WHether that Mount wereVideas Ti­rinum in Mat. 17.1. Mount Tabor, 1 Peculiar unto the Ministers of the Gospel. or whether the Lord Jesus doth here allude unto his Transfiguration upon that Mount, I need not to dispute, now: neither [Page 12]need I to open unto you more of these Mansions, until I have first led you unto my Fathers house. It sufficeth, for the present, that placed with Moses upon Mount Nebo, we have gained a sight of the promised Rest; especially, seeing these few words do already multiply upon our atten­tion; and [seeing they do already] grow up­on us as exceeding Psal. 119.96. broad. Every sentence (here) is a Tree of life; every Tree of life (here,) hath several branches; every branch (here,) beareth much fruit, fruit which may abound unto your accompt. He is no good Oratour, who over-much raiseth expectation; but I (who am no Oratour) cannot raise your expectation enough. Chapter 10. Verse 10. Christ came that we might Have Life, and that we might have it more abundantly; just so he cometh in this begin­ning of this 14^th. Chapter. Luke 24.2. They found the stone rolled away from the Sepulchre; Christ, here rolleth away every stone. Whether Clergy, or Laity, we do every of us, (here) re­ceive a Benjamins portion. Wherefore, that both Priest and People may, asSr. Edward Turner in his May 19. 1662. speech, p. 6. one ad­viseth, like well squared stones in a well built Arch, each support the other, and grow closer and stronger thorough the weighty duties which God layeth upon us; I shall begin with our selves, the Ministers of Christ, that we may from Christ Jesus, the more effectually speak un­to you the people of God. 1

First,Observ. from the circum­stance of the time. then, If there be in these our Duties, amidst our holy Function, any prophane Hophni, [Page 13]any that lightly esteem God, any that feed them­selves, and not their Flock; any too fat to be laborious; any studious more to gain Revenues and Dignities, then the souls committed unto their charge: As this Text soweth no Pillow un­der such Elbows, so it wholly removeth their scandal from our present age and Church: For, even those very persons which are upon all occasions so forward to catch up every stone of offence against us, even they themselves can­not say, as St. Paul See Dr. Airay upon Phil. 2.21. did, All seek their own, not the things that are Jesus Christs: If some do, a sore evil it is, but no new evil under the Sun: as in bodies Politique, so in Churches Militant; Perfection cannot reasonably be expected; Where much Wheat is, Tares there will be: Among many Labourers, some will wax idle: The Temple at Jerusalem could never be so ex­actly repaired, but that some part of it or other would ever be amiss; Nor is Holiness inherent to the Levite: OneNum. 25.11. Phinehas is seldom so good, butSam. 4.4.2.17, 22. another is as bad. At this ve­ry time, wherein Jesus now spake, as he had v. 22. his Judas Thaddeus, so he had c, 13.26. his Judas John 6.70. Iscariot too.

2.2 A second Stone is removed by the manner whereafter, the order wherein,Obser from the the manner, order and mat­ter of the words. the matter whereof, the Wisdom of the Father doth here speak.

1. As I told you, what is here uttered, is delivered feelingly and pathetically: What pro­ceedeth from Him, proceedeth as well from the [Page 14]flowings of his love, as from the openings of his lips.

2. The Order of the words, maketh things tem­poral, an occasion unto things spiritual; leadeth from Nature to Grace; from reason in the heart, to Faith in Christ; from troubles in the world, to Mansions in Heaven; bringeth us from out­ward troubles, to inward duties; from inward duties, to the recompence of the reward; guideth us, through a world of troubles, into a kingdom of Grace; from a kingdom of Grace, unto a Crown of Glory.

3. The Matter here spoken of, is not some barren needless Punctilium, but matter worthy him that preacheth, viz. the great concernments of the soul; the property, and efficacy of faith; the means and certainty of Salvation.

Which three circumstances twisted into one example, fully separate between the profitable, and unprofitable Teacher: For, while on the left hand, they explode that sleight of Oratory, which rejecteth Christs, but admirethStultissi­mum credo ad imitandum non optima quae que proponere. Piin. lib. 1. E­pist. 5. mans wisdom; on the right, they approve that whole­some method which imitateth not man Inven­tion, but Christs pattern, viz.

On the right hand, this commendeth that great part of our English Clergy, which are in­deed Stewards of the Mysteries of God; Stewards, as faithful, as able; Lights, as well burning, as shining; meek, lowly, gentle, patient, of a dove-like innocency, and of a willing compli­ance; yet valiant for the Truth, zealous of good [Page 15]works, bold to preach the Gospel1 Thes. 2.2. [...], and very zealous for their Lord of Hosts. In these, the Word dwelleth richly, and in all wisdom too; especially in thatProv. 11.30. choice Wis­dom which winneth souls; TheseProv. 15.2. use their knowledge aright: exceeding learned they are, and are (because they are exceeding learned) mighty in the Scriptures. When these speak, they so speak as the Oracles of their God; when these minister, they so minister as of the ability which God giveth. Beloved, by the Word thus preached, what people upon earth is exalted so near heaven, as our Island is? What Nation under heaven can muster up so many Watchmen, which cry aloud, and spare not; so many Chari­ots and Horsemen of Israel which fight the Lords battles, as England can? Blessed, yea blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ forO si vide­am in vita mea ecclesiam talibus nixam columnis! O si Domini sponsam cerne­rem tantae com­missam fi [...], tan­tae c [...]e litam pu­ritati [...] quid me beatius? quid ve securius? Bernard. lib. 1. ad Eugenium. his unspeakable Mercy herein unto this whole Kingdom; yea, and accursed be he, that shall once attempt to roll away these tried stones: AJosh 8 32. Copy of the Law is written upon these stones: These we erect, as aJosh 4.7. Memorial be­fore the Lord for ever: Behold, These shall Josh 24.27. witness unto us, lest we deny the Lord.

On the other hand, For Zions sake, I will not hold my peace: Alas, I cannot chuse but stum­ble at too many, even of our English Divines, who make it their utmost endeavour, to preach, learnedly indeed, but, not unto Edification: Should Job 15 2, 3. a wise man utter vain knowledge? Should he reason with unprofitable Talk? or with [Page 16]speech that can do no good? Away then, with that manner of preaching, which contriveth more to repeat Authours, or to boast languages, then to edifie souls. The Son of God abhorred Af­fectation of Literature, yet spakeMat. 7.29. John 7.15. [...]. He could have spoken with tongues more then us all, yet never did he make himself a1 Cor. 14.11, 19. Barbarian: He sought not to amuse, but to awaken. Away also, with that sort of preaching, whichId habent curae non quo­modo Scriptu­rarum medullas ebibant, sed quo­modo aures po­puli Declamato­rum flosculis mulceant. S. Hieron. aimeth more to imitate an Oration of Tully, then a Narration of Christs. Away, away with these quaint modish Discourses, they have in them neitherJohn 6.63. spirit, nor life: Ser­mons yield but1 Cor. 13.1. harsh Musique to the ear, if they afford neither method for the memorie, nor matter for the thirsty soul; nor do they ever make less impression upon the heart, then when they are delivered1 Cor. 2, 1. Conciones sacrae esse debent nec delicatae, nec cincinnatae. Zanch. Orat. most in print: your starched pieces, never yet sat close upon the Hearer: Alas, what is, if this be not, Verba dare, Hos 8 [...].12.1. to feed Ephraim with wind? I verily presume, that a meer Puny shall do more good by speaking one wordIsa. 50.4. in due season, then shall the tongue of the learned, when, at any time, it disdaineth the Things which become sound doctrine. All Scripture is2 Tim. 3.16. profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction, &c. but there is a new found Rhetorique, now adaies, which stoop­eth not so low as these. It is now the great Industry of many excellent Schollars, to wave the Demonstration of the Spirit, and to place their whole stress upon mans wisdom: I speak this toImperitis­sim [...] est scientia scire quid sens [...] ­rint Philosophi, & nescire quid docuit Chrisius. August. Epist. 56. their shame.

But, tell me (whosoever ye are) hath God bestowed upon you your rich Talents for no higherSee Deut. 10.20, 21.12.32.27 9, 10.28.47, 58. 1 Sam. 2.30. 1 King. 18.36. Psal. 40.10. Mal. 2.5, 6. services? Or, is this Prudence, to exalt Rhetorick your hand-maid, above1 Cor. 2.5. Divinity her Mistress? yea, Is it good manners in you, to prefer your Mother-wit, before the sacred wisdom of God? Do ye thus shew your breeding? Ye never learned this from either of our famous Ʋniversities: Nay, Luke 6.46. Is it common1 Sam. 2.29. John 6.38. 7.18.12 43. 1 Cor. 2.4. Gal. 1.10. 1 Tim. 1.11. Honesty in you, to conceal your Gods praises, and to bespeak your own?

Unto you, whoJoh. 5.42. had rather be reputed learned then religious, I speak: In this Text our Master of Joh. 7.15, 42. eloquence, doth not so much mind his phrase, that he forgetteth his Auditors; He delivereth no airy stuff, but heavenly Truths; His endeavour is, not toPraeceptis Christi detrahit pondus Sacerdo­tum levitas. Lactan. tickle the ear, but to amend the heart: He spareth not down-right Re­proofs, Let not your heart be troubled: He is full of earnest exhortations; Ye believe in God, be­lieve also in me; He layeth down enforcing Motives, In my Fathers house are many Mansions. What shall I more say? Christ was aJoh. 1.18.3.2, 13. Teacher sent from God, and almost every word of his hath the efficacy of a coercive application; Behold, he hath given you anTanto ma­jorem apud do­ctos habere gra­tiam debet, quanto mino em apud indoctos hab t. example: May, therefore, what was unto me a stumbling block, be unto you, betwixt you and your Jesus, as that Pillar was between Jacob and Laban, viz. a Mizpah, aGen. 31.45. Watch-tower: May your zeal, like Elijahs fire from the Lord, consume this1 King. 18.38. wood, this dust, this stone, this wooden [Page 18]stuff, this dustie trash, this stone of Offence; so God, who is a consuming fire; God, who pardon­eth the Iniquity of our holy things, will accept your sacrifice, as he did Elijahs, Fathers and Bre­thren, let us be guided by this wise Master-buil­der, let us imitate the workmanship of this preci­ous, this chief Corner-stone, this Head-stone of us all; so shall we grow up not only as polished cor­ners of His Temple, but also, as the supporting Pillars of his glorious Church.

In the next place,3 for so much as the birds round about her,Observ. from the persons spoken to. are against theJer. 12.9. speckled bird; since every Jew will have a flingJoh. 8.59. at Jesus; because most persons stumble most at theJoh. 16.2. Mat. 9.14.10.25. Luke 6.2.23.31. Clergy-mans gate; and the persons spoken un­to in my Text, areJoh. 15.19. much spoken of in the world; those rocks of offence which this world forceth upon us, I will roll as far from our door, as conveniently I can.

Our humane frailty (to be sure) or, (if that be born with) our Prelacy, or (if Prelacy we gain none) our Function it self hath been cast in our faces, asNunquam deerunt hostes ubi adest Eccle­sia. Tertul. matter of Reproach; but, how causlesly, I appeal unto these persons in my Text.

To separate the Apostles themselves from their frailty, 1 is more then flesh and blood can do;Of their fail­ings. Hos. 6.7. they cannot chuse but err like men, and may as soon shake off their dust, as their sinfulness: First then, If instead of double honour, we meet with undeserved contempt; if our Failings, if those infirmities of ours which humble our spi­rits, [Page 19]encourage any unadvised ones to become our accusers, the persons here spoken to may frame our replies.

1.I. Reply. Seeing the Purity of the Gospel requireth cleanJob 17.9. Psal. 24.4. 1. Tim. 2.8. hands, cleanPsal. 119.101. Isa 52.7. Luke 1.79. John. 13.8. feet, cleanPsal. 50.16.51.15.71.23.141.3. Prov. 8.6. Isa. 6.7. lips, and cleanPsal. 50.17.51.10. Rom. 2.1. hearts too; since Pastors more especially should be examples unto Believers, since Holiness becometh Gods house for ever; far be it from us, to despise the admonitions of any sin­cere Christian; Let not our heart be troubled for such benefits: but, if when our foot slippeth, ye magnifie your selves against us, ye do not well: Jesus Christ would not allow his Disciples frail­ty to be a grief of heart unto them; and dare any of you delight to see our hearts troubled? Do not malitiously, do not over-narrowly watch our steps; make us not Offenders for a word; be not yePsa. 38.16.56.6. Mark 9.42. Committe-men; What wounds the Phy­sitian in this Text bindeth up, those expose not ye to open air; or if ye do, make use of these following salves.

2.II. Reply. Our thoughts (for ought that ye know) save your tongues the labor: A Father telleth you,S. Chryso­stom. Hom. 5. in 2. Tim. That it is impossible that the heart of him who continually receiveth the words of the heavenly Doctrine, should not be affected; I will not say it is impossible, but I am sure, it isPsal. 19.7. improbable. Self-examination is2 Cor. 13.5. required from every one; Consider now; not any Christian whatsoever hath so fair opportunities to look within him­self, asLectio assi­dua purificat omnia. S. Aug. Serm. de tempe­re. the Divine hath. If we know not our own wickedness, if our Lucerna Domini scrutans in conscientia, torquens in faci­nore. Bernard. sin be not ever before [Page 20]us, it is (in us who daily consult the Scriptures) a daily, a repeated quenching of the Spirit. It is monstrous in a man of God, to give place unto the Devil. Can we supplicate for you, and forget that we our selves areGen. 18.27. Dum alium steo, meipsum desteo. Ambros. dust and ashes? Our consciences would be very much seared, should weRom. 2.1. complain of your faultiness, and cherish our own. The more we do search the holy Scriptures, the more we doRom. 7.9. prie into our own lives; I say, the better we think of the Law of God, the worse we think of our selves. Gospel-light helpeth us to see many a mote in ourMat. 5.29. 2 Cor. 4.6.10.5. right eye; then we make a progess in our studies, when the fear of the LordDeut. 17.19. Prov. 2.5, 10, 11. giveth us understanding: And the more weJob 40.4.42.6. see God, the viler we find our selves; The higher Moses ascendeth upon Mount Sinai, the more exceedingly doth heHeb. 12.21. Psal. 119.120. fear and tremble; Exod. 28. Dress Aaron in his habits, and the weight of his own vestments will keep him un­der: Make St. Paul aRom. 11.13. Gal. 2.8. chief Apostle, and he will proclaim himself the1 Tim. 1.15. chief of sin­ners; St. John was one of those here spoken unto in my Text, he professeth, he voluntarily1 John 1.8. professeth, That if he should say he had no sin, he should be a deceiver. St. James was a second of these Apostles, he concealeth not that he sinned, and that tooJames 3.2. in many things. Nor fell these confessions from a levity of brain, but from an inward conviction of guilt: For instance, ye see a third of these Disciples bursting into tears at theLuke 22.61. very first look: he was the chief of the [Page 21]eleven here spoken unto; and when Christ had onceLuke 5.8. revealed his power unto him, he stood off at a distance; prostrate, because snful. Ye, therefore, among all our Congregations, whoJoh. 8.7. take up the first stone against us, may do as our GodM [...]c. 7.19. doth, ye mayJer. 51.63. cast your Book of Remembrance into the midst of Eu­phrates.

3.III. Reply. It is not for you,Exod. 20.12. but for our God, and our Rulers to number our steps: To our own Masters we stand or fall. Be not manyJames 3.1. Ma­sters, my Brethren; or, if yeJames 4.11, 12. will be our Judges, consider the Race that is set before us: if ye will needs weigh us, weigh us in an even ballance, take theGal. 6.1, 2. ballance of the Sanctu­ary; give untoLam. 4.2. sons of Zion the allowance due to gold; compare our burden with your own; and if our duties be both greater, and more then (are) yours, can you blame us if our failings be so too? Examine dutiesPhil. 2.12, 15. 2 Pet. 1.10. personal; Is each of you bound to search out his fall in Adam? To pass from the death of nature to the life of grace; to grow in that grace, and in the knowledge of God? so is each of us: compareJam. 2.8. family and neighbourly offices, still ours are the same with yours, and more. Proceed now unto our distinct Vocations, we have here more, much1 Tim. 3.2, 14.6.10. 2 Tim. 6.8, v. 13, 14, c. 2.3, 4. v. 15, 22, v 24, 25. Tit. 1.6, 9.2.1, 8. 1 Cor. 9 22. more weight upon our shoulders then have ye: Our perso­nal and relative Obligations match yours, and (as ours) overmatch yours; but the Obedi­ences due from our Callings transcendeth what [Page 22]is due from yours, and that by far: Ever, as is the Employment which is enjoyned, such is the Duty: By how much more publick our vocation is then is yours, by so much more extensive is our duty; and, by how much more sacred our Calling is then is yours, by so much the greater is the Task upon us incumbent. Consider, then, if your obediences be more then ye can per­form; if your duties, your burdens be more then ye can weild, (and more then ye can weild they are) who is 2 Cor. 2.16. sufficient for these of ours? You see now, that the persons her spoken to, must be allowed their failings, not only as men, but as Believers; not only as Believers, but as Disci­ples; they are subjects, not of your Obloquie, but of your Compassion. Fitly are they, fitly are such as succeed them, comparedGal. 2 9. unto Pillars of the Church, since upon their narrow shoulders so great a part of Christs spiritu­al building, as a heavy burden, is weightily placed.

4.IV. Reply. It is not so much our failing, as your obser­vation: As we are more tasked, so we are more exposed to censure: I see more eyes upon this one Pulpit, then upon all the other Seats in this Church: As theMat. 5.14. City, so theIsa. 52.7. foot up­on the Mountain cannot be hid; the four cor­nered Cap had need sit squarely. SaithFrancis L. Verulam. one, the Errors of Great men, say I, the Errors of Clergy-men are never small; Where the feet areIsa. 52 7. beautiful, every stray-step is noted; it is not the hood, but the silk that doth amiss; [Page 23]Let a blemish be in ones eye, and look from off it, we cannot, although in good manners we would: If the black Gown be not fire-new, it is thought duskish; if new it be, it smelleth of the fire: The grave stile is termed flat, and the polite quil pedantique: It is much if the Rochet be neither too short, nor too long: The Em­bassadour is never more observed, then when he hath Audience; and the stains are, therefore, ob­noxious, because the Scarlet is so pure: White was the2 Chron. 5.12. Levites linnen, else had the Levite seemed as spotless, as one of another Tribe. In his sufferings, hundreds of other followers de­serted Christ; of them the Gospel is silent; it is not silent of the persons spoken to in my Text: The persons here spoken to, are chief Disciples, chosen Apostles; wherefore of their haltings, the Con­text is full; It is noted of them, that hitherto, theyMat. 16.22. Took not up their cross; could not Mat. 26.31, 40. watch with Christ one hour; mindedMat. 20.21. Mark 9.34. Luke 22.24. earthly things; hadMat. 16.8. Mark 9.34. very little faith; wereMat. 8.38. Mat. 26.74. ashamed, andMark 14.50. Rev. 21.8. afraid to own either Christ crucified, orGal. 2.12. the purity of His Gospel, nor, as yet, knew theyMark 9.32. John 20.9. V. Reply. the Scriptures. But herein alas, herein lieth the difference; That, these Apostles failings are so much noted, is the good­ness of Gods spirit: That, our failings are so much noted, is the wickedness of mans Spi­rit,

But, Let not your heart be troubled, the thing is of God; It is forRom. 8.28. your sake, that God permitteth our sins toAct. 14.15. equal, if not to ex­ceed [Page 24]yours; for your sake it is, that we are such2 Cor. 4.7. compared with Judg 7.20. earthen vessels; that we areExod. 20.19. Gal. 2.19. not Angels, but men: The holy Ghost giveth unto you that1 Cor. 12.28. Ephes. 4.11. sort of gift, which is best for your profit. When Christ prayed that Peters fath [...]. St. Chrysost in Lucae 22 32. might not fail him, he would not pray that Peters John 18.27. heart might not fail him. He could have made these Disciples here spoken to as Self-denying, as stout, as stedfast, as full of knowledge, as full of holiness, before his A­scension, as after his Ascension, they were: he could so; but this (he knew) suited neither with his Spouses benefit, nor with his own1 Cor. 1.27. wisdom. Let this suffice you; That, whether he use Silver Numb. 10. Trumpets, or Rams Josh. 6.13. compared with 2 Sam. 5.24. horns, the Captain of your Salvation will bring forth Judgement unto Victory:Mat. 12.20. Phil. 1 6. He, long be­fore this Text or Context, perfectlyJohn 2.25. knew the inabilites of the persons to whom he now speaketh; yet theirJohn 20.29. Ignorances,John 13, 38. Infirmites, andJohn 15.5. Insufficiencies notwith­standing, he made them theMark 9.50. Salt of the earth, theMat. 5.14. light of the world, witnesses of 1 John 1.1, 2, 3. saving truths, andJohn 15.16. chosen Disciples, &c. Why this? Answ. His glory he would not give unto others. He who revealeth his power in mans weakness, will have the glory of his grace ascribed, by you, not unto his (frail) Ministers, but unto Himself alone: Hence it was, that (as simple as they were) these very persons, heMat. 10.5. sent to publish the Gospel; these very persons,Luke 6.13. he ordained to be His Apostles and Embassadors.

6. Lastly,VI. Reply. BelieversLike Nico­stratus in Aelian. have another eye to view such Pictures with, then disquiet spirits have. In this Text, very faulty our persons spoken unto are; their hearts are overcharged with care, they have little or no Faith in Christ, they sin against heaven; nevertheless, their Master (you see) harbourethCompare John 13.38. with Luke 22.16. and Mar. 16.7. against them no discontents, forgiveth all, maketh the best of all; yea, he here preventeth their trouble: He doth not despise, but pity; not reject, but assist their persons. So many of you as are followers of Christ, like dear Children, Let the same Eâ que n­que ansâ pre­hendas quâ commodè teneri potest. Epicte­tus. mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus. If we your Ministers err like men, that is, like these Apostles, let this stir up in you, not your corruptions, but your Graces: Ye will not (therefore) dash your feet againstMat. 16.18. these stones. Happily, we your Ministers are there­fore permitted to follow these persons, here spoken to, in their defects, that ye, our Congre­gations, may have the praise of imitating the person here speaking, in His perfections: With joy may we drawIsa. 12.3. waters from these Wells of salvation, if ye thus roll away the stone from yourZech. 13.1. fountains Jer. 15.19.2. Of their Pre­lacy. mouth.

