doest thou use this vile body for the time thou li­vest now? dost thou use it to the base services of sinne? doest [...] beat thy braine, and thy breast, and thy spirits, doest thou take up thy time, and all to provide for the flesh? whi­ther doth thy feet carry thee? what dost thou [...]eddle with in the world? are all thy mem­bers weapons of an unsanctified soule, to of­fend God, and to fight against thy soule? to cherrish lusts that fight against thy soule, and against thy Maker and Redeemer? then know this, that thou hast no hope of glory, He that hath this hope, purgeth himselfe, and is pure as hee is pure. This hope, where it is found, it is a purging, a cleansing hope, and all the mem­bers of the body will be used to a sanctified purpose: a man will not sacrilegiously use those members that are dedicated to Christ, that are Temples of the Holy-Ghost, that are fellow heires, as Saint Peter saith, concer­ning [Page 62] the wife, and the husband; the body is a fellow-heire with the soule of glory, he will not use it to the base services of sinne. Hee that shall have a glorious body, will esteeme so of it here. What, shall I use the Temple of the Holy-Ghost, that, that is a fellow-heire of heaven with my soule, that is the Spouse of Christ, a member of Christ, as well as my soule, shall I use it to these, and these base services? It cannot be, if a man have the new nature in him, he cannot, it will not suffer him to sinne in this manner, hee cannot prostitute his body to base servi­ces, those that doe so, how can they hope that their bodies should be glorious like unto Christs.

Saint Paul gives three Evidences in one place, to know our interest in this glory 2 Cor. 5. 1. of our bodies, in 2 Cor. 5. 1. saith hee, wee know that when this earthly house, or Tabernacle shall be disolved, wee have a building, &c. We know we have a glorious building, a double building, heaven and our bodies, wee have two glorious houses, heaven, and these bo­dies shall be a glorious house, But how doe we know this?

Saith he, in the second verse, we groane ear­nestly, desiring to be cloathed upon: there is a won­drous desire after this cloathing, Rom. 8. The creature groaneth, much more wee that have the first fruits of the Spirit. There will be a sighing for this glory, awayting for the blessed com­ming [Page 63] of Christ; for Christ to redeeme soule and body perfectly, that is the first signe, a desire and groaning earnestly.

In the fourth verse there is another evi­dence, He that hath wrought us for the same things i [...] God. He that hath wrought us for the bles­sed estate to come, is God: so, whosoever hopes for a house in heaven, when this Ta­bernacle is dissolved, he is wrought for it, that is, he is a new creature for it; God hath wrought his soule and body for it. God fits our soules here, to possesse a glorious body after, and hee will fit the body for a glorious soule, so both shall be glorious, a glorious soule, and a glorious body, he hath wrought us for the same. If a man therefore find the begin­ning of the new creature, that it is begun to be wrought in him, he may know that he shall partake of this glory of the body, because He is wrought for it.

The third is, Who hath also given us the ear­nest of the Spirit, whosoever finds in them the Spirit of God, sanctifying their soules and bodies, stirring them up to holy duties, guiding, and leading, and mooving them to holy actions; they may from the sanctifying Spirit, that is an earnest to them, know what shall become of their bodies, Hee hath given us the earnest of the Spirit.

To confirme this, there is an excellent place in Ro. 8. 10: If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. If Christ bee in you the body is [Page 64] dead, &c. It is a vile body, it as good as dead, it hath the sentence of death already, it is dead, in regard it is sentenced to death for sinne, as a malefactor that hath his sentence: But the Spirit is life in regard of righteousnesse. What then? if the sanctifying Spirit of Christ dwell in you, Hee that raised Iesus from the dead, shall also quicken your mortall bodies. The same Spirit that sanctifies these soules of ours, our bo­dies, and quickens them to holy duties, the same Spirit shall raise our bodies. As the same Spirit that sanctified the blessed masse of the body of Christ, that he carryed, and rai­sed his body, the same Spirit that sanctifies our soules, shall raise our bodies. The Spirit of God when hee hath begun to sanctifie us, he never leaves us, hee goes along in all chan­ges, in life, in death, to the grave, (as God said to Iacob, I will be with thee there.) The Spi­rit of God, he will mold our dead bodies, and make them like the glorious body of Christ; the Spirit of God never leaves our soules or bodies. Therefore if wee find the earnest of the Spirit, if we find the worke of the Spirit, or the comfort of the Spirit, (which is the tearme the Scripture gives) Ioy in the Holy-Ghost and peace of conscience; together with the Spirit sanctifying us, especially in the time of trouble, when God sees his Children have most need, they have the earnest of the Spi­rit, the beginnings of grace and joy, the be­ginnings of heaven upon earth; by this they [Page 65] may know, as the first fruit is, so likewise is the harvest; as the earnest is, even so is the bargaine; as wee have it now in our soules, so we shall also have it in our bodies, and soules hereafter. These three grounds Saint Paul hath, why his hope of heaven was a good hope, wee groane for it, and wee are wrought for it; wee are fitted for it. There is no man can hope to be glorious in his body, but his soule must be fitted for it, it must be a fit jewell for so glorious a casket, a fit inha­bitant for so glorious a Temple, as the body shall be, the body shall be fitted for the soule, and the soule for the body, they are wrought for it. And then hee hath given us the ear­nest of the Spirit. What need I quote further evidences the, Scripture being thus pregnant?

I beseech you often consider your desires, whether you be content to live here alway or no, to satisfie the vile lusts of your body, or whether you desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, when you have done the worke that God sent you for into the world: if wee be content to abase our selves for God here, who hath provided so much glory for us here­after, and when the time comes, we can desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, it is a good signe, (if wee have the beginnings of the new creature, yee are wrought for it) that our soules are fitted for a glorious body, we have the earnest of the Spirit: the same Spirit that [Page 66] sanctifieth our soules, and that quickens our soules with joy and peace, the same Spirit shall raise our bodies. Comfort your selves you that are Christians (though you bee weake) with this, that if you have but the earnest of the Spirit, undoubtedly you shall have a glorious house instead of this tabernacle of dust.

Christ will change these vile bodies, that they shall be fashioned like his glorious body. I beseech you therefore oft thinke of this, think of the time to come, comfort your selves with▪ things to come. In 1 Thess. 4. Saint 1 Thess. 4. Paul would have us talke one to another often of this, this should be the matter of our confe­rence, not onely the state of the Church and our owne estate here, but how it shall be with us when we are gone hence, how it shall be with us world without end hereafter, we should conferre, and speake, and oft meditate and thinke of these things.

What can be grievous? what can be over burdensome to that soule that knowes it hath the pledge, and earnest of glory hereafter? How doth it quicken the soule to any indeavour, when once we know, that how soever we abase our selves here, yet we shall have glorious bo­dies hereafter. It will quicken us to any indea­vour, to any thing for Christ: therefore let us oft thinke of our estate to come, let us set our thoughts foreward to the time to come: Let faith make the times to come present, [Page 65] and that will make us heavenly minded. What made Saint Paul converse as if he were in heaven? faith made the estate to come present, and hope, which is grounded on faith, it lookes to Christs comming, to change our vile bodies, so faith and hope, they make the soule looke upward, they make it heaven­ly minded.

Our soules are dull, and our bodies are dull in this world; but as Iron if it be touched with a Load stone, up it will; so if wee get faith, and hope to looke foreward, what shall be done to us for the time to come? the spirit of faith and hope if it touch the soule, will carry our dull bodies, and our dead soules upward.

Therefore let us cherish our faith and hope, by often meditation of the blessed estate to come, and thinke of these two things, of the excellent estate of our bodies and soules then: for if our bodies shall then be glorious like the body of Christ, our soules much more; the inhabitant, which is the speciall part, the soule shall be much more glorious. Let us thinke oft of this glory as it is described in the Word; it transcends our thoughts: wee cannot thinke high enough of it, and our in­terest, and assurance of it. And daily search our selves, whether our hope be good or no, that we have sound evidence, that our title is good to glory. Let us examine our selves by those signes I named before. Where are our [Page 66] desires? what worke hath the Spirit of God in us? how doe we use these bodies of ours? As we use them now, wee must looke they shall be used hereafter. Let our tongues be our glory now, and they shall be glor [...]ous tongues afterward to praise God in heaven: their bodies that have beene glorious here, shall be glorious in heaven. Wee may read our estate to come, by that we are here: those that carry themselves basely, and filthily, and dishonourably here, we may know what will become of them hereafter. Let us oft thinke of the estate to come, and of our interest in it; and both these together, the excellency of the estate, and our interest in it without deceiving of our soules, what life will it put into all our carriage? what will be grievous to us in this world, when our soules are thus settled? Oh, let us spend a few dayes fruitfully and painfully here amongst men, and doe all the good we can, and use these bodies of ours to all the happy, and blessed services we can; why? wee shall have glory more then we can imagine.

Let it comfort us in the houre of death, what death soever we die, or are designed to. Now you know the sickenesse is abroad, and alas those bodies especially are vile bodies that are under the visitation; so then, that their dearest friends, dare not come neare them: yet let this comfort us; they are vile bodies for a time, put case wee die the death [Page 67] that may hinder the comforts of this life. Those that die in much honour and pompe, and have their bodies imbalmed, doe all what they can with the body, it will come to dust and rottennesse; it will be vile in death, or af­ter death, at one time or other, and those that die never so vile and violent a death for Gods sake; those that die of this base death, that they are deprived of much comfort; yet let it comfort them, Christ will transforme their vile bodies to be glorious.

They talke much of the Philosophers stone, that it will change metals into gold, here is the true Stone, that will change our vile bo­dies to be glorious. Let us die never so base or violent a death, let us comfort our selves in our owne death, if it be thus with us, and in the death of our friends, these vile bodies, when they are most vile in death, they shall be made like the glorious bodie of Christ. Let us oft thinke of these things.

BALAAMS VVISH.

THe false Prophet Balaam goes a­bout to curse, where God had bles­sed: but God reveales his won­ders in his Saints, by delivering of them, and keeping them from dangers, when they never thinke of them, they never thought they had such an enemy as Bala­am. The Church of God is a glorious compa­ny, and the great God doth great things for it: so long as they keepe close to him, their state is impregnable, as wee may read here, neither Balak nor Balaam, that was nired to curse them, could prevaile, but the curse returnes up­on their own head.

[Page 72] These words I have read to you, they are Ba­laams desire, Balaams acclamation. Diverse questions might be moved concerning Balaam, which I will not stand upon, but come direct­ly to the words, wherein are considerable these things.

First that the righteous men die, and have an end as well as others.

Secondly, that the state of the soule conti­nues after death, it was in vaine for him to de­sire to dye the death of the righteous, but in re­gard of the subsistence of the soule.

Thirdly that the estate of righteous men in their end, is a blessed estate, because here it was the desire of Balaam: oh that I might dye the death of the righteous!

Fourthly, there is an excellent estate of Gods people, and they desire that portion: oh let mee dye the death of the righteous. These are the foure things I shal unfold, which discover the intend­ment of Balaam, in these words.

For the first I wil touch it briefly, & so go on.

The righteous dye, and in the same manner out­wardly Observ. 1. The righteous die, as well as the wicked. as the wicked doe.

For Christ in his first comming came not to redeeme our bodies from death, but our soules from damnation, his second comming shall be to redeeme our bodyes from corruption, into a glorious liberty. Therefore wise men dye as well as fooles: those whose eyes and hands have beene lift up to God in prayer, and whose feet have carried them to the holy place, as well as [Page 75] those whose eyes are full of adultery, and whose hands are full of blood, they dye all alike, in manner alike; ofttimes it is the same in the eye of the world; Death comes upon good and bad, but to the good for their greater glory, for the shell must be broken, before they come to the pearle; death it fits them for the blessed life after, the body lying a while in the grave, the soule being in the hands of God: and death now it makes an end of sinne that brought in death: and it makes us conformable to the son of God, our elder brother that dyed for us. The point is pregnant, and full of gracious and serious meditations.

It should enforce this excellent duty, that Vse. 1. To improove [...] the short time of life. considering we have no long continuance here, therefore while we are here, to doe that, where­fore we come into the world. As a factor that is sent into a place, to provide such goods be­fore hand: let us consider that here we are sent to get into a state of Salvation, to get out of the state of nature, into the state of grace, to furnish our soules with grace; to fit us for our dissolution to come: let us not forget the main end of our living here, considering we cannot be here long, let us doe the worke that God hath put into our hands, quickly and faithful­ly with all our might.

And let it enforce moderation to all earth­ly Vse 2. To use the world mode­ratly. things, the time is short, therefore let those that use the world, be as if they used it not, &c. Those friends that have bin joyned together will part, [Page 74] therefore let us use our bodies and soules so, that we may present them both comfortably to God: Let us begge of God to make a right use of this fading condition. But I hasten.

The second point is this; that, Observ. 2. The soule con­tinues after death. ‘The estate of the soule continues after death.’

For here he wisheth to die the death of the righteous, not for any excellency in death, but in regard of the subsistence and continuance of the soule after death.

Scripture, and reason, and nature, enforceth this, that the soule hath a subsistence of it selfe, distinct from the life it communicates to the body. There is a double life, a life proper to the soule, and the life it communicates to the Life of the soule double. body: now when the life it communicates to the body is gone to dissolution, it selfe hath a life in heaven. And indeed it is in a manner the whole man: for Abraham, was Abraham when he was dead, when his soule was in heaven, and his body in the grave, it is the whole man.

And it discovers indeed that it hath a di­stinct life, and excellency in it selfe, by reason 1 Reason. It crosses the desires of the bodie. that it thwarts the desires of the body when it is in the body. Reason, if there be no grace in the soule, that crosseth the inclination of the body; grace much more. And we see oft-times when the outward man is weake, as in sicknesse, 2 Reason. It operates most in the bo­dies weake­nesse. &c. then the Understanding, Will, and affections, the inward man is most sublime, and rapt unto heaven, and is most wise. Take [Page 75] a man that hath been besotted all his life time, that hath beene drunke with the pleasures of a carnall life, that hath beene a covetous wretch, an earth-worme, that enjoyes not heaven, but lives as his wealth, and lusts carry him in slave­ry; yet at the houre of death, when hee consi­ders that he hath scraped together, and consi­ders the way that his lusts have lead him, and that all must leave him; now he begins to be wi [...]e, and speakes more discreetly, hee can speake of the vanity of these things, and how little good they can doe. Indeed many, way, the most men are not wise untill that time: there­fore the soule of it selfe hath a distinct being, because when the body is lowest, it is most re­fined, and strong in its operations.

Likewise it appeares by the projects that it 3 Reason. It projects for the time to come. hath of the time to come: the soule especially of men, that are of more elevated and refined spirits; it projects for the time to come, what shall become of the Church and Common­wealth, what shall become of posterity, and of reputation and credit in the world. Cer­tainly, unlesse there were a subsistence of it selfe, it would never looke so much before hand, and lay the grounds of the prosperity of the Church and Common-wealth, for the time to come: I will not stand further on it, but rather make some use of it. Vse. To use our soules to the end they were given.

Let us know which is our best part, namely the soule, that hath a being after death, that we doe not imploy it to base uses, for which it [Page 78] was not made nor given us: doe we thinke that these soules of ours were made, and given us to scrape wealth? to travell in our affections to base things worse then our soules? are they not capable of supernaturall and excellent things? are they not capable of grace and glo­ry? of communion with God, of the blessed stampe of the Image of God? Let us use them therefore, to the end that God gave them. And let us not deserve so ill of our soules, as to be­tray them, to cast them in the dirt, to lay our Crowne in the dust. This is our excellency, what can keepe our bodies from being a de­formed loathsome thing, if the soule be taken away? yet so we abase this excellent part; oft times we abase it to serve the base lusts of the body, which is condemned to rottenesse. What is the life of most men, but a purveying and prouling for the body? The lusts of the body set the wit, and affections on worke to proule for it selfe, what a base thing is this? Were our soules given us for this end? and especially considering this, that our soules are immortall, that they shall never die, but be for ever: let us not altogether spend this precious time that is given us to save our soules, and to get the Image of God stamped upon them, I say, let us not spend this precious time in things that will leave us when our soules shall live still: let us not carry the matter so, that our soules shall out-live our happinesse. All world­lings, Worldly men out live their happinesse. and base creatures, they out-live their [Page 79] happinesse; for where do they plant it? in the base things of this life: all their life long they are prouling for those things that they must leave when they die: whereas their soules shall not die, but everlastingly subsist.

What a misery is this, that these soules of ours shall have a being, when the things wherein we placed our happinesse, and abused our soules to gaine them, they shall have an end? The soules of such men that seeke the things of this life, shall have a being in eter­nall misery. Indeed so it is; for these soules of ours, the same degree they have in excel­lency, if they be used as they should, if we doe not abase them; the same degree they shall have in basenesse. and misery, if wee abuse them, and make them slaves to earthly things. For as the Devils the same degree they had of excellency when they were Angels; the same degree they have in misery, now they be De­vils. The more excellent the creature is when it keepes its excellency; the more vile it is when it degenerates: so these soules of ours that next to Angels are the most excellent creatures of God; the more excellent it is, if it get the Image of God stamped upon it, and the new creature, and have the life of grace: the more cursed is the state of the soule, if it subsist to everlasting misery.

It were happy if the soules of such creatures were mortall, that labour for a happinesse in this life. Oh! that we would thinke of this. [Page 78] [...] [Page 79] [...] [Page 78] [...] [Page 79] [...] [Page 80] Most men in the bosome of the Church (which is lamentable to thinke) they live as if they had no soules: They overturne the order, that God hath set, that hath given us our bodies to serve our soules; they use all the strength, and marrow of their wits; all the excellencies in their soules, for the base satisfaction of the lusts of the body, so much for that point.

The third is, that, ‘There is a wide, broad difference betweene the Observ. 3. Great diffe­rence between the death of the godly, and the wicked. death of the godly and of the wicked.’

The godly are happy in their death; for here we see it is a matter desirable. This cai­tiffe, this wretched man Balaam, Oh! (saith he) Let me die the death of the righteaus, and let my last end be like his. It being the object of his desire, it is therefore certainly precious, the death of the righteous. And indeed so it is; 1 The godly hap­py in life. holy and gracious men, they are happy in their life; while they live they are the sonnes of God, the heirs of heaven, they are set at liberty, all things are theirs, they have ac­cesse to the Throne of grace, all things worke for their good, they are the care of An­gels, the Temples of the Holy-Ghost. Glo­rious things are spoken of these glorious crea­tures even while they live.

But they are more happy in their death, and most happy, and blessed after death.

In their death they are happy in their dis­position, 2 In death. and happy, in condition.

Happy in their disposition; what is the dis­position 1 In disposition. [Page 81] of a holy, and blessed man at his end? His disposition is by faith to give himselfe to God, by which faith he dies in obedience: he carries himselfe fruitfully, and comforta­bly in his end. And oft times the nearer he is to happinesse, the more he layes about him to be fruitfull.

Besides his disposition, he is happy in con­dition: 2 In condition. for death is a sweet close: God, and he meet; grace, and glory meete: he is in hea­ven (as it were) before his time. What is death to him? The end of all misery, of all sin, of body and soule, it is the beginning of all true happinesse in both. This I might shew at large, but I have spoken somewhat of this point out of another Text. See the Ser­mons on Phi­lip. 3. 21. They are hap­py in their death, for their death is precious in Gods sight: the Angels are ready to doe their attendance, to carry their soules to the place of happinesse. They are happy in their death, because they are in the Lord: when death se­vers soule and body, yet notwithstanding, nei­ther soule nor body are severed from Christ, They die in the Lord, therefore still they are happy. Much might be said to this purpose, and to good purpose, but that the point is or­dinary, and I hasten to presse things that I thinke will a little more confirme it. They are blessed in death.

And blessed after death especially: for then 3 After death: we know they are in heaven, waiting for the re­surrection of the body. There is a blessed [Page 82] change of all; for after death we have a better place, better company, better imployment, all is for the better.

There are three degrees of life. Three degrees of life.

The life in

• the wombe.
• this world.
• heaven.

The life in the wombe is a kind of impri­sonment; there the child lives for a time. The life in this world, it is a kind of inlarge­ment; but alas, it is as much inferiour to the blessed, and glorious life in heaven, as the life in the wombe is narrower, and straiter, and and more base then this life wherein wee be­hold the blessed light, and enjoy all the sweet comforts of this life. They are happy after death, then the Image of God is perfect in the soule, all graces are perfected, all wants supplied, all corruptions wrought out, all enemies subdued, all promises accomplished, waiting their time for the resurrection of the body, and then body and soule shall sit as Judges, upon the wretches that have judged them on earth, and they shall be both toge­ther for ever with the Lord. I might enlarge the point much; it is a comfortable meditation. And before I passe it, let us make some use of it.

If godly men be blessed, and happy, not onely before death, in the right, and title they [Page 83] have to heaven; but in death, because then the [...] are invested into possession, of that, that makes them every way happy.

Therefore this may teach us who are truly wise. A wise man is he that hath a better end Vse. Who truly wise. then another, and works to that end. A true Christian man, he hath a better end then any worldling, his end is to be safe in another world, and hee works and carries his forces to that end. Let my last end be like his, saith Ba­laam: insinuating that there was a better end, inregard of condition, and state, then he had aymed at. A gracious man, his end is not to Godly mans end, what. be happy here; his end is to enjoy everlasting communion with God in the heavens, and hee frames all his courses in this world, to accom­plish that end, and he is never satisfied in the things that make to that end. A worldling he hath no such end; he hath a naturall desire to be saved (as wee shall see afterwards) but a man may know that it is not his end: for hee workes not to it. He is not satisfied in prou­ling for this world, he is not weary of getting wealth, hee is not satisfied with pleasure: so that his end is the things of this life. There­fore let him be never so wise, he is but a foole: for he hath not the true end, nor workes to it. Wicked men are very fooles, in the manner of their reasoning: for they will grant, that there is a happy estate of godly men in death, and after death better: if it be so, why doe they not worke, and frame their lives to it? [Page 84] Herein they are fooles, because they grant one thing, and not another which must needs follow: they doe beleeve there is such a hap­pinesse to Gods children, and yet seeke not after it.

If there be such a blessed estate of Gods children in death, and after death; I beseech Vse 2. To labour to partake of this happinesse. you let us carry our selves so, as that wee may be partakers of that happinesse; let us labour to be righteous men, labour to be in Christ, to have the righteousnesse of Christ to be ours, to be out of our selves in Christ, in Christ in life, in Christ in death, and at the day of Judg­ment in Christ, not having our owne righteousnesse, (as the Apostle saith) but his righteousnesse, and then the righteousnesse of grace, and of a good conscience will alway goe with the other. For this makes a righteous man to be in Christ, and to have his righteousnesse, and Righteous man, who. to have his spirit, and the beginnings of the new creature in us. Let us labour to be such as may live and die happily, and blessedly, and be for ever happy. So much for that third point.

That which I intend mainly to dwell on is the last, and that is this, that,

Even a wicked man, a wretched worldling may see this, hee may know this happinesse of Gods A wicked man may know the happy estate of Gods chil­dren. people, in death, and for ever, and yet notwith­standing may continue a cursed wretch.

Balaam here wishes, Oh that I might die the death of the righteous, and that my last end might [Page 85] be like his. It was a strange speech of such a man as this was, that his soule should be rapt up in this manner: but indeed Balaam was scarse himselfe, hee scarce understood what he said, no more then the beast that carryed him.

But God will sometimes, even stirre up the hearts of wicked men, to a sight and ad­miration of the excellent estate of Gods chil­dren; why? For diverse reasons; Among the rest for this: that he may convince them the more of their owne rebellion, when they see Reason 1. To justify God in their con­demnation. a more excellent estate then they are in, if they will not take the course to partake of it: Therefore at the day of Judgement it will justifie the sentence of damnation upon such wretches, and they may pronounce selfe con­demnation upon themselves. Oh! what a terrour will it be when they shall thinke, I had a better estate discovered, I heard of it in the ministery of the Word, and Gods Spi­rit revealed an excellent estate, and I might have gotten it, if I had improoved the blessed meanes that God made me partaker of; and now I am shut out for ever, and ever from communion in that estate? To convince wretched men (I say) and to justifie the just sentence of damnation upon them, that their hearts may goe with the sentence at the day of Judgement, God thus enlightens them oftentimes, that they see better courses, if they had grace to take them.

[Page 86] What a thing is this, that a wicked man should see such an estate, and not take it? And what serves that knowledge for, but to damne them, the more? This is the estate of many men that live in the bosome of the Church, and partake of the meanes of salvation, and yet live in sinnes against conscience; they get knowledge by the Ministery, and by good bookes, and acquaintance, and such like; they have a savour in the use of good things, something they have, some little apprehen­sion of the estate of a better life.

Againe, for another end, God reveales to Reason 2. To restraine their malice. them the excellent estate of his children some­times, to keepe them in better order, to awe them, that they be not open enemies to the Church, but may doe good service; for con­ceiting that there is such a happinesse, and that perhaps they may partake of it, they will not carry themselves malignantly against those that are true professors.

There are severall degrees of wicked men, Degrees of wicked men. some are well-willers to good things, though they never come farre enough. Some are open malicious persecutors. Some againe are bet­ter then so, they have a hatred to goodnesse, but they doe not openly shew themselves as hypocrites, &c. God reveales these good things to wicked men, to keepe them in awe. The net drawes bad fish as well as good: so the net of the Word, it drawes wicked men, it keepes them from violence, and open malice: [Page 87] besides, even the Majesty of the word, and the convinction of that excellente state that belongs to Gods Children, it keeps them from open malice and persecution. This is another end that God aymes at: what may we learn hence? Vse. Not to refuse all that ill men say. Seeing this is so; it should teach us that we re­fuse not al that ill men say, they may have good aprehensions, & give good counsel. It had bin good for Iosiah to have followed the counsell of wicked Pharaoh a heathen. God oft enlightens men, that otherwise are reprobates: refuse not Gold from a dirtie hand, do not refuse directi­ons from wicked men, because they are soandso, refuse not a pardon from man, a base reature. We ought not therfore to have such respect of persons, as to refuse excellent things be­cause the person is wicked. But that which I Vse 2. To go beyond wicked men in our desires. intend to presse is this. If this be so, that wic­ked men may have illumination, whereby they discover an excellencie, and likewise may have desires raysed up, to wish and desire that excel­lencie. It should stir vs up to goe beyond wic­ked men, shall we not goe so farre as those goe that shall never come to heaven? we see here Balaam pronounceth the end of the righteous to be happie. This should therfore stir us up to labor to be in a different estate from wicked men. Let vs therfore consider a little wherein the difference of these desires is, the desires that a Balaam may have, and the desires of a Difference of desires in true Christians, & others. sound Christian; wherein the desires of a wic­ked man are failing.

[Page 88] These desires first of all, they were but flashes: for we never read that he had them long, they 1 They are not [...] constant. were meere flashes; as a sudden light, that ra­ther blinds a man then shewes him the way: so these enlightnings they are not constant. Wic­ked men oft times haue sudden motions, and flashes, and desires, oh! that I might die the death of the righteous, oh! that I were in such mans estate: but it is but a sudden flash, and lightning. They are like a torrent, a strong sud­den streame, that comes suddenly and makes a noyse, but it hath no spring to feed it. The de­sires of Gods Children they are fed with a spring, they are constant; they are streames, and not flashes.

Againe this desire of this wretched man, it 2 They are not from an in­ward princi­ple. was not from an inward principle, an inward tast that he had of the good estate of Gods Chil­dren: but from an obiectiue delight, and admi­ration of somewhat that was offered to his con­ceite by the holy-ghost at this time. It was not from any inward tast, and rellish in himselfe that he speakes, but from somewhat outward, as a man that saw, and heard excellent things, that ravished him with admiration, though he had not interest in them himselfe.

Againe in the third place, this desire of the happinesse of the estate of Gods children, it was not working and operative, but an uneffe­ctuall desire, it had only a complacency, and pleasing in the thing desired: but there was not a desire to worke any thing to that end. This [Page 89] wretch therefore would bee at his journeys end, before he had set one step forward to the jour­ney. It was a desire of the end without the meanes: It was not an operative effectuall, but a weake transient desire. Where true desires are, they are not only constant, and proceed from an inward interest, & tastof the thing desired: but they are effectuall and operative, they set the soule and body, the whole man on worke, part­ly to use the meanes to attaine the thing desi­red, and partly to remove the impediments: for where desire is, there will be a removing of the impediments to the thing desired: as hee that intends a journey, hee will consider what may hinder him, and what may helpe him in it; he that sets not about these things, hee ne­ver meanes it; for a man cannot come to his journeyes end with wishing: we can attain no­thing in this life with wishing. There is a wor­king (I say) that tends to remove impediments as farre as we may, and tending to use all means to effect and bring the thing to passe. We see then there is a maine difference betweene the desires of this wretched man Balaam, and the desires of the true Church of God. To goe on and follow the point a little further.

Where desires are in truth, the party that cherisheth those desires, will bee willing to have all helpe from others to have his desire ac­complished. If a man desire to demolish a place, if any will come and helpe him downe with it, or if any man desire to weed his ground [Page 90] he that will helpe him, he will thanke him for his paines. Where there is a true desire, there is a willing closing with all that offer them­selves, that the thing desired may be brought to passe. Where there is a desire of the happy estate of Gods children, there will be a willing entertainment of any helpe. Let a man come to a man that desires grace, and glory, and dis­cover his especiall sins that hinder him, you must weed out this, and you must pull downe this, he will thankfully imbrace all admoniti­ons, because he truly desires the end, therefore hee desires the meanes that tend to the end, hee desires the remooving of the hindrances, hee will be thankefull therefore for any helpe that he may have, and especially that of the mini­stery, that it may powerfully enter into his soul, and rip him up, why? because hee desires to please God in all things, and he would not che­rish a motion, or desire, contrary to the spirit of God: therefore the more corruption is pre­sented, and made odious to him: the more the inward man is discovered, the more hee blesseth God, and blesseth the blessed instru­ment, and of all meanes he is willing to attend upon such▪

Where there is swelling, and rising against the blessed meanes, either in private admoni­tions, or publike teaching, let men pretend what they will, there is no true desire of grace, and to be in the estate of Gods people, for then they would not be contrary to the means. [Page 91] This wretched man Balaam when the Angell stood in his way, with his sword drawne, to stoppe his way: yet notwithstanding he goes on still, he was so carryed with covetousnesse, and so blinded, that neither the miracle of the beast speaking, nor of the Angell in his way, nor God in the way could stoppe him; alas, where was this desire then? No, no, the glo ry of earthly things dazeled the glory of the estate of Gods people; therefore wee see hee goes against all meanes that was used to stop him in his journey.

If a man desire to be good, and to leave his sinnes, he will not stand against the meanes.

Have wee not many that stand against the Ministery of Gods Ministers, are Gods An­gels, they stand in the way, and tell people, if you live in this course you shall not inherite heaven; if you live in oppression, and base lusts, unlesse you be changed, you shall all pe­rish. They come to particular reproofes, and hold forth the sword of Gods Spirit; yet men breake through all and wreake their malice up­on Gods Messengers. Is here a true desire when they are not willing to have the hinderan­ces removed? when there is not respect of the meanes that should be used?

Againe true desires of grace, they are grow­ing desires: though they bee little in the be­ginning 5 They are not growing de­sires. as springs are, yet as the springs grow, so doe the waters that come from them: so these desires, they grow more and more still: [Page 92] They grow sometimes in Gods children, that they will have no stop, till they come to have their sull desire, to have perfect union and communion with God in heaven. The desires of a blessed soule, they are never satisfied, till it come to heaven. Let him kisse me with the kis­ses of his mouth, saith the Church: oh, let mee Cant. 1. have nearer communion with Christ. It de­sires in the vord and sacraments to come nea­rer and closer to God, and in death then, Come Lord Iesus, come quickly. And when the soule is in heaven, there is yet nearer union, a desire of the bodies resurrection that both may be for e­ver with the Lord. Till a Christian be perfect in body and soule, there is desire upon desire, till all desires be accomplished: they are grow­ing desires, as S. Peter saith, As new born babes desire the sincere milke of the word, that yee may grow thereby. It is a desire that is never satisfied, because there is alway somewhat to be desired till we be perfectly happy.

And then they are desires that will not bee stilled. A child, if it have not strong desires, it 6 They are not strong: will be stilled with an apple: but if the desires be strong, nothing will still it but the dug: so Gods Children, if their desires be strong, it is no bauble they desire, nothing but grace and inward comfort will quiet the inward man. It is a desire that is growing, and strong, it will not be staid with any thing in this world, but wil break through all impediments, as a strong stream, it will never rest, till it have communi­on [Page 93] with God. And therefore the desires that men think are good, and earnest enough, that goe on plodding in a constant course, and never labour to grow, they are no desires at all, no sanctified desires from a supernaturall princi­ple of grace. The desires of a Christian grow, and are never satisfied till hee have perfect hap­pinesse.

The three worthies of David brake through the host, and got the water of Bethel for David, oh that I had of the water of Bethel. So where there are strong desires, they are like Davids wor­thies, they carry the soule through all impe­diments, they grow stronger and stronger, and are never satisfied till they come to the water of life. Let us consider these things, whether we have this desire or no: if we have but some­times flashes, inconstant, ineffectuall desires, desires that grow not, that are soone satisfied, and are stilled with any thing, alas, these desires the spirit of God never kindled, and bred in the heart, they are ordinary flashes, that shall serve for our deeper damnation. Therefore let us take heed, and not rest in a cast-awayes estate, let us not rest in Balaams state, but labour that the desires of our souls may be as they should.

Desires (I confesse) are the best character to know a Christian: for workes may be hy­pocriticall, desires are naturall. Therefore wee Desires, the best character of a christian. ought to consider our desires, what they are, whether true or no: for the first thing that issues from the soul are desires & thoghts, thoghts stir [Page 94] up desires. This inward immediate stirring of of the soule, discovers the truth of the soule, better then outward things. Let us oft there­fore examine our desires: And let me adde this one thing to the other: let us examine our de­sires 7 They desire happines, not holinesse. by this, besides the rest, whether we desire holinesse, and the restauration of the Image of God, the new creature, and to have victory a­gainst our corruptions, to be in a state that we may not sinne against God, to have the spirit, to be new born, as well as we desire happinesse, and exemption from misery. Balaam desired happinesse, but hee desired not the Image of God upon his Soule, for then he would not have bin carried with a covetous divell against all meanes. No, his desire was after a glympse of Gods childrens glory only.

A wicked man can never desire to be in hea­ven as he should be: for how should we desire to Wicked men desire not heaven aright. be in heaven? to be freed from sinne, that wee may praise God, and love God, that there may be no combate betweene the flesh and the spi­rit. Can he wish this? No, his happinesse is as a swine to wallow in the mire, and he desires to enjoy sensible delights: as for spirituall things, especially the Image of God, and the vision of God, they are not fit objects for him, as farre as it is a freedome from sin, but as hee hath a conceit, oh, there are goodly things to be seene, &c. So it corresponds with his dispo­sition, but to bee free from Sin, and from the conflict of the flesh and spirit, and to be set at [Page 95] liberty to serve God alway, he cannot desire it so. Tell him of heaven, he loves it not, there is no gold, there is not that, that he affects, therfore he cares not for it, he cannot relish it, he is not changed. Therefore it is a notable Character of a true Christian to desire heaven, to be freed from sinne, to have communion with God in holinesse, other prerogatives will follow this.

Let us therefore consider what our desires are, how they are carryed: for desires discover what the soule is. As a spring is discovered by Simile. the vapours that are about it; so is this hidden state of the soule, discovered by the breaking out of desires. They are the breath, and va­pour of the soule. Let us consider what is set highest in our soules, what we desire most of all. Oh! a Christian soule that hath tasted of the loving kindnesse of the Lord, accounts it better then life it selfe. It is not Corne, and wine, and oyle he desires, but Lord shew me the light of thy countenance. The desires of his heart are large to serve God, and to doe good, more then for the things of the world. He desires earthly things, but as instruments for better things; and this is the desire of every sanctified soule in some measure.

Let us hence make a use of convinction of Conviction of such as come short of Ba­laam. the folly of base men, that live in the Church, and yet come not so farre as Balaam, that come not so farre as those that shall goe to hell. They turne over all Religion, to a Lord have [Page 96] mercy upon us, and Christ dyed for us, and we hope we have soules to God ward, as good as the best, and to a few short broken things. They turne Religion to compendiums, to a nar­row compasse, and make the vvay to it wide, and broad, and complaine of Preachers, that they straiten the way to heaven.

This is the disposition of worldlings; whereas alas, there must be a righteousnesse that must exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises: there must be a righteousnesse from an inward principle, there must be a strong, constant desire of righteousnesse more then of any thing in the world, before we can be assured of our interest, and part with Gods people. Let us take heed, that we delude not our selves this way.

But to come to an use of direction. How Directionshow to have holy desires, may we so carry our selves, as we may have a spring of blessed desires, a spring of holy de­sires, that may comfort us, that we may have our interest, and portion in the state of Gods peo­ple? 1 Beg the spirit▪ of revelation.

That we may have these desires, let us de­sire of God the spirit of revelation; desires follow discovery: for desires are the vent of the soule upon the discovery of some excel­lency it beleeves. Therefore let us beg of God, the spirit of revelation, to discover the excel­lent estate of Gods people. And because this is given in the use of meanes; let us present our selves with all diligence under such means, [Page 97] as where we may have somewhat of the King­dome of God, that the riches of Christ be­ing unfolded; our desires may be carryed to such things; for there is never any discovery of holy, and good, and gracious things to a Chri­stian soule, but there are new desires stirred up. Our soules are like a mill that grinds Simile. what is put into it: so the soule it workes up­on the things that are put into it, if it have good desires, and good thoughts put into it by good meanes used, and by prayer, it feeds upon them: let us alway therefore be under some good meanes, that good thoughts may be ministred unto us, that may stirre up gra­cious desires for the soule to worke upon. Let us be in good company. Saul among the Pro­phets we see hee prophesied: and the heart is kindled and enflamed, when we are among those that are better then our selves, especially if their hearts be inlarged to speake of good things: but to come nearer.

That we may have holy, and gracious, and See what hin­ders good de­sires. constant desires, let us take notice and make tryall continually of the state and frame of our soules, which way for the present they are carryed, in what current our desires run. If they runne the right way, to heavenly things, it is well, if not, take notice what drawes, and diverts, and turnes the streames of our desires the false way: let us thinke what the things be, and the condition of those things that drawes our desires downe, and [Page 89] make us earthly and worldly, whether the pleasures, or profits or honours of this life. The way to have better desires is, to weane our selves from these things, by a constant, holy meditation of the vanity of these things, that the soule is carryed after. Salomon to weane his heart from these desires, from pla­cing too much happinesse in these things, he sets them before him, and saith, they were va­nity, and vexation of spirit. Let us set them before us, as nothing, as they will be ere long, Heaven and earth will passe away, the world will passe away, and the concupiscence, and lust of it. Let us consider the basenesse, ficklenes and uncertainety of things that our soules are carryed after, and this will be a meanes to weane them from them. And the soule being weaned from earthly things, it will run amaine another way. Let us study therefore to mor­tifie our base affections, and study it to pur­pose, to cut off the right hand, and to pull out the right eye, spare nothing, that God may spare all; that God may have mercy up­on us, and spare us, let us spare nothing. These lusts they fight against our soules.

And as I said before, feed our soules, mini­ster unto them better thoughts continually. Those that are governours of those that are yong, season them while they be yong with good things; for while the soule is not filled with the world, and while covetousnesse and ill lusts have not wrought themselves into the [Page 99] soule, good things, and good desires, are ea­sily rooted, and planted, and grow up in the soule. As letters graven in the body of a tree, they grow up with the tree; and the fruit of the tree growes up with the tree, and therefore the twigs breake not with the greatnesse of the weight of it, because they grow up toge­ther: so plant good things in those that are yong, inure them to know good things, to hate ill wayes; plant in them blessed desires, and inure them to holy exercises and good duties, that good exercises may grow up with them, as the fruit wth the tree. We see what [...] hard matter it is to convert an old man, to draw the desires of a carnall worldly man to heaven: when we speak of good things to him, his soule is full of the world: what is in his brain? the world: what is in his heart? the world. So he is dry and exhausted of all good things, and that that is in him, is eaten up with the world. It is a great improvidence in those that governe youth, that they labour not, that their desires may be strong to the best things.

And let us all, both young and old, labour To [...]cherish good motions. for heavenly wisedome, that when good things are ministred to us from without, or good motions stirred up by the Spirit of God, to close with them, and not to quench those mo­tions, and resist the Spirit, but to imbrace those motions, and cherish them, till they come to resolutions, and purposes, and acti­ons. If we have a motion stirring us up to re­pentance, [Page 100] let us ripen it till it come to perfect repentance, till we repent indeed, and have turned from all our evill wayes, and turne to God, with full purpose of heart, that it may be a motion to purpose. If it be a motion to faith, let us never leave cherishing of it by the promise, till our hearts be rooted in faith. If it be a motion to any other good thing, let us cherish and follow them to purpose. And im­brace every motion, as an Angell sent from heaven, from God to a good end, to put us in mind, to invite us to good, and to drive us from ill.

And because desires are fickle and fading of themselves, unlesse there be some art in helping of them: therefore let us adde to these things a daily course of renewing of our cove­nants To renewe our cove­nants. with God, that this day as God shall enable, me, I have a constant purpose against all sinne; I will regard no iniquity in my heart, I will have respect to all good wayes discove­red. Renew our covenants, and resolutions of old, saith David, I have sw [...]rne, and will per­forme it, that I will keep thy statutes. And as we determine and resolve, so make particular vows sometimes against particular hindrances to abstaine from such things.

What needs all this adoe saith the wicked athiest, will not lesse serve the turne, but there Question. must be these vowes, and purposes, and reso­lutions?

No, God values us by our resolutions and Answer. [Page 101] purposes, and not by uneffectuall glances, and wishes, will wishing helpe us take a journey, or to doe any thing in this world? and can we not doe any thing in this world with wishing, and can wee for heaven? No, certainly there must be resolutions, and covenants, and pur­poses, &c. What is the difference betweene a Christian and another man? A Christian un­looseth his heart from base desires, nothing shall tie him to the base world; but his con­science tells him, that he is free from living in sinnes against conscience, and as for infirmi­ties, he labours, and resolves against them: therefore he is fit to die, and to resigne his soule. Whensoever God shall take him, hee is in a good way, in good purposes, and reso­lutions. God values us according to our pur­poses, and resolutions. David did not build the Temple; Abraham did not offer Isaack, but they resolved upon it, and it was accoun­ted as done. This is our comfort, that God takes the resolution for the deed, and the per­fection of a Christian is, that God accepts of these resolutions, when hee determines on the best things, till he bring his heart in some mea­sure to that estate.

What is the reason that many men at the Quest. houre of death will admit no comfort?

The reason is, their hearts were naught, they Answer. Why men want comfort in death. respected some iniquity in their hearts, they were in bad wayes, and allowed some reigning sinne, and till these be mortified we can minister no [Page 102] comfort. It is onely the resolved Christian that is a fi [...] subject for comfort.

But to answer an ordinary let, or two, that the Devill casts in mens wayes, in these things: But doth not God accept the will for the deed? Objection. put the case I have a good will to doe a thing, though I doe it not God accepts that.

I answere, Gods accepts the will for the Answer. When God ac­cepts the will for the deed. deed, onely where the impediments, and hin­drances are impossi [...]le to be remooved: as, put the case a poore man would be liberall if he had it, God accepts the will for the deed, because he wants opportunity. But it never holds when a man can doe it, God accepts not the will for the deed, when a man hath a price in his hand to get wisdome, and yet is a barren plant, and not a tree of righteous­nesse; it is a signe of a naughty heart.

Oh! saith another, God quencheth not the smoa­king Objection. flax, therefore though I have weake de­sires, all shall be well.

It is true, God doth not quench the smoa­king Answer. God leaves not good desires. flax, but he doth not leave it smoaking, but blowes the sparke that in time it comes to a flame: where there are beginnings of good­nesse imbraced, it will grow from smoaking flax to a flame: they are growing desires as I said before. Therefore flatter not thy selfe, that Christ will not quench the smoaking flax. It is true, if there be a desire of growth: for then I must speake comfort to a poore Chri­stian, that cannot be so good as he would, but [Page 103] desires it, and complaines, oh, that my wayes were so direct, that I might keepe thy statutes! with his desires, he complaines that he cannot do it, and useth the meanes to grow, it is a good signe God will not quench the smoaking Flax, till he have brought corruption into subjection in us. Let every good soule comfort it selfe with this, if thou have these blessed desires, God meets with thee: for he desires thy salvation, and Christ desires thy reconciliation, and it is the desire of thy heart, and thou usest the meanes, thou wilt not live in sins against con­science, be of good comfort, wee that are the ministers of God, and I at this time bring the newes of pardon, Christs desire and thine meet in one.

Let us enlarge these things in our own deep and serious meditation. Alas, for want of se­rious meditation in our hearts of such like truthes as these, men perish, and sinke sudden­ly to hell. There is but a steppe betweene or­dinary prophane persons, and hell, and yet they never thinke of renewing their covenants with God, and entring into the state of grace, but content themselves with that, which comes short of thousands that are now in hell, that have had more wishes and desires. Men put all upon empty things, God is mercifull, &c. No, God will not be mercifull to such as blesse themselves in ill courses, his wrath shall smoak against such, as I said, for in thus reasoning, they make a covenant with hell and death, as [Page 104] much as they can. They that doe thus, forget God and good courses, and God will forget them, they treasure up wrath, and God trea­sures up wrath against them. Let us take heed of Balaams wishing, and labour to have such desires, as may bee accepted of God, and comfortable to us.

THE FAITHFVL COVENANTER.

GOD having framed man an under­standing creature, hath made him fit to have communion and enter­course with himselfe, because hee can by his understanding discerne, that there is a better good out of himselfe, in communion and fellowship with which, hap­pinesse consists: other creatures, wanting un­derstanding to discerne a better good out of, then in themselves, their life being their good, desire only the continuance of their owne bee­ing, [Page 108] without society and fellowship with o­thers. But man, having the knowledge of God, the Creator of heaven and earth, but especial­ly of God the Redeemer, providing for him a second beeing, better then his first; understan­deth that his best and chiefest good dependeth more in him, then in himselfe, and because his happinesse standeth in acquaintance and fel­lowship with this God, which is the chiefe good, he desireth a communion with him, that he may partake of his good.

This communion and fellowship of man with God, was first founded on a Covenant of workes made with Adam in Paradise, if he did obey, and did not eat of the forbidden fruit, he should have life, both for himselfe and his po­sterity; the which Covenant, because God would not have forgotten, hee afterward re­newed in the delivery of the ten Commande­ments, requiring from man obedience to them in his owne person, exactly at all times, perpe­tually, promising life on the obedience, and threatning death, and cursing, if hee continued not in every thing the law required to doe: But this fellowship being placed in mans owne freedome, and having so weake a foundation, he lost both himselfe and it, so that now by the first Covenant of workes, Adam and all his po­sterity are under a curse, for we cannot fulfill the law, that requireth personall obedience, per­fect obedience, and exact obedience, hee that continueth not in all is cursed. The Law then [Page 109] findeth us dead, and killeth us, it findeth us dead before, and not onely leaves us dead still, but makes us more dead.