So long as friendship with the world is enmity against God so long will humane obstinacy beJoh. 15.19, 20.16.33. wounding Godliness. Some, whom natural light daunteth from opening their mouths imme­diately against God himself, make bold, andNumb. 16.3.11. spare not, to ease their spleen upon Gods chosen Prest-hood: as the Law, so theJude 11. Gos­pel [Page 26]shall never want for such as, unawares to themselves, second the gain-sayings of Corah. Let our Clergy mourn, or pipe, fast with the Baptist, or feast with their Lord, yet still as theIsa. 8.14. Master himself abideth a rock of offence to every unregenerate person, so abideth his Mini­ster too. Before the Repairer of our breach hadSee Dr. Washburn his 1661. May 29. Serm. upon Isa. 58.12. prosperously disappointed them who took the Houses of God into their possession, the rock of offence then was, that the consecrated Le­vite was, (and alas he was) made the very Off-scouring of his people. Now that great Mountain cannot stand before our Zerubbabel; the prejudice, the scandal now taken is, that the self same Levite is no longer continued the Scum and Off-scouring of his people, that is, theMal. 3.9. Deut. 12.19. Reproach and Guilt of his brethren. He is now envied as too great, or too rich, or both. Might some men prevail, the person here speak­ing in this Text, should have been neither Mel­chizedec, nor the son of David; no King of the Jews by birth, nor High-Priest by Calling: nor should his immediate servants, his immediate successors in the work of his Ministry, have re­ceived either Dignity or Revenue: whereas, that ineffable felicity which we do all of us partake from our Head Christ Jesus, who (so often as he pleased) did (in the days of his flesh) in all holiness and wisdom exercise the power to him committed, may seem (unto me at least) to justifie unto the Ministers of his Gospel both Dignities and Revenues.

First, I see this holy Jesus, blessed for ever,1. In Dignities. anointed in the days of his fleshPsal. 45.7. above his fellows; yet, not ashamed to call them brethren: I see him owning aJoh. 10.16. Plurality; but, it is for the benefit of his Church: I see him receivingMat. 2.11.21.5. Homage, Presents and Triumphs, yet still he ceas­eth not to deny himself: I see himHeb. 8.6. dignified, nayJoh. 13.31. glorified, mean while he taketh up his Cross; all power was Mat. 2.2.28.18. committed unto him; nevertheless, He so used Joh. 18.36. Luke 9.58. this world, as though he used it not: AnHeb. 3.1. 1 Pet. 2.25. Arch, Bishop he is, and blessed be God, that he is such. A Rabbi heJoh. 1.38 was, and, therefore, aJoh. 3.2. Rabbi, because a Teacher sent from God; They called himJoh. 13.13. Lord, Lord; but, so far was he from lording it over Gods Inheritance, that (I advise you) learn of him, for he is meek. Ye see now that, a Samuel, a Jehoiadah, a Jesus, may be a good Priest; yet, a good Ruler too. Ye perceive, that, let a Preacher of Righteousness keep close unto theIn ea re­gula incedimus, quam Ecclesia ab Apostolis, Apostoli à Chri­sto, Christus à Deo accepit. Tertul. de Praes. c. 37. example of Christ Jesus, and make him rich, make him great, give him a Plurality, make him a Doctor, make him a Prelate, make him a Bishop, make him a Lord, Bishop, make him a Lord, Arch, Bishop, yet still the zeal of Gods house eateth him up. His feet still not only con­tinue, but, appear beautiful upon the mountains; and He himself not only appeareth, but continueth a Pastour according unto Prov. 22.11. his King, yea ac­cording unto hisJer. 3.15. Gods own heart. Tram­ple not upon Aarons Rod; for, itNum. 17.5. flou­risheth.

Secondly,2. In Revenues. I need not entitle the person or persons in my Text, unto Church-Revenues; (where) methinketh they defend themselves, and have (methinketh) warrant so to do.

1. First, From the light of Nature. Ask a Heathen what heVideas quae Selden de Dits Syris Syatag. 1. c. 4 &c. 6. Syn­tag 2. c. 17. Vi­deas & Dan. 3. 1. Hos. 2.8. Act. 19.24. can do, what he can part with in service to his false gods; The blinder his devotion the more mayest thou see: Next, From the Ex. Le Num. Law of Moses; for my part, I cannot conceive that God, who requireth Faith, Purity and Sincerity as well under theIsa. 1.11. Law, as under the Gospel; God, whose Spirit and Truth is opposed, notMede on John 4.23. unto the Beauty, but2 Cor. 3 8, 11. unto the Ceremony of Levitical Rites; I say, I cannot conceive, that this wise God, who was so sumptuous in theHeb. 10.1. shadow, will have the substance lessGen. 14.20 2 Chro. 29.31. costly. Take (in the third place) Examples of good men; He harpeth on another string then2 Sam 7.2.24.24. 1 Kin. c. 5. c 6. c. 7. would David, he maketh himself wiser then was Solomon; who esteemeth any part of this worlds wealth, too excellent for Gods Temple. Fourthly, From Evangelical Isa. 61.6. 60 6, 7, 9. Deut. 33.19. compared with Mat. 4.15. Predictions; these therefore promise unto us affluence of temporal blessings, because plenty of spiritual; to wit, The world is madeIsa. 51.16 1 Cor 3.22, 23 for the Church, not the Church for the world. Fifthly, From Gospel 1 Cor. 9.11. 1 Tim. 5.17. Philem. 8.19. Gal. 6.6. privi­ledges; repute it no Robbery, if we exchange with you Things spiritual for Things temporal. Sixthly, From thatGen. 22.12, 16. 1 Chro. 28.2, 6, 7. Hag. 2.15. Mat. 25.40. Mar. 9.37, 41. Luke 7.44. John 12.7. value which God himself putteth upon (hisPhil. 2.13. 1 Chr. 29.9, 14. 2 Chr. 29 36. own gift) our good will well expressed; from the cup of [Page 29] Mat. 10.42. compared with Joh. 4.7, 10. cold water, to the feast of Zacheus; from the widows mite, to the costly Spiknard, God doth but Gen. 18.3 5. Exod. 35.5.36.6. Deut. 28.47. 1 King. 17.13. 1 Chron. 28.9.29.12, 16. Phil. 4.7. 1 Cor. 4.7: compared with Mat 10, 8. prove us: He hath given us him­self,⁽¹⁶⁾ and with Himself⁽¹⁷⁾ all things. He will⁽¹⁸⁾ try now, of all that he hath given us, what we can (with heart and good will) render back again unto his proper use and ser­vice.

2. Null all these Topicks; Descend a while, from Gods wisdom, to mans: What ye, under the Gospel, sacrifice unto your God, is not con­sumed with fire, as under the law it was: No bird, no beast is prohibited as common, orAct. 10.15, 16. Nehem. 10.34. unclean; the fat of your lambes, of your bullocks, of your hee-goats are no whit lessen­ed by your devotions: your Groves are not dai­ly cut down, to continue a perpetual fire in the Sanctuary; Neither doth the perfume of your prayers diminish the quantity of your sweet spices. Againe, be our portion never so large, the Nationall stock is equally the same: Rome sucketh no Peter-pence from the Protestant; no Cell, no Cloister burieth the treasures of English Monasteries: On the other side, what from us supplieth his sacred Majesties royal Exchequer, easeth you of some of your Subsidies, and pay­ments. Once more, there is the same Charter [Page 30]for our Rom. 2.22. Concessimus quod Ecclesia Anglicana libera sit in perpetuum, & habeat jura sua integra, & & omnes liber­tates suas illae­sas. Magna Charta. c. 1. See also Sr Edw. Cook on Litt. Ten l. 1. c. 9 Sect. 73. revenues, which ye have for yours; yea, and the same reason, yea, and the same com­merce too: as we share with you in the same plenty, so we are a part of the same Commune socictatis vincis­lum, mutua in­digentia. Villages, of the same cities, and of the same Kingdom with your selves: The tribe of Levi is one, al­though but one, of the twelve tribes; of all which twelve tribes, I know never a one that doth, of her lawful profits, either impropriate lesse unto the owners self interest, or refund more unto a common benefit, then ours doth. Cast up our accompts, ye will finde whatsoever falleth into this little sea, quickly floweth back, and ere ever it be full Tide, emptieth it self into re­quisite Channels and Rivers. Our Wives and Children can tell you, that much may go tho­rough, but little (they wiss) can abide in a private Ministers hands; If ought stick by the Reverend Prelates (most what) that is disbursed to a publick good, in Schools, Libraries, Colledges, Alms-houses, &c.

3. Return, now, unto the glorious Gospel of Truth and Peace; ordinarily, aTenuitatem ben ficiorum, necessario sequi­turag norantia Sacerdotum. Jewel. private Per­sonage wanteth wherewith to procure, and much more wherewith to publish considerable Vo­lumns. It is, for the wealthy Prelates, to enjoy spare hours, to accumulate Books, to converse with the most, and most eminent in every Sci­ence and Language; to maintain Chaplains, A­manuenses, Printers, &c. whereby they are en­abled to countermine the united industry of for­raign Colledges. We owe unto the Revenue, as [Page 31]well as unto the studiousness, of our most Reve­rend, and right Reverend, and Reverend Pre­lates Books, as seasonable, as religious; as re­ligious, as learned; as learned, as exhausting, and expensive. The Lord make us truly thank­ful unto his goodness, for those many and ex­cellent Treatises, which do every where abound amongst us; mean while, next unto God, the Author of Holy Writ, and unto his Vice-Gerent, Defender of the Faith, we owe unto theAbbot, Aadrews, &c. Bilson, Brum­rick, Bradford, &c. Cranmer, &c. Day, Davenant, &c. Earles, &c. Field, Fulk, Fern, &c. Gauden, Good-rick, &c. Hall, Ho [...]bech, Hooper, &c. Jewel, &c. Kings, &c. Laud, Latimer, Lake, &c. Montague, Morley, &c. Nicholson, Opt [...], &c. Prideaux, &c. Reinolds, Ridley, &c. Sanderson, Smith, &c. Taylor, Thirlby, &c, usser, &c. Walton, Wesifield, White, Whitegift, &c. Prelacy, the first and best Reformations of our Church, our best pieces of Divinity, whether Polemical or Practical; yea, and our best Tran­slations, Commentaries and Copies too of the Holy Scriptures themselves. Give God the glory; had the Reverend Hierarchy of our Church been sacrilegiously deprived of their Revenues, most of us (for ought that I know) had been unestablished (even unto this very day) in the Fundamentals of Religion and Truth.

Beside what others haveHooker Eccles. Polit. l. 5. Sect. 15.71.76. B. Gauden in his Hierasplstes: Answ. to the sixth Cavil. per totum. B. Ni­cholsons Apolo­gy. learnedly and effectually argued and proved: Church-Reve­nues (seem to me to) entitle themselves unto the persons in my Text; whether the persons in my Text be considered as Sufferers for the Gos­pel of Truth; or as Messengers of the Gospel of Peace.

1. As sufferers: We, while we preach, the truth of the Gospel, are, many ways, sufferers: our names suffer, our quiet suffereth, our estate suffereth, our health suffereth, &c. first, the haters of God speak evil of us, because we, as in duty bound, convince them of evil; we gall their consciences, and theyPraedicare nihil aliud est quam derivare in se furorem mundi. Luther. Rom 15.3. 2 Cor. 12.15. smite us with the tongue: secondly, since we cannot speak peace to their sins, they2 Chron. 36.16. endeavour our trouble: thirdly, while ye honestly set out our mainte­nance, sons of Belial will rather rob God, then spare usChi. po [...]ta il tor cio, haesempre per costume a se far ombra & agli altri lume. Torriano. 2 Cor. 12.15. our own; and of what they steal not from us, little improvement can we make; yea, well is it, if, while we are wasting our selves in our duties, none of our servants waste our childrens bread: fourthly, where diseases are contagious, and that contagion is not yet dis­covered, who visiteth the sick, and burieth the dead, seldom escapeth infection: how­everStudy is a staff of cotton. ibid. Eccles. 12.12. much studiousnesse, and much health be hardly found in one person. Beloved, I urge not these as complaints, but as vindications: the sincere Minister hathFhil. 2.20. 2 Cor. n. 28, 29 Sancta, & lau­dabilis est in re­ligionis negotio impatientia. Jeron. other cares where­with to busy his thoughts, then these low trou­bles; his soul is too spiritual to be satisfied with any thing under thePhil. 3.8. [...]. S. Chrysost. Master whom he serveth; these earthly cloggs, which the world calleth Mony, Wealth, Pleasure, Honour, &c. He rather useth, then desireth: true, without them live —paupertas ridiculos hommes facit. Qui mi­rantur opes, hi nulla exempla beati Pauperis esse putant— he cannot; he cannot, without them, soSaepius emo­liunt eleemosyna­rum dona quos non commovent concionū verba. 1 Tim. 3.8. Tic. 1.8. live as becometh his vocation; they are that oyle of the sanctuary, which the wisdom of [Page 33]the all-sufficient God hath made necessary to preserve our light of life, and consequently, the light of the Gospel from extinguishing: where­fore, since a Minister can no more subsist with­out these, then without the aire which he breathes in, stoop he must to take them up for his livelyhood, and, seeing he must of neces­sity encumber himself with these requisite supplies, very equal it is, that, what is his right be tendered unto him, not only as his due, but, as his encouragement, andPhilem. 14. Phil. 4.14, 17 com­fort.

If the over-watched Midwife be wearied, and humbled with the loud cries, dolefull com­plaints and fearfull pangs of a woman labour­ing, and travailing, as well for her own life, as her infants; your courtesie considereth not only this midwifes handinesse, but, her discom­forts; not only her dexterous skill, but, her irksome watchings. In stead of enjoying the sweets of some pleasant garden, the Chirurgeon tieth himself up unto his patients wound; dres­seth bruises deep and putrified; sores, enough (one would think) at once, to affright, and poi­son him; in this Chirurgeon ye regard, not only his art, but, his patience. The Physician neglect­eth his estate, his home, his ease, his sleep, his health to attend the groans of a dying man; for these his self-denials, the mercilesse souldier would notDr. Gauden. Hieraspistes. p. 490. grudge him his twenty shillings a day; ThePro. 18.20. Aestuat infalix angusto [...] mine— eloquent Lawyer who neglecteth his own estate to secure thine, crowdeth, sweat­eth [Page 34]and wearieth, as well his whole body, as his tongue, thou wilt not for shame offer this Lawyer a single fee: The infirm Judge, though aged and crasie, rideth his Circuit through ill ways, and worse weather; he afflicteth his weak body to relieve the oppressed, sitteth, all day long, in much pain to ease his country of many vexati­ons; the King him-self will see this judge re­warded: Beloved, great are these inconveni­ences; but, no burden (under that which crown­eth his sacred Majesties royal vigilancies, and Princely affections) can equal those throws Gal. 4.19. wherewith the Ministers of Jesus. Christ travaile. Who hath believed our Report, isJonah 4.1, 2. compared with Esay. 53.1. an afflicting question! Dear people, we mourn in secret for yourEccles. 2.2. No indifferent gesture is so sel­dom without sin as laughing, for it is commonly raised upon things to be pitied. K. James, flores regii. A­phorisme. 54. laughter; we grieve because ye lay not your sins to heart; so sad an accompt of the flocks to us entrusted, so little fruite of our great labours, of the souls for which Christ died, so many posting to Hell! forbear ye tears (if ye can) we (I am sure) cannot: the names written up­on ourExod. 28.29. brest-plate, stick too close upon our bosom to afford us any such ease. Omitting, then, what we suffer in our name, peace, wealth, and health, is any revenue or honour a suitable re­quital for these our frequent, alas, our constant discomforts? If ye (Parents) have in your hearts any bowels of pity, over one childes ricated consumption, anothers angry blaines, a thirds bruised limbes, a fourth burnt in your fire, or other like calamities (from which God fore­fend); ye have (then) a little turning, a little [Page 35]of the melting of our bowels; a little taste of our inward bleedings; ye will (then) see us in the same Positure, as was the sister of that forlorn Moses, Exod. 2, 4 or, as was Hagar when she had eys, able to weep, but, not able toGen. 21.16. see the perishing of Ishmael; yea, in the same Positure as was Rachel, then, when she therefore wept for her Children, because they Jer. 31.15. were not. Beloved, He that could have with-heldProv. 31.6. wine from either Hagar or Rachel, deserved little him­self: either take from us these waters of affliction, else, mix with these waters some wine of glad­ness. Lay ye aside the hardness of your hearts, we will then be content to make Brick without Straw. Affright us no more with frequent Symp­tomes of your everlasting death, and then debar us of what worldly shelters our earthly Taber­nacles may justly demand; either preserve your precious souls from being lost, or grudge not our bodies the melancholick comfort of a mourning weed: But if our trembling hearts, therefore, die daily, because ye daily neglect to escape death, afford us (we beseech you) some of your weak Julips, for Cordials ye can give us none. Since we must suffer heaviness, because some of you repent not of your unbelief, allow us that liber­ty, which was not denied unto the persons in my Text; The person here speaking was a man Compare Mat. 26.36. and Joh. 18.1. with Luke 22.39. of sorrows, ye, therefore, sometimes find him inIbid. a Garden of pleasures: Cause enough heCompare Mat. 13.34.19.41. Mat. 23.37. had to weep over Jerusalem; repine not if [Page 36]heCompare Mat. 21.7. Luke 19.37. compared with Judg. 5.10. ride to it, asIbid. honourably as he can: Since thePsal. 69.9. Reproaches of his God fell so often upon him, blame him not, if heMat. 21.9. accept of Hosannas; since he dothLuke 22.15. not refuse to be crucified uponLuke 23.33. one Mount, grudge not to see himMat. 17.1, 2. transfigured upon another; if he disdain not aLuke 2.12. Manger, spare him your presents. As for the Persons here spoken to, they are likewise spoken to in the tenth Chapter of St. Mark; where for what they suffer in verse 29, they receive a hundred fold in verse 30.(21) Mat. 2.11. I con­clude then, so long as the yerning of our bow­els beggeth of you, Believe in God, believe in Christ; In your Fathers house are many Mansions: So long your Equity, if not your Bounty, will treat us, Let not your heart be troubled.

2. If our necessary Supplies part from you with an Evil Will, we then address our selves unto you all, not only as Sufferers through your default, but, as Messengers of your peace, viz. For so much as the Tidings which we bring are glad. Tidings, the just Lord hathLuke 10.7. Gal. 6 6. ordained, that we should live not upon the Courtesie, but upon the Duty of Christians; not upon their arbitrary Collation, but upon a Reward unto our Heavenly Message. The Lord of Hosts, that is, thePsal 84.1.68.24.134.1. God of them, who Soldier-like, kept theirLuk. 1.8, 9. courses in the Temple, made not Levites to keep Watches at 1 Cor. 9 7. their own charge: he allowed them Standing-Pay, even1 Cor. 9 13. constant Stipends of Houses, Cities, Tithes, Offerings and Sim. [Page 37]The [...]. The Hebrew, [...] The Chaldy, [...] The Greek [...], 2 Sam. 18 22. signifie not only Nuncium, but Nuntit praemium too. Thus, — [...]. Homer. Odys. 14. — [...]. Ioid. Learned Mede on 1 Cor. 9.14. like Reward requireth he for Gospel-Service. Ye know, ever, in State Affairs, Ti­dings of great joy, receive [...]. Plat. de gloria Athen. quous [...] qlae (1. dona qualia) reddam nescio. Cicero ad Atticum. Thus 2 Sam. 4.10. 1 Cor. 9.14, 23. Noble Rewards: The more considerable the News, the more signal the Recompence unto him who bringeth it: When the Person here speaking came as ourIsa. 62.11. Salvation, his Reward was with him, as for us, so for Himself; and that not only when he ascended up on high, but likewise, when he rode into the holy City withMat. 21.7. Triumph. As for the Persons here spoken to, since they also published the Gospel, let St. Paul alone to1 Cor. 9.4, 5. plead their right. It is folly to expect Esteem from them who understand not Vertue; therefore un­to the righteous man is Praise Psal. 111.10. 1 Pet. 2.14. assigned by his God; It is in vain for Evangelists to expect large gratuities from them who cherish a heart of un­belief; therefore, God himselfGal 6.6. steppeth in, and allotteth unto these Messengers of his, ( [...]) A 1 Cor. 9.14. suitable Recompence, even, a1 Tim. 5.17. Double maintenance or Honour. If then the Revenues of our Church have been, either for. merly, or, of later days, an eye-sore unto any of you; if your Eye hath been evil, because your Lord and Masters eye is good; If any of you ex­postulate, what need of all this cost? ye will no more be so heedless as to stumble at this stone; [Page 38]rather, havingGen. 28.11. slept upon it, ye will,Gen. v. 18. upon it, pour more and more oyl, until ye have made it aGen. v. 19, 20. Bethel indeed, viz. until ye have made it The house of Psal. 84.1. God, yea no other then Gods amiable house.

Object.Object. Be it that they grudge not at your Reve­nues, yet well may we stumble at your Hierarchy; For in what part of all the Holy Scriptures do we read of Arch-Bishops, Deans, Prebendaries, Arch-Deacons and Sim; set to lord it over Gods inheri­tance?

• 1.
  1. Answ.
  Answ. If any that should rule well, do
  1 Pet. 5.3.
  over-rule, that blame lieth, not upon the Hie­rarchy, but, upon the persons.
• 2.
  2. Answer.
  Answ. As for the Prince in whose favour the Hierarchy of England
  Prov. 19.12.
  findeth life, see­ing he is The Vice-Gerent of the person speaking in my Text; He is (ye know) a Supreme Gover­nour over all persons among us; as well over persons Ecclesiastical, as over persons Civil: If then, His sacred Majesties Royal Favour vouch­safeth to extend it self, as well unto his Clergy, as, unto his Laity: Do not ye (I beseech you) clip the Kings Prerogative; neither let your eyes be evil, because his gratious Majesties are good.
• 3.
  3. Answer.
  Answ. As for the Names or Titles where­with our most Reverend Arch-Bishops, our Reve­rend Deans, Prebendaries, Arch-Deacons and Sim. are dignified, I suppose thou wilt not stum­ble at them, until thou canst first produce out of Scripture, the honourable Titles of Lord chief [Page 39]Justice, Serjeant at Law, Bencher, Barrister, At­tornie, Solicitour, &c.
• 4. Answ.
  (1) Answer.
  As for the Legality of their Con­stitution, there is the same Law of the Land for their Authority, as there is for the excellent Magistracy of this Realm: Now, If thou
  1 James 4 11.
  judgest the Law, thou art not a doer of the Law, but a Judge.

Object. No part of the Laws of our Land, Object. ought to be contrary unto the Laws of our God.

Answ. Answer. If any part of the Laws of our Land opposeth the Word of God, I humbly, I ear­nesty wish it were repealed; for, of right, our Law-givers can 2 Cor. 13.8. do nothing against the truth, but for the Truth: But, as for that part of our En­glish Laws which establisheth Hierarchy, it in no wise opposeth the Holy Scriptures.

Object.Object. It opposeth the Holy Scriptures in constituting an Hierarchy not enjoyned by Gods Words.

Answ. Hierarchy is enjoyned by Gods Word,Answer. as it is an1 Pet. 2.13. Ordinance of man; viz. Our Law­givers are themselves immediatelyProv. 8.15. Rom. 13.1, 2. Revel. 1.5. ordained of God; and, being ordained of God, they have an1 Pet. 2.14. Exod. 18. v. 23. compated with v. 24. Authority and Warrant, from Scripture, to ordain subordinate Powers.

Object.Object. Holy Scriptures give us examples of sub­ordinate powers among Magistrates as Exod. 18.25. and Sim. Magi­strates; but they give unto us no such Examples of subordinate powers among Ministers, as Mini­sters.

Answ. Answer. As holy Scriptures mention subordi­nate [Page 40]powers among the Magistrates under Mo­ses and his Successors; so they do alsoExod. 28.1. Numb 18.2.3.6, 33. mention subordinate powers among the Levites under Aaron and his Successors.

Object.Object. The subordinate power among those Le­vites was by vertue of Gods Ibid. express Com­mand.

Answ. Answer. So wereExod. 18.23. the subordinate powers among those Magistrates.

Object.Object. Although in the old Testament, God ap­pointed a Hierarchy among the Levites; In the new Testament, Christ appointed no such Hierarchy among his Ministers.

• 1.
  1. Answer.
  Answ. Although in the Old Testament God appointed a
  Deut. 17.15. Exod. 18.25. Josh. 1.2. 1 Sam. 10.15. 2 Sam. 7.13.
  Model of Magistracy for his people; yet in the new Testament Christ ap­pointeth no such Model of Magistracy for them that shall believe his Gospel.
• 2. Answ. As the Model of our English Ma­gistracy is acknowledged and proved
  Prov. 8.15. Rom. 13.1, 2. 1 Pet. 2.13, 14. Rev. 1.5.
  law­ful, though there be no Model of any Magistra­cy at all in the New Testament, nor the same Model in the old Testament, as is in this, or in any other Kingdom under Heaven: So, the Model of our English Hierarchy may be proved lawfull, though there be no such Model of Hierarchy in the New Testament, &c.

Object.Object. The Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.16, 17. are a sufficient Rule.

1.1. Answer. Answ. (Blessed be the Father of James 1.17. Lights from whom cometh every good and perfect gift) Knowledge doth cover our Island, Isa. 11.9. as wa­ters [Page 41]cover the sea: Many, very many, exceeding many, and exceedingPro. 4.4, 9.3.13,-18.20.15. precious are those English Treatises which exalt this whole Nation higher then ever Capernaum Mat. 11.23 was exalted: Possibly thou mayest so buy the Pro. 23.23. Truth, that thou mayest (in the end) sell all to purchase Christ, should I commend unto thy sparePro. 17.16. moneys some few of them, such of them as thou thy self wiltnot stumble at: Such as,

While I commend unto thee these or other Books, better then these, wilt thou reply, Such Authors are therefore useless, because the ho­ly Scriptures are able to make thee2 Tim. 3.15. wise unto Salvation? I trow not: Thou wilt rather say, These (or the like works) are therefore beneficial, because theyEccles. 12.11. consent unto the Truth of the holy Scriptures: Just so, must I answer thee. The Word of God giveth gene­ral RulesRom. 13.1, 2. As at first God himself im ne­diately, Exod. 33.14, 15, 16. 1 Sim. c. 8.7.12.12. ruled his people, so at first Christ also himself immediately ruled his peo­ple, but after­ward entrusted their Govern­ment with Kings, and Ru­lers successive­ly, as God, had formerly done. for the well ordering of Gods chosen people; Now, while our Parliamentary Statutes do, in our State Affairs, establish among us at King as Supreme Head in all Causes temporal, and a Magistracy under that King; A King, as Supreme in all Causes spiritual, and a Hierar­chy under that King; These our Paliamentary Statutes do manifestly prove beneficial unto the Churches of God, while they make particular Applications of Gods general Rules.

2.2. Answer. Answ. Suppose beforeJohn 13.13. Mat. 10.1. Luke 10.1. Christ ascend­ed from earth to Heaven, He, his Twelve Apo­stles, and his Seventy Disciples were, in that In­fancy (that new-birth) of the Church, a suffi­cient number of Church Governours: yet, as the Church encreased in the number of Believers after Christs Ascension; might not, after Christ ascended, other Church Governours be introduced consonant and subservient to these?

3.3. Answer. Answ. Certainly, as inDeu. 17.15 Ruth. 1.1. 1 Sam. 12.13. Kingdoms and in Common-wealths, soIsa. 49.23. Rom. 13.6. compared with Mat. 28.20. in Churches, such may be the form of Government; as the Law­giver, for the time being, shall see most ex­pedient [Page 43]for the propagation of the Gospel. Christ hath1 Sam. 2.28 2 Cor. 3.61.6.4 his Ministery, and his Mi­nistry hathMat. 16.19 18.18. The power of the keyes, just as his Magistracy hath theRom. 13.4. power of the sword; but ever, the modelling of this Magistracy, and of this Ministery, belongeth unto theExo. 18.19. Law­giver. Moses, that is, God by Moses, may sin­gle outExo. 28.1. Aaron and his Successors to be high-Priests; the Levites toNum. 18.5 serve at the Altar, toNum. 1.50.3 31. bear the Ark, &c. David may1 Chr. 15.11. -17. appoint Singers, &c. and Salomon 2 Chr. 5.12. may re­quire them to take their Courses in the Temple orderly like an Hoste. In his time, in answer to the heads of the twelve Tribes, Christ hadMat. 10.1 his twelve Apostles. In answer to the seventy Elders, he hadLuk. 10 1 his seventy Disciples: So after his Ascension, for the benefit of the Church, were addedAct. 6.5. Ephes. 4.11. Rom 12.6. 1 Cor. 12.28. Deacons, Evange­lists, Pastors, Teachers and Bishops, and why not other such like, as the benefit of1 Tim. 5.9. Tit. 1.5. John 3.8. 2 Sam. 6.5. 1 Kings 8.64. 1 Chr. 15.12.16.4. 2 Chr. 29.30, 34. Ezra 6.16, 18. Nehem. 8.9.9.4. Christi­an Kingdoms, and Chuches shall require? I conclude then, so far is our Hierarchy from being a rock of offence unto such as receive a love of the truth, that they are undeniably aEphes. 4.7, 11. gift of the holy Ghost, even1 Cor. 12.28. helps in Church-Government; for where these celebrate thy name, It is Psal. 68.25. well seen, O my God, how thou goest, how thou my God and King goest in the Sanctuary

The next Scandal (if any) ariseth from our Function it self; and that, not so much unto others among us,3 as,The Function it self. unto the flourishing Nobility and Gentry of this Kingdom: If these rule well, [Page 44]may God have the Glory, and themselves the praises due; Nevertheless, since they have been, more for ruling like1 Sam. 7.15.12.4. Samuel, then for1 Sam. 2.18.3.20. ministring before the Lord like Samuel; since they have stumbled at holy Orders as somewhat below their quality and birth; with all humble­ness and earnestness I beseech them (and others for them) to recollect how little weight there is in the Stone of Offence: For,

• 1.
  1. Not unwor­thy the highest.
  Suppose not many mighty, not many noble receive the Saving Faith; Saving Faith is no whit the less precious: just so, be it that not many mighty, not many noble minister before the Lord, the Ministery of Reconciliation is no more whit dishonourable.
• 2. Term the Persons in my Text how ye please; look upon them, look upon us under the lowest Notions which ye conceive; Compare us unto Fisher-men, Husbandmen, Merchant-men, Watch-men, Soldiers, Shepherds, Labourers, Messengers, Servants, & sim. these and the like expressions will be not our Reproach, but, your Instruction: For instance, your servants we are, but, your
  See Mede upon 1 Cor. 4.1.
  Servants in the Lord; Messengers we are, but Messengers of Glad
  See B. An­drews Serm. up­on Luk. 2.10, 11.
  Tidings, and that not unto some private Family, but, unto all people. Toil we do, but it is in a Vineyard of Gods
  Psal. 80.8.
  own planting; a Vineyard wherein our Labour is the Labour of
  1 Thes. 1.3.
  Love; and our Joy, is the
  Isa. 9 3.
  Joy in the harvest, yea in the
  Mat. 9.38.
  Lords Harvest. What Flocks we feed, are the sheep of
  Ezek. 34.3 [...].
  Gods Pasture: Likewise the Weapons of [Page 45]our Warfare are not carnal, but
  2 Cor. 10.4.
  spiritual; The Watch which we keep, helpeth to guard
  Heb. 13.17
  your souls; we fight your
  1 Pet 5 8.
  enemy; and the Leader whom we follow, is the Captain of your
  Heb 2.10.
  Salvation: The
  Mal. 3.17.
  Jewels, the
  Eph. 3.8.
  Riches, the
  1 Cor. 9.19.
  Gain of Souls, for which, Mer­chant-like, we trasfique, are more then gold can
  Act 8.20. 1 Pet. 1.23.
  buy: Like industrious Husbandmen, we do indeed set our
  Luk. 9.62.
  hand to the plough; but we thus do, to plow up the
  ser. 4.3. Hos. 10.12.
  fallow ground of your hearts: and, if Christ
  Mat. 4.19.
  maketh us Fishers of men, we fish for men, and catch Saints.
• 3. In the same Notion, although not in the same degree that we are Watchmen, Husbandmen, Shepherds, &c. God himself vouchsafeth to be styled a
  Psa. 121.4.127.1.
  Watchman,
  Joh. 15.1.
  Husbandman,
  Psal. 80.1.
  Shepherd, &c.
• 4. If by this means I may provoke Heroick spirits to chuse their own happiness, I shall com­pare the house of my God, unto his sacred Majesties Court. In a Kings Palace, seldom are confer­red upon one and the same Favourite, the pre­heminences of many Dignities at once; But, in The Court of the house of our God one and the same person is honourably entrusted with many Offices at once, unto one and the same Minister of Christ, be­longeth the Custody of the Rolls, those
  Rom. 3.2.
  anti­ent Records of the living God; the Custody of the
  Mat. 16.19
  Keys, keys not of some Lord Mayors Me­tropolitan City, but of Jerusalem above; the Custody of the Great Seals,
  Rom. 4 11.
  Seals, whose Image and Superscription are
  Mat. 22.21
  not Caesars, but [Page 46] Caesars King and Governours. In this little world are but five Senses, and He is Master of these Cinque-Ports; The Word which he preacheth, moderateth these: Allow your Conscience to be a Court of Equity, and the godly Preacher is become your Chancellor: Such Metaphors I need not borrow; For the Holy Ghost hath made, and declared us to be
  2 Cor. 4.7.
  Treasurers of the Royal Exchequer; Stewards of the
  1 Cor. 4.1. Gal. 6.10. Tit. 17.
  Kings Houshold, &c. We have
  John 20.21.
  Letters of Credence from the Prince of the Kings of the earth, and his Embassadors we are for you, if you so please; His Embassadors we
  2 Cor. 5.20
  are unto the
  Psal. 45.13
  Kings Daughter, his dread Majesties glorious
  Can. 4 9. Hos. 2.19. 2 Cor 11.2.
  Spouse. I appeal now unto all the vertuous Nobility of this most prosperous Kingdom, whe­ther any of these Truths are below their Ho­nour? No more below their honour, then the
  Agnosce, Sacerdos, quanti te Deus secerit. Oleaster in Num. 1.3.
  Courts of our Great God, are inferiour unto the Courts of our most Gracious King; whom the King of Kings long preserve and prosper, a blessing in Himself unto his own Princely soul, a blessing upon his Royal Family, a blessing un­to his three happy Kingdoms, and a blessing unto all the Militant Churches of Jesus Christ!
• 5. Even among the Heathen which knew not the Majesty of God, Priest-hood was
  Rex Anius, Rex id [...]m homi­num, Phoebique Sacerdos. Virg.
  had in very high esteem: Unto Jupiters Priest the Romanes
  Alex. Gen. [...]ier. l. 6 c. 12.
  permitted a stately Robe, a Curule Chair, as well as a Flama or Mitre; yea, the Caesars themselves, were, some of them, as well Pontifices, as Imperatores: Afore the Ro­mans, [Page 47]the Greeks entituled the same person to officiate as Priest, which
  [...]. Aristot. Politic.
  ruled as Mo­narch. Before the Greeks, the Ep [...]ians had their precious
  [...]. Isidor. [...]c­l [...]siotes. l. 2 Ep. 291.
  Crown of Priest-hood; placing their Priests the next
  [...]. Diod. Sicul.
  unto their Princes. For my part, I am easily perswaded, that they did, as in other things, so in this particular, imi­tate Gods chosen people, among whom Aaron was the next unto Moses, then when Moses was King in Jeshurum: Beside, we find Melchizedec a
  Gen. 14.18
  Priest, as well as King; David a
  Act. 2.30.
  Prophet, as well as a King; Salomon a Preacher, as well as
  Eccles. 1.1.
  King. Oh, when will the No­bility of England follow the example of these renowned Princes! May they consider, that Esai­as was therefore the more honourable, because a Prophet. Jehoiada was more famous in being High-Priest, then in his affinity to the Diadem of Judah; nor was Joseph ever greater then when from him was the
  See Juuius on Gen. 49.24.
  Shepherd, the Stone of Is­rael. The person speaking in my Text did not de­ny his kingly office, but in the fulfiling of his Prophetical and Priestly Offices he both lived and died. Of the Persons here spoken to, James and Jude his brother, James and John his brother were
  Cleophas called also Al­pheus was bro­ther of Joseph, the Virgin Ma­ries husband; James and Tude were sons of that Cleophas; and James and John were sons of Salome, the daughter of that Cleophas.
  high born, yet gloryed more in being the Apostles of Jesus, then in being (as indeed they were) of the blood Royal. I have there­fore no small hopes, that the Nobles of England who find it their Esteem to be Ministers of State, will so train up their excellent Children, that they may within few years, be partakers in that [Page 48]
  Isa. 61.6.
  promise, and be deservedly called, The Ministers of our God.

We have looked upon the Persons spoken to in my Text,2. Not injuri­ous unto Lay persons. with both our eyes. We have noted in them, first, (that which we naturally espie in others, and over-see in our selves, viz.) great Failings: next, (that which we as natu­rally covet for our selves, but envy in others, viz.) great Dignities.

And [verily] God himself magnifieth their Office: their Letters credential are endited by the blessed spirit, and sealed, not with wax, but with blood; with blood, not of goats or lambs, but of a man; not of a man only, but ofAct. 10.28. a God. Their Embassie treateth concerning, not War, but Peace; not among petty Provinces, but large Kingdoms; on terms, not dishonourable, but (of all sorts) the most honourable, namely, that of a successful marriage. Authority they have to proclaim a1 Cor. 5.8. Isa. 25 6. Solemn Festival, and to espouse be­lievers unto the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings. Yea, lest the sons of men should not duly esteem the servants of the living God, lest the persons spoken unto in my Text, should otherwise want of a Reception answerable unto the Majesty of him whom they represent, the Lord of Glory vouch­safeth to entitle them, not only his Ministers, but his Embassadours; not only his Embassadours, but his Angels.

Mean while (such is, if not our Inheritance, our lot) from this accreaseth one more stumbling stone, a stone cast between Christians, as Clergy [Page 49]and Laity: The Laity so called for discrimina­tion sake, the Clergy so called for divers rea­sons. One, the Priest-hood, once a part ofGen. 25.31. the birth-right of the first born, wasDeut. 10.8, 9. 1 Sam. 2.28, 29. afterward allotted unto a peculiar Tribe. Another, whereas Moses and Joshua divided the promised land among the other Tribes; God himselfNum. 18.20, 21. Josh. 13.33. Ezek. 44.48. allotted unto the Levites their Inheritance: A third, the firstAct. 1.26. Cleros autem vel Clericos hinc appellatos Docto­res nostri dicunt, quia ut Matthias sorte clectus est; sic & om­nes quos illis temporibus Ec­clesiacum Prin­cipes ordinabant, sorte eligebant. Isidor. de Offi­ciis Eccles. l. 2 c. 1. Successors of these Apostles here spoken unto, were all of them chosen by casting of lots. A fourth, because God who still provideth for them, God who taketh pleasure in the prosperity of his servants, is still their⁽⁵⁾ inheritance and lot. From some, or all of these reasons it is, that the⁽⁶⁾ Ministers of Christ have from⁽⁷⁾ Primitive times been stiled the Clergy; nor is this practice more ancient then iu­nocent: For,

• 1. The same God which separated the
  Deut. 10.8.
  Levites, separateth his Apostles to
  Acts 13.2. Rom. 1.1. Gal. 1.15.
  minister unto him.
• 2. While Christ chuseth to himself a
  1 Cor. [...].1.
  Ministery, he
  1 Cor. 12.4, 28. Ephes. 4.11, 12.
  giveth it as a Help and Be­nefit to his Church.
• 3. The Holiness of our Profession we deny not, but we claim unto our persons no other ho­liness or heaven, then what the God of Grace in­differently [Page 50]vouchsafeth as well unto you as unto us; in the same sense, that there is neither bond nor free, neither Male nor Female; there is nei­ther Clergy nor Laity; for we are all one in Christ Jesus: If while ye give diligence to walk worthy the Lord in your Callings, we in our Callings ne­glect so to do; as St. Augustine (admiring An­tonius) told
  Surgunt in­docti, & coelum rapiunt, & nos cum doctrinis nostris sine cor­de, ecce ubi vo­lutamur in car­ne & sanguine.
  Alipius, We Clergy-men may perish in Hell, while ye no Clergy-men become Kings and Priests unto God in Heaven.
• 4. There is one God, one Saviour, one Maker and Father of us all, who is above us all, among us all, and in us all: As well Laity as Clergy, we have (all of us) one Lord, one Faith, one Bap­tism, yea and one

  Simul hoc sumimus, simul bibimus, quia si­mul vivimus. S. August. de Con. dist. 22. Quia passus.

  Tam Ministri qnam reliqui credentes. Paschasius.

  Munus oblatum totius populi sit, quia in uno pane omnes significantur. St. Ambros. in 1 Cor. 11.

  Lords Supper too.
• 5 Lastly, As we are bone of your bone, and flesh of your flesh, so we are one
  Ephes 4.4. 1 Cor. 12.13.
  spirit: We have a spiritual Communion, Clergy with Lai­ty, Laity with Clergy, both together making up that one Mystical body, whereof Christ is the head: so are we members one of another, that this discrimination of Clergy and Laity, like that (in our English Diadem) of the white and red Rose, causeth not difference but Ʋnion: I say, it doth but mind us of the Ʋnity of the Spirit, speaking not only our Peace, but our Happiness; While, what diversity, we have, like that of the corner [Page 51]stones in the Temple, is therefore such, that it may the more strengthen the spiritual Building of God.

Wherefore we (of the Clergy) beseech you (of the Laity) that there be no strife between you and us, for we are brethren. Our Lord and Ma­ster is not ashamed to call you brethren, much less we his servants; yea, we your servants for his sake. We repute you not Ethnick or Heathen, but The Laity, the people of God; Examples we would be, Strangers we would not be unto Be­lievers. And ye, brethren, as without holiness, ye cannot see God; so without Peace, ye cannot cherish Holiness: a body so fitly joyned together as thisEph. 4.16. Col. 2.19. body of Christ is, then best edifieth it self, when it most encreaseth in love. When in sincerity we pray, that God would save you his people; and ye petition, That God would bless us [...]. His inheritance. When ye pray for us, That we may be indued with Righteousness; and we for you, That ye may be spiritually joyful; this is mutually a pledge to us all, that God would give unto us clean hearts, and will not with-hold his spirit from us.

Beloved, It is our joy, that while we are a chosen Ministery, ye are a chosen Generation; Our joy, that while we are a royal Priest-hood, ye are a peculiar people. On the other side, unto so many of you as acknowledge a God of1 Cor. 14.33. Order, unto so many of you as seek1 Cor. 40. Decency, andCol. 2.5. Stedfastness, the received distinction of Clergy and Lay-men will become [Page 52]not a Rock of Offence, but a1 Cor. 11.16. Jer. 18.15. compared with Jer. 6.16. Monument of Antiquity: Which Monument is such a founda­tion of Order and of Peace, that I hope, we shallIsa. 54.11. lay this foundation with Saphires. If the word Clergy, or the word Laity have, through the Corruption abroad, been made offences, bles­sed be God, such is our Reformation at home, that we shall lay these stones (formerly offences) n Ibid. fair colours, whiles the discrimination it self, like the stone 1 Sa. 20.19 Ezel sheweth us the way, viz. The Good old Way of Truth and of Peace.

Men, Fathers and Brethren, as it isIsa. 30.20. your blessing, that your eyes may see (us) your Teachers, as it is your blessingPhil. 4.17. 2 Cor. 9.8. that ye have a double honour for us; so is it our burden, ourPhil. 2.16. Luke 9.62. 1 Cor. 9.16, 17. hu­miliation, that we are the Clergy. Our true, our spiritual happiness consisteth in being such as every one of you ought to be, viz. sound be­lievers, and zealous Followers of Christ Jesus our Lord. Consider the persons spoken unto in my Text, that they were chosen Disciples, called to be Apostles and Ministers, we have already understood; but withal, we may observe, that they had more troubles then the other Disciples had. We may further note, that although a chief part of their troubles arose from their of­fice and Ministery, yet a chief part of their Re­lief and Comfort arose unto them, not from their being peculiar Apostles, Disciples and Mi­nisters of Christ, but from their being such as you (we trust) are, viz. followers of God in [Page 53] Christ Jesus our Lord. When our blessed Savi­our comforteth them, Let not your heart be trou­bled, he doth not add, Ye have the credit of being chosen Ministers, ye have the honour of being great Apostles, but ye believe in God; He doth not bid them, remember their preheminencies, but, be­lieve in me; neither doth he tell them, In the Ministry of the Gospel is no small honour, but, In my Fathers house are many Mansions. Now, Faith in God, Faith in Christ, the Mansions in hea­ven, are not peculiar unto Gospel-Ministers, as Mi­nisters, This one name Christian bindeth us a to­gether, leadeth us all hand in hand toward Heaven. G. H. Serin. on Numb. 17.18. but common to Gospel-Profsessors, as Believers.

Having therefore so fully considered the per­sons here spoken unto, as they were called unto the Ministery of the Gospel; I shall, in the next place, review them under that Notion which much more concerneth their Everlasting peace. I shall consider them as called unto the Faith of the Gospel. And this ye may justy expect from my hands: For, we were only in the Con­text when we found the persons here spoken unto chosen Ministers; we find them professed Be­lievers in the Text it self. So many of you as believe in God, so many of you as believe in Christ, let not your heart be troubled; In my Fathers house are many Mansions, as well for you his Elect, as for his Apostles themselves.