Now after this fall, mans happinesse was, to recover againe his communion and fellow­ship with God, and therefore we must have a new Covenant, before wee can have life and comfort, God must enter into new conditions with us before wee can have any communion with him.

God therefore, loving man, doth after the breach of the first agreement and Covenant, when Adam had lost himselfe by his sinne, and was in a most miserable plight as ever creature was in the world, falling from so great a hap­pinesse into wondrous misery: hee raysed him up, and comforted him, by establishing a se­cond, a new and better Covenant, laying the foundation of it, in the blessed seed of the wo­man, Christ, the Messiah, who is the ground of this new Covenant, and so of our commu­nion and fellowship with God, without whom there can be no intercourse betweene God and us in love; and because this Covenant vvas almost forgotten, therefore now in Abra­hams time God renewed it to Abraham in this place, I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed af­ter thee, &c.

There are foure periods of time, of renevy­ing this Covenant: first, from Adam to Abra­ham, and in those first times of the vvorld, those that were under the Covenant, vvere [Page 110] called the sonnes and daughters of God, the children of the promise, and the covenant of grace was called a promise of the blessed seed.

Secondly, from Abraham to Moses, and then it was called a covenant, and they the chil­dren of the covenant: I will establish my Covenant. A covenant is more then a promise, and a more solemne thing, because there be Cere­monies.

The third period of renewing the covenant of grace was from Moses to Christ, and then it was more cleare, when as to the covenant made with Abraham, who was sealed with the Sa­crament of Circumcision, the Sacrament of the Pascall Lambe was added, and all the Sa­crifices Leviticall, and then it was called a Te­stament; that differeth a little from a Cove­nant: for a Testament is established by blood, it is established by death: so was that, but it was onely with the blood and death of Cattle sacrificed as a Type.

But now to Christs time to the end of the world, the covenant of grace is most cleare of all, and it is now usually called the new Testa­ment, being established by the death of Christ himselfe: and it differs from a Covenant in these respects.

First, a Testament indeed is a covenant, but something more, it is a covenant sealed by death, the Testator must die before it can be of force: so all the good that is conveyed to [Page 111] us by the Testament, it is by the death of the Testator Christ: Gods covenant with us now, is such a covenant as is a Testament, sealed with the death of the Testatour Christ, for with­out blood there is no redemption, without the death of Christ there could be no satisfa­ction, and without satisfaction there could be no peace with God.

Secondly, a Testament bequeatheth good things meerely of love, it giveth gifts freely. A covenant requireth some thing to be done, in a Testament there is nothing but receiving the Legacies given. In covenants ofttimes, it is for the mutuall good one of another, but a Testament is meerely for their good, for whom the Testament is made, to whom the Legacies are bequeathed, for when they are dead, what can they receive from them? Gods Covenant now is such a Testament, sealed with the death of Christ, made out of love, meerely for our good, for what can God re­ceive of us? all is legacies from him, and though hee requireth conditions, requireth faith and obedience, yet he himselfe fulfilleth what he asketh, giveth what he requireth, gi­veth it as a Legacie, as we shall see afterward.

Thus you see that the communion and fel­lowship of man with God, must either be by a covenant of workes, or by a covenant of grace. And we must distinguish exactly be­tweene these two covenants, and the periods of them.

[Page 112] When the covenant of workes was disanu­led by ours sinnes, because we could not fulfill the Law exactly, and perpetually, God will have a new Covenant, if wee beleeve in Christ, we shall have everlasting life. Now if wee sticke to the one, we must renounce the other, if it be of faith, it is not of workes, and if it be of workes, it is not of faith. This was excel­lently signified by Ioshua and Moses. Ioshua bringeth the people to Canaan and not Moses, Moses doth not bring any to heaven, it must be Ioshua, the Type of the true Jesus, that must bring them through Iordan to Canaan. This was typified also in the Arke: there was the Law, the Covenant of workes in the Arke, but the propitiatory, the Mercy-seate was above the Arke, above the Law, and from thence, God made all his Answers, to signifie to us, that we can have nothing to doe with the Law with­out the Propitiatory: Christ is the Propitia­tory, the Mercy-seate; in Christ God heareth us, he makes all his Answers in the Propitia­tory, Christ. Therefore when the question is of salvation, how wee have title to heaven; Not by the merit of workes, for then we re­verse the Covenant of grace, but our title is meerely by Gods mercy in Christ apprehended by faith. The evidence indeed to prove our faith to be a true faith, is from workes, but the title we have is onely by Christ, onely by grace. Here we must appeale from Sinai to Sion: from the Law to the Gospell, from Moses to Christ; [Page 113] we must flie with Ioab to the homes of the Al­tar, that must be our refuge; flie to Christ in the Covenant of grace, and wee shall not be pulled from thence as Ioab was from the Altar, there let us live and die.

Remember (I say) that the Covenant of grace is distinct in the whole kind, from the Covenant of workes, yet this; They are both in the Church, and both taught one subordi­nate to the other: As thus. The Covenant of workes is taught to shew us our failing, that seeing our owne disability to performe what the Law requireth we may be forced to the new Covenant of grace: And therefore saith Gal. 2. Paul, By the Law I am dead to the Law. It is an ex­cellent speech, by the Law I am dead to the Law, by the Covenant of workes I am dead to the Covenant of workes: that is by the Lawes [...]acting of me exact and perpetuall obedience, in thought word and deed, I come to see that I cannot fulfill it, and therefore am dead to the Law, that is, I looke for no salvation, for no title to heaven by that, and therefore he saith, the Law was added for transgression: why was the Law added to the promise of salvation by Christ made here to Abraham, why was the Co­venant of workes added in the wildernes after­wards? it was for transgression, to increase the sense of transgression: that wee by the Law might see what we should doe, and what we have not done, and that we are by that come under a curse, and so might flie to the promise [Page 114] of grace in Christ. I have stood the longer in the clearing of this, because it is a maine point.

But to come to that which I specially intend, the words (as I said before) containe there­newing of this blessed and gracious agree­ment, betweene God and man, to Abraham the father of the faithfull.

I will establish my Covenant betweene me and thee, and thy seed after thee in their Generations, for an everlasting Covenant, to be thy God, and the God of thy seed after thee.

The words (you see) containe a Cove­nant: and here are all things, all the Articles and circumstances that agree to any Covenant whatsoever.

Here are the parties, both that makes the Covenant, and that are covenanted with.

Here is the substance of the Covenant, and the qualities of the Covenant, and the condi­tion of the Covenant.

The party making the Covenant, is God; I will be thy God.

God is the party covenanting: God indeed is both the party covenanting, and the substance of the Covenant, I will be a God to thee, they fall both together in one. It is a most sweet signe of Gods great love, that he will stoope so low, as to make a Covenant with us, to be our God, to be himselfe all in all to us. For consider but both these parties, God and we, the Creator and the creature, the immortall [Page 115] God and mortall man, the glorious God, and dust and afhes, the holy God, and sinfull­man, the great King of heaven and earth, and Rebels and traytours as wee are. For him to condescend so low, as to make a Covenant with us, to enter into Termes and Articles of agreement with us, it is a wondrous signe of his gracious mercy and love; what can we but hope for from so gracious a God? But I shall have occasion to touch that afterward.

The parties covenanted with, are Abraham [...]d his seed, his seede by promise.

The substance of the Covenant is, I will be a God to thee, and to thy seed after thee.

The qualities of the Covenant are, first, it is a sure Covenant, I will establish my Cove­nant.

Secondly, it is an everlasting Covenant, I will establish my Covenant for an everlasting Covenant.

Thirdly, it is a peculiar Covenant, I will establish my Covenant betweene me and thee, and thy seed: that is, onely betweene me and thee and thy seed, not with the refuse of the world, but onely with thy seed by promise, onely be­leevers, whether Iewes or Gentiles.

Fourthly, it is a most free Covenant: it was made to Abraham, whom God called out of Vr, of the Chaldees, out of an idolatrous nation, out of an idolatrous family. Even as it was at the first most freely made to Adam in Paradise, when he was in a most desperate estate, when he was as low as hell in a manner, ready to [Page 116] sinke into de spaire, then the Seede of the woman was promised; so here it was freely made to good Abraham. First, the love of God was free to him, when he call'd him being an ido­latour, and then it was freely renewed after­ward when hee was good, as wee shall see anon.

And lastly, It is a Covenant consisting most of spirituall things, it is a spirituall co­venant, I meane especially, promising spiri­tuall favours, although the other things as ap­pendices of the maine are likewise meant: For after that the covenant was made to Abraham and his posterity, they endured many afflicti­ons: after the promise was renewed to Iacob, wee know hee fled from his brother Esau to whom the Covenant of grace was not made, and yet of Esau presently came Duke such a one, and Duke such a one, and poore Iacob was faine to flie for his life in regard of the pro­mise. So that I say, it must be specially of spi­rituall blessings.

These are the qualities of the Covenant, It is a sure, an everlasting, a peculiar, and a most free Covenant, ayming specially at spi­rituall things.

And then lastly, you have the condition of the Covenant, and that, though it is not ex­prest, yet it is implyed: I will be thy God, and the God of thy seede, therefore thou shalt take me for thy God, carry thy selfe to me as to thy God, &c. It is usuall in other places of Scrip­ture, [Page 117] where mention is made of this Cove­nant, to imply the condition required on our parts, sometimes both the Covenant and con­dition are mentioned together, as in Zach. 13. Zach. 13. last: I will say (saith God) It is my people, and they shall say, the Lord is my God, the one springeth from the other; when God is a God to any, he makes the heart to answer; thou shalt be my God, and I will be thine alwayes. This is the condition on our part, that we make with God in this Covenant, to take him for our God, to be his people, and his pecuilar ones. ‘I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed.’

Though these words, I will be a God to thee, and to thy seed, be the last words of the Text, yet being the substance of the Covenant, I thinke it shall be best to speake of that be­fore I speake of the qualities of the Covenant, or any thing else. ‘I will be thy God.’

This is the Covenant in the Messiah: but first, what is it to be a God?

I answer: To be a God, take it in the gene­rall, is to give being to the creature that had no being of it selfe, and to protect and pre­serve the creature in its being, in a word, to be a Creatour; for providence is the perpe­tuity and continuance of creation; this is to be a God. The office of God, as God, is a most glorious function: to be a King is a great [Page 118] matter, but to be a God, to give being to the creature, to support it when it hath a being, to doe all that God should doe, this is a most glorious worke: but this is but creation, this is not intended especially here, for thus hee is the God of all his workes; thus by creation and preservation, he is the God of all the men in the world out of the Church.

What is then to be thy God? I will be thy God.

I Answer, to be a God in a more peculiar manner, is to be a God in Covenant, that is, not onely to be a God to preserve and conti­nue this being of ours in a civill life, but it is to be a God in a higher relation to us, to be a God in a reference to an eternall, supernatu­rall estate in heaven, to be a God here in grace, and hereafter in glory: and thus God is a God in a gracious covenant onely by Ie­sus Christ, and to those that beleeve in him. I will be thy God: that is, I will be thy God in Christ, to give thee a better being then this world can aford, to free thee from the cursed estate thou art in by nature, to deliver thee from all ill, spiritually and eternally, especially to bestow on thee all good, spiritually, and eternally, especially as wee have it in the words of the Covenant Gen. 15. 1. I will be thy shield and thy Gen 15. 1. exceeding great reward, a shield to keepe off all ill, and a reward for all good. So in the 84. God will be a Sun and a shield, &c. a Sun Psal. Psal. 84. for all sweet comfort and good, and a shield, [Page 119] in regard of defence from ill; a Sunne and a shield, till wee come to the possession of eter­nall happinesse. This is to be a God in a pe­culiar manner, to give all things necessary for grace and life too, for this life and for a better; to doe all things requisite to bring us to heaven and happinesse through Christ, in whom all the promises are, yea and Amen, to be all in all, to direct the protections and provions of this life, of our estate here to a su­pernaturall happinesse hereafter, to a state beyond nature: for God directs the favours of this life, so that he takes them away or hee giveth them, as he seeth them advantageous or hinderances to a better estate. So is God a God to those that are in convenant with him, to doe all this, and to doe all this in opposi­tion of all enemies whatsoever, to doe all this in weakenes and in the impotency of the crea­ture, to doe all this when all second causes are contrary as it were, to bring a man to heaven in spite of the Devill, & of our owne corrup­tions, or all oppositions whatsoever. This is to be a God indeed.

But why doth he say onely, I will be thy God; why doth he not say, I will give thee grace and protection, I will give thee heaven and life everlasting?

Because all is one: for all things in the world are in this one promise I will be thy God. See the wisedome of heaven, how much he speakes in how little, there cannot be more spoken then [Page 120] thus, I will be thy God, for in saying, I will be thy God, he implies that, whatsoever he is, or hath, or can doe, shall be thine too, I will be thy God, that is, my wisedome shall be thine to watch over thee, to find out wayes to doe thee good, my power shall be thine to keepe thee from danger, to defend and rescue thee from all enemies, and to subdue them by de­grees unto thee: my providence shall be thine to turne all things to thy good: my mercy shall be thine, to forgive thy sins: my love shall be thine, to bestow on thee all necessary comforts; there is no phrase in the Scripture that hath so much in so little as this here, I will be thy God, if wee could unfold and lay open this excellent promise, all other particular promises in the covenant of grace are mem­bers of this: what is the reason (as Saint Paul saith) all things are yours, because you are Christs, and Christ is Gods, God is the God of Christ and our God, wee are in covenant with the God of Christ, Christ is the heire of all, and we are members of Christ: God who is the God of all things is ours. It is a won­drous comprehensive promise. ‘I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed.’

The substance of thy Covenant then is, that God will be a God to us; the point to be ob­served is this, That God graciously in the bles­sed seed, the Messiah, Christ Iesus, he takes [...]pon [Page 121] him to be a God to all those that are in Covenant with him; that is, to be All-sufficient to bring us to happinesse, All-sufficient in this world, and in the world to come, to be our portion, to be all in all.

This is the first and fundamentall promise of all other, indeed it is the life and soule of all the promises, and it is the life and soule of all comfort whatsoever: for all other rela­tions spoken of God tend to this, that hee is our God, this is before to be a Father, before to be any thing. God first is a God, and then a Father, and then all in all to us. As he is first, the God of Christ, and then the Fa­ther of Christ, as you have it usually in the beginnings of the Epistles, God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, first the God, and then the Father: to be a God then, is the funda­mentall and principall favour, from thence commeth our Election, his chusing of us to eternall salvation before all time, his prote­ction and preservation of us in time, unto hea­ven.

I shall not need to speake more of this, ha­ving unfolded it before.

But you will say, how shall we know, that this Covenant belongeth to us, that wee are such as we may say, God is our God?

I answer, first, to lay this for a ground, you must know, that to be a God, is a relation: whosoever God is a God to, he perswadeth them by his Spirit, that hee is a God to: the [Page 122] same Spirit that perswadeth them, that there is a God, that Spirit telleth them that, God is their God, and works a qualification and di­sposition in them, as that they may know, that they are in covenant with such a gracious God, the Spirit as it revealeth to them the love of God, and that he is theirs, so the Spi­rit enableth them to claime him for their God, to give up themselves to him, as to their God.

And the Spirit doth this, because friends cannot be in convenant and confederate with­out there be a likenesse, or an agreement: there must be more word: then on to a Cove­nant, though Gods grace doe all, yet wee must give our consent, and therefore the Co­venat is exprest under the title of marriage, in marriage there must be a consent of both parties: In reconciliation betweene a King and subjects, that are fallen out when they are Rebels, there must be an accepting of the pardon, and a promise of new subjection. So then if God be our God, there will bee grace given to take him for our God, to give him homage as a King, to give him our con­sent as to our Spouse; thou shalt be my God and I will cleave to thee, as to my Lord and Husband: Can two walke together (saith the Prophet) and not be friends? there can bee no friendship with God, except there be some­what wrought in us by his Spirit, to make us fit for friendship, that we may looke on [Page 123] him as an object of love and delight: if wee looke on him as an object of hatred, what termes of friendship can there be? Now, that we may looke on him as an object of love, fit for converse with him, hee must make us such by consent, and yeelding to him, by framing the inward man to his, likenesse that so there may a peace be maintained with him: you see the ground of it, of necessity it must be so.

Well, to come to the tryalls, but let me first adde this to the former; whomsoever God is a God to, it is knowne, specially by spirituall and eternall favours: a man cannot know certainely that God is his God by out­ward and common things, that cast-awayes may have; for a cast-away may have Ishmaels blessing, and Esaus portion, blessings of the left hand, common graces. To know undoub­tedly therefore, that God is our God, must be by peculiar matters; for those whose God, God is, are a peculiar people, a holy nation, severed from others. First of all then know, what the Spirit of God saith to thy soule, for they that are Gods have his Spirit, to reveale to their spirits, the secret and hidden love of God; but if the voyce of the Spirit be silent in regard of testimony, goe to the worke of the Spirit, but goe to the peculiar worke of the Spirit. For though the Spirit may be silent in regard of his testimony, yet there are some workes or other of the Spirit in a man, [Page 124] whereby hee may know that God is his God. As the Spirit of God workes in some sort, a proportion in him unto God; and none can know better what God is to him, then by sear­ching of his owne heart, what hee is backe againe to God; for as God saith to him by his Spirit, thou art mine, so they say to God, thou art mine. Let us then come to the try­all, by our carrying our selves to God. Can we say with David, Whom have I in heaven but thee, or what is there in earth in comparison of thee? when the conscience can tell us, that we make God our treasure and our portion above all earthly things, then wee make him our God. A Christian singleth our God, above all things in the world, for his happinesse. Lord, thou art mine, whatsoever wealth is mine, or riches mine, or friends mine, I stand not upon that, but thou art mine. A rich man runneth to his wealth, and make flesh his arme, he runneth to friends, to beare him out in ill causes, but a true Christian that hath God for his God, he may know it by this, he singleth out God for his portion, runnes to him in all extremities; Lord, thou art mine: this is a signe that God hath said to his soule, first, I am thy salvation. How can the soule appropriate God to himselfe? how can he say as Thomas did, My Lord and my God? except the Lord have spoken peace to the soule be­fore, and have said, I am thy salvation? It is a signe we have made God our God, when wee [Page 125] prize him and value him above all the world, and when with Saint Paul, Phil. 3. wee count all things dung and drosse, in comparison of Jesus Christ our Lord: what we will doe most for, that is our God; if wee will doe most for God, he is our God; if we doe most for plea­sures, they are our God, if wee doe most for riches, breake o [...]r rests and cracke our con­sciences for them, that is our God. In a word, whatsoever we value highest, that is our God.

Examine what affections wee have to God: (for it is affection, that makes a Christian) single out some few that we are most offen­ding in. As first, for feare, it may shame us all, (indeed a Christian upon his best reso­lutions is better) but the ordinary carriage of men is, they feare men more then God, they feare every thing more then him that they should feare above all. For instance, is the retyred carriage of men to God, such as their carryage is to the eye of the world? will not they doe that in secret ofttimes, that they will not doe openly? in secret they will com­mit this or that sinne, and thinke, who seeth? there are secret abominations in the closet of their hearts, they will not feare to doe that in the eye of God, that they feare to doe in the eye of a child of sixe yeares old, that is of any discretion: Is this to make God our God, when wee feare the eye of a silly mortall crea­ture more then the eye of God, that is tenne thousand times brighter then the Sunne, that [Page 126] is our Judge, is God our God the whiles? undoubtedly, when God is made our God, there is an awe of the eye of heaven upon a man in all places, therefore this is the condi­tion of the Covenant, Walke before mee, or walke as in my sight; how doe wee walke before God as in his sight, when there is such a great deale of difference in our carriage secretly, and before the eyes of men? when wee labour more to approve our carriage to men, then we make conscience of our spirits to God? This may shame us, even the best of us who are in Covenant with God, and have made God our God, we have cause to be abased for this: and surely one of the best wayes to make Gods children abased and humbled, is to compare the different proportion of their carriage, how they carry themselves to men, whom they respect, and to outward things in the world, and how they carry themselves to God: if God be our God, there will be an universall feare and care to please God in all times and in all places, because hee is every­where, darkenesse and light are all one to him.

Trie your selves therefore by this affection: if we make God our God, wee will feare him above all; for there being such a distance be­tweene God and us, He the mighty God, and we creatures whose breath is in our nostrils, there can no other way be a Govenant of peace betwixt us, but with much reverence: therfore [Page 127] all Christians are reverent creatures, they doe all in feare, they passe the whole time of their conversation here in feare, they make an end of their salvation with fear [...] and trembling, they enjoy their liberties in feare. Saint Iude makes men­tion of a number of wretched people in his time, that eate without feare: you may know a man that hath not this grace of God in his heart, by his unreverent carriage, hee never thinkes of the presence and All-seeing eye of God. A Christian that hath God to his God, knowes that wheresoever hee is, hee is in the eye of heaven, therefore he is jealous, even of his owne most secret corruptions, he knowes that they are lawlesse of themselves, and there­fore he alwayes sets himselfe in the presence of God, he is full of reverence, full of feare, even in the enjoying of his Christian liber­ties.

So likewise for the affection of love: if God be thy God, thou hast grace given thee to love him above all things; with whom God is graciously reconciled, he giveth them his Spirit to be reconciled backe againe to him, He loveth us, and we love him againe: for wee are by nature enemies to God, as hee is to us, there is no wicked man in the world can love God; indeed as God is a God, that promiseth salvation he loveth him, hee would faine have that, and therefore would faine be in his favour, but hee cannot love God as he is in all respects, but he hateth him, and hee ha­teth [Page 128] his children, hee trifleth with his name by oaths and blasphemy, and the like, hee scorned God, hee wisheth that there were no God; can this man say, that God is his God, when he doth not carry himselfe backe againe to him in his affection as his God? no such matter, he is Gods enemie, and God is his ene­mie. So if God be our God, if hee have set his love upon us, wee cannot but love him againe, if hee be reconciled to us, wee are re­conciled to him. This is a sure signe that God is our God, if we love him above all.

Now, that may be knowne, if wee be zea­lous, when God is dishonored any way, for whatsoever we make our God, wee will not en­dure to have touched; if a man make his lust his God, if that be touched, hee is all in a chafe, when that which a man loveth is tou­ched) experience shews it) hee is presently all on a fire. And here the best Christians have cause to be abased; hath God their love, when they can heare him disgraced, and his name abused, without being greatly mooved, and yet notwithstanding in the meane time, will not endure their owne credit to be tou­ched? but they are (as I said) all on a fire: where there is no zeale, there is no love: certainely when vvee can heare Gods chil­dren misused, and Religion indangered, and profession scoffed at, &c. and yet not be affected, nor cannot take Gods cause to heart, this is great fault in our love.

[Page 129] And so for joy and delight, wee make God our God, when we joy in him above all things in the world, when wee make him our boast all the day long, as it is, Psalm. 44. 8. when we make him our glory, as he is called our Glory in Ierem. 2. 11. They changed their glory: God is our glory if hee be our God, wee count it our chiefest glory, that we are his, & that he is ours: whatsoever our estates be, we glory in God, and not in our selves: a Christian when he would joy and glory, hee goeth out of him­selfe to God, He is his joy. But doe not men joy in the creature and delight in it ofttimes more then in God? It is a great shame for us, and that for which even the best of us all may be abased, to consider what a deale of delight and comfort wee take in the creature more then in God. We see Ionah, a good man, when his Gourd was taken from him that God raised up to be a shelter for him; a poore simple de­fence it was, and yet we see how pettish the good man was, all the comfort he had, could not keepe him from anger and fretting when the Gourd was gone, and yet God was his God. So many men, whereas they should joy in God above all things, yet if God take outward comforts from them, they are as if there were no God in heaven, no comfort there, as if there were no providence to rule theworld, as if they [...]ad no Father in covenant with them. I say this is a great shame for us.

Againe, if God be our God, wee will trust [Page 130] in him, relye and depend upon him above all things; for whatsoever our trust is most in, that is our God: now if our conscience tell us, that wee trust most in God, more then in wealth, or friends, and will not to displease God please any man, it is a signe that we have make God our God, because we trust in him. And surely, if we would examine our selves, the best of us all, it would bring us on our knees, & make our faces be confounded, to con­sider what a deale of Atheisme there is in our hearts (though we are not altogether Atheists, yet what a deale there is) that must be morti­fied and subdued. For if an honest man, and that we know is faithfull, should say to us, I will be yours, I will take upon me to provide for you, to defend you, to protect you, to stand by you against all adversaries, wee be­leeve and hope that hee will doe it, but doe we so to God? hath he our trust and affiance? Alas no; so farre forth, I meane, as wee are not subdued to God: a Christian indeed, in some measure is inabled to make God his trust and confidence, but there remaines abundance of Atheisme, even in the best of us. If God be our God, why doe we not trust in him, depend upon him for all things, de­pend upon him for protection, and deliverance from all ill (spirituall ill specially) from sin, Satan, hell, and wrath, depend upon him for all good (the good of grace specially) for the change of our nature, and the forgivenesse [Page 131] of our sinnes; for spirituall priviledges, ado­ption and sonneship, for the inheritance of heaven, &c. It is a signe I say, that God is our God, when wee trust in him above all the world, and trust other things onely from him and for him, I will trust man, but man may deceive me, I will not trust him therefore with an absolute confidence, no, that were to make a God of him. What is the reason that God confoundeth proud men at last? David shewes the reason, this man he tooke not the Lord for his God: when men will in contempt of Religion, set up themselves, and somewhat else to relye on besides God, God at the last brings it to passe, that the world shall note them out, this man trusted in his greatnesse, he trusted in his policy, in his wit, in his friends, this man tooke not the Lord for his God.

Againe, if we make God our God, we may know it by our obedience, especially by the obedience of the inward man; when the in­ward man is vowed to God, when a man yeel­deth inward obedience to God, it is a signe that God is his God; when a man can araigne his thoughts and desires before God, & when lusts rise in his heart contrary to the Spirit, he checks them presently, this becommeth not those that are Gods, it beseemeth not those that walke after God, that have Gods Spirit for their leader, therefore he is asha­med presently of base tentations. A Chri­stian [Page 132] can performe the first and last Comman­dements, which are the most spirituall Com­mandements, hee can make God his God in his affections, his affections are placed upon him alone, (as I have shewed before) he can yeeld up all his inward affections of feare and love and joy, and such like unto God, which is the summe of the first Commandement, and hee can be content not to have his lusts rage and range, suppresses his very thoughts and desires, will not suffer any thing to rise in his heart unchecked and uncountrouled, which is the summe of the tenth Commande­ment, I meane he can doe it in some measure. And there is a inward passive obedience too: It is God (as David and other Saints said) It is the Lord, let him doe what seemeth him good in his owne eyes. I am Gods and he shall dispose of me; the soule that knoweth God to be his God, hath an inward obedience of contentati­on with his estate: God is my portion, and it is large enough, the earth is his and the fulnesse thereof, therefore I will be content to be at his disposing whether it be more or lesse, and if any murmuring arise in his heart against God, in respect of his estate or otherwise, he presently suppresseth it, as being contra­ry to the blessed government that a Chri­stian is under, that should resigne his whole soule unto God.

Thus by our affections, by the tryall of them, wee may know whether God be our [Page 133] God; if wee give him the affections of the heart, which Religion most stands in, when we make the whole inward man stoope and bow, and bend unto him, when we make him our King, and give him the supremacy, when we set the Crowne upon his head, when hee hath our feare, our joy and delight, our love, our trust, I meane, when he hath the supreame of all, for we may love man, as God deriveth good to us by him, and so for the rest, but God must be supreme, others must be loved and feared, &c. in him and for him, but hee chiefely, when wee depend upon him for all deliverance out of ill and for all good, and shew our dependance on him, by our subje­ction to him in all his wayes, by our yeelding to him obedience answerable to all this, and especially when we shall shew it by performing inward worship to him, when we walke before him pefectly & sincerely, as it is in the begin­ning of this Chapter, I am God All-sufficient, walke before me and be perfect: By this we may know, that God is our God. I need not en­large it, the practise of the first Commande­ment will teach us what is our God, whatso­ever we give the supremacy of the inward man to, whatsoever we love most, whatsoever wee trust most, whatsoever we feare most, whatso­ever we joy and delight most, whatsoever wee obey most, that is our God. I am the Lord thy God, (in the first Commandement) there is the ground, what followes? Thou shalt have no [Page 134] other Gods but me, that is, thou shalt love no­thing in the world, nor feare nothing, nor trust in nothing, nor joy in nothing more then me, no, nor with me, but all things else thou shalt trust them, and feare them, &c. in me and for me: otherwise what is our love is our God, what is our trust is our God, what is our greatest feare is our God: if wee feare man, feare him to doe ill, man is our God; if we love the creature, or sinne, that is our God; if wee cracke our consciences for wealth, the covetous mans wealth is his God; if wee cracke our consciences for pleasures, or for our bellies, our pleasures and our bel­lies, and our lusts are our God: we make not God our God except we give him the supre­macy of the inward man.

But to proceed, and to come to some few familiar signes more that will try us, though these may try us, in the intercourse that is be­tweene God and us.

Whosoever hath God for their God, they have the spirit of supplication & prayer, to cry un­to God, to run unto him, specially in extremi­ty, all Gods children have the spirit of adop­tion to crie, Abba Father; they have the spirit to give them boldnesse to God, when other­wise their nature, and likewise trouble joy­ning with nature, and tentations would make them runne from God, yet the Spirit of God in them makes them bold to goe to God in Jesus Christ; Gods children that are in Co­venant [Page 135] vvith him, can at all times pray to God; if they cannot pray, they can chatter and sigh to God: there is somewhat they can doe, there is a spirit in them that groaneth and sigheth, as Rom. 8. and God heareth the voyce of his owne Spirit, they are cryes in his eares: My groanes and sighs are not hid from thee, saith the Psalmist. The spirit of supplication vvill shevv God to be our God, because if he vvere not ours, vvee could not be bold to goe to him, in the time of extremity especially; this signe you have in the 13. Zach. last, They shall call upon my name, and I will heare them; they shall be my people, and I will be their God: Invocation & prayer is a signe that God is our God, vvhen vvee goe to God presently in all our vvants and necessities by prayer. Pharaoh and reprobate spirits, say to Moses, pray you for me; but as for a spirit of supplication in themselves they have not; they may speake of prayer, but they cannot pray, whosoever is Gods, he can crie to God; a child wee know the first voyce it uttereth as soone as it is borne, it cryes, so Gods new borne children they can crie unto God. Paul in the 9. Acts, you shall find him praying as soone as ever he was coverted; and certainely those that use not to pray morning and evening, and upon all occasions, that acquaint not themselves with God, God is not their God; if he were their God, they would seeke to him, and be acquainted with him, the Spirit will teach [Page 136] them to goe unto God as to a Father.

Againe, wee may know that God is our God by this, by our separating from all others, in our selves, and out of our selves, there is a se­paration in our selves, for there is the first se­paration. God whose God hee is, hee giveth them his Spirit, and that like fire severeth the drosse, and gathered the sold together, and as heate in the body, that severeth good nourishment, and separateth that which doth not nourish the body, sowhere the Spirit of God is, hee workes a separation betweene the flesh and the spirit, the spirit will know what is spirituall, and vvill discerne vvhat is in us that is fleshly, and vvill joyne to spirituall things, and the spirit vvill be one as it vvere, there vvill be a sweet agreement in the vvord, in the Sacraments, in good company, in holy meditation and the like, and a separation from the flesh. A Christian knowes, that hee is re­deemed from himselfe, (as farre as hee is naught) we are redeemed from our selves and our owne base nature, as vvell as from hell and damnation, therefore there is first a separa­tion in our selves from our selves, it begins there, vve have nothing to doe vvith our cor­ruptions, we will not owne them.

And vvhere this sweet Covenant is, that God is our God, as there is a separation from our selves and our corruptions, so there is a separation from all that joyneth with our cor­ruption, a separation in affection, from de­lighting [Page 137] in all that is not God, from all such occasions and company, as strengthneth our corruption. A Christian knowes what hee hath of Gods in him, and what he hath of Sa­tan, and that he must weaken, therefore he se­vereth himselfe from that which strengthneth the one, and weakeneth the other: this tryall is exprest in 2. Cor. 6. last, Comeout from amongst them, separate your selves, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; (he speakes for dire­ction, especially in our society and acquain­tance, for that is the thing hee aymeth at) how shall wee know that God will be our God? we must separate our selves, and touch no uncleane thing, nothing that will helpe rebellion: therefore those that have an indiffe­rent disposition to all companies, and can so­ [...]ace themselves in any society, though never so corrupt, that beare themselves plausible to all, and would be thought well of all, and so will venter upon all occasions, it is an ill signe that they are carnall people, when in the nearest league in friendship or amity, or in intimate familiarity, they will joyne with any, all are alike, it is a signe they have not God for their God, for then they would have common enemies and common friends with God: common enemies with God, whom God hated, they would hate: as God in Covenant blessed them that blesse us, and curseth them that curse us; so they that are in Covenant and friendship with God, will hate [Page 138] with a perfect hatred whatsoever it is that hateth God, they will have nothing to doe in intimate familiarity further then their cal­lings presse upon them, they will give them their due in humanity and curtesie, but no more; their love and delight will be in God, and those that are his, that represent him, that have his Spirit and Image. How oft is this, I am the Lord your God, repeated by Moses as a ground of separation from Idolatry? it is exprest almost every where, and indeed if the Lord be our God, there is ground enough of separation from all that is not God, it can­not be otherwise.

Another signe and evidence that God is our God, is victory over our base corruptions in some measure: this you have in Rev. 21. 7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things, I will be his God, and he shall be my sonne: how shall I know that God is my God, and that I am his sonne? if by the power of his Spirit, I am able to overcome and conquer in some comfor­table measure, base tentations, and my base corruptions and lusts, when I lye not as a beast, or as a carnall man under sinne, but God hath given me in some measure spirituall strength over sinne.

Vndoubtedly these and such like workes of the Spirit together with the testimony of the Spirit will be wheresoever God is our God.

In a word, to name no more tryalls but this, whosoever God is a God to, there will be a trans­forming [Page 139] unto God, a trans [...]orming unto Christ, in whom God is our God: for wee must know that we are renewed according to the Image of the second Adam, our comfort is by God revealed in Christ: If God be our God in Christ, we will be like to God, and that will be knowne that we are like to God, if wee be like to God in the flesh, God incarnate: for we are predestinated to be like God incar­nate, God first hee is Christs God before hee is ours, and as Christ carryed himselfe to God, so if wee be Gods, wee must carry our selves like Christ, be transformed unto him: how did Christ carry himselfe to God? God was his God, My God, my God, saith Christ upon the Crosse. Now the Gospell sheweth that be obeyed his Father in all things, in doing and suffering, Not my will, but thy will be done. You know how full of mercy and compassion he was, how hee prayed all night sometimes, though he knew God would bestow things on him without prayer, yet hee would pray in order to Gods appointment, you know how full of goodnes he vvas, going about con­tinually doing good, and that in obedience and conscier ceto Gods command: in a vvord, looke how Christ made God his God, and car­ryed himselfe to God, so must we, for wee are predestinated to be transformed to the Image of the second Adam, Christ. Especially ob­serve one thing, (I touched it before) whom vve runne to and trust to in extremitie, is our [Page 140] God: Christ in extremitie, vvhen hee felt the anger, and indured the wrath of God being a surety for our sinnes, yet My God, my God still, so if wee make God our God, chiefly in the greatest extremitie, in the time of desertion as Christ did, it is a good signe. I doe but touch these things, the point you see is large, I onely give you matter of meditation, you may inlarge them your selves in your owne thoughts. These I thinke sufficient tryals, whereby you may know vvhether God be your God.

Having now thus unfolded these Termes, let us see vvhat vve may draw from thence for our use and comfort.

First then, if by these tryals wee find that God be not, or have not beene our God: Alas, let us never rest, till wee make it good, that God is our God: For vvhat if vvee have all things, if wee have not God vvith all things? all other things are but streames, God is the Fountaine; if vve have not the Spring, vvhat vvill become of us at last? Achitophel had much vvit and policie, but hee had not God for his God, Ahab had power and strength, but hee had not God for his God: Saul had a Kingdome, but he had not God for his God: Herod had eloquence, but he had not God for his God: Iudas vvas an Apostle, a great pro­fessour, but hee had not God for his God; vvhat became of all these? vvit they had, strength they had, honour they had, friends [Page 141] they had, but they had not God, and there­fore a miserable end they made: vvhat mise­rable creatures are all such, when they shall say, friends have forsaken me, wealth hath for­saken me, and health hath forsaken me; terrours lay hold upon me, the wrath of God hath over-taken me, but they cannot say, God is my God; oh such are in a miserable case, in a fearefull estate indeed: nay suppose they have all these, suppose they could say, they have a vvorld of riches, they have inhe­ritances, they have friends, &c. yet if they can­not say, God is my God, all is vanity: the whole man is this, to have God to be our God: this is the whole man, to feare God & keep his Com­mandements, Eccles. 1 [...]. l [...]st, If a man have all the world, and have not God for his God, all is but vanity and vexation of spirit: never rest therefore till wee can proove our selves to be in the Covenant of grace, till we can say, God is my God.

But secondly, when wee have found God to be our God, then make this use of it, a use of resolution: is God my God? then I will re­solve to please him, though all creatures bee against me; this was their resolution in the 4. Micah, Every Nation walketh in the name of his God, but we will walke in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever: resolve with Ioshuah and others to please God, whosoever saith the con­trarie, to walke after the Commandements of God, whatsoever others do or say. In all discou­ragements [Page 142] from men or Devils, let us set this as a buckler, God is my God. Arme our selves with resolution against all feares and threat­nings of men, of men of terrour, against the Arme of flesh, they say they will doe this, and this; I but God is my God, all that they doe they must doe in his strength: Arme our selves with this, against the power and gates of hell: feare not the Devill, if wee feare man or Devill more then God, feare them so, as to doe any thing to displease God, we make them God: If our conscience rightly tells us, that what is to be done by us, is the will and command of God, and that herein I serve God, wee need not feare any opposer, but oppose this as an Ar­mour of proofe against all creatures, against all discouragements whatsoever: And certainely experience telleth us, and approoveth it to be true, that nothing can dismay a man that doth things in conscience to God, and knowes God will beare him out in it, though not from dan­ger in this world, (and yet for the most part he doth that too, those that are the stoutest men for God, are oftentimes most safe, al­wayes freed from inward dejection) yet God disposeth of it so, as that he that keepes a good conscience, shall alwayes be a King and rule over the world, and therein hee performes his promise, whatsoever discouragements hee en­dureth outwardly, yet no discouragement can cast downe that soule that lookes to God; In his conscience hee knowes that he takes God [Page 143] to be his, that hee serveth him, and that it shall goe well with him at last, that God will be Alsufficient to him, and this rayseth him above all, makes him rule and raign over his enemies, and be a terror to those that doe him hurt.

Againe, if God be our God, then let this stop all base and covetous desires after earthly things, if God be our portion, why should we grapple too much after the world then? what need we cracke our consciences and breake our peace for the mucke of the world? is not God our portion? is he not rich enough? is not hee Lord of heaven and earth? hath not hee promi­sed that hee will not faile us nor forsake us? I am thy exceeding great reward, saith God to Abra­ham, is not this enough? what doth Satan for us when hee getteth us to crack our consci­ences by griplenesse after earthly things? hee promiseth, thou shalt have this and that, but I will take God from thee, as he did Adam in Pa­radise, thou shalt have an Apple, but thou shalt loose thy God: All his solicitations to base and earthly courses tend to nothing else but to take God from us: Now when God is our God, and he hath promised to be our por­tion, let it be sufficient for us, let us not for the displeasing of him, take any condition from Satan or the world upon any termes.

Againe, if so be wee know this for a truth that God is our God, then let it be a use of ex­hortation, to stir us up to keep and maintaine [Page 142] and cherish acquaintance and familiarity with him; as it is in Iob. 22. Acquaint thy self with God, if we be acquainted with him now, hee will be acquainted with us in time of sorrow, in the houre of death, therefore cherish ac­quaintance with him, wheresoever wee may meete with God be there much, bee much in aring, inreceiving the Sacrament, in praying to him and making our suits known to him in all our necessities, be much in the society of Saints, God hath promised to be there, there­fore cherish the society of all that are good: what a friendly course doth God take with us? he seekes for our acquaintance, and therefore giveth us his Ordinances, the Word and Sa­craments, sendeth his messengers, the good motions of his Spirit to our hearts, to leave the world and vanities of it, to make us out of love with bad courses, and joyne with him in friendship and familiarity, oh let us make use of these blessed meanes, checke not these good motions, but yeeld unto them and obey them, grieve them not, the Spirit is sent to make God and us friends, who were enemies, grieve not the Spirit, entertaine his motions, that we may be acquainted with God. But doe we doe so? truly no, indeed if God will be our God to save us, and let us live in our swearing and lying, and deceiving, and in other base courses, wee would be content with him upon these tearmes, but to be our God so that wee must serve him and love him, and feare him, [Page 143] and joy in him above all, and have nothing in the world without his favour, then let him take his favour to himselfe, wee will have none of it: though men speak it not with their mouths to the world, yet the inward speech of their hearts, is to this purpose, if wee must bee the people of God, upon these tearmes, to renounce our pleasures and profits, let him bee a God to whom he will for us, if he will save us, then welcome his favour, we will bee glad of his ac­quaintance, otherwise we will have none of it, what is the speech of the world but this? these men when they shall at the day of judgement clayme acquaintance with God, and say, Lord, Lord open to us, wee have knowne thee in the streetes &c. what will God say? depart from me, you workers of iniquity, I know you not, you were acquainted with me indeed outward­ly in the ministery of my word, but you kept not an inward and spirituall familiarity with me in my ordinances, you used not the society of the saints, you entertained not the motions of my spirit which I sent to you, to leave your ill courses, I know you not, this shall bee the answer to such wretched persons.

Lastly, if by these comfortable signes wee finde God to be our God, then here is a spring of comfort opened to a Christian: if God be mine, then all that he hath is mine, hee is my Father, hee is my husband, hee is my rocke, his good­nesse, his wisedome, his providence, his mer­cy, whatsoever hee hath is mine: If wee had [Page 146] any man in the world that had all wisedome in him, and all the strength of the world, and all goodnesse, and all love in him, and all this for us, what an excellent creature were this? God hath all this, and a Christian that hath God for his God hath all this and much more, for what­soever is in the creator, is much more in him. Hereupon commeth all those styles, and sweet names, that God hath taken upon him in the scripture, because he would have us to know that all comforts are together in him, the names of all the creatures that are comfortable, God hath bin pleased to take upon him, to shew us what a God he is, he is water to refresh us, a sun to comfort us, a shield to keepe evill from us, a rocke to support us, chambers to cover us in the time of danger, and such like, and in every creature God hath left foot steps and beames of himselfe, that man being an understanding creature, might finde out God in them: In wa­ter there is a beame of his refreshing power, in the sunne, a beame of his cherishing power, and the like, and when we receive comfort from the creature, which hath but a droppe, a beame of his goodnesse, wee should consider how good God himselfe is, if this bee so comfortable, what is God that is my God, here wee use the creatures to refresh us, and God deriveth his goodnesse usually to us by them, what will he be to us in heaven, when he will be all in all: and whatsoever comfort God hath, Christ hath, be­cause God and Christ joyne together for our [Page 247] good, for God is in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe, and if God be ours, Christ is ours, and if God and Christ be ours, all things are ours, because all things are Gods, Angels are ours, Cherubins are ours, because God is ours. It is a point of wondrous comfort, a poor christian when he hath nothing to trust to, he may perhaps say sometime, that hee hath no friend in the world, and hee hath many ene­mies: I but hee hath a God to goe to, if hee have not the beame, yet he hath the Sunne, if he have not the streame, yet hee hath the foun­taine, if wee have not particular benefits that others have, yet hee hath better, whatsoever portion hee have in the world, hee hath a rich portion, for God is his portion: God is my portion saith the Church, in the 3. Lumenta. therefore will I hope in him: The poor Church had nothing else in the world to comfort it, for it was in captivity, in the middest of ene­mies, had no wealth nor friends, nor any thing, yea but God is my portion saith my soule, and therefore God being mine, in him I have friends, and wealth, and pleasure, and all whatsoever, and so hath every Christian soule, and never more then when the creature and the comfort of it is taken away: hee never findes God more his God, then when hee is deprived of those meanes that usually derive comfort to him, for then God immediately commeth to the soule, and comforteth it, and the dispo­sition of a true Christian is at those times to [Page 248] take advantage by grace to get nearer to God, to cling faster to him, to solaae himselfe more in him as his portion. What a spring of com­fort is here arising to a Christian in all estates? If God be his God, then hee may claime him upon all occasions, and at all times, as the saints in the Scripture have done. David, Ieho­saphat, and all the saints what doe they alledge in their prayers to God? thou art our God, we are thy people, the sheepe of thy pasture, the vine that thy right hand hath planted, the Lord is my shepherd &c. What made the disciples when they were ready to bee drowned to cry out, Master save us? but because they knew that they were servants in Covenant, that hee was their Master, we should use this as a plea to God in all the Calamities of the Church, we are thine, thou art ours: doubtlesse thou art our God (saith the Church) though Abra­ham have forgotten, and Israel be ignorant of us. It is a point of spiritual wisedome, when we know we are in Covenant with God, to improve it as an argument to perswade God to helpe us in any streight: I am thine, Lord save mee saith David, Psal. 119. Thou art my God, Lord looke to me, protect me, direct me, ease me, recieve my soule, this is a plea that obtaineth any thing of God in all extremities whatso­ever. ‘I will establish my Covenant betweene me and hee, and thy seed after thee, &c.’

I come now to the qualities of this cove­nant, [Page 249] and before I speak in particular of them, I beseech you observe one thing (which I will but touch, to make an entrance to that which followes) from the manner of setting downe the Covenant: it is not here set downe as it is in other places of Scripture, I will bee thy God, and thou shalt bee my people, but here is only the first part, the maine of the cove­nant of grace recyted, I will be thy God, why doth he not say too, thou shalt take me for thy God, because where the first is, he ever works the second, our part depends upon his: all our grace that wee have to answer the Covenant is by reflexion from God, hee chuseth us, and then we chuse him: he knoweth us, and there­fore wee come to know him, he loveth us first, and then we love him, he singleth us out to be a peculiar people, and we single out him above all things to be our portion, whom have I in heaven but thee?

It is therefore (to come to the first quality) called a free Covenant, it cometh from God, meerely of grace, it is of grace, that he would enter into any tearmes of agreement with us; it is of grace that he would send Christ to dye, to be the foundation of the covenant; it is of grace that he giveth us hearts to take him for our God, to depend upon him, to love him, to serve him, &c. All is of grace, and all com­meth from him.

So you see, that it is a free Covenant, that's the first quality.