PArtly because our Saviour had with so much ease conveighed himself from the Jews, 2 Universal, unto the Professors of the Gospel. Joh. 5.16.7.30.8.20.11.8.10.31, 39.19.11. whensoever the Jews most malitiously attem­pted to kill him: and partly because, when at last our Saviour did (notMat. 26.53, 54. escape, but) suffer death, the Traitors heart was so manifestlyMat. 27.3.5. overcome with sorrow, someJansea. Concord. Evan. cap. 140. [pitifully] conjecture, that had it once entered into his thoughts, that Jesus might not have delivered himself as wellJoh. 18.6, 12. at this, as at formerJoh. 10.31, 39. times, Judas would not for anyMat. 26.15 moneys have betraied his Master: Thus some fancy; But,

First, (since Iscariots hand was in)John 12.6. what moneys he lost in the Spiknard, he wasMat. 26. V. 8. compared with v. 14. re­solved he would gain by his Treason. Secondly, What good affection aJohn 12.6. Thief had for an ho­nest Master, I know not. Thirdly, The Trai­tor could notMat. 16.21. be ignorant, that the same Jews which bought his Master, would with wicked hands crucifie him. Fourthly, as his covetous heart could not brook to see any cost go beside his bag; so neither could his Hypocritical heart brook it, that he wasJohn 6.70.13.26. Mat. 26.23, 24, 25. layed so open before his Fellow-Disciples. Fifthly, Of this I am sure, thePsal. 41.5, - 9.109.4, 5, 16. Scriptures concerning him, could not but be fulfilled. Sixthly, This ye will [Page 55]all say,1 Cor. 16.22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus, let him be accursed. Judas he loved not the Lord Jesus, he wasJoh. 15.25 his adversary without a cause; HePsal. 41.9.109.5. rewarded him. evil for good; he lifted up his heels against hisJoh. 13.18. Head, he was a veryJoh. 6.70. Devil unto him: Therefore Judas was not ignorant, but malicious; not upright, but a Thief; not sincere, but a Hypocrite; not a Con­vert, but a Caitiffe; he loved not the Lord Je­sus, and was therefore a Joh. 17.12. son of Perdi­tion.

Now, in as much as Judas is found to be a son of perdition, he is utterly excluded from the comforts of this Text: When Christ saith, Let not your heart be troubled, he speaketh not to Ju­das whoJoh. 13.30. left him, but unto the Disciples who abode with him: Here is therefore matter to be applied unto all of you, and unto none of you. First, Unto none of you, viz. Unto none of you in my Text; unto you that are none of Christs. Next, Ʋnto all of you, viz. Unto all of you in my Text; unto all of you who are true Disciples of Christ, unto all of you Disciples who faithfully continue sincere Followers of Christ.

To proceede, then:1 The person here speaking in my Text, is one who is a Teacher sent from God; To Unbelie­vers: whom it one who rightly divideth the Word of Truth; one who distributeth unto each his due portion; one who separateth between the goats and the sheep; between the chaff and the wheat; between the vile and the precious; as he will not break the bruised Reed, will not quench the smoaking flax, so neither will [Page 56]he speak peace unto the wicked. Mention a Hypo­crite, and he shall have Mat. 24.51 weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. Find out a Generation of Vipers, and they shall Mat. 23.32. fill up the measure of their Fa­thers guilt. In my Text here Your is exclusivè; ye who abide constant Followers, let not your heart be troubled: But as for Judas whoJoh, 13.30. is de­parted from me, well were itMat. 26.24. for him, had he never been born; let him doJoh. 13.37.30. what he listeth, let him goJoh. 13.30. where he will, let his heart be Mat. 27 3. troubled; let his heart be troubled, till he Mat. 27 5. On which see Hammond, and on Act. 1.18. burst again.

Thus the same Gospel which publisheth glad Ti­dings unto you, who continue Christs unfeigned Disciples, the same writteth bitter things against you that forsake your own Mercy. Methinketh the Genius of this present Text is much like un­to that good Angel specifiedMat. 28.2. by S. Matthew; such as seek for Iesus, them itMat. 28.5. gratifieth, them it filleth with holyMat. 28.8. fear, them it filleth with great Mat. 28.8. joy. But as for the enemies of Christ, them itMat. 28.4. shaketh; of them it maketh Mat. 28.4. so many dead men: at theMat. 27.60. door of their heart, it findeth a great Mat. 27.60. stone; a great stoneMat. 27.66. sealed, a great sealed stoneIbid. watched and warded.

First:1 Shaketh: This Scripture shaketh Unbelieuers from their vain Delusions, 1 Subterfuges and Shifts. Thou who Iudas-like,From their Shifts. gaddest so much about to change thy way from bad to worse, if worse may be; Methinketh, I know thy thoughts which come into thy mind, every one of them; but shall [Page 57] Jer. 16.20. a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods? or wilt thonJer. 51.26, 25, 24. hew unto thy self a stone for a corner, or a stone for a foundation, out of a burnt, a destroying, a Babylonish mountain? Now that thou art, within thine own view, numbred among the enemies of Christ, thou wouldest (but they are but vain thoughts) thou wouldest, as oneJer. 17.9. desperately wicked, sear thy conscience with a hot Iron; thou wouldest give thy self over unto thine own hearts lust; one (nay, peradventure, each) of these three evils thou wilt flee unto (who shall be sorry for thee?) thou wilt with the Adder, stop thine ear against God; or, (if thou give him the hearing) thou wilt, with the serpent, open thy mouth against God; or, (if thon bite in thy lips) thou wilt, with Lucifer, exalt thy heart against God.

Lest they should tingle at the hearing of all those evils which menace thine unregenerate estate,1. Subterfuge shaken. thou foolishly stopest thine ears like the Adder, (a vermine) already, like thy self, sentencedGen. 3.14. to the dust, and laden with curses: I say, lest thou shouldest see thine own loathsomness, thou turnest away thine eyes; thou dostAndabata­rum more. Job. 15.12. Mat. 13.15. wink, and fight against God; wicked thou hast been; and to drown the clamour of thy conscience, wicked wilt thou be, even forcing thy self uponJer. 8.6. thine unwarrantable practi­ces, as the horse, turning his course, rusheth in­to battle: but shalt thou Psal. 56.7. escape by thine iniquity? No no, (rash soul) this is nothing [Page 58]else, but to leap from the checks of a frying conscience into the flames of everlasting burn­ings, as the guilty soul of Judas did: forlorn wretch, Who Job 9.4. hath hardened his heart against God, and hath prospered? Thereafter as a man feareth, so is Psal. 90.11 Gods displeasure; a heart thatIsa. 66.5. trembleth, moveth pity, and the heart of Ezek. 11.19 flesh mayPsal. 51.17 receive a healing wound; but where the heart continueth stony, there Christ, thatDan. 2.34. mountanous stone, falleth with his full weight, heMat. 21.44. grindeth such a heart to mere pouder: if thou set briers and thorns inIsa. 27.4. against him, he will be unto thee a consuming fire. I hope thou wilt take watning by Judas; heMat. 26.24. John 6.70.13.21, 27. neglected many a fair hint which Christ gave him: Oh, imitate not the stupidity of him, the deafness of him, whoseProv. 28.9. end thou darest not think of; do not1 Cor. 10.22. provoke the Lord to anger, as he did. If a servant, if a slave spake unto thee, thou wouldest vouchsafe an ear even unto him; and darest thouJer. 5.22. stop thine ear, darest thouJer. 32.33. turn thy back when the God of hea­ven calleth? Be not another Judas; give ear and hearken unto Christs words,Mat. 4.17 for the mouth of this Lord hathProv. 1.24, &c. 2. Subterfuge shaken. spoken.

2. A meerMarcus Au­relius. heathen could pronounce it equal and just, That, who so is willingly led into sin, should be against his will drawn unto punishment: and Truth 2 King. 7.9. revealeth, That, every sin is a vengeance unto it self; while one and the same word, therefore signifieth the evil of punishment, [Page 59]because itGen. 4.7.19.15. 2 Sam. 12.13. Isa. 6.7. [...] signifieth the evil of sin; and fitly; for as the disunion of theJames 2 26 soul from the body, is the death of the body; so the dis­union of good from the soul, is theGen. 2.17. death of the soul; wherefore impossible it is, that a reasonable Creature shouldPro 8.36.14.14. Gen. 20.3. Deut. 30 15. Numb. 32.23. chuse sin, and refuse death: yet thou, whoJoh. 8.24 1 Cor. 2.14. continuest a very natural, fain thou wouldest lay the blame of thy unbelief, not upon thine own unregenerate heart, but upon the permission of the holy God, even of that God who not onlyJosh. 24.15 leaveth thee unto thy free choice, but doth also by way of Prov. 8.1. &c. prevention Joh. 15.5. instruct, nay,Neh 9.13 Psal. 119.86. Hos. 8.12. Act. 17.30. 1 Tim: 2.4. faithfully command thee for thy good. Thou, such is thine ignorance, standest upon terms! Who may say unto a King, what dost thou? yea no servant is allowed toTit. 2.9. gain­say his Master; yet hast thou the face toRom. 9.20. reply against thy Lord the King, thy King and thy God! whereas, it is thyDeut. 4.6. wisdom not to con­test, but to obey; thou, instead of fulfilling his good pleasure, murmurest and disputest: why (sayst thou) why Rom. 9.19. doth he yet complain? Un­advised wreth! for shame, leave the great GodDeut. 29.29. unto the counsel of his own will: However, know (Caitiffe) thou canst not ask, Who hath resisted his Will? for thou hast, Rom. 3.23. The Will of God was,Gen. 2.17. that thou should­est not destroy thy self by trying conclusions with the forbidden fruit; but, even Gens hu­mana ruit per vetitum nifas. Rom 7.9. Psalm 58.3. Deut. 29.4. unto this day, taste of it thou wilt: God, for his part,Ezek. 33.11. desireth not thy death, but thou (wo, wo [Page 60]unto thee, saith the Lord God) thou hastIsa: 63: 3, 4 chosen death rather then life! He (earnesty endeavouring thy preservation) vehemently calleth out, Why Ezek: 18: 31 wilt thou die? for thy part, answerRom: 13: 9 thou him, if thou canst; Judas was indeed a son of perdition, but hisHos: 13: 9 3 Subterfuge shaken. perdi­tion was from himself.

3. Now that the worm gnawing thine evil conscience, hath smitten this gourd also, guilt seemeth to turn bank-rupt, and so whispereth unto thee, as if thy sinfulness were now so be­yond all pardon, that it were now to no pur­pose to serve the Lord: Well, I will not ex­tenuate thy guilt; for what Joh 27: 8 is the bope of the Hypocrite? and what is tby strength that thou Joh 6: 11 9: 2, 3 shouldest hope? yet, say not thy sins are more then God can pardon; but (speak truth) say, thy sins are more then thou wilt part with. When IsraelJer: 2: 25 exclamed, There is no hope, God drew aside his Vizard, and called unto him, With-hold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: just so, thou, if thou un­mask thy seeming despair, mayst find that thou art now, more theu ever, exalting thy heart against the great God; having wearied thy self in the greatness of thy ways, thou would­est now lye down in thy shame: I therefore be­seech thee (who so ever thou art that lyest un­der this Temptation) see what an idle shift this of thine is: It is meerly a device to convert guilt into sloath; to add drunkenness unto thirst; to despise the long-suffering and goodness of a [Page 61]patient God; to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath I to blow the coals of Juniper, and to heap those coals upon thyPsal: 68: 21 wounded head! He that is wicked, let him, Rev: 22: 11 if he dareth, be wicked still, saith God; it should seem thou darest! but, ere ever thou leap into the bot­tomless pit, look a little; for, if Judas could not undergo the scrutiny of his own conscience, how canst thouPsal: 1.5 stand in judgement? if he were such a Coward that he could not find in his heart to break off sin by righteousness, how canst thou away with unquenchable flames? I tell thee, thatMat: 25: 26 servant had never been so wicked, had he not been so sloathful: Whether is easier, to pluck out thy right eye, to cut off thy right hand, and to exercise a godly sorrow for the present, or to endure weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth for ever? in one word, had Judas had the grace to have industriously followed S. Peters example in Repentance, he had not died in his sins, he had never been a Traitor unto himself, nor unto his Lord, the blessed Redemer of lost mankind.

2. This Scripture shaketh unbelievers for being so guilty. Ye that are none of you in my Text, 2 For being so guilty. ye who have hitherto despised grace, ye who have professed your selves to have been Chri­stians, who have thought your selves to have been Disciples, but have refused (unto this very day!) to follow Christ; the whole Genius of this Text doth shake you inside out; it shaketh you over and over.

1.1 In troubling their heart. Notwithstanding so many perplexities were hard at hand, might not these Disciples hearts be troubled? Then, woe Isa: 3: 11 to the wicked, it shall be ill with him: the wicked are like aIsa: 57: 20 troubled sea, choaked with their own mud: So long as Ahab sorsook Gods Com­mandments, not Elijah, 1 Kin: 18: 18 but he troubled Israel: When Achan stole the wedge of gold, it wasJosh: 7: 25 his own fault that he was troubled; he himselfPro: 15: 27 troubled his own soul: nor can there be found an excuse for thee, Oh thou vain man, who sufferest the death of sin to be ever gnawing upon thee; thy heart of unbelief pluck­eth upon it self the worst of troubles; that ofGen: 4: 7 1 Sam: 25: 31 sin and guilt. While thou dost trouble thy self with every thing, except withLuk: 10: 42 Phil: 2: 12. what thou shouldest, thou dost take a course to bear thine iniquities.

2. This Scripture may make thee exceed­ingly shake and tremble, 2 In not be­lieving God. for being so unworthy in thy dealing with the Majesty of God: thou canst lean to thine own understanding, but not unto Gods wisdom; thou canst give credit unto the father of lyes, yet refusest to believe thy God which cannot Tit: 1: 2 lye; thou hastDeut: 32: 20 no faith for the God of Truth; he made thee, he preserveth thee, he provideth in a plentiful man­ner for thee; he alone maintaineth thee, yet thou wilt not dread hisPro, 1: 29: Mic: 6: 9 Threats, thou wilt not believe Psal: 119: 66 Isa: 56: 4: 65: 12 his command, thou wilt not2 Cor: 7: 1 3 In nor belie­ving in Christ. trust to his promises.

3. The Instruction in my Text reproveth thee [Page 63]as for not believing in God, so for not believing in Christ: This is the work of God, That ye Joh 6: 29 believe in him whom God hath sent; but thou art for no such work; thou valuest not his blood and wounds; he suffered death upon the Cross pur­posely for thee: thou wilt not be at the pains to look Isa: 45: 22 Zech: 12.10 up to him: Hear him, saithMat: 17: 5 God; Hear him not, saist thou: It isMat: 24: 35 decreed, That his words shall not pass away; for thy share, for ought that thou carest, they may all fall to the ground: He isJohn 14: 6 neither way, nor truth, nor life to thee; He is to thee1 Cor: 1: 30 neither Wisdom, nor Righteousness, nor Sanctifica­tion.

4. The good Angel in my Text strippeth thee quite naked, leaveth thee without shelter, 4 In not heed­ing the Mansi­ons. justly suffereth thee to shake again, for not so much as once minding the house built with­out hands: Needs must theLuk: 14: 18 Farmer go to see the piece of ground which he had bought: The Inheritance which is given unto thee, thou hast no Contemplation for! When one upbraid­edDiog. Laer. de vita Philos. lib. 2. Anaxagoras for studying Philosophy so much, that he neglected his Country, A­naxagoras (pointing his finger up toward hea­ven) replied, Nay the chief thing which I regard, is my Country; thou, who too much mindest earthly things, that finger pointeth to thee; he thought himselfIbid. Psalm 8.3 born to behold the Moon, the Sun, and the Heavens; but thou (foolish Wretch) art for no such Philosophy; thou artJer: 2.12 encompassed about with the hea­vens, [Page 64]yet keepest at a distance from them! Un­grateful and heedless Wreth! the God of thy Being hath been at the expence of building for thy pleasure Princely Palaces, heavenly Man­sions, but thou art more for a nastie Dun­geon.

5.5 In all four neglects toge­ther. Bind these several twigs into one Rod; ye that are none of them in my Text, where is your understanding? How is it, that ye can forsake these Mansions; yea, and God, and Jesus Christ also, forEccle: 1.14 mere vanity and vexa­tion of spirit? Is this reasonable, to exchangeGal: 6: 16 Peace for trouble, true Luk: 16: 11 riches for thatProv: 23: 5 which is not? To doat upon earth, Col: 3: 1 and for­get heaven? Ah, how unthankful is that soul which would part with the Mansions of hea­ven to purchase utter darkness? Again, where are your brains,Isa: 5 [...]: 13 57: 11. 54: 16, 17 Deut: 32.18 Jer: 5: 22: 2: 8 while ye trust the world more then God who made it? while ye exchange an Al-sufficient God for a Creature which cannot profit? Once more, is this common sense to re­ject a mighty Isa: 63: 10 1.2. Redeemer, and to entertain that1 Pet: 5.8: roaring Lion, which at this very instant gap­eth to devour you? ye trust the devil more then ye trust Jesus Christ who died for you.

Thou, who forsakest thine own mercy, review my Text: Doth Christ, doth Jesus Christ use such bowels of affections? such affectionate reasonings? such impulsive insinuations? and all little enough to remove trouble from his most beloved Disciples heart? Tremble thou, then, at these two Questions.

1 Quest.1 Quest. If troubles were ready to swallow up these chosen disciples of Christ, can thy Jer. 12.7.25.29.49.12. heart (thinkest thou?) escape untouched? If the1 Pet 4.18. righteous be scarcely preserved, can the ungodly be safe? There is no peace unto the Esa. 57.21. wic­ked, saith my God.

2. Quest, What wilt thou do in the evil day, 2 Quest. when troubles shall lyeIob. 14.17.21.6.13.26. heavy upon thee? When the unbelief and negligence of thy heart hath,Num. 32.23. at length, found thee out? When sin, guilt, death,Ps. 55.5.49.14. judgement, hell, and the De­vil of hell look thee in thy pale face? when amid the horrour of thy ruefull estate thou hast no God to help thee, no Jesus to save thee, no mansi­ons to hide thee? If at these two questions thy heartEsa. 66.2. Act. 24.25. trembleth not, thou art no Felix.

2.2 This Scripture evidently proveth that every unbeleever is a dead man.Maketh a dead man.

Thou who didst never yet heartily follow Christ Jesus, if the two last questions shake thee not, thou art none of Christs; if thou art none of Christs, thou hast a heart of unbelief; if thou hast a heart of unbelief, thou art thenLuk. 9.60. John 11.25. a dead man; dead1 Tim. 5.6. while thou livest: deadCol. 2.13. in thy sins; which cannotRom. 6.23. want for wages; dead inEph. 2.1. trespasses, which ever sheath a sword of justiceJob. 19 29. in the trespassers bowells; twice Jude 12. dead, in1 Thess 5.23. soul and in spirit, temporally, and everlastingly, in a natural unbelief, and in a judicial hardnesse too (for ought that thou knowest) if thouEsa. 66.4. Hos. 4.17. Mat. 13.15.25.29. Ro. 9.8. Rev. 22.11. goe on as thou hast be­gun.

3.3 As this Scripture findeth thee a dead man, so it findeth a stone rolled upon thy heart; Findeth a stone rolled upon his heart. I say, rolled upon thy heart; for, when God first cre­ated man, his fountain of natural life wasEccles. 7.29. free, and open unto all saving graces, un­to all acceptable duties wherewith he abound­ed: but, now that he is dead, and full of dead workes, it is a signe that he hath aEzek. 11.19 stonie heart, a heart like thatJob. 41.24 of the Leviathans, as past feeling as the nether milstone, a heart hard asZech. 7.12 the adamant. Look how sensless a dead body is unto things natural, [hitherto] just so1 Cor. 2.14 sensless hast thou been unto things spiritual; thy heartMat. 13.13 Jer. 2.31. seeth God in his works no more then doth any Grave-stone; thy heartMat. 6.10 Joh. 8.43 Esay. 43.18. Zech. 7.12 hea­reth God in his Word no more then do the stones under thy feet; thy heart tasteth Psal. 34.8 104.34 119.10 Matt. 16.3 Luk. 12.56 Rom. 2.4. Rev. 2.21 God, savoureth God in his providences no more then doth any stone; thy heart feeleth the burden ofEph. 4.19 Job. 15.16 unpardoned sin no more then doth any stone; thus thou makest thine ownJoh. 3.18 1 Tim. 5.6. heart, thine own Tomb-stone; thou doest bury thy self alive; and art therefore (worse then naturally) spi­ritually dead, stone-dead: this is a lamentation, and it shall be for a lamentation; thou hast not only cut off thy life in a dungeon, but, [being in this unclean dungeon, in this pit of destruction, Lam. 3.53 thou hast cast, thou hast plucked a stone upon thy self.

4.4 This Scripture findeth this unweildy stone not only not rolled away from thy dead heart,Findeth this stone sealed at the corners. but there fixed; thou hast set to thy seal that [Page 67]thou wouldest have it so; the several cor­ners of thy corrupt heart are all of them sealed by thine own mis-doings.

1.1. Corner. Thou hast set to thy seal unto thine own natural insufficiencie: thou art so soaked, so dead-drunk in thy sinfulnesse, that, thou art not able to arise, and walk uprightly, ifRom. 7.18 thou wouldest: even these Disciples in my Text which abode still with Jesus, could not of themselves lay aside the troubles of their heart; Christ (ye see) was fain to help them; again, of themselves they had never believed in God; this wasJam. 1.17 Phil. 1.29 given unto them from above: in like manner, withoutJohn. 15.5 help from Christ they could not believe in Christ. As for the way unto Gods heavenly mansions, they could not know that neither, untillJohn. 14.8 Christ Jesus would first reveal it unto them.

2. As thou canst not stirr if thou wouldest, 2. Corner. so (the more is thy guilt) thou wouldest not stirr if thou couldest; thou canst not 2 Cor. 3.5 think of it; thou wilt not 1 Cor. 2.14 hear with that ear; thyRom. 8.7 carnal mind holdeth an enmitie against God, thou wilt never be willing if Phil. 2.13 God work not a will in thee: What draw neer unto the pure God? unto the sincere Christ? inhabite that house wherein the holy Father, the holy Jesus, the holy Spirit dwell? no minde, no maw to that (thou!) as for thee, thy delight is in loosness, and in2 Cor. 6.15, 16 prophaneness; as for God, his delight is in puritie, and in holiness; small lust hast thou to acquaint thy self with this God, or with this [Page 68]Christ in my Text: thou hast lived hitherto aEph. 4.18 Pro. 17.16 stranger unto all holinesse, and naturally (to this very hour) thou alienatest thy self from the most Holy; thou knowest neither holy Fa­ther, nor holy Son, nor holy Ghost, that thou shoul­dest desire them; let them divide their mansions among themselves for any thing that thou ca­rest: thats a second corner sealed.