[Page 250] Againe, secondly it is a sure, a certaine Co­venant. I will establish my covenant. But in whom it is established, how commeth it to be sure? It is established in Christ, the Mediator of the covenant, in the Messiah: for in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth bee blessed. That's the fundamentall promise, all other pro­mises, the promise, of the Land of Canaan, the promise of the multiplying his seed, as the starres of Heaven, they were all but acces­sary, this is the grand promise, in thy seed, in Christ, shall all the Nations of the earth bee blessed. So it is a sure Covenant, because it is established in the Messiah, Christ, God-man. And Christ being God and man, is fit to be the foun­dation of the Covenant, betweene God and man, for he is a friend to both parties: as man, hee will doe all that is helpefull for man, and as God, he will doe nothing that may de­rogate from God; and so being God, and being God and man, he brings God and man together comfortably, and sweetly, and kee­peth them together in a sure and firme agree­ment. For first of all hee takes away the cause of division that was betweene God and us, be­cause by his sacrifice and obedience, he did sa­tisfie Gods wrath, and that being satisfied, God and us are at peace, and friendship: for God till then, though he bee a fountaine of good­nesse, yet he was a fountaine sealed, the foun­taine was stopped by sinne, but when there is a satisfaction made by Christ, and we believing [Page 251] on him, the satisfaction of Christ is made ours, it is a sure Covenant, because it is established in Christ, the blessed seed.

And as it is a sure Covenant, so thirdly it is an everlasting Covenant, I will make an everlasting Covenant with thee, so it is set downe here.

Everlasting in these respects. For when wee are in Christ, and made one with him by faith, hee having satisfied Gods wrath for us, and made him peaceable, then God is become our father, and he is an everlasting father, his love to us in Christ is like himselfe, immutable. For even as Christ, when hee tooke upon him our nature, he made an everlasting Covenant with our nature, married our nature to himself for ever, and never layeth aside his humaine nature, so he will never lay aside his misticall body, his Church. As Christ is God-man for ever, so misticall Christ, the Church, is his bo­dy for ever. As Christ will not lose his naturall, so he will not lose his misticall body, I will marry thee to my selfe for ever (saith God in the Prophet) so then it is everlasting in re­spect of God, hee being Immutable, I am God saith he, Mal. 3. 6.) and I change not, and Christ, the foundation of the covenant, is everlasting.

And then againe it is everlasting, in regard of us, because, if wee bee not wanting to our selves, wee shall bee for evermore, in Grace heere, and in Glory for ever: the fruites of Grace in us, that is, the work of the Spirit, it is [Page 252] everlasting, for howsoever the graces we have, be but the first fruits of the spirit, yet our in­ward man growes more and more, till grace end in glory, till the first fruits end in a harvest, till the foundation bee accomplished in the building, God never takes away his hand from his owne worke.

Everlasting also in regard of the body of Christians, God makes a covenant with one, and when they are gone, with others, alwayes God will have some in Covenant with him, he will have some, to be a God to, when we are gon, so long as the world continueth.

So that we see it is in every respect an ever­lasting covenant, God is everlasting, Christ is everlasting, the graces of the spirit are everla­sting. When we are dead, he will be a God un­to us, as it is said, I am the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Iacob, their God when they were dead: he is the God of our dust, of our dead bodies; he will raise them up, for they are bo­dyes in Covenant with him, I am the God of whole Abraham, and not of a piece, therefore his body shall rise againe. It is an everlasting Covenant. That is the third quality.

Lastly, it is a peculiar Covenant. I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed. All are not the children of Abraham, but they that are of the faith of Abraham, God is in Covenant only with those that answer him, that take him for their God, that are a peculiar people: It is not glorying in the flesh, but there must [Page 253] be somewhat wrought that is peculiar, before we can be assured we are of Abrahams seed, and in Covenant with God.

And we may know that we are Gods peculi­ar by some peculiar thing that wee can doe: what peculiar thing canst thou doe? (to speak a little of that by the way) thou lovest, and art kind, but saith Christ, what peculiar thing canst thou doe? A heathen man may be kind and loving, but canst thou overcome revenge, canst thou spare, and doe good to thine ene­mies? canst thou trust in God when all means faile? what is the power of the spirit in thee? doth it triumph in thee over thy naturall cor­ruption? canst thou doe as Abrams did? hee left all at Gods command, canst thou doe that if need should be? canst thou leave children, and wife, and life, and all at Gods command? Canst thou sacrifice Isaac as he did? canst thou more trust in the promise of God, then in the dearest thing in the world, yea, then in thy own feeling of grace? whatsoever is not God, canst thou be content to be without? canst thou re­lye upon God, when he appeareth to be an an­gry God? Abraham knew that there was more comfort in the promise, than in Isaac, if thou have comfort in the promise more than in any thing else, then thou art one of Abrahams seed, thou hast sacrificed thy Isaack, never talke of Abraham else, never thinke that thy portion is great in God, be what thou wilt by profession, if there be no particular thing in thee which [Page 254] is not in a naturall man, if thou art covetous, as gripple for the world, as very a drudge in thy calling; as licentious in thy course as carnall men are, thou art none of Gods peculiar ones, thou art none of Abrahams seed. Gods people have somewhat peculiar that the world hath not. It is a peculiar Covenant.

Thus you see the qualities of this Covenant, it is a free Covenant, a sure Covenant stablished in the blessed seed, the Messiah, it is an Ever­lasting Covenant, and it is a peculiar Covenant. ‘To make some vse of this in a word.’

Heere then you see is another Spring of bles­sed comfort opened to a Christian. If hee fin­deth God (though this assurance bee little) to be his God in regard of peculiar favours, let him remember it is an everlasting favour, his love is everlasting, the foundation is everla­sting, the graces of the spirit are an everlasting spring, alwayes issuing from Christ our head, grace is never drawne dry in him. God is our God to death, and in death, and for ever: all things in the world will faile us, friends will faile us, all comforts will faile us, life will faile us ere long, but this is an everlasting covenant which will not faile.

It is a point of comfort in the losse of friends, in the losse of estate in this world: If I lose friends, yet I cannot lose God, if hee be mine, he is mine for ever, a friend now, and a friend [Page 155] ever, my portion now, and my portion for ever, whatsoever God takes away, hee never takes a­way himselfe, and in him I have all that is ta­ken away, all the comfort that hee doth still derive to mee by friends, hee resumeih to him­selfe, it is not perished with the party, he can immediately by himselfe convey whatsoever comfort was derived to me by others: he is God Al-sufficient, that is, put the case all the world were taken away, not only friends, but the sun, the light, the earth, food and rayment, all, as it shall be at the day of judgement, if all bee ta­ken away, yet I have him, yet I have him that made all, that supporteth all, cannot he doe all in a more excellent manner, is not he Al-suffi­cient, though I lose all things else? It is a point of wondrous comfort, God knew it well enough, therefore he laboureth to stablish the heart of the father of the faithfull, good Abra­ham, here with this instead of all. I am God Alsufficient, and I will be thy God.

Againe, if this be so, that God will be a God to us for ever, let us comfort our selves hence in all the unfaithfull dealings of men, they are friends to day, and enemies to morrow, but God is my God, and whom he loveth, hee loveth to the end. An ingenuous spirit certainely estee­meth it the greatest crosse in the world, and if any thing will whet a man to heaven, this is one, that those whom hee trusteth will prove false, and at length deceive him: Man is but man, in the ballance hee is lighter then vanity, [Page 156] but he that is in Covenant with God, his pro­mise and love, and faithfulnesse never faileth: A Christian in all the breaches of this world, hath this comfort, that he hath a sure God to trust to, hee that hath not God to trust to, and is unfaithfully dealt withall in the world, what a wretched man is hee? this was Davids com­fort, when he was beset with calamities, and miseries, all tooke from him, and the people were ready to stone him, he trusted in the Lord his God. I come to the extent of it. ‘To thee and to thy seed after thee.’

Why doth he make the Covenant with his seed, as well as with himselfe?

I answer, we apprehend favours and curses more in our seed ofttimes, then in our selves; and it will humble a man to see calamities on his posterity, more then on himselfe, and a man more rejoyceth to see the flourishing of his seed, them of himselfe. It is said that Iosiah did dye in peace, though he dyed a bloody death, because hee saw not the ruine of his house and family, which was worse then death. God saw how Abraham apprehended and valued seed, when hee said, what wilt thou give me, since I am childlesse? therefore God intending a comfor­table enlargement of the covenant of Grace to Abraham, extends it to his seed. I will be the God of thy seed. It is a great blessing for God to bee the God of our seed: it is alluded to by S. Pe­ter [Page 157] in the new Testament, The promise is made to you and to your Children.

But what if they have not Baptisme, the seal of the Covenant?

That doth not prejudice their salvation, God hath appointed the sacraments to be seales for us, not for himselfe, hee himselfe keepeth his Covenant, whether we have the seale or no, so long as we neglect it not, therefore we must not thinke if a childe dye before the sacrament of baptisme, that God will not keepe his Cove­nant, they have the sanctity, the holinesse of the Covenant. You know what David said of his childe, I shall goe to it, but it shall not returne to me, and yet it dyed before it was circumcised. You know they were 40 yeers in the wildernes and were not circumcised, therefore the sacra­ment is not of absolute necessity to salvation. So, he is the God of our children, from the con­ception and birth.

But how can God bee the God of our chil­dren, when they are borne in corruption, Chil­dren of wrath? Can they bee Children of wrath, and the Children of God both at one time?

I answer yes, both as one time, for even as in civill matters, in our city here, a man may be a free-man of the city, and yet be borne lame or leprous, or with some contageous disease, this hindreth not his freedome: so the children of a believing father and mother, may bee free­men of the city of God, and in the covenant [Page 158] of grace, and yet be tainted with originall sin, that over-spreadeth the powers of the soul not­withstanding.

Whence we see a ground of baptizing infants, because they are in the Covenant. To whom the Covenant belongs: the seal of it belongs, but to infants the Covenant belongs, therefore the seale of it, Baptisme, belongeth to them: If circumcision belonged to them, then Bap­tisme doth, but circumcision belonged to them: for the eighth day they were circumci­sed, therefore Baptisme belongeth to them.

Anabaptisticall spirits would not have chil­dren baptized, if they believe not: why then were the Children of the Iewes circumcised? They were circumcised, because they were in Covenant: and is not the Covenant of grace enlarged? wherein doth the new Covenant dif­fer from the old, but (among many other things) in the enlargement of it? there is now a new people, the Gentiles in Covenant, that were not before, new Priests, new sacrifices, new sacraments, all is new in the covenant of grace: if all be enlarged in the covenant, why should we deny the seale of the covenant to them in the new, that had it in the old, even children? It is sencelesse. The Scripture to meete with such, applyeth baptisme to them, and circum­cision to us, to shew, that in the covenant of grace, they are all one in effect, 1 Cor. 10. All they were baptized under the cloud, and S. Paul saith, 1 Colos. Wee are circumcised with circumcisi­on, [Page 159] without hands. We are circumcised, and they were baptized: to shew I say that all are one in Christ. Christ is all one, yesterday, to day, and the same for ever, yesterday to them that were under the law, and to day to us under the Gos­pell, and for ever to posterity; and therefore if Children had interest in Christ then, so they have now. This is cleare, and undeniable, God is the God of our Children.

This should bee an encouragement to pa­rents, to bee good, if not for love of them­selves, and their owne soules, yet for their Children and posterity sake, that God may do good to their children for them, they cannot deserve worse of their children, then to bee naught themselves.

How many examples are there in Scripture that God plagued and punished the children for the fathers sinnes? though in the maine matter hee will not doe it sometimes, because he is gracious and good, he will be good to the children, though their parents bee naught, as Ioshua, and Caleb came into Canaan, though their parents were rebels, and died in the wilder­nesse. Yet it is a discomfortable thing, when parents are naught, they may looke that God should punish their sin in their Children.

There is a great deale of care taken by car­nall parents, here in the City, (and every where too; but in the City especially) by covetous­nesse, a reigning sin: they will not make God their God, but the wedge of Gold to be their [Page 160] God. They labour to make their children great, if they can leave them rich men, great men in a parish, to beare office, to come to honour, that is their maine endeavour, for this they drudge and neglect heaven and happinesse. But, alas, what is this? Thou mayst leave them much goods; and the vengeance of God with them, thou maist leave them much wealth, and it may be a snare to them, it were better thou hadst left them nothing.

Looke into the state of the City, those that are best able in the City, doe they not rise of nothing? and they that have bin the greatest labourers for these outward things, that they may call their lands after their owne names, God hath blowne upon them, and all hath come to nought in a short time, because they have not made God their portion. Of all things parents should labour to leave them God for their God: to leave them in Covenant with him, lay up prayers in heaven for them, lay the foundation there, sowe prayers there, that may be effectuall for them when you are gone.

And this likewise should bee a comfort to poore Christians, that have not much to leave their children. I can leave my childe nothing, but I shall leave him in Covenant with God: for God is my God, and alwayes hath bin, and ever will be, he will bee the God of my seed. I shal leave him Gods blessing, and a little well got­ten goods that the righteous hath, is better then a great deale ill gotten, God addeth no sorrow with that. [Page 161] There is no fearefull expectation another day, as there is, of that which is ill gotten, when the father and childe shall meet in hell, and curse one another, when the sonne shall say to the fa­ther, you insnared your selfe to make me happy, and that turned to my ruine: this shall make wicked wretches curse one another one day. A poore Christian that cannot say he hath riches to leave his children, yet he can say, God is my God, and I am sure he will be their God, though I have but little to leave them else, I shall leave them Gods blessing. Good parents may hope for a blessing upon their children, because God is their God, and the God of their seed. For the sacrament, a word.

The Sacrament is a seale of this Covenant, that God is our God in Christ, and wee are his people. God to his word addeth seales, to help our faith: what a good God is this? how wil­ling is hee to have us believe him? one would thinke that a word from him, a promise, were enough, but to his promise hee addeth a cove­nant: one would think a covenant were enough, but to that hee addeth seales, and to them an oath too. I have sworne to David my servant. Thus hee stoopes to all conditions of men, he condescendeth so farre, to use all these meanes, that hee may secure us. You know that a promise secures us, if it be from one that is an honest man, wee say that wee are sure to have it because of his promise: but when wee have his Covenant, then wee are assured [Page 162] more because there is somewhat drawne. Now wee have Gods covenant, and his seale, the sa­crament, and then his oath. If we will take him for our God, and renounce our wicked cour­ses, wee shall lose nothing by it, wee shall part with nothing for God, but we shall have it sup­plied in him. If we lose honour, wealth, or plea­sure, we shall have it abundantly in him▪

What doe we heare in the sacrament? doe we come only to receive his love to us? No, we make a covenant with God in the Sacrament, that hee shall be our God, and wee promise by his grace to lead new lives hence forth, wee have made a Covenant with God at first in Baptism, now we renew it in taking the Sacrament, and it is fit, for if he renew his covenant oft to us in love to be ours, we should renew ours oft with him, to take him to be our God. Seaven times in Gen. he renewed his covenant to Abraham, be­cause hee would have him trust what hee said; then we should seven times, that is oft, come to the Sacrament, and renew our Covenant with him, to take him for our God: and remember what ti [...] to sin after the receiving the sacramē [...]. Sins against conscience break off a covenant renewed, sin hath an aggravation now, you that mean to receive, if you sin willingly after, 'twere better you had not received: what makes adul­tery worse thē fornication? saith Mal: Twas the wife of thy covenant: adultery breaks the covenāt of marriage, it is worse then fornication where there is not a covenant. So you have made á co­venant [Page 163] with God in your Baptisme, and now you come to renew it; if you sinne now, it is an aggravation of the sinne, it is adulterie, it is disloyaltie against God.

Remember therefore, that we doe not onely take here Gods kindnesse sealed in the Sacra­ment, but we repromise back againe to lead new lives. All must resolve by his grace to obey him henceforward; and to take him for our God. The way therefore will be to put this in­to the condition of your promise now, and pray­er after: Lord, I have promised this, but thou knowest I cannot performe the promise I have made, and the condition thou requirest, of my selfe: but in the Covenant of grace, thou hast said that thou wilt make good the condition: thou hast promised to give the spirit to them that aske him; thou hast promised to Circumcise my heart, thou hast promised to teach me, thou hast promised to delight over me for good, thou hast promised to Wash me with cleane water, thou hast promised to put thy feare in my heart, thou hast promised to write thy Law in the affecti­ons; I would feare thee, and love thee, and trust in thee, and delight in thee: thou know­est I cannot fulfill the conditions, thou art a­ble and willing; thou art as able to make me doe these things as to command me to doe them▪

Thus we should desire God to give the grace that he requires in the use of the meanes; for that must not be neglected, we must attend [Page 164] upon the Ordinances, use the parts that are gi­ven us, and in that, to him that hath, shall bee gi­ven: thou shalt not need any necessary good to bring thee to heaven, if thou wilt clayme the promise of the covenant in the use of meanes: wee shall want degrees perhaps, but in the co­venant of grace, it is not degrees that brings us to heaven, but truth.

Now in our renewing the Covenant with God, let us not despaire of his performance, let not that hinder us from comming to the Sacrament, but come cheerefully, and know, that hee that hath made the Covenant with thee to be thy God, and to give thee all par­ticular grace (in the use of all good meanes) will performe it: Hee will performe it, if wee come in sincerity of heart. If wee come to daube with God, and after to follow our sin­full courses, this is to mocke God. This made David take it to heart so much, that his fami­liar friend that eate at his table, lift up his heele against mee. May not God complaine of us, that we come to the communion, to his table, with false Iudas hearts, and afterwards betray him? hee may say, my familiar friends they came, and eat with me, yet they have lift up the heele against me, they are rebellious, they will leave no finne, that before they were enthral­led to, so instead of a blessing, wee bring a curse upon us, a just reward of our disloyal­ty. Oh remember that it is a great aggravation of sinne, after the Sacrament.

[Page 165] I speake not this to discourage any, but to encourage us rather, if wee come with sincere hearts, and with resolution to please God, wee may looke for all the promises from God, all that hee hath promised, hee is ready to performe, if wee in faith can al­leadge the promise. Lord remember thy promise, wherein thou hast caused thy servant to put his trust.

THE DEMANDE OF A good Conscience.

THe dependance of these words up­on the former is this. The blessed Apostle had spoken before of those that were before the flood, and of Noahs saving in the Arke: whereupon he mentions Baptisme. The like fi­gure whereunto is Baptisme which also saveth vs. Christ was Yesterday, to day, and the same for e­uer. Hee was the same unto them before his Incarnation; and the same to them that lived in [Page 170] his time, and to us that shall be for ever. All were saved by Christ, and all had severall sacrifi­ces that were types of Christ. As there were two Citties of the world, from the beginning of the world, figured out in Caine and Abell the begin­ners of both, so God hath carried himselfe dif­ferently to the Citizens of both: he always had a care to save his Noah's in the middest of de­struction, he had an Arke alway for his Noah's. God knoweth how to deliuer his, sayth the Apo­stle Peter. It is a worke that he hath practised a long time since the beginning of the world: and for the other that are not his, that are of Caines posterity, God carries himselfe in a contrary way to them, he destroyes them. But to come to the words. The like figure whereunto even Bap­tisme doth now save vs, &c. The saving of Noah in the Arke was a correspondent, answerable type to Baptisme: for as Baptisme figures Christ, so did the saving of Noah in the Arke: they are cor­respondent in many things.

As all that were without the Arke perished, 1. The Arke, a fi­gure of Bap­tism, in divers respects. so all that are without Christ, that are not ingraf­ted into Christ by faith, (whereof Baptisme was a seale) they perish.

And as the same water in the floud, preserved 2. Noah in the Arke; and destroyed all the old world: so the same blood, and death of Christ, and his sufferings, it kills all our spirituall ene­mies: (they are all drowned in the red Sea of Christs blood,) but preserves his Children. There were three maine waters, and deluges which did [Page 171] all typifie out Christ. The flood that drowned the old world, the passing through the red Sea, and the waters of Iordan, in all these Gods peo­ple were saved, and the ene [...]ies of Gods Church destroyed, whereunto Micah the prophet alludes when he saith, he s [...]al dro [...]ne [...]r sins in the botto [...], of the Sea, he alludes to Pharoah, and his host drowned in the bottome of the Sea, they [...]unck as lead, so all our sins, (which are our enemie [...]) if we be in Christ they sinke as lead.

As Noah when he went to make the Arke and to get into it, was mocked of the wretched world, so all that labout to get into Christ, and to be sa­ved, they are derided.

Yet notwithstanding Noah was thought a wise man when the flood came: so when destruction comes, then they are wise that get into the Arke that get into Christ before; many such resemb­lances there be, I name but a few, because I goe on. ‘The like figure whereunto, baptisme also saveth us, &c.’

Here first of all in a word, is a description of Parts of the Text. the meanes of salvation, how we are saved, Bap­tisme saveth us.

Then there is a prevention of an obiection; not the putting away of the filth of the flesh: the out­ward part of Baptisme.

Then he sets downe how Baptisme saves us: But the answere of a good Conscience.

And then the ground of it, by the resurrection of Iesus Christ.

[Page 172] The former I passe over, that I may come to that which I specially intend. I come therefore to the prevention of the objection, which I will not speake much of, but somewhat, because it is a usefull point. When he said that Baptisme saves us, he saith, not that Baptisme which is a putting away the filth of the flesh, insinuating this, 2. Parts of Baptisme. that Baptisme hath two parts: there is a double Baptisme; the outward, which is the washing of the bodie; the inward, which is the washing of the soule: the outward doth not save without the inward. Therefore he prevents them, least they should thinke that all are saved by Christ, that are Baptised, that have their bodies wash­ed outwardly with water. The Apostle knew this, that people are naturally prone to give too much to outward things. The Devill in people is in extreames, he labours to bring people to The Devill carries to ex­treames. extreames, to make the Sacraments Idolls, or Idle: to make the outward Sacrament a meere Idoll, to give all to that, or to make them Idle signes, the Devill hath what he would in both. The Apostle knew the disease of the times, e­specially Men prone to give too much to outward▪ worship. in his time, they attributed too much to outward things. Saint Paul writing to the Galathians, he is faine twice to repeat it, Neither Circumcision availeth any thing, or uncircumcision, but a new creature: you stand too much on out­ward things; that that God requires especially, is the new creature.

So in the old Testament, when God prescri­bed both outward and inward worship; they [Page 173] attributed too much to the outward, and let the inward alone. As in Psal. 50. God complaines Psal. 50. how they served him, therefore saith he, what hast thou to doe to take my Covenant into thy mouth, and hatest to be reformed? And so in Isay 1. and Isay Isay 1. Isay ult. the last, we see Gods peremptory dealing with them: I will none of your new Moones, I abhorre your offerings. And in Isay ult. It was as the cutting off of a Dogges neck, the offering of sacrifice and yet they were sacrifices appointed by God him­selfe. What was the reason of this? They play­ed the hypocrites with God, and gave him one­ly the shell: they brought him outward per­formances, they attributed too much to that, and left the spirituall part, that God most e­steemes. So our Saviour Christ to the Pharises, we see how he takes them up, say not with your selves, we have Abraham to our Father. They boa [...] ed too much of their outward privileges: You see through the current of the Scriptures, those especially that belong not to God, they are apt to attribute too much to outward things; It were well if they would joyne the inward too, which they neglect. There are 2 parts of Gods service, outward & inward, that is harsh to flesh and bloud. As in Baptisme there are 2 parts, out­ward and inward washing; and in hearing the Word, is the outward man & inward soule, when it bowes to heare what God saith: so in the Lords Supper, there is outward receiving of Bread and Wine, and inward making of a Covenant with God. Now people give too much to the outward, [Page 174] and thinke that God is beholding to them for it: but now for the inward; because they are conscious of their lusts, they care not for that.

But more particularly, the reason is in cor­rupt nature.

First, because the outward part is easie, and glorious to the eye of the world: every one can Reason, out­ward perform­ances easie and glorious. see the Sacrament administred, every one can see when one comes, and attends, and heares the word of God, they are easie, and glorious in the eye of the world.