3.3. Corner. A third seal sixing this stone upon thy dead heart, is this; namely, Hadst thou from within thy self a sufficiency, hadst thou from within thy self a good will too; neverthelesse, the evil which thou hast drawen upon thy self, createth thine own hinderance: thou hast contracted guilt, and this guilt hathPsal. 58.3 made it natural to thee to be a child of Eph. 2.3 wrath: a stone Pro. 27.3 is heavy and sinketh downward, and just such is thy conscious heart; guilt findeth thee within aHos. 13.9 pit of destruction, within a deep pit of self-destruction, and there it keepeth thee: God is 1 John 3.20 greater then thy heart, and knoweth all things; mean while thine own conscience condemneth thee over and over, and (loe!) the guilt of thine own conscience keepeth thee aloof from Gods presence: thou art rightly Adams brat; if God call thee, thou Gen. 3.8, 10 hidest thy self. Thy heart re­proveth thee for not believing theDeut. 7.9 faithfull God; thy heart reproveth thee for not receiving the Lords Christ; thy heart reproveth thee for not preferring the mansions of Heaven before the torments of Hell; and knowing so ill by thy self, thou playest least in sight; thou hast for­feited [Page 69]thine own peace, by troubling thine own soul, yet seekest not for peace in Christ! Yea, thou hast so dis-countenanced the Ministerie of reconciliation, so despised the Spirit, so negle­cted thy Redeemer, and so defaced the Fathers image, that though (such is their goodnesse) the Trinitie of Persons would shew thee com­passion, thou hast not confidence to look them in the face. Thou hast repeated contumelies, and obstinacies against Heaven, and mayest justly wonder that thou art not already in Hell. True heavenly mansions there are, but, thou fanciest them too neer the Lodgings of a provoked Governour: (couldest thou hope for mercie,) alas, thy titleNon est cen­sendus haeres qui non festinat ad haereditatem. seemeth lost, thorough want of timely claim; grant thy claim to continue valid, thou canst not knock at heaven gates for pure shame; they indeed are open, but thy tardie heart blusheth to look toward them: this the third: see, now, the tri-angle in thy heart opposeth it self against the Trinitie in thy God: I mean, there is never a corner in thy stonie heart, whereon thou hast not sealed thine own doom, in despight of God, and of his free grace!

5.5 Hadst thou a power, hadst thou a will, Findeth this sealed stone. watched. hadst thou a face too to overtake God in Christ at the heavenly mansions, there yet remaineth one hinderance, which rendereth this stone of unbelief more unlikely to be rolled away from thy heart, then did all the three former cir­cumstances together. Several of the inhabi­tants [Page 70]could notGenes. 29 8 remove that stone which lay upon the mouth of the Well at Haran; yet Jacob (then strong in affections) could by himselfGenes. 29 10. alone roll it away: Vehement love may doe much; neverthelesse, I must assure the unbeliever, that were his Zeal (although so it is not, but) were his Zeal as fervent towards Gods heavenly Mansions as ever Jacobs was toward Labans house, yet still his condition is farr short of Jacobs; when Jacob heaved at that weight, he found no opposers; but the Un­believer, when he once striveth to remove the stone from off his heart, he shall meet with as many Oppugners asGen. 26. Isaac and his servants found.

Thou who art dead and buried in trespasses, and sin, as verily as thou cherishest a heart of unbelief, so verily upon every sealed corner of that stonie heart of thine there is set a strict, a constant watch: look, how often thou attemp­test to undeceive thine heart, to shake off thine unbelief, and to walk in newnesse of living; so often (though thou seest them no more then Elishaes servant2 King. 6.16, 17 saw his friends) so of­ten thou meetest enemies, more then one, or two. That thou didstGen. 3.7 rashly cast thy self into thatGen. 3.5 pit which thine adversaries digged for thee, wasEccle. 7.29 thine own foolish­nesse; that, being fallen into this open se­pulchre thou, like theJob. 38.30 lost waters under the earth, or like the carkasses in their graves, art hid with a stone, is from thy self too; that, being [Page 71] Rom. 23.32 shut up under unbelief, thou hast affixed thine assent, is also thine own wilfulnesse; but, now that all these evils are thus by thy self brought upon thy self, the World, the Flesh, the Devil, theyMat. 27.66 set a strict watch, and keep a strong guard upon thy stone-dead heart.

Men, Fathers, and Brethren, ye have a little seen what a wretch he is, who is none of you in my Text: by continuing in sin he would Mat. 28.12 conceal that ever Jesus Christ Col. 2: 12 a­rose from the dead: and, by adhering unto vanitie, he would divulge that Mat. 28 13 Christ is Tit. 1.16 Phil. 3.18 stollen from him; but, by this shift, what good plotteth he for himself? Alas (whether he will or no) he is shaken, he becommeth a dead man; a stone of unbelief lieth upon the Mark 15 46 door of his heart, and that stone isMat. 27.66 set­led, fixed, and sealed with insufficiencie, aversnesse, despaire; he wanteth a power, he wanteth a will, and saith within himself, There is no hope.

We read of stones of Job. 28.3. darknesse, of stones of Ezek. 28 14 fire, and ofEsa. 34.11 stones of emptinesse: and we find them all three in the heart of un­belief. Wretch! the world circumventeth thee, the world permitteth thee not to mind that one Luke 10.42 only thing which is necessary; the world hurleth stones of emptiness at thy head; the flesh, that1 Pet. 2.11 warreth against thy soul, that slingeth stones of fire against thee; the Devil he fooleth thee with delaies, he lulleth thee [Page 72]to sleep on stones of darkness; thou walkest in thy sleep; thou walkest in Joh. 12.35 darknesse and knowest not whither thou goest: (Poor creature) thy heart is never free from the worst of trou­bles; and those troubles (alas) are but fore­runners of wrath to come, in as much as thou Jer. 5.3 hast refused correction! Thou hast no God to trust in, a God toLev. 26.14 &c. punish thee thou hast; thou hast no Jesus to flee unto; a Judge toEsa. [...].24 a­venge himself upon thee, thou hast; the man­sions above areMatt. 25 10 shut agoinst thee, but the gates of hellPsal. 9.17 Esa. 5.14. groan for thee; thou hast likePsal. 22.16 Shebnah digged thine own grave, even destruction, eternal destruction to thy self; thy soul is among Lions, on whose Den aDan. 6.17 stone is rolled and sealed; thou hast of thine own accord gone Esa. 14.19 down to the stones of the pit, as a carcase trodden under foot by Satan: Hast thou notJer. 2.17. procured this unto thy self, in that, Judas John 13 30 like, thou hast for­saken the Lord thy God? KnowJer. 2.23. what thou hast done; for thine own Jer. 2.19 wickednesses shall correct thee: this is thy lot, the portion of thy measuresJer. 13.25 from the Lord, be­cause thou hast unthankfully forgotten him, and hast, like another Judas, trusted in fals­hood.

Peradventure the Lord hath,2 now at length, given thee a heart to dread him,Gratifieth and smite thee; 1 Peradventure,With holy fear. thy slumbering conscience is (thorough mercie) a little awakened; hath, at length, a little feeling; dreameth, now at [Page 73]last, what an evil thou cherishest by maintain­ing enmities against the great God; for,Esa. 59: 18 he will repay fury to his adversaries, and re­compence to his enemies? Possibly, thou begin­nest to perceive what a desperate presump­tion it hath been, to make it thy sport to cru­cifieHeb. 6: 6: Christ; for, had 2 Kings 9.31. Zimri peace who slew his Master? Possibly, a fore-sight of judgement to come hath affected thy soul with present horrour; for, the James 2.19. Devils them­selves beleeve and tremble; Which if thou, according to thy wonted impenitencie, canst not doe, be confounded and astonished at the sense of thyEsa. 1.2: Jude 15. crying guilt. Except thou repent, and believe, loe vengeance is at hand, lieth ready in store,Mat. 3: 10: Esa. 65.6. and will, in an hour which thou art not aware of, swallow thee up for ever and ever! Alas, thou hast foolishly and childishlyJer. 4.22 5.21, 25 like one stupid, or Starke madd, with all contempt and heedlesnesse, in the most unthankfull manner that malice it self can suggest, from thy youth up, despised thy2 Sam. 12.9 Num. 25.31 1 Sam. 2.30. Lords pleasure, and thine own peace! No marvell then, if wrath already smoaketh a­gainst thee, alasDeut. 29.19, 20. it already breaketh out; and, as it flasheth first into thyRom. 2.15. 1 John 3.20. consci­ence, scorching that; so it will, hereafter, flash upon thy soul,Gen. 2.17 Rom. 6.23 Ezek. 18.4. affrighting that from thy body; and will, in the end, seize again upon thine unclean body,John 5.29 forcing that lump of sin to accompany thy lost soul, as well in suffering torments, as in contracting guilt. [Page 74]Now, if the Lord hath a mind to destroy thee,Esa. 63.17 2 Chron. 25.20 Mat. 13.14, 15. Deut. 29.4. he will go on to hide from thee these sore evils: but, possibly, the power of the Word hath wrought upon thee: possibly, thou art afraid of Gods judgements: I trust, the Lord hath cau­sed thee to tremble at his threats: I hope thy heart smiteth thee; I hope thou seekest for Jesus; If so, then (but not until then) be of good cheer, The Master calleth thee.

I beseech thee therefore, (whosoever thou art) ponder thy life past; the hours, dayes, weeks, moneths, years which thou hast spent, not in service to, but in rebellion against, a God patient indeed, but just, andNahum 1.2. jealous: Consider again, and again, that thou canst not be at the same time in a state of unbelief, and in the state of salvation too; (it will cost more then so, to work out thy salvation:) wouldest thou know in this thy day the things which be­long unto thy peace, thou wouldest (what pains soever it shall cost thee) watch and pray, and strive, and strive to make thy calling and election sure. Hell flames are about thine ears, wilt thou lye still and be burnt in thy bed? Art thou so foolish a Coward, that thou wilt wink while the Devil stabbeth thee? Is it more to­lerable to endure torments in hell, then to exer­cise repentance upon earth? Are unquencha­ble flames more to be desired, then the Mansi­ons in heaven? Is it safer to continue a Judas, then to approve thy self a sincere convert, and a sound beleever? Wilt thou still refuse eter­nal [Page 75]life, rather then accept of it upon Gods terms? I deal plainly with thee: unless thou canst truly say, I [...]. Milesius Thales. am not I: except thou canst say, I my self was Joh. 3.7. Tit. 3.3. such another Ju­das as is here secluded from these Disciples here spoken unto in this Text; except thou canst say, such 1 Cor. 6.11. a one was I, but I am washed, but I am sanctified, but I am justified; Until thou canst say, I was Ephes. 2.1.2.3. a child of disobedience, I was dead in Trespasses and sin, but am now quickned, am now a 2 Cor. 5.17. Gal. 6.15. new Creature; except thou canst say,Rom. 7.25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord, this stone of unbelief presseth thee for a mute; if thou persist in this stubborness, thy hard heart may well be called stony, for it shall be nothingPro. 10.20. worth, unless to make a fearfulGen. 19.26. monument of inexcusable guilt, and of ineffable Justice! There is a1 Kin. 8.38. Plague in thy heart, wilt thou not be made whole? whenSi non mo­do, quando? shall it once be? Jer. 13.27.

Thou,2 With Joy. of whom I travail in birth until Christ be formed in thee, the Prophet, raised upDeu. 18.15. likeDeu. 30.15. unto Moses, hath set before thee, this day, Life, and Death; viz. Life, that thou mayest escape death; Death, that thou mayest seek life: I have heard of one in a Swoon, who was mistaken for dead, layed out for dead, wrapped in a Winding sheet, coffin­ed,A familiar, but sad story rela­ted, & applyed. and buried too for dead; the same person awaking out of his Trance, and finding him­self coffined, by struggling for life, bruised his [Page 76]body to death: Shall I apply this? He, when people thought him quite dead, was alive; thou (O unbeliever) hast a name that thou li­vest, but art dead; He, when he found his bo­dy buried, bruised it to death; couldst thou complain that thou art dead, there were hopes of thy life; true, thy body of sin hath in­deed been (hitherto) merely a black Coffin for thy departed soul; the worser Grave-stone of the two remaineth fixed on thy heart of unbelief as immoveably, as ever the dust of death lay upon that interred friend; nevertheless, the good Angel in my Text can,Mat. 28.2. roll away this stone: He, whoJoh. 11.44. called Lazarus forth of his grave, can speak to thee; the dead Joh. 5.25. have heard his voice, and thou mayest; the Au­thor of this Gospel hath2 Tim. 1.10. abolished death, and brought immortality and Life to light: were­fore he saith, Awake Eph. 5.14. thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee life; Set thy soul in order, for thou mayest live, and not dye.

Object.Object. I am fitted for destruction, and there­fore Rom. 9.22. for ought that I know, am a vessel of wrath.

Answ. Answer. Though thou art fitted for destructi­on, thou art for ought that thou knowestEph. 1.4. chosen in Christ.

Object.Object. I have in me all the signs of a 2 Cor. 13.5 Reprobate.

Answ. Answer. Thou hast the more need toPhil. 2.12. work out thy salvation; for God2 Pet. 3.9. would [Page 77] not have thee perish, he would have thee1 Tim. 2.4. saved.

Object.Object. The Rom. 6.23. Wages of sin is death.

Answ. Answer. But theRom. 6.23. gift of God is eternall life.

Object.Object. I have Heb. 6.6. crucified to my self him who is that life.

Answ. Answer. So did they whoAct. 2.37. were pricked at the heart.

Object.Object. But I am Ephes. 2.3. by nature a child of wrath.

Answ. Answer. So were thoseEphes. 8. Ephesians which were saved.

Object.Object. But I am to this day Ephes. 1.1. dead in tres­passes and sin.

Answ. Answer. So were theyIbid. whom the person speaking in my Text quickned.

Oject.Object. But I have not repented, though I have had Rev. 2.21. space to repent.

Answ. Answer. Gods long-suffering which thou hast all this while abused, may now at length lead thee Rom. 2.4. thereunto.

Object.Object. It should have caused me to repent, but I have delayed Prov. 1.27, 28. even to this very last hour of my life.

Answ. Answer. So did the Thief which isLuk. 23.43 now with Christ in Paradise.

Object.Object. But I have in effect chosen Isa. 66.4. death.

Answ. Answer. WhyEzek. 18.31. wilt thou die?

Object.Object. Since I believe not, I am Joh. 3.36. con­demned already.

Answ. Answer. The sentence thus pronounced is not [Page 78]as yet executed: as yet (I say) breath is in thy Nostrils, though but in thy nostrils: (how soon it may be, the God of Psal. 42 8. 31.15. Job. 7.1. thy life fore­knoweth; but) hitherto, thy weak-spun, thy slender thread of frail life is not utterly cut off; this life how frail soever, while it lasteth, with-holdethHeb. 9.27. Eccles. 11.3. John 8.21. Ex hoc momen­to aeternitas. the revenging sword of eternal Justice from dropping upon thy head. I confess, if ever we will be born again, it must be before we enter a second time into Gen. 3.19. our mothers womb; I acknowledge, that shouldst thou depart this world before thou art prepar­ed for the next; should thy body die, before thy Soul liveth unto God, shouldst thou be found in thy grave, and not found in Christ Je­sus, (I tremble to mention it) thou wert then damned for ever: but such, such is the forbea­rance of thy patient God, thatPsal. 95.7. while he continueth life unto thee, he continueth unto thee a possibility of escaping.

Object.Object. How shall I Heb. 2.3. escape, if I despise so great salvation?

Answ. Answer. Salvation, great salvation, so great salvation is freelyHos. 14.4. offered, that (I trust) thou canst no longer despise it, if thou would­est.

Object.Object. To me any offers of salvation are bat the savour of death unto death. 2 Cor. 2.16

Answ. Answer. To thee they may be the2 Cor 2.16 savour of life unto life.

Object.Object. But I have 1. John 3.19. loved darkness.

Answ. Answer. The person speaking in my Text, [Page 79]calleth thee out of that darkness into his 1 Pet. 2 9. marvellous light.

Object.Object. But I, as a deaf man, hear him not.

Answ. Answer. HeMat. 11.5. Isa. 29.18.35.5. maketh the deaf to hear, and he openeth the blind eye.

Object.Object. But I am, at the best, of a weak Prov. 1.32. capacity.

Answ. Answer. His Word giveth Wisdom to thePsal. 119.130. simple.

Object.Object. It is the Prov. 9.10. knowledge of the holy that is understanding.

Answ. Answer. ThenHos 6.3. shalt thou thus know, if thou follow on to know the Lord.

Object.Object. I am so far from following after God, Isa. 21.12. that I run further from him. Object.

Answ. Answer. IfRom. 4.25. thou wilt enquire, enquire; return, come.

Object.Object. An Offender so notorious as I am? 1 Pet. 4.18.

Answ. Answer. The person speaking in my Text wasRom. 4.5. delivered for our Offences.

Object.Object. Ah, but I am a most (1) ungodly wretch.

Answ. Answer. Christ is one that1 Tim. 1.15 justifieth the ungodly.

Object.Object. Never doth he such a sinner as I am.

Answ. Yes, the veryEzek. 18.31. chief of sinners.

Object. When they [1] unfeignedly repent.

Answ. Answer. He would therefore have thee2 Pet. 3.9. come to Repentance.

Object.Object. That is more then Jer. 10.23. I can do.

Answ. Answer. It is not more then Christ canAct. 5.31. give.

Object.Object. But I, though I am vile, Ezek. 16.63. am in­sensible of my vileness.

Answ. Answer. Thou art so much the fitter for the manifestation ofRev. 3.18. Christs free grace.

Object.Object. But I am 2 Tim. 2.26 led captive at Satans pleasure.

Answ. Answer. The person here speaking in my Text, proclaimeth liberty Isa. 61.1. unto such Captives.

Object.Object. Liberty unto Gods Rom. 8.21. Sons, not un­to Gods enemies.

Answ. Answer. If thouJoh. 1.12. receive Christ, thou hast power to be no longer an enemy, but a Son.

Object.Object. I can neither receive Christ, nor that power, nor that 2 Cor. 3.17 liberty without the spi­rit.

Answ. Answer. Nor will GodLuk. 11.13 with-hold hisIsa. 44 3. spirit, if thou thirst for it.

Object.Object. I must first sincerely Act. 5.32. obey God, before I can effectually expect Gods spirit.

Answ. Answer. Nay, first thou must partake of hisRom. 8.9. 2 Cor. 3.5. Spirit, before thou canst obey him accep­tably.

Object.Object. By what means can so wretched an Ʋn­believer as I am, ever come to partake of that spi­rit which I have so much grieved?

Answ. Answer. By ordering thy self according to Gods revealed Mat. 7.7. Will; Ask, seek, knock; in asking, seeking and knocking, rest not upon thy performance, (make not means, Media­tors) but upon Gods Isa. 40.27. 64 5.50.10. Psal. 27.14.37.34. goodness; Wait, I say,Isa. 30.18.40.23. upon the Lord; His wind bloweth when and where John 3.8. Prov. 13.12. it listeth. There is in thee no sufficiency, no propensity, no will; but there is in GodPsal. 130.7.9.10. plenteous Redemption; if [Page 81]heIsa. 43.13. will work, who can Mic. 7.18. hinder him? Look not for any thing from within Job. 14.4. Jer. 10.23. John 15.5. Rom. 9.16. thy self, but from him to whom God Mat. 17.5. (upon all occa­sions) sendeth thee. The same God which giveth thee more means of knowledge then havePsal. 22.28 Jonah 4.11. Mark 8.1, 2. those brutish Indians who wor­ship black and white Devils; the same God who giveth unto thee more means of grace then thoseIsa. 41 2.55.5. Jer. 4.2.10.7. Zech. 2.11.8.22. Turks have which worship Ma­homet; the same God which,Isa. 38.19 Eccle. 8.113. Dan. 4.17. Psal. 66.9. spareth unto thee the breath of life, while Ju­das, Julian, nay, while some born since thou wert born, are grievously tormented in Hell; the self same God would have theeEzek. 33.11 escape the everlasting torments due unto thee, and to thy heart of unbelief: Thy Rebellion Isa. 1.2, 4, 24. Nahum. 2.2, 6. hath been inexcusable, and thou liest wholly at the power of that King against whom thou hast rebelled: yet, lo, he offerethEzek. 18.32. Isa. 55.7. a Free Pardon; yea, he offereth terms of Peace every way for thine advantage: thouRom. 8.7. art at enmity with him, but, he hath Love, free Hos. 14.4.2.19. love, everlasting loves for thee; thoughPsal. 9 17 11.6. Hell be thy portion, fain would God entitle thee1 Pet. 1.4. to an inheritance in heaven. When thou hast done all that ever thou canst be able to do, thou wilt be at the best but an Luk. 17.10. compared with Mat. 25.30. unprofitable creature (I wiss;) yet (loe) God longeth toDeut. 4.6, 7.28.58.10.21. Psal. 34.2. Jer. 17.14. honour thee with his service; asDeut. 3.1. Ezek. 6.9. corrupt as thine affections are, GodHos. 2.14. Jer. 3.14. Isa. 54.5. wooeth thee for them; as wicked as thy heart is, God [Page 82] Gen. 6.5. compared with Jer. 4.14. and Prov. 23.26. calleth for it; if thou wilt not believe him, search the Scriptures; in them he of­fereth thee hisProv. 1.23 own Spirit, in them he offereth unto thee his his own Son; Oh, he taketh glory, Luke 19.10. in saving so lost a sinner as thou art: Thou (witness thy life past) thou hast had no Psal. 14.4. knowledge of God, let it be Gods glory that he can cause thee to Jer. 24.7. know him; thou hast a stony heart of thine own, let it be the glory of thy God, that he canEzek. 36.26. give thee a heart of flesh. The Lord hathDeut. 29.4 not given thee a heart to perceive, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear unto this day, let it now be his praise that he hath giveth thee a Pro. 20.12. hear­ing ear, a seeing eye, and a believing Phil. 1.29. heart too: Thou hast had noRom. 3.18. Job 6.14. fear of God before thine eyes, let God have the honour ofJer. 32.40. Psal. 51.6, 10. putting his fear in thy inward parts; Happily, God hath hitherto winked Act. 17.30. at thy carelesness, on purpose; that theRom. 5.20.7.13. transcendency of thy guilt may exalt Luk. 7.47. Isa. 30.18. Psal. 130.4. his free, his unsearchable mercies: theLuk. 51.13.25.11. Dan. 9.9. Lord forgive thy sins, for they are great; the Lord helpMar. 9.14. thine unbelief, for thy heart is not stedfast; the Lord have compassion upon thee, forHeb. 5.2. thou art ignorant. The holy God can write his Law even in Jer. 31.33 thy heart; he can pour upon thee aZec. 12.19 Spirit of Prayer, and of supplication. In all thy doings Ezek. 21.24. thy sins appear, but, the person speaking in my Text, can take away thoseZech. 3.4. Isa. 64.9. filthy rags from thine incurable wounds; thou hast noJer. 30.13. healing [Page 83]Medicines, but the Physitian in my Text, is the God of thy health; heJer. 30.17. can heal thee, and all thy back-slidings; he can cause thee to draw near, and toJer. 30.21. approach, and to come with Heb. 4.16 boldness unto the Throne of His grace. Sinner, thou hast 2 Kin. 17.17. sold thy self to work wickedness; but, be no longer theRom. 6.16. servant of a Devil, for Christ1 Cor. 6.20. hath bought thee (and that not with corruptible gold, but) with his own blood, his precious blood, his precious, his most precious blood! Greater love hath no man John. 15.130. then this, viz. that he lay down his life for his friend; but Christ commend­eth his love toward thee, in that thou beingRom. 5.8 an Enemy, a polluted, an inconsiderable, a contemptible enemy; and He being a righte­ous, a holy person, (a person, therefore a man,Heb. 2.14 because a God) died, died the shame­ful death of the Cross, and despised the shame, because he died for thee.