And then againe, people rest in them, be­cause 2. They dawbe Conscience. somewhat is done by it to dawbe consci­ence, that would c [...]mour if they should do no­thing, if they were direct Atheists, therefore say they, we will heare the word, and performe outward things; and being loath to search into the bottome of their conscience rest in out­ward things, and satisfie conscience by it: these and the like reasons there are:

Let us take notice of it, and take heed of the Vse. To performe inward service. corruption of nature in it: Let us know that God regards not the outward, without the in­ward, nay he abhors it, he abhors his owne wor­ship that he hath appointed himselfe, if the in­ward be not there: much more devises, and cere­monies of mens owne devising. Poperie is but an out-side of Religion, they labour to put off God with the worke done: they have an opinion fit to corrupt nature: that is, that the Sacrament administred confersgrace, without any disposing of the partie. One of the Chiefe [Page 175] of them, a great Scholler, he will have the wa­ter it selfe to be elevated above its owne nature to conferre grace, as if grace had any commu­nion with a dead element. And thus they speak, to make people dote too much upon outward things. I will not stand to confute this opini­on: this very text sheweth, that the outward part of Baptisme, without the inward, is no­thing, not the washing of the body, but the answer of a good Conscience, saith S. Peter.

Let us labour therefore in all our services of God, to bring especially the spirituall part: The Prophet Hosea findes fault with Ephraim, They loved to tread out the Corne, but not to weare the Yoake. Now the Oxe that weares no yoake, it is no trouble to tread out the Corne, they fed upon the corne as they trod it, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne: So Christians are like Ephraim, they are content to take the easie part of Religion: but to take the yoake, that which is hard, that they love not: now wee must labour tob eare the yoake of Religion: What the heart doth is done in Religion, what the heart doth not, is not done, and there is a kind of Divinity, a Divine power in all the parts of Gods wor­ship that is requisite, besides the bringing of the outward man: As in hearing, there is required a divine power to make a man heare as he ought to doe, to bow the neck of the in­ward man of the soul: & so to receive the Sacra­ment, more is required then the outward man. [Page 176] There is a forme and power in all the parts of Religion. Let us not rest in the forme, but la­bour for the power: there is a power in hea­ring of the Word, to transforme us into the obedience of it, and a power in the Sacrament to renew our Covenants with God for a new life, and to cast our selves altogether upon Gods Mercy in Jesus Christ (besides the outward elements, to have further Communion with Christ.

Wee see what kind of persons those were in 1 Tim. 3. That practised a form of Religion with­out 2 Tim. 3. the power, hee names a Catalogue of sinnes there, They were Lovers of pleasures, more then Lo­vers of God: yet these people will have a forme of Religion notwithstanding, but they deny the power of it. But I hasten to that that I will more dwell on.

The Ministers likewise are to learne their Vse 2. Ministers du­ty. duty hence, to observe the dispositions of people, and what barres they lay to their own salvation: if wee see them superstitious, that they swel in outward performances, and so are deluded by Sathan in an ill state, and feed themselves with huskes, then we are to take a­way such objections as much as wee can, as S. Peter here, when he had said that Baptisme an­swers to the Flood, both shew the deliverance of Gods people by the blood of Christ, I saith he, not the outward Baptisme, the washing of the Body, but the answer of a good Con­science.

[Page 177] So Christ takes away a secret objection, say not with your selves, we have Abraham to our Fa­ther. And to feed people in their ill humours, this is not the way: but to labour to make them spirituall: for God is a spirit, and hee loves that part of his worship that is spirituall and inward. Wee shall have no man damned in the Church, if there were not an inward spiri­tual part of Gods worship: for the worst men of all wil be busiest in outward performances, and glory most in it of any other. It is a delusion that brings thousands to hell, and that made me a little dwell upon it. But I goe on. Not the washing away the filth of the body, ‘But the answer of a good Conscience.’

Upon the preventing of an objection, and re­moving their false confidence, hee positively sets downe what that is that doth save in Bap­tisme, saith he, it is the answer of a good Consci­ence. The Scope of the words should have mo­ved the holy Apostle to have said thus, not the putting off the filth of the Body, but the putting off the filth of the soule: but instead of that hee sets downe the act of the soule, which is an an­swer of a good Conscience to God, by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ.

Where first of all, you must know this for a ground (indeed it is a hard place of Scrip­ture, I will only take that that I think fittest, and rayse what observations I think fit for you, that [Page 178] out of that; you must know for a ground) that ‘There is a Covenant of Grace.’

Since God and Man brake in the Creation, there is a Covenant which we call a Covenant of Grace. God hath stooped so low, hee hath con­descended to enter into tearmes of Covenant with us: Now the foundation of this Cove­nant is, that God will bee our God, and give us grace and glory, and all good in Christ the Mediator of the new Covenant. Christ is the Christ the foundation of the Covenant of Grace. foundation of the Covenant, the Mediator of the Covenant, a friend to both: to God as God, to man as man, God and man in him­selfe, and by office; such is his office, as to procure love and agreement betweene God and man. He being the foundation of the Cove­nant, there must be agreement in him. Now Christ is the foundation of the Covenant, by satisfying Gods justice: else God and wee could never have come to good tearmes, nor conscience could ever have bin satisfyed. For God must bee satisfyed before conscience bee satisfied: Conscience else would thinke God is angry, and he hath not received full satisfa­ction; and conscience will never bee satisfied but with that that God is satisfied with. God is satisfied with the Death of the Mediator: so conscience being sprinkled with the blood of Christ, applying the death of Christ, conscience is satisfied too. Now what doth shew, that the death of the Mediator is a sufficient sacri­fice, and Satisfaction? The Resurrection [Page 179] of Christ: for Christ our surety should have laine in the grave to this day, if our sinnes had not bin fully satisfied for.

Christ is the foundation of the Covenant of grace, by his humiliation, and by his exal­tation, whereof the resurrection was the first degree. Now in this as in other covenants, there is the party promising, making the Covenant; and the parties that answer in the Covenant. God promises life everlasting, forgivenesse of sins through the death of Christ, the Media­tor; we answer by faith, that we relye upon Gods mercy in Christ, this is the answer of consci­ence. Now this sound answer of conscience, it doth save us, because it doth lay hold on Christ, that doth save us, Christ properly saveth us, by his death, and passion. An argument of the sufficiency of his salvation, was his resurrecti­on, hee is now in Heaven triumphing, but be­cause there is somewhat in us that must lay hold of this salvation, it is attributed to that that is the instrument of salvation, that is, to the answer of a good conscience. Now this an­swer of a good conscience, doth afford us this observation, that ‘There must bee something in us before wee can Observ. There must be somewhat in us, to make use of that is in Christ. make use of what good is in God, or Christ.’

In a Covenant, both parties must agree, there must bee somewhat wrought in us that must [Page 180] answer, or else we cannot clayme any good by the promises in Christ, or by any good that Christ hath wrought: that is the answer of a good conscience. Or else Christ should save all, if there were not the answer of a good con­science required, that only Gods elect children have. But to shew the reasons of this, that there must on our part be this answer.

The reason is partly from the nature of the Reas. 1. From the na­ture of the Covenant. Covenant, there must bee consent on both sides, or else the Covenant cannot hold, there are Indentures drawn between God and us, God promiseth all good, if wee believe and rest on Christ: we again rest upon Christ, and so have interest in all that is good. There is a mu­tuall engagement then in the Covenant. God engageth himselfe to us, and wee engage our solves to God in Christ, and where this mutu­all engagement is, there the Covenant is per­fect, as here, there is the answer of a good consci­ence. That is the first reason then, from the nature of the Covenant, there must bee this answer.

The second reason that there must be some­what in us, is, because when two agree there Reas. 2. Where agree­ment is, there is a like dispo­sition. must bee a like disposition. Now there must bee a sanctifying of our Nature (from whence this blessed answer comes, before that God and wee can agree: There must bee a cor­respondency of disposition of necessity, this must bee: for wee enter into tearmes of friend­ship with God, in the Covenant of Grace. [Page 181] Now friends must have the same mind, there must be an answering. Now this answer is espe­cially faith, when we believe, and from Faith, sanctified obedience, that is called the resti pulation, or engagement of a good consci­ence to God, when the promise is made, wee engage our selves to believe, and to live as chri­stians.

Now from this that there must be an answer Vse. To search our hearts for the evidence of our estate. in us, an engagement on our part; I beseech you let us in generall therefore know, that wee must search our own hearts, for the evidence of our good estate in Religion: let us not so much search what Christ hath done, but search our owne hearts how wee have engaged our selves to God in Christ, that we believe and witnesse our believing, that wee lead a life answerable to our Faith: renounce all but Christ. This mu­tuall engagement is in the forme in Baptisme, that was used by the Apostles, and by the ancient Church: for wee know that in the ancient Church, that they that were Baptized, they were questioned, doe you believe? I doe believe. Doe you renownce the Flesh, and the World, and the Divell? I doe re­nounce them: These two questions were made, now when they answered this question from a good conscience, truly, faithfully, and sin­cerely, then they had right in all the good things by Christ. Something alway therefore in the Church was required on our part. Not that wee answer by our owne strength, for it is [Page 182] the Covenant of grace: why is it a Covenant of grace? not onely because the things promised Covenant of grace why so called. are promised of grace: but because our part is of grace likewise, we beleeve of grace, and live holily of grace: every good thought is from grace, it is by grace that we are that we are. All is of grace in the new Covenant, meerely of grace, God requires not any answering by our strength: for then he should require light of darknesse, and life of death. There is nothing good in us; he requires obedience that he may worke it when he requires it. For his com­mands in the Covenant of grace, they are ope­rative, and working, when he commands us to beleeve, and obey, he gives us grace to beleeve, and obey. It is our selves that answere, but not from our selves, but from grace; yet notwith­standing, let us make this use of it, letus search our selves, though it be not from our selves: that we answere Gods promise by faith, and his com­mand by obedience, yet we must have this obe­dience, (though from him) before we can chal­lenge any thing at Gods hands. It is arrogant presumption, to hope for Heaven and Salva­tion: before we have grace to answere all Gods promises and commands, by a good conscience.

To come more particularly to the words: some will have it, the Questioning, the Demand of conscience proceedes from the an­swer of it. Demand of a good Conscience: but that followes the other. For when wee answere truely the interrogatories in Baptisme, when [Page 183] we beleeve and renounce, then we may from a good conscience demand of God, all the good in Christ: we may cal upon him, & pray unto him, hath not Christ died, and made peace betweene thee, and us? And may we not triumph against all enemies when there is the answere of a good Conscience? If Sathan lay any thing to our charge, Christ died, and rose, and sits at the right hand of God. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods people? We may (with a heart sprinkled with the blood of Christ now ascended into hea­ven) answere all objections; and triumph a­gainst all enemies, wee may goe boldly to God; and demand the performance of his pro­mises.

Hence comes all the spirit of boldnesse, in prayer, from the answere of a good Consci­ence: for that drawes all other after it. Now to come more particularly to the words, The answere of a good Conscience: It would take up all the time to speake of Conscience in gene­rall, and it were not to much purpose. I will Good consci­ence what. take it as it serves my purpose at this time. A good conscience in this place, is a Conscience peaceable and gracious, peace and purity make up a good Conscience. To make this clearer, there be three degrees of a good Conscience, (though the last bee here meant especially) There is first a good Conscience that is trou­bled, a troubled good Conscience, and then Three de­grees of a good consci­ence. a pacified good Conscience, and then a graci­ous good Conscience.

[Page 184] A troubled good Conscience is, when the A troubled good Consci­ence. spirit by conviction opens to us what we are in our selves, he opens our sins, and the danger, and soulnesse of our sins: whereupon our Con­science is terrified, and affrighted. Therefore this good Conscience, whereby we are convin­ced of our estate by nature, in itselfe it is a good Conscience, and tends to good; for it tends to drive us to Christ. There is a good Conscience therefore that hath terrour with it.

The second degree of a good conscience is that that comes from the other, when we are 2. A peaceable good Consci­ence. convinced of sinne, and of the Miserie that coms by sinne, then that good conscience speakes peace to us: when God shines upon the consci­ence by his spirit (from whence there is peace) that is a peaceable good conscience. For God takes this course, after he hath terrified consci­ence by his spirit and word, then he offers in the Gospell, (and not onely offers but) commands us to beleeve; he offers all good in Christ, and commands us, & not only so, but invites us: Come unto me all ye that are wearie, &c. Nay, he beseech­eth us: We beseech you to be reconciled; he takes all courses. Now his spirit going with these in­treaties, he perswades the soule that he is our gracious Father in Christ Iesus. Christ hath suf­fered such great things, and he is God, and man, he is willing, and able to save us. Considering, he is annoynted of God for this purpose: here­upon conscience is satisfied, and doth willing­ly yeeld to these gracious promises, it yeelds to [Page 185] this command of beleeving, to these sweet invi­tings. This is a peaceable good Conscience.

Hereupon comes (in the third place) a gra­cious good conscience, which is a conscience 3. A gracious good Consci­ence. after we have beleeved, that resolves to please God in all things, as the Apostle saith Heb. 13. We have a good Conscience studying to please God in Heb. 13. all things: we have a good conscience toward God, and toward men. When the conscience is appeased, and quieted, then it is fit to serve God, as an instrument that is in tune. An instru­ment out of tune, yeelds nothing but harsh Mu­sique; so when the soule and conscience is distempered, and not set at peace, it is not gra­cious. So now you see the order, there is a troubled good conscience, and a peaceable good conscience, and then a gracious heart: forwhile conscience is not at peace, by the blood, and resurrection of Iesus Christ, by considering him, and by application of him, there is no grace nor service of God with that heart: but the heart shuns God, it hates God, and murmurs against God; men thinke why should they doe good deeds when they beleeve not? when they cast not themselves upon Christ, and when consci­ence is not sprinkled with the blood of Christ; they are able to doe nothing out of the love of God, and whatsoever is not of faith and love, it is sinne. The heart cannot but be afraid of God, and wish there were no God, and murmur, and repine till it be pacified. That is the reason why the Apostles in the latter part of their Epistles, [Page 186] they presse conscience of good duties, when they had taught Christians before, and stabli­shed them in Christ, because all duties issue from faith, if they come not thence they are nothing: if there be first faith in Christ; then there will be a good conscience in our lives and conversations.

And from the gracious conscience comes the increase of a peaceable conscience: there must be peace, before we can graciously renew our Covenants to please God: but when we have both these, faith in Christ, and a resoluti­on to please God in all things, there comes an increase of peace: for then there is an argument to satisfie conscience, when first of all consci­ence goes to Christ, to the foundation. I have answered Gods command, I have beleeved, and cast my selfe upon Christ; I have answered Gods promise, he hath promised, if I doe so; he will give me Christ with all his Benefits; I have yeel­ded the obedience of faith: hereupon comes some comfort, here is the foundation of this obedience: But then when Conscience like­wise from this resolves to please God in all things, in the duties to God, and man, hereup­on comes another increase of peace, when I looke to the life of grace in my owne heart. For a working, carefull Christian hath a double Double ground of comfort. ground of comfort. One in the command to beleeve and in the promise, whether he hath evidences of grace or no; but when he hath power by the spirit to lead a godly life, and to keepe a [Page 187] good conscience in all things, then he hath comfort from the evidence of grace in his owne heart, from whence an increase of peace comes. You see what a good conscience is here in this place, the answer of a good conscience, I will not speake largely of it. To come a little fur­ther to the point. How know we that a man Quest. hath a good conscience, a peaceable good con­science, when it is troubled? For here is the dif­ficultie, a conscience is never so peaceable, and gracious, but there is a principle of rebellion in us, the flesh that casts in doubtings, and stirres up objections: as indeed our flesh is full of objections against Gods divine truth, there be seeds of infidelitie to every promise, and of rebellion to every command in the word. How shall a man know that hee hath a peaceable good Conscience in the middest of this re­bellion? Ans. How to know a good Con­science though troubled.

Let him looke if the conscience answer God in the middest of opposition, and rebellion: my flesh and blood saith thus, my sins are great, and Sathan layes it hard to my charge: yet 1. If it answer God in trou­ble. notwithstanding, because God hath promised, and commanded, I cast my selfe upon God. Let us aske our owne hearts and consciences what they say to God, what is the answere to God. Wee see what Iob saith, Though he kill me, yet I will trust in him: flesh and blood would have shewed its part in Iob, as if God had neither respected nor loved him: yet when Iob recovered himselfe; Though hee [Page 188] kill me, I will trust in him. So a man may know, though conscience be somewhat troubled, yet it is a gracious peaceable conscience, if peace get the upper hand, and grace subdue corrup­tion, when the conscience so farre as it is enlar­ged by Gods spirit, can check it selfe. Why art thou disquieted oh my soule? why art thou troub­led? trust in God, trust in God reconciled now in Christ, when conscience can lay a charge upon it selfe, and check it selfe thus, it is a signe that conscience hath made this gracious answer.

Againe, one may know, though conscience 2. By allowing Gods truth. be troubled somewhat, yet it is a gracious peaceable conscience, when it alwayes allowes of the truth of God in the inward man. What­soever the flesh say, the word is good, the com­mandement is good, the promise is good; as St. Paul saith, I allow the law of God in my inward man, by this a man may know, (though his peace be somewhat troubled, that yet notwithstand­ing) there is the answer of a good conscience.

Againe, when a man can breake out of trou­ble, 3. By acknowled­ging Gods goodnesse: and such an estate, as the Divell weakens our faith by, (for he useth the troubles of the Church, and our owne troubles, to shake our faith, as if God did not regard us: now) when conscience can rise out of this, as in Psal. 73. Psal. 73. Yet God is good to Israel; yet my soule keepe silence to the Lord: though things seeme to goe contra­rie to a man, as if God were not reconciled, as if he had not part in Christ, Yet my soule keepe si­lence, and God is good to Israel. This conflict [Page 189] shews that there is a gracious part in the soule, and that conscience is a gracious conscience, It is said here, it is the answer of a good conscience ‘Towards God.’

For conscience indeed hath reference to God, and that will answer another question: (for conscience as it performes holie duties, as it is a gracious conscience, it lookes to God) whe­ther Quest. may a man know, or how shall he know that he doth things of conscience? whether he be in the state of grace and doth things graci­ously? He may, for why, is conscience set in Ans. A man may know when he doth things graciously. man, but to tell him, what he doth, with what mind he doth it, in what state he is; this is a power of the soule, which conscience shewes. A man may know what estate he is in, and whe­ther he performe things graciously or no: Now how shall a man know whether he doth things Ans. How to know what we doe from a good Conscience. of conscience or no?

First whatsoever the answer of conscience is, it is towards God: if a man doe things from reasons of Religion; if a man be charitable to his neighbour, if he be just, and good, if it be 1. It answeres towards God. from reasons of Religion, because God com­mands him, this is a good conscience. A good conscience respects God, and his command. What we doe for company or for custome, is not from a good conscience: A good consci­ence doth things from God, with reasons from God, because he commands it, it is Gods depu­tie in our hearts.

Againe, what we doe from a good consci­ence, [Page 190] we doe from the inward man, from an in­ward principle, from the inward judgement, be­cause 2. From an in­ward princi­ple. we thinke it is so, and from an inward af­fection. When we have not a right judgement of what we doe, and doe it not out of love, and from the inward man, we doe it not out of a good conscience: what is done out of consci­ence, is done from the inner man. Therefore in all our performances let us examine our selves, not what we doe, but upon what ground we doe it, in conscience to God, to obey him in all things. I cannot dwell upon these things.

The answer of a good conscience that saves us, together with Baptisme, when there is the answer of a good conscience, then Baptisme seales salvation. To come more neere to the an­swer of a good conscience in Baptisme.

You will object, if the answer of a good con­science, Object. in Baptisme doe all, and not the out­ward washing of the body, why are Children Baptised then, they cannot make the answer of a good conscience?

I answer, the place must be understood of Ans. Why Children are Baptised. those of yeares of discretion; For infants that dye in their infancie, we have a double ground of comfort concerning them. First they are within the Covenant, have they not received the seale of the Covenant, which is Baptisme? And how-ever, they actually answer not the Covenant of grace, by actuall beleeving: yet they have the seed of beleeving, the spirit of God in them, and God doth comprehend them [Page 191] by his mercie being not able to comprehend him, nay we that are at yeares of discretion are saved by Gods comprehending, and imbracing us; we are comprehended of him, as the Child is of the nurse, or of the Mother. The Child holds Simile. the nurse, and the nurse the Child, the Child is more safe from falling by the nurse, and the Mothers holding of it, then by its holding of them. Those that are at yeares must claspe and graspe about Christ, but Christ holds and comprehends them; much more doth God comprehend those that are Children, that are not able to comprehend him. For those that live to yeares of discretion, their Baptisme is Baptisme binds when we come to yeares. anngagement, and obligation to them to beleev: because they have undertaken by those that an­swered for them to beleeve when they come to yeares: and if when they come to yeares, they answer not the Covenant of grace, and the an­swer of a good conscience, if they doe not be­leeve, and renounce Sathan, all is frustrate: their Baptisme doth them no good, if they make not good their Covenant by beleeving and re­nouncing. It is spoken therefore of those that are of yeares of discretion: we leave infants to the mercie of God. Those therefore that are at yeares of discretion, must have grace to an­swer the Covenant of grace by beleeving, and renouncing. To come therefore to our selves.

We that will answer to the Covenant made in baptism, must perform it, especially that that we then Covenanted, what was that? we answered [Page 192] that we would beleeve, doest thou beleeve? I Covenant in Baptisme. beleeve every Article of the faith: and doe you renounce the Devill, and all his works? I doe. Therefore unlesse now we beleeve in Christ, and renounce the Devill, we renounce our Bap­tisme, it doth us no good. There are diverse kinds of people that overthrow their owne Baptisme.

Those that live in sins against conscience they doe renounce their baptisme (in some sort) Those that live in sins against Conscience, renounce their Baptisme. those that feed their corruptions: for in bap­tisme we are consecrated in soule and body to God, we are given up to him, we are not our owne, his name is called on us, we are called Christi­ans, therefore our eyes are not our owne, our hands are not our owne, our thoughts and af­fections are not our owne: there must be a re­nouncing, and a denyall of all sinne: as farre as it is contrary to Christs spirit. Those therefore that labour to feed their corruptions, what doe they else so farre but renounce their baptisme, and under the Livery of Christ serve the enemie of Christ; the Devill, that they should renounce? Those that feed their eies with seeing of vanity, and their [...]ares with filthy discourse: those that suffer their feet to carrie them to places where they infect their soules; those that instead of renouncing their corruptions feed them, and their hearts tell them they cherish those corrup­tions they should renounce by baptisme, what shall we think of these? and yet they think to be saved by Christ. God is mercifull, and Christ [Page 193] died, when they live in a continuall renoun­cing of baptisme.

For a use therefore of exhortation, if so be that this be the effectuall baptisme, the chiefe Exhortation to get this an­swer of a good Conscience. thing that we ought to stand on, this answer of a good conscience; then I beseech you let us all labour for this eccho, for this answer, when God saith, seeke yee my face, to answer, thy face Lord will I seeke. When he saith, I will be your God, to answer, we will be thy people, when he saith, in the Ministery beleeve, to answer, Lord I beleeve, helpe Marke 9. my unbeliefe; let us labour to eccho, this holie eccho is the answer in the Covenant of grace.

This answer of our faith, is set downe in Scripture, alway when it speaks of the estate of those that are in the Covenant of grace, it is mentioned on our part, that we take God for our God, and Christ for our Christ; My beloved is Cant. 6. mine, and I am my beloveds, there is a mutuall owning of both sides. Therefore if we would an­swer the Covenant of grace, let us worke our hearts to answer, when we heare in the Ministry, and in the Covenant of grace answer, Lord I desire to beleeve this. And when there is any thing commanded, let our hearts answer; and desire God to bow our inward man to obedi­ence, that we may be plyable. Let us labour to have that free spirit, that holy David prayes for, Psal. 51. That was stopped by reason of his sin: Psal. 51. for when we renew sins against conscience, we stop the mouth of our prayers, that we cannot goe to God, we stop the mouth [Page 194] of conscience that we cannot goe boldlie to God: therefore he had then lost that freedome of spirit. Let us labour to be plyable to the spirit, readie to answer God, in all that we are exhorted to, and to yeeld the obedience of Faith to all the Promises; that is the state of those that are in the Covenant of Grace, there is the answer of a good Conscience. Therefore let us resolve to take this course, if How to get the answer of a good Consci­ence. we would attaine the answer of a good Consci­ence.

First of all labour, that our consciences may be convinced of the ill that is in us, that we may have a good troubled conscience; first, that we may know thorowly what our estate by na­ture is. And then labour (in the second place) to have prace, and then rayse, and renew our purpose to serve God in all things; and to trye the truth of this, let us put interrogatories to our selves, let us aske our selves, doe I beleeve? doe I not daube with my heart? doe I obey? doe I willingly cast my selfe into the mold of Gods word? and willingly obey all that I heare? doe I not deceive my selfe? let us propound these interrogatories. God is greater then our conscience, if we answer God with reservations, I will an­swer God in this, and not in this, I will yeeld to religion as farre as it may stand with my owne lusts, and advantage: this is not the answer of a good conscience. What is done to God, must be done all, what is done zealously and religiously hath respect to all [Page 195] Gods Commandements, and promises to one thing as well as an another. If our hearts tell us, there are reservations from false grounds, here is not the answer of a good conscience. Therefore let us search our selves, and propound questi­ons to our selves, whether we beleeve, and obey or no, and from what ground wee doe it. To make use of our Baptism

And let us make use of our Baptisme upon all occasions, as thus, Satan hath two wayes of tempting; One is, he tempts to sinne, and then 1. Against temp­tations to sin. he tempts for sinne, to accuse our consciences to make a breach betweene God, and us, that we dare not looke upon God: when he tempts us, or our corruptions move us, or the world by al­lurements would draw us to any sinne, let us thinke of our Baptisme, and the answer we have made there, and make use of it, is this agreeable to the promise I made? surely I have renounced this, shall I overthrow my owne promise? I make conscience to make good my promise to men, and shall I breake with God? I have pro­mised to God to renounce the flesh, the world, and the Divell; to renounce all these corrupti­ons. Let us have these thoughts when we are so­licited to sinne, when proud nature would have us set up the banner of pride. I have renounced these proud affections: I shall overthrow my baptisme if I yeeld. And so for the enlarging of our estates, or for getting up to honour to please mens humours, to breake the peace of my con­science: these things we have renounced, the world, and the vanities of it in our Baptisme.

[Page 196] The life of many, is nothing but a breach of their vow, and Covenant in Baptisme. How will they looke at the houre of death, and the day of judgement, that God should keepe his promise with them to give them life ever­lasting, when they never had grace to keepe touch with him; notwithstanding, their ingage­ments in Baptisme and their so often repeating it at the Communion, and their renewing of their vowes when they have beene sick? How can we looke for performance on Gods part, when we have not had grace to performe our part, but our whole life, hath beene a satisfying of our base lusts? Let us make that use in temp­tations to sinne, let us fetch arguments a­gainst sinne from our Baptisme, from the answer that we made then: for we must make good now that that was made then, or else it is in vaine.

Againe, when we are solicited by Satan to 2. In temptations to discourag­ment. be discouraged, let us consider that we are bap­tised in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy-Ghost; and consider, that the promise is made whensoever we repent, without any ex­pection of time, nay though we have broke with God: (for Satan will use that as a chiefe wea­pon, thou hast fallen, thou hast fallen) yet as it is Ieremiah, 3. Though a man will not Ier. 3. take his wife after a breach; yet God tran­scends us, hee is God, and not man: there­fore after breaches if wee yet answer his command and his promise: (for the command [Page 197] of beleeving is upon us while we live,) if we beleeve, and confesse our sins we shall have mercie, if we come, & cast our selves upon Christ. There­fore after relapses, let not Satan abuse them to make us despaire. Baptisme is a seale of our faith, and faith is enjoyned us all the dayes of our life, all this time of life, is a time of grace, and we are commanded to repent, and beleeve. Let not Satan therefore discourage us after sinne; let us goe to our Baptisme, it is a seale to us of faith, and repentance, whensoever we beleeve, and repent.

When we are solicited to distrust in God 2. To distrust. for the things of this life any way, as if God ca­red not for us, let us consider, that we have an­swered, that we beleeve in God the Father Almigh­tie, therefore he is our Father, he knowes what is good for us, and he loves us: he is an Al­mightie God, it is an article of our faith that we have answered to, let us make it good upon all temptations in that kind. Dothnot God care for us? he had an Arke for Noah in the worst times, when the flood overwhelmed the whole World: So if there be the answer of a good Conscience, he will have an Arke for his Noah's, to save, and protect, and defend us, he is a Father Almightie. Let us know the grounds of our Religion, the Articles of our Faith, the grounds and foundation of our Faith: let us consider the good things promised there; and consider withall, that wee have all ingaged our selves to beleeve [Page 198] those things, and to make use of our faith up­on all occasions. Those that cannot read, if they have no other, let them looke on these two Bookes, the Booke of their Baptisme, and the Booke of conscience, they would be suffici­ent to instruct them: some people pretend Ig­norance; consider what thou art Baptised to, the grounds of Religion: consider there what thou hast renounced, consider in particular whether this thing that thou art moved to, be Gods, or the Divells command, and answer Satan, and thy lusts by not answering of them: give them their answer, and tell them, a good conscience must answer Gods command, and promise: but they must have their answer by denyall, by this answer of a good conscience. Those that cannot read, and are not learned, let them make use of the learning of their Bap­tisme. There is a world of instruction, and com­fort, a treasurie of it in Baptisme. I dare be bold to say, if any Christian when he is temp­ted to any sinne, to despaire or discouragement, if he consider what a sollemne promise he hath made to God in Baptisme, it would be a meanes to strengthen his Faith, and to arme him against all temptations. There is no man sinnes, but there is a breach with God first in wronging the promise hee hath ingaged himselfe to in Baptisme. Wee all that are heere have beene Baptised, let us learne to make more Conscience of this Blessed Sacrament then wee have done, and [Page 199] let us labour to have the answer of a good con­science at all times.

What a comfort is it when our hearts and Consciences makes a gracious answer to God, Comfort from the an­swer of a good Conscience. in believing and obeying? and in renouncing all Gods and our enemies? What a comfort is such a Conscience? It will uphold us in sick­nesse, in death, and at the day of judgement, in all ill times in this life. A Conscience that hath answered God by believing his promises and hath renewed the Covenant to obey God in all things, what a wondrous peace hath it? Let the Devill object what he can, let our un­believing hearts object what they can, yet not­withstanding if it bee a renewed sanctified Conscience, it can; out of the privity of its owne act, say, I have believed, I have cast my selfe upon Gods mercy in Christ, I have re­nounced these motions and suggestions, and courses: and though I bee overcome with temptations, yet I heartily hate them. What a comfort is this?

Conscience; it is either the greatest friend, or the greatest enemy in the world. It is the chie­fest friend when it is privy to it selfe of this resolute answer: that it hath obeyed God in all things; then Conscience is our friend, it speakes to God for us at all times. Then againe at the houre of death, what a comfort it is, that we have this answer of a good consci­ence, especially at the day of judgement, when we can looke God in the face: a sincere heart, [Page 200] a Conscience that hath laboured to obey the Gospell, and to keepe Covenant with God, it can looke God in the face: for what in the co­venant of grace goes for perfect obedience, but sincerity, and truth? God requires that: when the heart can say with Hezekias, Lord thou knowest that I have walked perfectly before thee. Lord I have believed, and laboured to expresse it in my life and conversation, though with much weakenesse, yet in truth. This sincerity will make us looke God in the face, in the hour of death, and at the day of judgement, and in all troubles in this life.

A Christian that hath the answer of a good Conscience, hee hath Christ to be his Arke in all deluges. Christ saves us not only from hell, and damnation, but in all the miseries of this life. If any thing come upon us for the breach of Gods Covenant: as God threatneth, Levit. 26, to send warre and famine &c. For the breach of his Covenant: what a comfort is it then for Levit. 26. such as have kept the Covenant? For then God hath an arke for such in ill times: for every de­liverance in evill times, it comes from the same ground as the deliverance from hell doth: why doth God deliver me from hell and damnation? because he loves me in Christ, and that moves him to deliver me in evill times, if I keepe a good Conscience: and that love that gives mee Heaven, gives me the comforts of this life, if I labour to have this answer the Apostle speakes of, what a comfort is this in the worst times?

[Page 201] Those that live in Rebellion, and make no Conscience of their vowes and covenants to God (that they have made and repeated oft­times, and renewed in taking of the Lords Supper) but goe on still in their sinnes; alas, what comfort can such as these have? how can they look for an answer from God: if any pro­mise that hee hath made, when their lives are rebellious, their conscience tels them that their lives doe not witnesse for God, in keeping co­venant with him, but they rebell against him? their hearts tell them they cannot look to hea­ven for comfort; they carry a hell in their bo­some, a guilty Conscience, they doe not la­bour to be purged by the blood of Christ, nor labour for the spirit of God to sanctifie them, in renewing them to holy obedience to God. Those that have their conscience thus stained, especially that purpose to live in sin, they can looke for nothing but vengeance from God. It is not knowne now, who are the wisest peo­ple: In the times of trouble, and at the houre of death, at such times it will be knowne that they are the wisest people that have made Con­science of keeping their Covenant with God: of renewing their Covenant with God, first, in all things that they would serve him better, and then, when they have renewed their Cove­nants with God, (as we have cause now indeed, if ever, to renew them, when wee are warned by publike dangers, or when wee have cause to take occasion to renew our Covenants that [Page 202] we made with God in Baptisme, to bind our Consciences to closer obedience, and those that have renewed their Covenant, and have grace to keepe it, those are wise people. Wee see in the current of Scripture, in dangerous times there was still renewing of their Cove­nants with God. And those that God delights in, he puts his spirit into them, that they shall be able by the helpe of his spirit, to keep their Covenant in some comfortable measure, and those God will chuse and marke out in the worst times.

THE SWORD OF THE WICKED.

THE Psalmes are (as it were) the Anatomy of a holy man: they lay the inside of a true devout man outward, even to the view of others.

If the Scripture be compa­red to a body, the Psalmes may well bee the heart, they are so full of sweet and holy affe­ctions, and passions. In other portions of Scrip­ture, God speakes to us in the Psalmes, holy [Page 206] men, especially David (who was the pen-man of most of them) speakes to God, wherein we have the passages of a broken humble soule to God. Among the rest, in this Psalme, David layes open varietie of passions. His conditi­on at this time was such, as that he was an exi­led man, from his owne house, and his owne friends, and which grieved him worst of all, from the Tabernacle, the house of God. It was upon the occasion of Saules persecution, or of Absaloms his sonne: but I take it rather of Sauls that hunted him as a partrich in the wildernes. Hereupon you have a discovery, how this ho­ly man of God stood affected with this case and condition of his. First hee layes open his griefe, his griefe ariseth from his desire: hee that loves most, and desireth most, he alwayes grieves most: and all other affections have their scantling from love, which is the first borne af­fection of the soule. Therefore before he layes, out his griefe, he sets out his desire to the house of God: the want whereof grieved him most of all. As the Hart panteth after the water brooks; so panteth my soule after thee Oh God. As the cha­sed Hart panteth after water, so the soule thir­steth for God, for the living God, [...]h when shall I come and appeare before God.

Then after his desire, he layes forth his grief, My teares have bin my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, where is thy God? Grievances never come alone, but as Iobs Mes­sengers, they come one after another, even to [Page 207] Gods Children, when he is disposed to cor­rect them, they are multiplyed: therefore here is not only a griefe of want, that he was debar­red of those sweet comforts which hee had be­fore in the Tabernacle, but here is likewise a griefe from the reproach of his enemies, that tooke occasion from his disconsolate estate, to upbraid him, Where is thy God? My teares have bin my meat day and night, while they continu­ally say unto me, where is thy God? He dissolves the cloude of his griefe, into the showr of teares: my teares have bin my meat. They were so plentifull, that they did feed his soule as it were.

Then he sets downe another ground of his grief, from the remembrance of his former hap­pinesse: as usually that doth make the griefe raw, and more sensible: for f [...]ix miser, maxi­me miser, he that hath binne happy in former time, and now is miserable, is most miserable of all, because his former happinesse makes him most sensible: therefore of all men in hel, the torment of great men is most, because they had most sence of comfort in this world: migh­ty men shall be mightily tormented, that is all the privilege they shall have in hell. There­fore to aggravate his griefe, oh (saith he) when I remember what comfort I had formerly in the house of God, I poure out my soule. It was not enough that he poured out his teares, or words, but I po [...]re out my soule, for in former times, I went with the multitude to the house of [Page 206] [...] [Page 207] [...] [Page 208] God, and lead a goodly traine to the house of God. The picture of a good Magistrate, and a good master of a family, hee goes not alone to the house of God, but hee leads his traine, he is attended on by his servants. David went not alone into the house of God, but with the multitude, with the voyce of them that kept holiday. Well, hee had griefe enough, his heart was full of griefe. Now in the next verse he takes Verse 5. up his soule, and expostulates with himselfe, why are thou so sad oh my soule, and why are thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him for the helpe of his countenance. So you see here, he is not so flat in his griefe, that he gives over-long way to it, but hee even fals a chiding of his soule: why art thou cast downe oh my soule, why art thou disquieted within me? oh! but yet griefe will not be so stilled: affliction is not quelled at the first, nor griefe stilled and stayed at the first, therefore it gathers upon him againe in the next verse, Oh my God, my soule is cast downe within me, when I remember thee from the Land of Iordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Missar: When I remember thee from these places, my soule is cast downe againe, and my afflictions are multiplyed. Though he had fal­lenout with his soule, before, for his impati­ence. One deepe cals to another, deepe cals upon deepe at the noyse of the water-spouts. Hee com­pares afflictions to water spouts, as it is in scripture, All thy waves and billowes have gone over me; even as one deepe cals to another, so one [Page 209] affliction cals to another. Then when hee had given a little way again to his griefe, and com­plained to God, he takes up his soule another time: yet (saith he) the Lord will command his loving kindnesse in the day time, and in the night, his song shall be with me, and I will pray to the God of my life. He presents to himselfe the goodnesse of God, to comfort his soule. And he presents to him in the next verse, his owne resolution. I will say to God (for the time to come) my rocke, why hast thou forgotten me? and why goe I mourning, for the oppression of the enemy? So here he stayes his soule once againe: he presents to his soule the loving kindnesse of God, with renewing his resolution to seeke God: an effectuall way to stay the soule, by considering Gods love, and mercy, and by renewing our resolutions and purposes, to cleave to God. I will say to God, my rocke, why hast thou forgotten me?

I but here is a third assault of griefe again: for there is a spring of corruption in us, and such a principle in us, as will yield murmurings, and discontent againe and againe: therefore in the verse I have read to you, he comes againe to complaine, As with a sword in my bones mine ene­mies reproach me, while they say unto me daily, where is thy God. He had complained once of this be­fore, but it had a fresh working with his thoughts againe. As with a sword in my bones &c. Hereupon, he is forced the third time to expo­stulate, and to fall out with his soule: Why art thou cast downe oh my soule, and why are thou dis­quieted? [Page 210] hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. He comes to his former remedy, he had stilled his griefe once before with the same meditati­on, and upbraiding of his owne soule, and chiding himselfe: but he comes to it here as a probatum est, as a tryed remedy, he takes up his soule very short, Why art thou so cast downe oh my soule, Why art thou disquieted within me? You see how Davids passions here are interlaced with comforts, and his comforts with passions, til at last he gets the victory of his owne heart. Be­loved, neither sin, nor griefe for sin are stilled, and quieted at the first. You have some short spirited Christians, if all be not quiet at the first, all is lost with them: but it is not so with a true Christian soule, with the best soule li­ving; it was not so with David, when hee was in distemper, he checks himselfe: the distem­per was not yet stilled, he checks himselfe a­gaine, then the distemper breaks out againe, then he checks himselfe againe, and all little enough to bring his soule to a holy, blessed, quiet temper, to that blessed tranquillity & rest that the soule should be in, before it can enjoy its owne happinesse, and enjoy sweet commu­nion with God. As you see in Physick; per­haps one Purge will not carry away the peccant humour, then a second must be added; perhaps that will not doe it, then there must be a third: so when the soule hath beene once checked, perhaps it wil not doe, we must fall to it againe, [Page 211] goe to God againe: And then it may be there will be breaking out of the griefe and maladie againe; wee must to it againe, and never give over; that is the right temper of a Christian.

Before I come to the words, observe in gene­rall this; That a living soule, the soule that is alive in grace, that hath the life of grace quick­ning it, is most sensible of all, in the want of spirituall meanes: As here, the griefe of griefes was (which he begins with) that he was banish­ed from the Tabernacle.

What shall we thinke therefore of those that excommunicate themselves from Gods assem­bly, where there is the Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghost, all the Trinitie dispensing their bountie, and where the prayers of Gods people meet to­gether in one (as it were) and bind God? What shall wee thinke of them that preferre their private devotions (as they say) before Gods assemblies? Surely, they are not of Davids minde; and it is a shrewd argument, that they never had the life of grace in them yet: for where life is, there will be hunger and thirst; Acrius urgent quae ad naturam. It is a true A­phorisme, Those things presse upon Nature hardest, that touch upon the necessities of Na­ture, rather then those that touch upon delight, We can want delights, but necessities of Na­ture we cannot; therefore hunger and thirst they are such passions as will not be quiet: delicacies and novelties the soule of a hungry man can be content to want, but not spirituall [Page 212] food for the soule. We see how famine wrought upon the Patriarchs, it made them goe downe into Egypt for food. I note it only by the way, that men may know how to judge of them­selves, when they can very well be content, without a blessed supply of holy meanes. Holy David, when the meanes was but darke and obscure, when the Canon was not enlarged, when all was in types and clouds; yet hee felt that comfort in the Tabernacle, and in the Or­dinances of God, that he could not endure the want of them: but as the Hart brayeth after the Water-brookes, so his soule panted after God. But to come to the words themselves. ‘As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me, when they say unto me dayly, Where is thy God?’

Here are two things considerable in the words.

The carriage, and disposition, and expression of others to David.

And Davids affection towards it, how he was disposed towards it, how he did beare it.

For their disposition, they were enemies, mine enemies, &c.

The expression of it, They reproach me.

The specialty of that expression, how they reproached him, they said unto him, Where is thy God? They doe reproach him in his re­ligion.

[Page 213] The aggravation of that specialty is, they say, openly to his face, they goe not behind my backe, they esteeme so slightly of me, they say it to my face. And continually too, they are never weary, they say daily, where is thy God? They are enemies, they reproach, they reproach in this, where is thy God? and they doe it impudently, and dayly.

How doth David entertaine this usage? how doth he carry himselfe all this while? he must needs bee sensible of it, and therefore hee ex­presseth it in most significant words. Oh saith he, these things were as a sword in my bones. There be diverse readings of the words: but we will take them as they are laid downe, being very well, as with a sword in my bones, (or as it is in the margine, As killing in my bones) mine enemies re­proach me. It was as killing to him, it did goe to his heart, it cut him to the quicke. As a sword is to the body, and bones, so are their words to my soule: I cannot endure it, it is death to me. It is a most emphaticall manner of expressing, the enemies disposition and car­riage. Thus you have the words unfolded. I will but touch some particulars, those that I thinke most needfull for us to take notice of, I will dwell more upon. Mine enemies (saith hee) reproach me. ‘Mine enemies.’

There hath beene contrary seedes from the beginning of the World; and will bee while [Page 214] Satan is in the world, till he be cast into the burning Lake, and be there in perpetuall Chaines adjudged to torment, he will ray se up men alway that shall be of his side. And as long as that grand enemy is, and as long as men are that will be subject to his gover­ment (as alway there will be) he will have a great faction in the world. And by rea­son that he hath a partie in us, the flesh, he will have the greatest partie in the world: the most goe the broad way: so that, ‘Gods children (even David himselfe) shall not want enemies.’

Mine enemies. It is strange that he should have enemies, that was so harmelesse a man; that when they were sick, and distressed, he prayed for them, and put on sack-cloath for them, as it is Psal. 41. This compassionate sweete natured Psal. 41. man, yet notwithstanding you see he had ene­mies: and enemies that would discover them­selves to reproach him, and that bitterly, in the bitterest manner, they reproach him in his re­ligion. It is a large point, if I should give my selfe libertie in it: I doe but touch it.

That we may be armed by this observation, against the scandall of opposition, that if we meete with enemies in the world, we should not be much offended at it: grieve we may; but wonder we need not. Was there ever any that did more good then our Saviour Christ? He went [Page 215] about doing good: He did never a miracle that was harmefull, but onely of the Swine that were drowned in the Sea, and that was their owne fault; but he went about doing all the good he could: yet notwithstanding we see what malicious opposites he had, that that is true of the head must be true in the members. Therefore we should reioyce in our conformi­tie to Christ: if it be in a good cause that we find enemies, and opposition, O, imperator &c. Saith he, O, the Emperour is become a Chri­stian; is was a blessed time: oh! but the De­vill is not made a Christian yet, and he will ne­ver be made good: for he is in termino (as we say) he is in his bounds, his nature is immovea­ble; he is in Hell in regard of his estate, though he be loose to doe mischiefe: now untill the Devill be good; Gods Children shall never want enemies; and he will never be good. Therefore, though there were good Kings, and good Go­vernours, over all the world: yet good men shall never want enemies as long as the Devill is a­live, as long as he hath any thing to dee in the world. Enemies therefore we must looke for, and such enemies as will not conceale their malice neither: for that were something, if they would suffer their malice to boyle, and concoct in their owne hearts, but that will not be, but out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speake: where there is a bad treasurie, there will be a bad vent: therefore we see here, they reproach him; mine enemies. [Page 214] [...] [Page 215] [...] ‘[Page 216] Reproach me.’

It is the proper expression of malice, re­proach; and it is that that the nature of man can least indure of all. The nature of man can in­dure an outward wrong, a losse or a crosse, but a reproach, especially if it be a scornfull re­proach, the nature of man is most impatient of. For, there is no man, but he thinks himselfe worthy of some respect: Now a reproachfull scorne shewes a disrespect, and when the nature of man sees it selfe disrespected it growes to tearmes of impatience. There is not the mea­nest man living but he thinkes himselfe worthy of some regard. Therefore I cannot blame Da­vid, even out of the principle of nature, to be af­fected here when they reproached him, and gave him vile termes: Mine enemies reproach me. Their tongues were tipt from Hell, and they did but utter that that was in their hearts. If the tongues of wicked men, as St. Iames saith, be a a world of mischeife, what is the whole man? What is the heart, and tongue, and life, and all of wicked men?

Now this reproach of wicked men, it is a grievous persecution: as Ishmael persecuted Isaak in that manner, as it is Gal. 4. taken out of the Gal. 4. storie in Genesis. I will not enter into the com­mon place of reproach; it is but taken by the by here.

Onely by the way, let it be a support to us: if [Page 217] we be reproachfully used in the world; let us not be much cast downe: it is no credit for a man to doe that that the Devill and his instru­ments doe; nor it is no discredit for us to suffer that that David suffered. Let this satisfie thee, there is not the vilest man living but hath this weapon to serve the Devill with, a reproachfull tongue: he that sits upon the Ale bench, that [...]akes in the Channell, the basest wretch in the world hath a tongue to serve the Devill with in reproaches. It is no credit for them to doe that that the vilest person in the world can doe; [...]and it is no shame for thee to suffer, that that the best man that ever lived did suffer. So much for that; mine enemies reproach me.

But what is the specialtie of this reproach? (to come to that more particularly) They say unto me? ‘Where is thy God?’