Who Rom. 8.34 is he that condemneth? It is the per­son speaking in my Text, that died: Thou, who hast been so careless of Christ hitherto, happi­ly thou now turnest over a new leaf; happily, thou wilt nowEphes. 5.16 redeem thy time, and amend one; theJer. 7.3.23.22. evil of thy doings thou wilt put away from thee, if thy canst; thou wilt be renewed, Eph. 4.23. Col. 3.10. (as well as thou canst) in the spirit of thy mind; happily, thou art mortified, and grieved, and fullZech. 12.10 of bitterness for theEccles. 7.25 wickenness of thy folly; happily, thou re­solvest to2 Cor. 7.1. clense thy self from all filthinesse [Page 84]of the flesh, and of the Spirit, to give 1 Thes. 5.17. thy self unto prayer, to exercise 1 Tim. 4.7. thy self unto godlinesse, and to2 Cor. 13.9. strive after perfection all the days of thine appointed time; if so, this is a good change of mind; in this thy good resolution go on & prosper: this notwithstanding, (know) unless thou make the person speaking in my Text thy Refuge, thy practise of Piety will neverHeb. 10.22. Tit. 3.5. quiet thy conscience: the reason is, though aRom. 8.15. spirit of bondage may restrain thee from evil, and may presse thee upon duties, yet it canEphes. 2.9. never render thee acceptable in the presence of an offended God: alas, the best works that ever thou canst perform,Tit. 1.15. Gal. 2.16. shall never be able to satisfie the most infinite Justice of a provoked God; no notHeb. 9.22 for the least of the least of all thine infirmities. Be as upright as ever thou canst, yet of all those innumerable debts due from thee unto thy Lord, thou shalt never be able to pay Mat. 5.26 one mite, that is sterling: if this alone be that Plea by which thou hopest toRom. 3.20.24. answer the Law, never, never look the severe Judge in the face: assure thy self, that the just Judge of all the earth will do right: Judas Mat. 27.4 re­pented himself of his evil, and yet Judas Act. 1.25. perished in his transgression, and so mayest thou, if thou hope to pacifie God by thine own righ­teousness.

How then shall my Conscience obtain peace with God?Dub.

This do, and live: Solut. Unfeignedly humble thy self; confess thy Trespasses, confess thy debts, Psal. 51 per totum. Jer. 31.19 Ezr. 9. Zech. 12.10 Nehem 9 Jam. 4.9 Dan. 9 Ezek. 16.63 Psal. 130. Phil. 2.12 1 Pet. 1.17 2 Pet. 3 11, 14 suffer thy Conscience to accuse thee, and to accuse thee to the uttermost; from time to time, spare not to aggravate thy guilt, be (as well thou mayest) vile in thine own eyes; let thy sins be always before thee, that thy heart may always condemn thee; bear thine iniqui­ties, (viz. the guilt of them, and the shame of them) the remaining days of thy mis-spent life; mean while, have an eyeHeb. 9.14 10.22 Rom 15.13, 9 Ephe. 1.7. Col. 1.10 of faith unto that satisfactory blood which the Person speaking in my Text shed upon the Cross: be­lieve it, (if thou canst, for joy, believe it) with that blood which thou, Judas-like, hast trampled under foot, with that blood of Jesus, (and onlyHeb. 1.3 Isa. 53.5 63.3 with that blood) is written thy free pardon, thine absolute acquittance, thy general releaseTit. 2.14 Rev. 5.9 from all guilt, debts, and trespasses whatsoever by thee committed, or upon thee charged from the beginning of the world unto the great and last day, (that terrible day of the Lord.) Sinner,John. 20.27, 29 be not faithless, but believe: Oh, that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Mat. 11.27 would seal this Truth upon thine unbelieving heart! He thatRom. 8.32 spared not his own Son, but gave him up for thy ransome, how shall he not with him also freely bestow upon thee the gift of faith? Tell me, hath God soJohn 3.16 2 Cor. 5.18 loved thee, and canst thou have hard thoughts of God? This is life John 17.3 eternal, to know the [Page 86]only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent for usHos. 6.7. Gal. 1.4. men, and for our salvation! Is theJoh. 3.14. brazen serpent lifted up, and wilt thou not look toward it? Canst thou desire a moreEphes. 1.7 Acts 20.28. 1 Tim. 1.14. sufficient discharge, then an ac­quittance written with the blood of God? Look unto theHeb. 12.2. authour and finisher of thy faith, this man Mic. 5.5. shall be the peace. The person here speaking in my Text, isIsa. 63.5. mighty to save, mighty to saveMat. 1.21 from sin, mighty to save from1 Thes. 1.10. wrath to come: he is able to saveHeb. 7.25 to the uttermost. Ah, thou wert a cursed wretch, had not the innocent Jesus been made aGal. 3.13. curse for thee. thy sins had been more then thou couldest ever have been able to bear, had2 Cor. 5.21. not Christ been made sin for thee; but now that Christ hath taken our sins upon Isa. 53.5.63.5 himself, now that hisMat. 27.46. angry father hath seized on him, as on thy Surety, He is1 Joh. 1.9. faithful and just to forgive thee thy sins: Well is it with thee, that Christ hath theRev. 1.18 1 Cor. 5.5. 1 Tim. 1.20. keys of hell and of death; for now that cursed Jay­lor the Devil can have no claim to thee, since he is wholly at the command of thy friend the Judge; Thou hast not, thou canst not obey one jot, or one little of theHos. 8.12. Cal. 2.16.3.11. Act. 3.19 Rom. 3.20.4.15 25. 1 Cor. 1.30. Phil. 3.9 Titus 3.5 Ephes. 5.27 Col. 1.28 Jude 24 Heb. 8.12 Isa. 44.22 43.25 great things of Gods Law, but, the person speaking in this Text, he hath kept the whole Law in thy stead; because he never brake the Law, thy transgres­sions shall never be called in question, unless on purpose that thou mayest be cleared at the ge­neral Aszises. And because thou hast not wit [Page 87]to speak for thy self, see the person speaking in my Text, he1 Joh. 2.1 Heb. 8.6.9.15.12.24 goeth in thy stead before the great Tribunal, he becometh thine Advo­cate, he putteth in thy Plea notIsa. 53.11 Rom. 3.24 1 Cor. 6.11 2 Cor. 6.2 Ephes. 1.6 Rev. 3.5 guilty, he justifieth thee before men and Angels, yea be­fore the holy Angels, and the terrible God; and, of this rest satisfied, never, never did any Cause fail that this Advocate undertook; he rules the Court, for he himself is both aHeb. 2.11, 14 party, aJohn 17.25 witnesse, an1 Joh 2.1 Advocate, and theRom. 8.34 2 Cor. 10.18. Judge too! Christian, (for I am loth to term thee an unbeliever, now) darest thouHeb. 4.16 10.22 put thy life into Jesus Christs hands? if so, I will warrant thee aLuk. 24.47. remission of all thy sins through his aloneHeb. 10 14 mediation; thou shalt have thy Clergy, the be­nefit of this Clergy man, the Judge shall tender thee theRev. 3.5 book of life, and the person speaking in my Text shall be thine Ordinary; he shall testifie for thee that thou canst therein read thyRev. 2.17 new name; canst thou chuse but break forth, I Rom. 7.25 thank my God through Jesus Christ our Lord?

And now (if so be thou hast heard the Ephes. 4.21 person speaking in my Text, and hast been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus; if thouCol. 2.6 re­ceivest the person speaking in my Text asJohn 14.6 the way unto that Father of Mercies who can abundantly pardon, as the truth of that God, who declareth himself satisfied, and as the life which is given thee for a prey; if thou seest thy soul a brand scarcely yetZech. 3.2 snatched [Page 88]out from amidst everlasting burnings) I adjure thee by the living God, as ever thou wilt notJam. 1.22 deceive thine own soul, as ever thou wilt not (like another Judas) makeAct. 1.25 hell thy home, be plodding,Psal. 32.5 be much in plodding upon thy former heedlesness, ignorances, and provo­cations: Let not business, let not company,Psal. 132.4, 5 compared with 2 Cor. 6.16 let not any affairs under the Sun, inter­rupt thy godly Psal. 7.10, 11 sorrow: Think what a Ju­das thou hast been; Take much time for thy privaciesPsal. 13.5 and re-examinations; see the exceeding Rom. 7.13 sinfulnesse of thy whole man, and of thy whole life too; bring thy thoughts 2 Cor. 10.5 into captivity; hale thy conscience to stake; bring conscience and God face to face; I say, Get alone, andPro. 13.5 compared with Ezek. 6.9. loath, and abhorre thy self in the presence of thy God; let confu­sion Jer. 31.19 22.22 cover that face of thine; call thy sins by as badJer. 3.2 names as they deserve; searchPsal. 74.20 every dark corner of thyJer. 17.9 deceitful heart with GodsZeph. 1.12 compared with Prov. 6.23. and Psal. 119.9, 105 candle; mourn Zech. 12.10(as well thou mayest) for undoing thy self; and for putting the ouly begotten of thy Father unto the expences of so much pains, suf­ferings, and blood.

This done,Mat. 26.41 fast and pray lest thou enter into temptations: Let a deep, a lasting 1 Tim. 1.15 sense of thy vileness ever and anon, pluck thee upon thy knees; be often humbling Jam. 4.9, 10 thy self in the sight of that God whom thou hast so care­lesly Rev. 3.20 bloted out of doors; be often mourn­ing at the remembrances of those wounds [Page 89]wherewith thouZech. 12.10 compared with Phil. 3.10 hast peirced the very heart of thy truest friend: grieve frequentlyEph. 4.30 for those unkind repulses which thou hast almost daily given unto the meek and Dove-like spirit, even then, when he attempted thy sanctification: All this while, be not2 Cor. 2.11 ig­norant of Satans devices, but counter-mineEph. 6.11 his stratagems; expect hisEph. 6.13 assaults, andIbid. arm thyself as against an1 Pet. 5.8 enra­ged Devil; for, a hundred to one, but, beingMark. 9.26 forced to surrender his strong hold, he will tear thy bosome, cast thee down, and mis­chief thee all he can: One thing more, if thou wouldest fight a 2 Tim. 4.7 good fight, have as little to do with2. Tim. 2.4 Heb. 12.1 1 Cor. 7.23 Phil. 3.13 the world as thou canst; alas, thou hast business enough, and enough to set right all accompts between thy Redeemer and thy soul; and having laidHeb. 6.1 a good foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God, reserve a jealous eye over thine unexperienced heart, lest, at any time, that make the present Psal. 30.6, 7. John 5.14 Psal. 85.5 peace of thy conscience, a snare, and occasion unto future security: In a word,Phil. 2.12 work out thy salvati­on with fear and trembling: forHeb. 10.26 if thou sin wilfully after thou hast received the know­ledge of the truth, thy last errour will be worse thenMat. 12.45 thy first. Be not weary Gal. 6.9 of well-doing: GodJude 24. is able to keep thee from falling; follow him, and followNum. 14.24 him fully; turn unto him with Psal. 119.2 Jer. 24.7 thy whole heart: and the Lord perswade thee so to do, as by [Page 90]others, so by these following MOTIVES.

MOTIVE.Motive 1. I. The Duty incumbent: Many would accept of life, did they fancy theLuk. 1.74, 75. terms: the stone whereat they stumble, is, not God, severity, but Gods1 The. 4.3. Will: they are jealous, not of his fierce wrath, but of his good Psal. 5.4. Rom. 12.1. pleasure; they would seek his pardon, could they avoid hisPsal. 119.4 commands: but, be not thou thus ignorant; Oh consider, that al­thoughJoh. 13.30 Mat. 27.4, 5. Judas reject Christ still, and still expect damnation, yet still this neglect of his doth noDeut. 28.58 whit exempt him from homage: Dispair is noMat. 25.27 Mas. 3.13, 14 acquittance from duty: whe­ther we be good or evil,Mat. 4.10 Deut. 10.12, 20 servants we are: Will we, nill we, God isJer. 5.22 Mal. 1.6 Prov. 16.4 Lord over us, and we (whether we1 Tim. 4.16 save our selves or perish) are bound Jer. 10.7. to obey him. Walk among all the spirits in 1 Pet. 3.19 prison, those souls in hell that are now suffering torments there, they will all enform thee, that, had they obeyed more, they had suffered less. Were it utterly impossible for Judas to escape condem­nation, yet still it is his prudence to be as guilt­less as he may be: The reason is, GodMat. 16.27 rewardeth every one according to his works, whe­ther his works be fruits of faith unto holiness, or of unbelief to unrighteousness. Were I a Repro­bate, I would be beaten with as few stripes as I could: but the1 Thes. 5.9 2 Tim. 1.7. Scripture offereth more grace.

MOTIVE II.Motive 2. Mans perfection before his Fall: When our late Rebellions grew mon­strous, and robbed us of theK. Charles the Second. Lam. 4.20 breath of our Nostrils, forcing the1 Sam. 9.20 desire of our eyes to see many a sad day, and to2 Tim. 2.3 endure hardness beyond the seas: asMic. 7.8 dark as his afflicti­ons were, hisIsa. 62.3 Diamond shined in the thickest cloud, his serene Majesty reserved a lustre; how low soever he was brought in worldly exigencies, yet still he cherished within his royal bosome the soul of a King: how deserted so ever, he did, and would, live like a Prince. Imitate thou thy most exemplary Soveraign: Leave sordid actions unto Swine and Vermine, for thereunto they wereGen. 3 14 2 Pet. 2.22 created; mean while, consider thou thine ex­tract; be not mean-spirited, for thou art high Judg 8.18, 21 born. The world was created to serve thee, servePsal. 8.6. not thou the world; neither become a slave unto thy lusts, for GodGen. 1.26 made thee a master of thine affections: during his innocen­cy Adam knew no sin; abhorre thou to be acquainted with it. God made thee forIsa. 43.7 himself, change not so great a Master: He made theeEccl. 7.29 Deut. 32.5 upright, do not thou grow crooked: he made theeGen. 1.31 27. good, be not thou evil: thou didst resemble the King thy Father once, renew in thee the beauty 2 Cor. 3.18. of his Image; strive after Holiness, because he1 Pet. 1 15 Mat. 5.48. is ho­ly; after perfection, because he is perfect: affect to be like so heavenly a Father, wear his Righte­ousness, [Page 92]tread in his steps; follow himEph. 5.1 Phil. 2.15 as a dear child. How great soever thy fall is1 Cor. 15.22 in Adam, remember thou from whence thou art fallen: Let the world confess that Alexander is indeed the son of the Macedoni­an Philip: I say, in all thy Tran [...]actions, re­member Eccl. 12.1 thy Creatour; Adam Luk. 3.38 was the Son of God.

MOTIVE III.Motive 3 Mans Fall in Adam: if thou perish, thouEsth. 4.16 canst but perish. In a small Orchard of mine,At the Parso­nage in Burton on the Hill. (2) Psal. 148.7, 8 Jer. 4.11, 12 the high winds (1661/2. Feb. 18th.) blew up a fruit-tree, tearing the very roots from the stump; although it was blown quite up, and was separated wholly from the roots, with much ado, I planted it again: for why? it may (nay itSeptemb. 1662. Psal. 148.7, 9 doth) again take root downward, and bear fruit upward; if not, it can be butEzek. 15.3 cast into the fire for fuel: In like manner, be it, thatIsa 5.24 thy blossom go up as dust, and thy root as rottenness; yet still the fire can but devour thee as stubble, the flame can but consume thee as chaff. I say, conclude it altogether impossible to escape E­verlasting burnings; it is but trying (though:) Even, then, whenEccles. 8.11 sentence of death hath been passed, irrevocably passed, I have, at our Assizes, seen a condemned Malefactor begging for his life. Yet Jonah 3.4 forty days, and Nineveh shall be destroyed; butJonah 3.5 who can tell that? God may be better then his word. Behold now 1 Kin. 20.31 we have heard that the kings of [Page 93]Israel are merciful kings; peradventure, the now king of Israel may pardon a provoking enemy; O Lord, thine inexcusable Offendor saith, I pray thee let me live. Why 2 Kin. 7.3 sit we here until we die? if we sit down content with that small pittance of provision which Adam left, the Famine will consume us; now, there­fore, let us fall into the hands of the all-suffi­cient God; if he save us alive, we shall live; if he kill us, we can but die.

MOTIVE IV. Gods forbearance. Motive 4. Ere we can bury our dead out of our sight, such is our affection, we rub, we rouze, we stir, weConclama­tum est. chafe the breathless body, to wit, if by any means our friend may recover life be­fore he go hence, and be no more seen: just thus dealeth thy merciful God with thy soul: thouPsal. 7.11 hast provoked him every day, and every day he hath waited Isa. 30.18, 65.2 to be gracious; his sentence thoughJer. 4.12 Eccles. 8.11 pronounced, is not ex­ecuted: between thee and death, there is scarce­ly one step; nevertheless God hath not given thee over to that death, (I mean that which enumerateth all the curses due unto thy sins, death eternal;) True, thy life is asGen. 47.9 1 Cor. 7.29 short as evil; and although short, far spent, yet quite spent it is not. Thoroughout the whole year the Malva horaria hath but one single hour wherein to blossom; and from the be­ginning of ages, unto all eternity, thou hast no more space wherein to bring forth the fruits [Page 94]of saving faith, then is the short remainder ofPsal. 95.7 6.5 88.11 Eccles. 11.3 9.10 John 11.9 9.4 1 Thes. 5.5 thine uncertain hour, the fag end of thy fleeting days: should this last scantling of thy mis-spent life bring forth no blossom, confess I must, there would then remain no way for thine escape: then (indeed) thy sad soul would be troubled, perpetually troubled, everlastingly troubled, troubled so long as con­science, and horror, and darkness, and brim­stone, and torments, and hell, and devils, and an avenging God shall endure! The patient God he fore-knows all this: and, fore-know­ing all these Judgements to come, such is his goodness, he hath inched out thyJob 21.17 wasted candle unto this very minute; on purpose, that from this instant forward, thou mayest2 Pet. 3.9 redeem thy time and thy self. I say, God giveth unto theeRev. 2.21 space to repent, though but a little space. Before thou return again unto the womb of the earth, thou, Zarah like, dost but justJames 4.14 Gen. 38.28, 29 thrust out thine hand; yet, rather then this breach should be upon thee, thy Mediator imparteth unto thee his scarlet thread: HeRom. 2.4 [...] spareth unto thee life natu­ral, that thou mayest receive life super­natural, even the life of grace, and of glory. Redeem Ephes. 5.16 the time, for thy days have been evil. While it is called today, let the goodness of thy God lead thee now, at last, unto repentance. Others make the continuance of their life, and health, an occasion of delays, until their delayes on earth become lamentation in hell; but, [Page 95]whatEccl. 9.10 thy soul findeth to do, that do thou presently: One moment now, is worthPsal. 83.11. a thousand ages in the grave: Hell is full of good Luk. 13.24. 1 Cor. 9.24 intentions: while foolish Vir­gins go to fetch oyl, the Bride-groomsMat. 25.25.10 door is shut: God will not beIsa. 55.6 found in thy time, but in his own; present seasons Gal. 6.10 are golden seasons; and seldom Rom. 13.11 cometh a better: God hath put into thy hands an oppor­tunity to do good unto thy soul; improve thisMat 25.27 Talent, and thy soul shall live. The eldest daughter of unbelief isEzek. 16.49 Rom. 11.8 Isa. 56.10 Prov. 6.10 Mat. 25.26 Heb. 6.12 Amos 6.3 sloath, and her grand children are delayes: on the other side, Faith taketh up her bed, and walketh; faith useth 2 Pet. 1.5 all diligence, and diligence is the chief­est vertue whichHeb. 6.9 accompanieth salvation; it seeth nightJohn 9.4 at hand, itIbid. work­eth so long as day-light lasteth; it considereth there is no labouring after we are Eccles. 9.10 gone to bed; it perceiveth no difference between Time and Opportunity: howRom. 13.11 much time of pre­sent life, so much opportunity for future salvati­on: the servant which would be foundMat. 24.45 faithful, the Steward who would give upLur. 16.2 a true accompt, the debtour that would honestly pay Mat. 18.26 all he oweth, interpreteth Gods forbearance Rom. 2.4 as a very great kindness. What would Dives, Luk. 16.28 what would Judas give for the benefit of one only of those few hours which thy long-suffering God denieth unto them, but vouchsafeth unto thee? Time Rev. 10.6 shall be no more, is an alarm of whch any one [Page 96] that hath ears to hear, cannot chuse but take no­tice; it is a dooms-day alarm: Of all those ta­lents wherewith we sons of Adam are entrusted, there it none of so great moment, Mat. 25.24, 27 as is this talent of time: It is the purse, without whichEph. 5.16 we can carry no money about us; every dust of thisEccl. 12.1 brittle hour-glass is precious; they are dust, not of sand, but of gold; of these, what foolish we let fall to the ground, God himselfRev. 2.21 picketh up: I shall then manifest that I know the things which Luk. 19.42 belong unto my peace, when I so compose, so deliver a Ser­mon, as the last (for ought that I know) that ever I shall2 Tim. 4.2. be suffered to preach; I, then, make a sanctified use of divine patience, when I read, hear, meditate, pray, &c.Eph. 6.18 as watchfully as if I should be never allowed to read, hear, meditate, or put up petitions any more. If any Mercy can melt thy stony heart, Rom. 2 4 Gods forbearance will; it will melt it into fervent duties. The sincere Convert hus­bandeth hours unto the best advantage, and maketh length of days, lifeRom. 2.7 more abun­dant.