They touch him in his Religion. They saw him persecuted by Saul, scorned by Sauls courtiers; they see him driven up and downe, as a Partridge in the Wildernesse: they saw him banished from the Sanctuarie, destitute of friends; they saw him in this disconsolate e­state, and they judge by sence and appearance, that they thought he was a man that God re­garded not at all, therefore say they, where is thy God?

Gods children are impatient as farre as they [Page 218] are men, of reproaches, but so farre as they are Christian men, they are impatient of reproaches in Religion, where is now thy God? They were not such desperate Atheists as to thinke there was no God, to call in question whether there were a God or no, (though indeed they were little better:) but they rather reproach, and up­braid him with his singularity; where is thy God? You are one of Gods darlings, you are one that thought no body served God but you, you are one that will goe alone, your God.

So this is an ordinary reproach, an ordina­ry part for wicked men, to cast at the best peo­ple, especially when they are in miserie: what is become of your profession now? what is become of your forwardnesse, and strictnesse now? what is become of your much reading, and hearing now? and your doing such things now? what is become of your God that you bragged so of, and thought your selves so happie in, as if he had beene no bodies God but yours? We may learn hence the disposition of wicked men; it is a character of a poysonfull cursed disposi­tion to upbraid a man with his Religion.

But what is the scope? The scope is worse then the words, where is thy God? The scope is to shake his faith, and his confidence in God: and this is that that touched him so neerly, while they upbraided him, where is thy God? Indeed they had some probability and shew of truth; for now God seemed opposite to him, when he was banished from his house, from that bles­sed [Page 219] communion with him that he had. Their purpose was therefore to shake his faith, and affiance in God, and herein they shewed them­selves right the Children of the Devill, whose scope is to shake the faith, and affiance of Gods people, in all his temptations, and by his instruments. For the Devill knowes well e­nough, that as long as God, and the soule joyne together, it is in vaine to trouble any man? therefore he labours to put jealousies to accuse God to man, and man to God. He knowes there is nothing in the world can stand against God; as long as we make God our confidence, all his enterprises are in vaine, his scope is there­fore to shake our affiance in God, where is thy God? So he dealt with the head of the Church, our blessed Saviour himselfe, when he came to tempt him, If thou be the Sonne of God, command these stones to be made bread; he comes with an If, he laboured to shake him in his Sonneship. The Devill since he was divided from God himselfe eternally, is become a spirit of divisi­on, he labors to divide the Sonne from the Fa­ther, he labors to divide even God the Father from his owne Sonne: If thou be the Sonne of God. So he labors to sever Christians from their head Christ, subjects from their Princes, and Princes from their subjects, friends from friends, and one from another: he is a spirit of division, where is thy God? There was his scope, to breed division, if he could, betweene his heart and God, that he might call God into jealousie, [Page 220] as if he had not regarded him: thou hast taken a great deale of paines in serving thy God, thou seest how he regards thee now, where is thy God?

We should labour to make this use of it, to counter-worke Satan; to strengthen that most of all, that the Devill labours to shake most of all: shall the Devill labour to shake our faith, and affiance in God above all other things, and shall we not labour to strengthen that? Above all things, let us looke to our head; as the Ser­pent winds about, and keepes his head. Keepe faith, and keepe all: if faith be safe, all is safe, let us strengthen that, and strengthen all; wea­ken that, and we weaken all. What cares Satan for other sins that we fall into? he aymes at our assurance, that we may doubt of Gods love, whom we have beene so bold as to sinne against: that is it he aymes at, to make weake faith in the particular acts of sinne we commit. He knowes that sinne naturally breeds doubts, as flesh breed wormes: where sinne is, if it be in ne­ver such a little degree, he knowes it will breed doubt [...], and perplexities, and where they are, he hath that he would have; he labors to hinder that sweet communion that should be betweene the soule, and God: where is now thy God? You see wicked men, are the children of the Devill right in this.

Againe, they instance here in matter of Reli­gion against him. You see how readie wicked, and divelish minded men are, to tread over the [Page 221] hedge where it is lowest; as the proverbe is, to adde affliction to affliction, especially in that that may touch a man nearest: they could not touch him nearer then in this, Where is thy God. They knew it well enough, where is now your Religion: this they thought would anger him to the heart: here is a devilish dispo­sition: you have a terrible Psalme for it, Psalme 109. of those that ad affliction to the afflicted, Psal. 109. They are cursed persons. This is the disposition of wicked men, they have nomercy, malice we say is unsatiable. One would thinke that our Saviour Christ, when he was upon the Crosse, racked there in all his parts, a man exposed to so much misery and scorne as he was, that they should have had pitty upon him; but upon the Crosse, they reproached him, Aha, hee saved others, himselfe be cannot save; let him come from the Crosse, and we will believe in him. What abit­ter Sarchasme was this, that came from hekl it selfe. Nay when he was dead, one would have thought their maliee should have beene buri­ed with his body. Malice is ordinarily among men living, not the dead, but when he was dead, This Impostor said &c. They laboured to bury his good name, that nothing tending to his ho­nour might remaine of him. Indeed it is the nature of malice to wish the not being of the thing it maliceth; no, not the name. Let his name perish from the earth. It was extremity of malice to worke upon this disadvantage: when they see him thus afflicted, to vex him [Page 222] with that he was most affected with, where is thy God.

Therefore let those that feele, and feed that divellish disposition in themselves, to insult over Gods people, especially in matters of Religion to vexe them; and when there is a wound already, to make the affliction greater, to adde affliction to affliction, let them iudge of what disposition they are. ‘They say unto me.’

You see here another circumstance, They say unto mee. They are so impudent, that they are not affraid to reproach him to his face, they say to him, as if they would stand to their reproach. This is one circumstance of aggravation: in­deed malice is very impudent, when it is come to the extremity, I onely observe it, that if we meet with such insolencie of malice, not to be discouraged, it hath bin thus before, and thus it will be to the end of the world.

And then they are not wearied, their malice is unwearied; they say to mee. ‘Daily.’

Day by day, their malice is fed with a spring, with a malicious heart. A malicious heart, and a slanderous tongue alway goe well toge­ther. The Divell that was the first grand slan­derer, hath communion with a malicious heart, [Page 223] and he foments malice, and cherisheth that ma­licious poysonfull disposition: and a malicious disposition, never wants malicious words. As one saith, of anger, and furie, it ministreth wea­pons; so we may say of malice, and hatred, it ministreth words alway, a malicious heart will never want words. They say to me, daily, these are but circumstances, but yet they are some­what considerable: for they tend to the aggrava­tion of the disconsolate estate of this holie man; that he should meet with such wretched men, that had no pittie at all on him, but say to him dayly, ‘Where is now thy God?’

You see then from hence, that God is a God (as the Prophet saith) oft times hiding him­selfe, that God vayles himselfe oft times to his children. Not onely from the eyes of wicked men, that they thinke godly men deserted of God: but sometimes from the very sence, and feeling of Gods children themselves, they are in such desertions, that they are faine to com­plaine that God hath hid himselfe, and is as a stranger to them. This is the state of Gods children in this world; though God love them dearely, as the apple of his eye, and as the signet on his hand: yet notwithstanding his carriage to them is oft times so strange, that those that looke upon their estate in this world, thinke they are men (as it were) for lorne, and destitute [Page 224] of God. And this estate must needs be.

Because of necessitie, there must be a con­formitie betweene us, and our Saviour, it was so with our Saviour, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? God was never nearer him in all his life then then; and yet he cryes out; my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And as he spake, so the rest thought of him, as if he had beene a man forsaken; and so here they say to this holy man, where is thy God?

Therefore let us lay up this likewise for the strengthening of our faith in the like case, that we be not overmuch discouraged, if God hide himselfe: if others thinke our estates miserable, and our selves thinke our selves so, it is no strange matter; it was thus with David, he was so neglected of God, that they thought God had cleane forsaken him, where is thy God?

Our life is now hid with Christ, as the Apo­stle saith, Colos. 3. We have a blessed, and glorious life, but it is hid in our head. Even as in winter Colos. 3. time, the trees have a life, but it is hid in the Simile. roote; so a Christian hath a blessed condition at all times, but his glory and happinesse is hid in his head; and there is a cloud betweene him, and his happinesse:

Therefore let us support our selves with this in all times: was God gone from David indeed, when they said, Where is thy God? Oh, no, God was as neare David now as ever he was, nay rather nearer. God was never nearer Moses then when he was sprawling upon the water in that Arke [Page 225] they had made for him. He was never nearer Daniel, then when he was in the Lyons Den; God came betweene the Lyons teeth, and Da­niel; and as I said, he was never nearer our Savi­our then when he was on the Crosse. And he was never nearer to David, then when they said, where is thy God? When trouble is neare, God is never farre off; that is an argument to make God neare, Lord be not farre off, for trouble is neare. And extremitie, and danger, and trouble, it is Gods best opportunitie to be with his chil­dren, how ever he doe not helpe for the present oft times. Where is thy God?

David might rather have said to them, where are your eyes? where is your sight? for God is not only in heaven, but in me. Though Da­vid was shut from the Sanctuary; yet Davids soule was a sanctuary for God: for God is not tyed to a sanctuary made with hands. God hath two Sanctuaries, he hath two heavens: the hea­ven of heavens, and a broken spirit, God dwelt in David as in his Temple. God was with David and in him; and he was never more with him, nor never more in him, then in his greatest af­flictions: they wanted eyes, he wanted not God. Though sometimes God hide himselfe, not one­ly from the world, but from his owne children, yet he is there, howsoever their sorrow is such, that it dims their sight, as we see in Hagar, so that they cannot see him for the present: he sometimes lookes in their face, as we see Mary, she could not see Christ distinctly, but thought [Page 224] [...] [Page 225] [...] [Page 226] him to be the Gardiner. There is a kind of con­cealement a while in heavenly wisedome, yet notwithstanding, God is with his children al­wayes, and they know it by faith, though not by feeling alwayes. As we know what Iacoh said, God was in this place, and I was not aware; when he slept upon the stone, and had that hea­venly vision. So it is with Gods people in their trouble, God is with his Church, and children, and wicked men are not aware of it: Christ is in them, and they are not aware of it. Christ was in the Saints, when Saul persecuted them, and Paul was not aware of it: Saul, Saul, why persecu­test thou me? who art thou Lord? saith he; alas, he dreamed not of Christ. How ever wicked men of the world thinke, yet God is neare his owne children, in the most disconsolate condition that can be. It is (when they say, where is thy God?) as if a man should aske what is become of the Moone, betweene the old, and the new, when the darke side is towards us? when we see no Moone at all for a time, till the new come: The Moone is neare, and more enlightned with the Sunne then, then at other times, and is nearer to him. So in affictions, how ever, the darke side of Gods children be toward the world that they cannot see them: yet their light side is towards God, God shines upon them, and enlightens them more then, at that time with solid comfort that keepes them from sinking, then at other times: therefore it was an ignorant question of [Page 227] them to aske, where is thy God? It shewed they were Ignorant of the passages of Gods dealing with his children, as indeed none are greater Atheists then your scoffers. Where is thy God? As if God had beene onely a God of observati­on, to be observed outwardly in all his passages toward his children, whereas, as I said, he is a God hiding himselfe oft times; and he shewes himselfe in contrary conditions most of all, most comfortably: his worke is by contraries. But these carnall men were Ignorant of the mysteries of Religion, and the mysteries of Di­vine providence towards Gods children: there­fore their question savours of their disposition, where is now thy God? Thus briefely I have gone over their disposition, and carriage towards the holy man David. That they were enemies, of hostile nature, and disposition, & they reproa­ched him, and dayly, and that in his Religion, where is thy God?

I beseech you let us look to it in time, that it may not be truly said to us, by way of upbrai­ding, where is now thy God? God may be strange to us indeed, let us so carry our selves, as that God may owne us in the worst times. If they had said this truly: how grievous had it beene to David? but it was more malice then truth. For David found experience of God; he might rather have upbraided them, where is your God? and there is no wicked man, but a man may in h [...]s greatest extre­mity upbraid him, and that in truth, where is your God? your riches, honour, and estate? where is [Page 228] all this that you supproted your selfe with, and bore your selfe so big on, that you despised all others? what is become of all now? A man cannot stand in a thing that stands not it selfe. A man cannot build upon that that hath no good foundation: Now all men that are not truly re­ligious, they have some Idoll or other that will deceive them: therefore a man may truly say to them, that which they falsly, and maliciously say to Gods people, where is your God?

So much for their disposition, and carriage. Now how stands David affected with this? that is the second part. ‘At with a sword in my bones.’

It was as a sword to his bones. Now that that toucheth the bones is the most exquisite griefe. That that we call the griefe of the teeth, you see what an exquisite griefe, it is, in that lit­tle member; when the bones are cut or touched, it is a most exquisite griefe: As with a sword in my bones, my enemies reproach me. What was the matter that this reproach, where is thy God? tou­ched him so to the quick? what was the cause!

The causes were diverse?

First of all concerning God: for when they said to him, Where is thy God?

First, it tended to the reproach of God, as if God were so fickle a friend, as to desert his best friends in the time of misery; this touched up­on God, by way of disparagement, therefore it [Page 229] must needs touch David, who was Gods friend.

Then againe it touched God in another thing, in his manner of providence; as if he had beene a God of the Hills, and not of the Vallies, as if he had been a God for one time, and not for another, where is now thy God? what is become of him?

Againe in the third place, it touched upon him in this, as if he had favoured them (being cursed form all hypocrites) more then David: as if he had favoured their form all, hypocriticall, base, dead courses, that were most abominable to God [...] for these persecutors were Sauls courtiers, and other enemies; wicked men, they thought to justifie their owne wayes by this reproach. You see we are as good as you: God respects us, wee fall not into such miseries, wee have recourse to Saul, though he have cast out you, and others &c. So it tended to Gods reproach in that; as if God had justified their course: as if they had been dearer to him, that were most abominable.

And this is to make an Idoll of God, to make God justifie those courses that he most abhors; as it is in Psal. 50. Thou thoughtest I was like unto thee. Because God lets a wicked man alone, thou thoughtest that I was a companion for thee, and would take thee by the hand, whereas God will not doe so.

In these three respects especially, God was wronged, when they said, where is thy God? As if thee had n [...] beene a true and faithfull friend to his Children. And besides, as if hee [Page 223] had not a providence over his children in the worst condition. As if he had allowed, and li­ked of the base carriage and condition, and pro­fession of these wretched men, as well as of Da­vids: where is now thy God? you see God respects us, as well as you; but there was no such mat­ter, he respected David more then a thousand of them.

Againe, this touched upon religion it selfe, this reproach, where is now thy God? where is your goodly profession? as if it were in vaine to serve God; a horrible reproach to religion. It is not in vaine altogether to serve the Devill, he be­stowes somewhat upon his servants: this was a base thought, to think that God would do no good to them that serve him, that is the foun­taine of all good, that doth good to his ene­mies, that suffers his Sun to shine upon his ene­mies: for him to desert his friends, for a man to be truly religious, and to get nothing by it; this tended to the reproach of religion, and through Davids sides they strike at God, and re­ligion, as if it were in vaine to serve God, as they said in Malachies time. And indeed this is in the hearts of men now a dayes, if they see a man that makes care and conscience of his wayes under a cloud, or that he doth not so prosper in the world as others doe: they begin to have weake concei [...]s of the profession of religi­on, as if that were the cause, as if there were no­thing gotten by serving of God: but we may be loose professors, and goe in [...]bertine course and [Page 231] please God as well as others. This is a great griefe to Gods children; they know well e­nough it is not invain to serve God, God is not a barren wildernesse to those that serve him: they are not barren ground that are carefull in his service: so you see upon what ground he was thus affected, because God and Religion was touched in it.

Take away a godly mans religion, and his God whom he serves in Religion, you take a­way his life: touch him in that, you touch him in his best free-hold: Therefore when these malicious enemies say, Where is thy God? they could not more touch David then so. Pro­phane men of the world, come and tell them of Religion, and such things, alas they turne it off with scorne; for they would have the world know, that they are not very religious: they never speake of God and of religion, but in scorne, or by way of discourse: but a man that is religious to purpose, and makes it his trade, makes it that whereby hee hopes to bee saved; hee takes to heart any thing that is spo­ken against Religion: their words are as a sword in his bones, while they say unto him, where is thy God? It is better to bee distempered, then not to be moved, when God and Religion are touched. The Holy-Ghost that appeared in the shape of a Dove, appeared at another time in fiery tongues, to shew that the meeke spirit of God, is zealous other whiles in his children. This was another reason he was thus affected.

[Page 232] And thirdly in this reproach of theirs, thus violent, Where is now thy God? here was a damping of the spirits of all good men in those times, that should heare of this reproach. Words affect strangely; they have a strange force with men, especially in weake fancies, that are not grounded in their judgement and faith. The spies made a shrewd oration, and brought an ill report on the Land: oh! it is a land that devours the inhabitants. It was a speech discomfortable, and it wrought so, that it made them all murmur, and be discouraged. It is not to be thought what mischiefe comes from speech, cunningly handled. This maliti­ous speech, Where is thy God? and what is be­come of all thy devotion at the Tabernacle, that thou didst frequent so, and drewest others, a great trayne with thee, what is become of all now? When weake men, that had the begin­nings of goodnesse in them, should see a man reproached for this: questionlesse it would dampe the beginnings of goodnesse: oh would not this goe to the heart of David, to see inso­lent men to quench good things in good men with reproaches. Well, wee see what reason the holy man David had to bee so sensible of this reproach, for they said unto him daily, where is thy God?

Now therefore to make some use of it to our selves: let us enter into our owne soules, and ex­amine with what spirits, and feeling wee heare God reproached, and religion reproached and [Page 233] hindred, and disgraced any kind of way: if we be not sensible of this, and sensible to the quick, we may suspect wee are not of Davids spirit, that was a man after Gods owne heart: It was a cutting of his bones, when they came to dis­parage his Religion, and profession, and to touch him in that. Shall a man see men forsake Religion, and goe backeward, and desert the cause of God, and see it oppressed, and not be affected with all thi [...] certainly he hath a dead soule. That which hath no griefe, when there is cause of griefe, certainely it is to be accoun­ted but as dead flesh. That heart is but dead flesh, that is not touched with the sence of re­ligion.

And to come a little nearer to our times, when we can heare of the estate of the Church abroad, the poore Church in the Palatinate, in Bohemia, and those places: you see how like a canker, superstition is growne up amongst them: when wee heare of these things, and are not affected, and doe not send up a figh to God, it is a signe wee have hollow and dead hearts. No question but if wee were there a­mong those malignant spirits that are there, their speeches are daily such, as these wicked mens were to David, what is become of your reformation? what is become of your new Religion? where is that now I pray? You that doe upbraid us with Idolatry, what is become of your Religion? no question but they have these [...]casmes and [...] speeches dayly, [Page 234] and those that have the spirit of God, they are grieved to the heart. If wee have the spirit of God and of Christ in our breasts, and any thing of the spirit of David, and of holy men, we will grieve at this.

The Apostle St. Paul, when Ely [...]as labou­red to stop, when one was to be converted, hee breakes out, Then childe of the Devill, and ene­my of all good, why dost thou not cease to pervert the right wayes of God? A man that is not fired in this case, hath nothing at all in him, when we see-wicked men goe about to pervert Reli­gion, and overturne all, and we are not stirred at it, it is an ill signe.

Let us therefore take a tryall of our selves, how we stand affected in case of Religion: He that hath no zeale in him, hath no love: by an Antiperistasis, a opposition of the contra­ry, encreaseth the contrary: if a man have a­ny goodnesse, if it bee environed with opposi­tion, it will intend the goodnesse and encrease it. Lot shewed his goodnesse in Sodome the more, because of the wickednesse of the Sodo­mites, when a man is in vile company, and heares Religion disgraced, and good persons scoffed at, and will not have a word to justifie good causes, and good persons, hee hath no life at all of Religion; for if hee had, he would then have more Religion then ordina­ry, the contrary would then intend, and en­crease the contrary. There was a blessed mixture of many affections in this griefe [Page 235] of the holy man David, when hee said, their words were as a sword in his bones. There was great griefe, not onely for himselfe, as a man being sensible of reproaches: for men are men, and not out of corrupt nature, but out of the prin­ciples of nature, they are sensible of reproa­ches: here was griefe in respect of God, and in respect of himselfe: and here was the love of God, and the love of Religion in this grief. Here was zeale in this, and a sweet mixture of blessed affections, a sweet temper in this, when hee saith, their words were as a sword in my bones.

Let us make a use of tryall; bring our selves to this patterne, and thinke if wee doe come short of this, then wee come short of that that should bee in us. But especi­ally let us consider with what hearts wee en­tertaine those dolefull and sad reports of for­raine Churches, and with what consideration, and view, wee looke upon the present estate of the Church, whether we be glad or no. There are many false spirits, that either are not af­fected at all, or else they are inwardly glad of it: they are of the same disposition, that those cursed Edomites were of, Psalme 137. Downe with it, downe with it, even unto the ground: I hope that there are but few such amongst us here, therefore I will not presse that: But if wee bee dead-hearted, and are not affected with the cause of the Church, let us suspect our selves, and thinke all is not well; [Page 236] The fire from Heaven is not kindled in our hearts, our hearts are not yet the Altar, where God hath kindled that heavenly fire, if we can heare Religion disgraced, and good causes goe backward, and not be affected. Curse yee Me­roz: why? because they went not out to helpe the Lord. If those bee cursed that doe not helpe, as they can by their prayers, then surely they are cursed that are dead-hearted, that are not affected at all; that joyne with the persecu­tors,, that cry downe with it even to the ground, & say Aha, so we would have it. If those be cur­sed that helpe not forward the cause of the Church, at least by their prayers, and strive and contend for the faith once given, what shall we thinke of those that are not affected at all, nay which is worse of all, that hinder good causes, that are scorners of Religion, and good cau­ses, what shall wee thinke of those wretched spirits? how opposite are they to the spirit of David?

To adde one thing more, wee may learne hence, the extent of the commandements, how to enlarge the commandements. Our Saviour Christ, when he came to preach the Gospell, hee began with the enlargement of the com­mandements, shewing the spirituall meaning, and extent of the law: he that calleth his Brother Racha, or foole, is in danger of hell fire: and he that lookes on a woman, to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her in his heart. You see here the Prophet David, when hee speakes of their re­proach, [Page 237] he speakes of it as if they had a mur­derous intention; and in the event and issue, it is a kind of murther. As with a sword in my bones my enemies reproach me, &c. This sword were but words, he is a murtherer in Gods e­steeme, (and so it will prove if hee repent not) that wounds another man with his tongue: for what doth the Holy Ghost here in David? doth he not set out words by swords? Is it not oft in the Psalmes, Their words are as swords; the poyson of Aspes is under their lipps? There is an ex­cellent place you have for this in Prov. 12. 18. Prov. 12. 18. There is that speakes like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise is health. A good man hath a healing tongue, hee hath a medicinall salving tongue, but a wicked man, his words are as swords; and as he [...]aith here, their spea­king is as the piercing of a sword. Therefore, hence let us learne, not to think our selves free from murther, when we have killed no body, or free from adultery, when wee are free from the grosse act: this is but a pharisaicall glosse upon the commandements, but if wee will un­derstand the commandements of God, as they are to bee understood, wee must inlarge them as the Scripture inlargeth them: he that pre­judiceth the life, and comfort of any man, hec is a murtherer of him in Gods esteeme: and he that labours to cut another man to the heart, with sharpe piercing words, in Gods esteeme he is a murtherer. Those that, though among men, they cannot say blacke is their eye, and [Page 238] pride themselves, as if they were very religious men, yet notwithstanding they are men that are not wanting of their tongues, men that care not to speake bitterly and sharpely of o­thers: if they did consider of this, it would take them downe, and make them thinke a lit­tle meaner of themselves, when indeed in Gods construction they are little better their mur­therers. As with a sword in my bones mine enemies reproach me, while they say to me daily, where is thy God? So much for these words.