MOTIVE V.Motive V. Gods Sentence. As sure as death, in the grave there is (as I just now told thee) no Redemption: when once sentence is passedEccle. 11.3 Mat. 25.46 upon examination had, there is then no repealing. so soon as ever thy farthing Prov. 20.27 24 20 candle is burnt out, thy soul, if it sa­voureth not sweet in heaven, it is cast into the [Page 97]fire of hell, and all this in a moment, in 1 Cor. 15.52 the twinkling of an eye, sooner then thou canst think of it: At this very instant, how imme­diately canst thou, (the image of Gods Om­nipresence) how immediately canst thou think of hell, although hell be so great a distance off? how immediately can thy thoughts a­scend even the highest heavens? Swift was that (last) thought of thine; but, thy souls flight shall be swifter then was thy last thought. Man (for want of consideration) wasteth hours, and minutes; the Dau. 7.9 ancient of days doth not so: Unto him, who inhabiteth eterni­ty, every little time is so precious, that in less space then the space of one moment, he dispatcheth the soul from this prison of flesh, unto his high Court of Justice; and again from his high Court of Justice, unto the place of execution, or of glory, (as Justice shall give sentence:) I say, thy breath of life once expired, thy winged soul is allowed no time at all to look back, (no) it forthwith appeareth before the judgement 2 Cor. 5.10 seat of God, and from thence forthwith unto the joys, or miseries, by order, appointed: Thy flesh indeed, that is dispensed with until the general John 6.40 Assizes; but (her Proxie) thy spirit that giveth her appearance upon the very first day of the Term. While thy breathless bosom is yet warm (ei­ther for thee, or against thee) sentence is pro­nounced: I therefore again exhort, that thou wouldest make thy peace with thy God while [Page 98]life, nay while health continueth; for, with thy dying body dyeth all hopes of future repen­tance; When death is once come, opportuni­ty is gone; Opportunity is therefore gone, be­cause Judgement is come. Motive 6.

MOTIVE VI. Death approaching: it stealeth upon thee while thou sleepest: Could­est thou return into thy first Infancy, and thence begin1 Cor. 9.24 the race that is set before us, thine advantage were little enough, either for the running of a race so long, or for the obtaining of a prize so high; but, alas, a great part of thy life is already consumed; and already consumed in vanity; thou art almost out of breath, before thou hast, at all, buckledLuke 12.35 thy self to thy work: The Affairs which thou in this thy pilgrimage must of necessity perform, are exceeding great; but, exceeding Gen. 47.9 small is that space of time wherein thou must dis­spach them: although thy duties are not ea­sily compassed, thy life is quicklyPsal. 39.5 spanned: thy life is, at longest, but a winters day; thine employment is the business of a whole age: of this thine employment an accompt thou must give; but how soon,Act. 1.7 it is not for thee to know: Thou seest on every side many much younger then thy self, called away to give up their accompts; and of them none so unexpectedly as those who were the heal­thiest persons: Such as least look for him, meet theirMat. 24.44 Lord first; if ever heRev. 3.3 come upon thee as a thief, it is then when [Page 99]time stealeth from thee to thy disprofit: ra­ther then death should overtake 1 Thes. 5.4 thee, meet it; die daily, if thou wouldest live for ever: if thou wouldest not forget thy self, Deut. 32.29 remember thy last end; if at any time thou art more unprepared to give up thy last accompt then other, at that time above all others look for, and hasten unto the coming 2 Pet. 3 12 of the day of thy God; if in that day thou wouldest be found faithful, in this thy day abide watch­ful; persevere in well doing, if thou wouldest endure unto the end; redeem thy time; if thou wouldest enjoy thy Redeemer; and if thou wouldest not fear death, fear God.

MOTIVE 7.Motive 7. A seventh Motive invite­ing thy soul to hold fast that which is good, is thy natural insufficiency: At thy first Creation there was in thee the spiritGen. 1.26 of a God; the light of that spirit Adam quenched, and (in Adam) thou: In baptism, the same spirit entered into a Covenant with thee; the same spirit thou hast again grieved, and quenched: none of all his mighty workings have prevailed upon thy heart; carnally minded thou hast been, spiritually minded thou wouldest not be: Of all those graces which the holy Spirit of God may justy call for, thou canst not produce one! Consider now, thou hast failed ofFuror est post omnia per­dere naulum. his saving gifts; wilt thou render the com­mon gifts of that bountiful spirit useless too? the more ungrateful thou hast been in rejecting [Page 100]the one, the more thankful thou shouldest be in making a benefit of the other; the greater want thou findest of that sufficiency which thou mightest have had from God, the greater rea­son thou hast to plow up the fallow ground of thy heart, that thou mayest sow to the spirit; if thou hast been so unfaithful that God would not adventure with thee his ten talents; be so trusty, that God may not repent him of that one talent now in thy hands; or, if thou hast embesled that Talent, yet, at least, restore unto God his napkin: having robbed thy Ma­ster of his moneys, do not keep from him his purses too: thou hast cut off thyJer. 10.23 legs, therefore usePsal. 25.12 Hos. 6.3 crutches; the more thou hast dulled thineEccl. 10.10 axe, the more pains thou must take in hewing; thou hast blunted the edge of the spirit: it concerneth thee to make the best use thou canst of thine affections, thy memory, and thine understanding; the more graceless thou appearest, the more thou art obliged to use all means of grace: the Word of God is two-edged; as I cannot hope for salva­tion, without the help of Gods Spirit, so nei­ther can IPro. 1.23 Luke 11.13. Rom. 10.17 expect the help of Gods Spi­rit, unless I wait for it in the use of means: ILuk 16.11, 12 Mat. 25.23, 28 must be faithful in my natural abilities, if I would be entrusted with spiritual. Be­side, God Luk. 1.53.29 filleth the hungry with good things; the more empty thy vessel, the more capacious it is to receive the2 Kin. 4.6 ointment of the holy One; and the poor in spirit, wax rich in grace.

MOTIVE VIII. Thy natural averseness. There is no such Trewant as the natural man;Motive 8. Judas will rather hang himself, then delight in his Masters pleasure: but, first, meer shame will reduce thee from this ingratitude: no love for thy father? nor love for thy Redeemer? nor love for thy preserver? fie! fie, for shame! the oxe Isa. 1, 3 knoweth his owner, and the dog, at thy heels, his master. Secondly, Let thy heart alone, and thou1 Cor. 2.14 wilt love thy God less next day, then thou wilt to morrow, and less to morrow then to day thou dost. Thirdly, Thou must not follow, butCol. 3.1 lead thine affections; we force our selves to delight in such diets, such exercises, such employments as most suit, not with our pleasure, but with our real good. Fourthly, What thanks is it, if we place our affections upon that whereunto we are of our selves addicted? but, herein we know that we love our God, if we deny Mat. 16.24 our selves, that we may love him. Lastly, re­move thine ignorance, and thy dis-affection is removed; once see the beauty of holiness, Exod. 15.11 and be out of love with it, if thou canst; thou wilt therefore love God, because God is glo­rious in holiness, thy Lord most holy.

MOTIVE IX.Motive 9. A ninth Motive which may stir up thy mind to follow God fully, is thy desperate guilt. The whole need not the Physiti­an, but, thou dost: such a sinner as thou art, may well cry God mercy all the days of his life; [Page 102]He that hath wallowed in so much mire as thou hast done, hath great reason to wishEzek. 36.25 for clean waters; who should thirst after sanctifi­cation, if thine Aethiopian skin should not? the Leopards spots are white to thine: if the blood of the Lamb can make thy crimson sins whiter then snow, surely, thou hast cause suf­ficient to bath in that warm blood! thou hast sin­ned so prodigally against heaven, and against God, that, it is the best of thy skill to make benefit of Christ merits; Then, then the holy Angels willLuk. 15.7. rejoyce indeed, when they see such a lost creature as thou hast been, take the kingdom of heaven by violence, and main force.

MOTIVE.Motive 10. X. A tenth particular which helpeth thine unwearied soul to take the king­dom of heaven by violence, is the present evil world: viz. unless it were better then it is; thou wilt no moreJam. 1.27 dirty thy self with it; the cares thereof may choak such as love them, but thee they drive unto1 Pet. 4.19 thy faithful Creator; to him that endured temptations in the wilder­ness, Canaan is sweet: pleasures upon earth may ensnare fools; they only mind thee of thy ma­sters joys; thou translatest the whole book of na­ture into a book of grace, well knowing, that the things which are seen are transitory; but the things which are not seen, are eternal.

MOTIVE XI.Motive 11. The next particular ser­ving to awaken thee unto righteousness, is the [Page 103] corruption of thine old man: For, first, whileGal 5.17 thy flesh is contrary to thy spirit, his thouRom. 6.16 art unto whom thou yieldest obedience; and if it was thyRom. 8.6. death to be carnally minded; to be spiritually minded is a sign of life. Again, sometimes a 2 Cor. 12.7 buffet or two doth Saint Paul a kindn [...]ss;2 Cor. 12.9 while the flesh 1 Pet. 2.11 warreth against thy soul, thy soul isDeut. 8.2 Judg. 2.21, 22 3.2 kept upon her guard: Rome is not secure, so long as Carthage is stand­ing: nay, opposition strengthneth the pre­vailing party; as2 Sam. 3.1 Sauls rebellions esta­blished David in his Throne; for infirmities of nature excite the power of grace: Corruption is flesh, andIsa. 31.3 not spirit.

MOTIVE XII.Motive 12. The roaring lion at this instant seeking to devoure thee: Among too too many Ministers, who, during our late detestable rebellions, were most re­proachfully tossed out of their livelyhoods; one I knew, whoMr. Vade of Odington in Glocester-shire would full often, with indignation enough, boast himself a person more beholding unto Committee-men then unto all the kinred which be had; his riddle was, while he kept house in his Parsonage, di­seases, cares and debts grew upon him; but, so soon as the Committee had once for ever sequestred (from Him) his Parsonage, they, (from that time forward) eased him of his debts by disposing his fifths for their pay­ment; they cured him of his disease, while want of a horse made him walk away his Gout; [Page 104]and, withall, they freed him from his cares, for he had now no worldly thing to care for: (bear with me) the condition is thine; I may seriously affirme that, next unto God himself, thisMatt. 6.13 13.39. evil one is (although fullEsa. 10.7. sore against his will) the very best friend whom thou hast in the world; if thou hast but eyes of understanding in thy head, this I will clear unto thee in three particulars. The DevilEph. 6.12. 1 Pet. 5.8. befriendeth thee, first, By deter­ring from sin; Ah, Sir, this Bug-bear at the gate will make thee1 Tim. 3.6 7. keep within dores; the saucer eyes of this spright will make thee look unto thy self; espie once his cloven foot, and adventureAct. 24.16. abroad if thou darest. Secondly, By Temptations; thou wilt not trust a reconciled enemy; The Devil is soEph. 6.11 2 Cor. 2.11 well known, that none of his chaff can catch old birds; if he begin to tempt, he will make thee glad to cling unto thy father; Thy fear of this Pursevants Arrest Heb. 4.16 will make thee take Sanctuary; the more stratagems this sub­tle creature useth to2 Tim. 2.26 entice thee toward hell, the more thy holy jealousies will draw thee toward heaven; and all the while this Avenger lasheth thee1 Kin. 12.11 with Scorpions, he Gal. 3.24 schooleth thee unto Christ. Thirdly,Ephes. 6.11 by wrestlings: carnal1 Pet. 2.11 lusts war against the soul; but we wrestle not against flesh and blood alone; these are no equal match for him thatPsal. 23.4 27.12 undertaketh to be strong in the Lord; that is aHeb. 22.4 Sine periculo seiget ludus. dull skirmish which hazardeth [Page 105]no blood: Surely thou shalt see what thy servant can do, saith the1 Sam. 28.2 Warriour. As the Martyr Juliano kissed the step whereon he stood to suffer death; so thou, when valiant, wilt kiss the turf whereon thou standest to fight thy Lords battel. Glad is David, if he may be but allowed to deal with1 Sam. 17.32 a Goliah: if Jether Judg. 8.20 fear Zebah, and Zalmunna, it is because he is yet a youth; a Gideon will make make them hisJudg. 8.21 ornament.

MOTIVE XIII. To omit many others,Motive 13. the last Motive which now presseth, why thou shouldest return: why, if thou return, thou shouldest return unto the Lord; and why, if thou return unto the Lord, thou shouldest return unto him with thy whole heart, is, The compare Ex. 7.13 with Job 23.16. Gen. 19 11. with 21.19. Numb. 22. v. 25 with [...] 31. 2 King. 6.20, [...]: 18 17. Luk. 24.16, 31 & John 20.14 with Dan. 3.25 Deut. 29.4. with 2 Tim. 2.21 Deut. 5.29 with Isa. 59.1, 2 & sim. 6.9. power of God. Whence was it, that, heretofore, what evil thou wert loth to commit in the sight of man, that thou couldest boldly perpetrate before the face of theGen. 16.13.39.9 ever-present God? Whence was it, that the very same affections of thine which have beenPhil. 3.19 so mindless of spiritual blessings, have been so inordinate un­to vile lusts? or, that the same understanding of thine which is so wise Rom. 3.11, 18. in the things of this world, is so far to seek in the things of a better world? If thou knowest not whence this is, I will resolve thee; the thing is of God, viz. from the power of his justice: Now, the same God which can in justice leave thee to thy [Page 106]foolishness so far as to make thee fear Rom. 3.18 man, more then the face of the most holy: The same God can in mercy bring unto thee thy right sen­ses, and make thee fear to do evil; if for mans sake, for Gods John 5.9 Jer. 5.22 sake much more: The same God which could suffer thine affections to go awhoring after their shame,Psal. 25.12 can place them upon the things above: and the same God which suffered thy brains to weary themselves in stu­dying how to ensnare thy self in the world, the same God can, when he shall so please, make theePsal. 51.6 wise unto salvation. True,2 Cor. 3.5 were there not a power in God able to give unto thee, what he expecteth from thee, there were then some cloak for thy back-slidings: but the same God whichEzek. 18.32 biddeth thee turn, is able Jer. 31.18 Lam. 5 21 to turn thee; and therefore heProv. 1.23 reproveth thee to this end, that through his strength, thon mayest turn unto him. The same God which calleth thee unto 2 Pet. 3.9 repentance, canAct. 5.31 give repentance, and therefore heHag. 1.5 Rev. 2.5 instructeth thee to consider thy ways, that thou mayest by his help gain repentance: The same God which requireth Deut. 28.58 thy fear, canJer. 32.40 put his fear into thine inward parts; and therefore heDeut. 4.10.17.19 Prov. 3.2 Psal. 19.7 directeth thee to the Scriptures, that thou, by them, mayest learn toHos. 3.5 fear the Lord and his goodness. The same God which commandeth 1 Joh. 3.23 thee to believe; canPhil. 1.29 give thee a power to believe, and there­foreRom. 10.14 instructeth thee, that faith cometh by hearing. The same God whichEph. 5.18 [Page 107] willeth thee to be filled with the Spirit, is able toJoel 2.28 pour out spirit upon all flesh, and there­fore adviseth thee how Luk. 11.13 Prov. 1.23 Gal. 3.5 thou shouldest ob­tain it. In a word, God whoRev. 22.17 would have thee come unto Christ, is ableJoh. 6.44 to draw thee unto him; which that he may do, heMat. 17.5 Heb [...]2.25 calleth unto thee from heaven; and aJohn. 1.37 9.38 smaller invitation then that by far hath served to make others deny themselves, and follow Jesus. Wouldest thouNum. 23.10 have heaven drop into thy mouth? open thy mouth wide, and itPsal. 81.10 will so; notMat. 7.21 Qui sicit te sine te, non ser­vabit te sine te. else.

Wherefore, O thou, who hast soRom. 9.32, 33 dan­gerously stumbled at the rock of offence, that I have hitherto Gal. 4.11 stumbled at thy fall: thou, gone so farJoh. 13.30 from the person speaking in my Text, that I have left my Text it self to follow thee: thou whom I found with Judas, but would bring back to Jesus; (with tears I ask thee) What shall I do at the great and terri­ble day of the Lord? Shall I call God to wit­ness, that thy Hos. 13.9 2 Pet. 3.9 1 Thes. 1.10 5.9 perdition is of thy self? Shall I call Judas to witness, that thy damnation is Joh. 3.19 just? or may I withLuk. 15.7 holy Angels, joy at thy conversion? Thy life may end before to mor­row; yet, as short as thy life is, (before it doth end) know, One drop of the Lambs blood is able to dissolve even thine1 Pet. 1.2 adamant. The Word of thy God is a Jer. 23.29 hammer sufficient to deal with thyPsal. 19.7 nether-milstone; it can make it a hewen stone, it can carve it into severalMal. 3.17 Jewels, into Jewels engraven after the simili­tude [Page 108]of thy2 Cor. 3.18 Redeemer. Destroy not thou that Rom. 14.15 soul for which Christ died.

For my part, what 1 Kin. 19.20 have I done unto thee? if a greater then Elijah hath cast his mantle of righteousness upon thee: What Joh. 13.17. Eccles. 9.10 thou dost, do quickly: sacrifie1 Kin. 19.21 Rom. 12.1 thy self unto him: mini­ster unto him of thy Luk 8.3 Mat. 3.8 substance, bring for him thyLuk 23.56 Mat. 25.4 best ointments: See the Luk. 23.55. Joh. 5.39 place where he is laid; look Mat. 28.1 Gal. 6.14 toward his sepulchre, and while thouMark 16.4 Psal. 32.5 lookest, thou shalt find the stone rolled amay, yea, as undoubtedly asMat. 11.28, 29, 30. John 6.37. thou seekest Jesus who was crucified, so undoubt­edly the good Angel in my Text, the person here speaking, Jesus whom thou seekest, shall number thee among his beloved Disciples; and as he comforteth them, so, with the same affections, and in the very same words, he shall encourage thee. Let not thy heart be troubled, believe in God, believe also in me; in my Fathers house are many Mansions.

THrough a neglect of seeking the Lord while Isa. 55 6 Psal. 95.7 2 Cor. 6.2 compared with Dan. 3.9.3. Mat. 7.7.22.29 John 5.39 he may be found, 2 To be believers the un­believer conceivethMat. 25.24 hard thoughts of his God: conceiving so hard thoughts of his God, heLuk. 19.20 24 unthankfully wrappeth his talent in a napkin; at last, forfeiting Luk. 19.26 that sin­gle talent for want of use, he useth his napkinMat. 27.5 for want of a halter. In stead of ascending to heaven after Christ, of rising to a lively hope in Christ, of crucifying it self with Christ, &c. the heart of Judas couldMat. 27.3 see Christ condemned, and soMat. 27.5 leave him. Wherefore, Christ will leave the name of Judas forIsa. 65.15 a curse unto his chosen. For, untoIsa. 65.11 such as forsake him, thusIsa. 65.13 saith the Lord, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty; behold my servants shall rejoyce, but ye shall be ashamed: behold, they Isa. 65.14 that for sake the Lord, shall cry for sorrow of heart, they shall howl for vexation of spirit: but, unto You in my Text, unto you his constant followers, he saith,

Which words, as they areVide, sis versionem Per­sicam. all spoken in a breath, so they do all breath out one, and the same consolation. This Gospel is a kingdom of heaven in an unexpected sense. Look up unto the heavens; in them, ye see one glory of the stars, another glory of the Moon, another glory of the Sun; yet all these together, help to make up but one Hea­ven: So, look down upon my Text: in it, ye see the tryal of afflictions, the exerctse of faith, and the expectation of glory; yet do all these make up but one comfort. The Tabernacles of God, the Son of God, the God and Father of Mercies, are all of them brought within this Text, pur­posely to ease the Disciples hearts.

Object. Object. Though it beIsa. 65.14 promised, My servants shall sing for joy of heart, even then when we expect thatIsa. 51.11 sorrow and mourning should flee away, we are forced to break forthJob 30.26 with Job, When I looked for good, then evil came; and when I waited for light, then came darkness.

Answ. As there is no denial,Answer. that Act. 14.12 through much tribulation, we must enter into the kingdom of heaven: so it must be confessed, thatIsa. 35.10 The ransomed of the Lord shall obtain joy and [Page 111]gladness. While Christ adviseth, Let not your heart be troubled, he presumeth,Dr. Sibs Serm. in locum. that troubles were nigh; and nigh they were; many already did, and moreErasmus, Tr [...]inus, Marlo­ratus, Maldona­tus, Rupertus, Gorraaus, Jan­senius, &c. in lo­cum. shortly would press, and press heavily upon their hearts: whence ariseth, ‘DOCTRINE I. viz. Even the hearts of Christs Chosen Disciples are not exempted from troubles inDr. S bs ubi supra. this world.’

But, while, against these sorrows of this world, he enjoyneth, Let not your heart be trou­bled; there ariseth another instruction which rolleth away the burden of the former: namely, this, ‘DOCTRINE II. Even great afflictions may not trouble a chosen Disciples heart.’

• 1. That, even, the hearts of Christs chosen Disciples are not exempted from troubles in this life, sad experience evinceth; one
  Mat. 6.34
  day telleth another of this truth: our whole
  Job 14.1
  life, the whole
  Joh. 16.33
  world, constantly afford witnesses of this complaint.
• 2. On the other side, since
  Heb. 12.11
  no chasten­ing, for the present, seemeth joyous, but grievous; seeing, as a
  Prov. 27.3
  stone, so,
  1 Pet. 1.6 1 Sam. 25.37
  affliction, is heavy; it shall be my care, to ease you of your griefs; and to remove, if not the stone it self, yet a great part of its heavinesse.

Wherefore, not questioning the former Doctrine, the Doctrine implied: I shall pro­secute the later, the Doctrine expressed: while I

There be many that say unto us, Psal. 4.6 who will shew us any good? but, Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Beloved, let not my weaknesse be your discouragement: although I of my self2 Cor. 4.7 cannot turn your sorrow into joy, or your mourning into gladnesse, the good Angelin my Text now speaking by meRom. 10.17 can; Where the word is, the Word of a God, although the voice be the voice of a man, yet if that voice speak, dry bones Ezek. 37.4, 7. may live. Upon occasion, other Disciples as well as you once asked among themselves,Mar. 16.3, 4 Who shall roll away the stone from the Sepulchre? And when they looked, they saw the stone rolled away: the like may ye, if our God shall now vouchsafe to sanctifie unto you this Truth, namely, That even great afflictions may not trouble a believers heart. I say; ‘DOCTRINE. 1 Even great afflictions may not trouble a believers heart.The Doctrine stated. viz.’

Though, during this life, sound believers are not exempted from great afflictions, yet those great [Page 113]afflictions may by no means trouble their heart.

Object. At this we already stumble: What?Object. if the righteous perish, may we notIsa. 57.1 lay it to heart? When great afflictions befall us, may not we well be troubled? If the Lord strike, should notJer. 5.3 man grieve? Must we be stu­pid, must we be Stoical when griefs are up­on us?

Answer. Questionless,Answer. weMic. 6.9 ought to hear as well the rod, as him who hath appointed it: this [...] forbiddeth no such laying to heart, it requireth no such heed­lesness. I say, this Text prohibiteth, not a reasonable sense, but aRev. 21.8 distrustful fearfulnesse; not a moderate care, but an2 Cor. 7.10 unprofitable astonishment: [...] Phil. 4.6 [...], Be careful for nothing: this [...] signifieth a carking care, a care not furthering, but hindering duties. I would have you 1 Cor. 7.32 [...] without pensivenesse. Let not your hearts be [...]. Luk. 21.34 overcharged, weighed down with cares. So here, [...], Let not your heart be disturbed; let not your fountain of right reason be mudded; make not a Tartarus, make not a hell of your heart: While our Saviour here saith, Let not your heart be troubled, he v. 27. explainethL. Brugen­sis ad variant. Lectiones Lat. notae. himself, [...], neither let it be dis­mayed.

Thus resolved; I trust, the longer while our troubles have stuck by us, the sooner we [Page 114]shall be established in our present truth, which is; ‘DOCTRINE: Even great Afflictions should not perplex a believers heart.’

Not to repeat what ye receive fromDr. Donne his LXXIII. Serm. and Dr. Sibs his two Sermons on this Text. others, That even great afflictions may not perplex a true Believers heart, I shall endeavour to prove unto you from within the confines of the Text in hand. I shall endeavour to clear it unto you,

• 1.2 Negatively,
  The Doctrine proved.
  from the last closing of my Text.
• 2. Affirmatively: from the first entrance of it.

1.1 Negatively from v. 2.Negatively. if it were not so, I would have told you.

Whether ye supplyDan. Heinsii Exer. i at. in lo­cum. [...].

Or whether, ye acceptThus Regia Biblia Hispan. Tho. Mo [...]tfor­tius. MSS. Alexand. Non­nus. MSS. Can­tabr. & Sixtus Quintus. [...], without a point before [...].

Or whetherThus Tre­mellius, and to him assenteth Lud. de Dieu in locum. with an interpunction, [...].

Or whether ye reject both the interpunction, and the [...] too,Thus the Version [...]s Arah, ut & Lat. Vul­gat. [...] —

Or whether, (as we in our best English [Page 115]Translations do) yeThus E­rasmus, Piscator, Ro. Stephanus, drias Monta­nus, Beza, Vers. Syr. Grotius. reject the [...], but make sure of the interpunction, [...] —

To omit severalSuch as the Aethiop. and Pe sick. Versions, I, in short, conclude,

Whether, with some, ye paraphrase the words thus, There is in heaven Hammond in locum. room enough for both you and me, so that I need not tell you of my going to prepare a place for you.

Or, whether ye lay aside Paraphrases, and follow the various readings in a nearer sense: as,

In vain Lud. de Dieu, ubi supro. should I go to prepare a place for you, could I not assure you there are in my Fathers house many Mansions. Or,

There are Heinsius, ubi supra. already prepared in my Fathers house many Mansions, else I had told you that I go, &c. Or,

Iu Arias Mon­taaus, Erasimus, Bez [...], Piscator, G otius, and (as Dr. Donne saith) the Church of England, &c. my Fathers house are many Mansions: if it were otherwise, I would not conceal it, I would have told you: for I who will not leave you ignorant, go, &c.

If it were not so, I would have told you.

Whether ye examine the variantes Vide sis, Waltoni Biblia Polyglotta. lectiones: whether ye follow the most obvious opinions of most Interpreters: or whether ye keep strictly to the last and best copy and sense too. This one phrase from the mouth of Jesus Christ our Lord, (this) I would have told you, Is Law from Zion, Statute-Law, standeth a good, and a most undeniable proof.

From these few words, If it were not so, I would have told you, that English Act. 14.12 S. Paul ofDr. Donn. [Page 116]ours, deducethUbi sapra. a Standard whereby to measure1 John. 4.1 all Doctrines.

Judge, therefore,

By the mouth of no one of all his servants in the Old Testament: in the New Testament, nei­ther by his servants, nor by himself, did the Lord Jesus, at any time, either expresly, or implicitly say, He would have great afflictions perplex believers hearts: Wherefore the con­stant silence of the Lord Christ, calleth out aloud; and giving unto this truth his free assent, most undoubltedly assureth every one among us, that, in as much as Jesus Christ our Lord, requireth no suchIsa. 1.12 matter from our hands, No afflictions how great soever, may at all perplex a believers heart. Thats my first proof.

My second Proof is from verse the first,2 Affirmatively. Let not; 1 From verse first &c.

Throughout this whole Context these Di­sciples of the Lord Jesus were, and were to be under great and sore tryals: All this while how doth this captain of their salvation lead them? How doth their Lord and Master tutor them? Answ. He telleth them what they must ac­compt upon: he forewarneth them how that, In the world they must Joh. 16.33 expect trouble; in the world they must2 Tim. 1.8 partake of the afflicti­ons of the Gospel; they must2 Tim. 2.3 endure hard­ness; must2 Tim. 2.12 suffer persecution; mustMat. 16.24 in quem locum vide sis Caspa­rum Sibelium. deny themselves: mustLuk. 9.23 take up their daily [Page 117]cross: But, may they at all disquiet? may they at all perplex their minds? No, (saith our blessed Saviour) Fear Rev. 2.10 none of all these evils: Take Ph [...]l. 4.11, 12 1 Pet. 5.7 Mat. 6.31 Luk. 12.11 nothought; Possess your Ph [...]l. 21.19 souls in patience: and, however ye speed, Let not Joh. 14.27 your heart be troubled.

My Brethren, of the clearness of any truths whatsoever, greater evidence hath no man then this, the [...], the precept, the command, the testimony, the authority of (Him who is the wisdom and the truth; even of) Jesus Christ our Lord. Wherefore, I beseech you, be your tryals never so great, be the removal of a near friend never so afflicting, yet, remember the words which the Lord hath spoken unto you, Let not your heart be troubled. While ye draw near Mat. 28.1 toward the Sepulchre, (I beseech you) take notice, that the John 20.1 stone is taken away: take notice that it isMat. 28.2 rolled back by the good Angel in my Text: nay, cast an eye again, and havingLuk. 24.2 found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre, behold how this Angel sitteth upon that Mat. 28.2 stone. That is the next, viz. uponwhat ground, for what reason it is, that our most compassionate Redeemer will not here allow no not any afflictions, how great soever, to perplex his Disciples hearts.

But, ere ever I can bring forth my Reasons, I must remove one more stone at which some few are (peradventure) willing to stumble.

Quest.Dub. If I would have told you, standeth a most undeniable prohibition; then, what Sta­tute-Law have you for Bowing at the name of Je­sus; for Bowing towards the East, and (to in­stance in no more) for placing Tapers upon the Altar?

Answ. 1.Solut. Law from Zion: which, there­fore, because it nowhere declareth these pra­ctises contrary to Gods revealed will, 1 Cor. 6.12 See also, Cases of conscience about things in­different. 1662. by an indifferent hand. allow­eth them to be lawful.

Answ. 2. Thou canst not say that they op­pose Decency and Order: for, the most learned Fathers of our Church, to whom it appertainethTit. 1.5 1 Cor. 14.40 11.34 to determine what doth, and what doth not make for Dececcy and Order, do, if not enjoyn, yet allow them, especially in Cathe­drals.

Answ. 3 Thou canst not say, We have Tit. 1.16 no such custom neither the Churches of God; for, our learned Fathers receive these practices from Primitive Antiquity.

Answ. 4. Suppose Genu-flection first arose from a mis-interpreting of Phil. 2.10. Sup­pose bowing toward the East, proceeded from as gross a mistake of Zech. 6.12. Suppose wax [Page 119]candles were originally placed upon the Lords Table in imitation of Jewish, yea of heathenish Rites. This notwithstanding, these customes being now received, may each of them have, at least, a blameless continuance: for,

• First, what evil is it, if a Christian (if a sincere Christian) bow
  Eph. 3.14
  his knees to the Lord Jesus so often as he pleaseth?
  A Simili­tude used by way of illustra­tion.
  solemnly in words at length, to petition God for a blessing every time throughout the day wherein thou occasionally drinkest, would probably not well consist with the duties of thy Calling: thou art therefore the more to be pardoned, nay, the more to be commended, if, (as a pledge of thy Thankfulness throughout the whole follow­ing day) thou address thy self to the God of thy blessings, at the first time every day where­in thou drinkest. Just so, sincere Christians which bow at the name of Jesus, have an equal reverence for
  See learned Mede upon Mat. 6.9. viz. his Sanctification of Gods name.
  ever Attribute of God; but seeing they cannot so conveniently express this reverence every time any divine Attribute of God is mentioned. Look what reverence they would shew unto every name of their gracious God, that they signifie so of­ten as the holy Jesus is named.
• For the second: Where lieth the evil, if he, who
  Psal 95.6
  worshippeth before the Lord his Maker, bow in the most
  See Gr go­ry his Notes upon Zech. 6.12.3.8
  convenient and usual manner which Antiquity hath pre­scribed? [Page 120]If, while he boweth, thou wouldest stoop, we should have no occasion of com­plaints: that stone would be rolled away.
• For the third: Why
  Tit. 1.15 1 Cor. 9.19, 21 Rom. 12.18.14.22 Litigandi pruri­tus pessima Ec­clesiae scabies: And by how much the more one affecteth to wrangle, by so much the lels he is a Christian. Bp. Nicholsons Apology. p.. 4.
  art thou more set on fire then are those Tapers? They wax not en­flamed, why dost thou? So long as these con­tinue unlighted, do not thou burn thy fingers ends: rather busie them about this young fan­cy ^[2] upon^[3]

Answ. 5. First, What our Church speak­ethConstituti­ons, and Ca­nons Ecclesia­stical. 1603. Canon XXX. of the use of the Cross, that may be applied to bowing at the name of Jesus.

Secondly, Daniel Dan. 6.10 from Babylon, and Jonah Jonah 2.7 from the belly of the Whale worship­ped as near as they could, toward the Temple wherein1 Kin. 8.42, 10 God appeared: Take therefore no scandal, if some Christians worship, as near as they can, toward that part of the heavens, wherein theyAct. 1.11 1 Thes. 4.17 expect, that Christ at his next coming, shall appear. Custome, from henceSee Gregory ubi supra, viz. cap. XVIII. obtaineth, that thy Church, thy grave, (digged within that Church) and thy body (when placed within that grave) do all face the East; and why nor aGen. 2.7 living soul, as well as a dead body? The same Jesus, whom Malachi compareth to a Sun, andMal. 4.2 others to a rising Sun, isThe Chinois Ja [...]i Schiller. praefat, in Ura­nograph. Christi­an, p 6. col. 2. the bright morn­ing Star: Worship him all ye Saints. Rev. 22.16

Thirdly, The Tapers prepared upon the Lords Table, tell us, that, we Gentiles who sat in darkness, Luk. 1.79 see great light, saith S. Jerom.

Answ. 6. To the pure these are not only blameless, but profitable. Doth some one bow toward the Altar? Look thou Eccles. 5.1 to thy feet when thou enterest the house of God. Do others bow at the name of Jesus? At the name of Jesus depart 2 Tim. 2 19 thou from iniquity. Are there Ta­pers on the Altar? thou Psal. 18.28 shalt light my candle, for me, O Lord my God; yea, except Cathedral Clergy men be, as well burning as shining lights, Take they heed, lest God remove their Rev. 2.5 Candlestick out of his place, once more.

Answ. 7. These are rather practised, then enjoyned: Wherefore if yet thou deem these or the like Ceremonies neither expedient nor comely; beJade 16. silent, beRom. 12.18 Phil. 3.16 peaceable: Let not thy heart be troubled; these are no afflicti­ons; if they were,1. Reason from the trou­bles themselves. even great afflictions may not trouble thy heart, for these Reasons.

Reason 1. From the nature of the troubles: Let not you heart be troubled; for your grievances are but1 Pet. 1.7.4.12 tryals. Afflictions arise Job 5.6 not out of the dust; they are1 Chron. 29 14 Psal. 39.9. Amos 3.6 ordered from a­bove, and their use is1 Cor. 3.21 Rom. 8.28 heavenly. A heaviness, I1 Pet. 1.6 grant, they have: and may, in that regard, be truly compared1 Sam. 25.37 unto [Page 123] stones, so apt they are toIbid. astonish: but (loe) these stones, how great soever, are notRev. 6.16 mountains to fall upon us, andRev. 9.6 hide us from God: rather, they are marble stairs toMolleri praelect. in Psal. 120. lift us up by steps, and by degrees, while we approach the Heb. 13.10 Altar. So is it with our tryals, as it is with our grave-stones: in the grave there isPsal. 6.5 no remembrance, upon the grave thereMemoriae sacrum. is: Double is the use of a tomb-stone; the corruption of the body, that itMat. 23.27 burieth, but the memory of the person, that itPro. 10.7 keepeth alive. Much af­ter the same manner, these (great stones, these) heavy afflictione, are cast upon us for two distinct purposes: they shouldPsal. 119.67.71, 75 compared with 1 Cor. 9.27 keep under our corruptions, but they shouldPsal. 119.107 Heb. 12.11 James 1.12 advance our duties too; they are brought not to flatten, but to1 Pet. 5.10 quicken us: to our sins they areRom. 6.11 compared with Col. 3.5. Exod. 20.20 sepulchres; but unto our graces, theyRom. 1634 Deut. 8.16 Gen. 22.18 are Monuments: if once they be sepulchres unto our duties, then this good Angel in my Text 1 Cor. 10.13 rolleth them away; but, where they are Monuments of his2 Cor. 12.9. power in our graces, there he resteth, there he [23] sitteth down upon them.

Reason 2.2. Reason from the heart. From the Jer. 4.19 seat of these trou­bles, the heart: Let not your heart be troubled, because a heart. Chirurgeons in their Ana­tomies phrase such, and such a part a vessel: a vessel for the brains, a vessel for the urine, for the blood, &c. Now he that fashioned [Page 124]for himself all our limbs, while as yet there were none of them, he useth this language too. Mans soul. body, and1 Thes. 5.23 spirit, they are1 Pet. 3.7 2 Cor 4.7 vessels in the hand of the Potter; this vessel he formed for such and such uses, and forRom. 9.22 Prov. 23.26 none other intents or purposes what­soever. I say, thePsal. 2.9 1 Thes. 4.4 whole man, much more theMat. 25.4 heart, is a vessel, a vessel appointed, like those of the Temple, forPro 23.26 Gods ser­vice; wherefore the heart may not at all be taken upLuk. 21.34 with cares: fill a heart with theHos. 7.7 scalding waters of lust, or with thePhil. 3.19 muddy waters of an earthly mind, and whatHos. 4.11 room can there be in that heart, for either1 Joh. 3.3 purity, orMat. 6.21 heavenliness? So, fill a heart with bitter waters of2 Cor. 7.10 unreaso­nable grief, or with the unwholesome waters ofIsa. 7.9 distrustful fears, and what room is there in that heart for the exercise of faith? waters of affliction are of aJob 33.16 Isa. 44.33 Hos. 5.15 cooling, [...] 1.16 clen­sing, Psal. 119.67 healing nature, and the heart should be a vessel prepared to receive them, asEccles. 7.3 such. Blessed are ye that Isa. 32.20 sow unto the spirit besides all waters; for the Spirit of God de­lighteth toPro 1.23 move upon these; and it con­cerneth us that he findeth aEph. 4.30 quiet ha­bitation. Let neitherJam. 1.4 impatiency, norMat. 8.26 distrust, norJob 33.16 compared with Pro. 15.32 21.11 insensibleness, neither quench, nor grieve in the least any motions of so holy a Spirit. If we would find our chastise­ments, chastisements of peaee, let not the heart be troubled. That a second Reason; as the heart [Page 125]is the seat of the vital spirits, so it should be the seat of spiritual graces too: It is (at lest it should be) a vessel2 Tim. 2.21 compared with Heb. 10.5 prepared for theCol. 2.12 operations of God: It should be filled not with carefulness, but with theEph 5 18 Spirit.

Reason 3.3 Reason from You. From you (your heart) Let not the heart be troubled, because yours; because it is as a vessel, so aIsa. 66.20 consecra [...]ed vessel. As for the wicked, the heart of the wicked Pro 10.20 is lit­tle worth, but the heart of a believer is aJer. 31.20 dear heart unto her Bridegroom: The heart of a believer is a rich Mat. 25.4 Ephet. 3.19 cabinet, which hold­eth vertu [...]s more graceful then gems, graces more precious then jewels. The heart of a believer is a heart not taken up with the blood of the fabulous Duck at Hales, no nor yet with the blood of bulls, or of goats, butHeb. 10.22 1 Cor. 2.2 Gal. 2 20 Acts 20.28 with the blood of the sacrificed lamb; it carrieth within it self the blood of the Lord Jesus. It is (I say) the mansion Vita est mansio animae in corpore, rectiùs spiritus in ani­mâ, say I. where the spirit of God dwel­leth, and is it fit (think you?) that such a Temple as this? such a Mercy-seat, as this, should be prophaned with fears and jealousies? 4. Reason from God. with cares, and with destructive sorrows?

Reason 4. From God Almighty; Let not your heart be troubled, for ye believe in God. The true Christian hath aExod. 34.6 2 Chro. 30.9 Neh 9.17 Isa. 30.18, Psal. 84.11 86.15 116.5.145.8 gracious God to be­lieve in; an all-knowing, a merciful, anGen. 17.1 all sufficient God to believe in, and shall he not endure affliction according to the Rom. 16.25 Eph. 1.19.3.28 power of [Page 126]God working mightily Col. 1.29. in him? shall a believers heart stoop? should such a man as Nehemiah Nehe 6.11 flee? The Disciples were at theMark 16 5 first af­frighted with the sight of their good Angel; but whatMark 16 6 followed? There is (if ye mark it) there is a good Angel in this burning Exod. 3.4. Dent. 33.16 bush; Be not far off, O Lord, for trouble is Psal. 22.11 hard at hand: Do thine afflictions make thee cry out? Be Psal. 34.18.85.9 145.8 of good chear: If once the child cryeth, the Nursing-mother runneth. If troubles be upon us, be ye sure, God Psal. 46.1. is a present help in those troubles. That a fourth.

Reason V. from me also: Reason 5. From Christ. beleive also in me: Let not your heart be troubled; for ye have theAct. 26.18. Lord Jesus to beleive in. True, no man can upon a well-grounded, and a well-experi­enced2 Tim. 1.12 Knowledge say that Jesus is 1 Cor. 12.3 the Lord, but Mat. 3.17. 1 Tim. 3.16. John 6.44. by the Holy Ghost: never­thelesse, where once the Holy Ghost enableth to say of Christ, My Lord, and my God, there the soulPhil. 4.4. rejoyceth in this Lord, as in the horn of her salvation. God revealeth much of his goodness in the1 Chro. 29 14. Psal. 57.2 workes of his Common providence; thus the Roman Seneca, the Greek Aratus, and other Gentiles saw that the Lord was good, and that his mercy en­dureth for ever; More of his goodnesse he re­vealeth inas in Esa. 41.10.13, 14 his word of promise: five seve­ral times is that one promise repeated, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. But the good­nesse of God is,Hos. 3.5 most of all, revealed [Page 127]in his own Joh. 1.18.14.9, 10, 11 Son; in him are 2 Cor. 1.20 all the promises Yea, and Amen; for, a Son (ye know) resembleth his Father: Hence it is, thatCited by Dr. Don. Serm. on Joh. 10.10 Justin Martyr denieth that ever any understood the true God, untill firstHeb. 1.3 Christ came: The truth is, In him are hid all St quis ba­beret librum ubi esset tota sc ea­tia, non quaere­ret, nisi ut sci­ret llum librit; sic & nos non oportet amplius quaerere n si Christum. A­quin. in Col. 2.3 the treasures of wisdom, and knowledge; In him is the love of God 1 Joh. 4.9 manifested toward us: God is manifested 1 Tim. 3.16 in the flesh, as mani­festly good: Wherefore, if God as a spirit, com­forteth us in 2 Cor. 1.324. all our tribulation, our con­solation from Him, doth2 Cor. 1.5 much more abound by Christ. Christ Jesus is oneHeb. 4.15 touched, indeed, with a sense of our infirmi­ties! In all our afflictions, he is Esa. 63.9 afflict­ed! Wherefore If the Joh. 8.36. Son make us free from cares, then are we free indeed! for in him dwelleth both theJoh. 17.21, 22 23 fellowship of our humane nature, and theCol. 2.9. fullnesse of the Godhead too: (He) as he isJoh. 13.3 Lord of all things, so he isMar. 1.23 one with us; he isEsa. 9.6 Rom. 8.32. ours; and if God be for us in our own nature, who Esa. 9.31 can be against us? We will Psa. 23 4 fear none evill; nay, we will take 2 Cor. 12.10 pleasure in infirmities, viz. God is found in the likenesse of Phil. 2.7 Rom. 8 3. men; Christ doth not trust us alone under the weight of our trou­bles, he beares them for us, and with us.

Reason VI. from these Mansions: Reason 6. From these Mansions. There­fore let not your heart be troubled, because in [Page 128]my Fathers house are many Mansions: Should this Gal. 1.4 John 16.33 world last alwayes, a1 Cer. 15.19 sad world it were with us, but we shall be eased of our troublesJob 3.17 one day: alas, had not God made the night for man to rest in, as well as he made the day for man to sweate in, the spirit before him mightIsa 57.16 faile; but soIsa 54.7 God would have it; we shall soonRev. 14.13 rest from our labours; Verily there Heb. 4.9 remaineth a Rest for the people of God: a rest? nay a reward, though not for, yet according Mat. 16.27 to our works of patience: Have a Heb. 11.26 respect unto the recompence of the reward; the more your (sanctified) troubles are here, the bet­terTirinus, Erasmus, cum multtis a'iis in Joan. 14.2 your Mansions in my Fathers house. Ye have Heb. 10.36 need of patience, that after ye have done the Will of God, ye may receive the promise: Cast not away therefore your confidence which Heb. 10.35 hath so great a recompence of reward; Have an eye (I say) to the Mansions in my Fa­thers house.

Reason 7. The last Reason, why even great afflictions cannot greatly trouble a believers heart, 7. Reason from the End why these Man­sions are here urged. we spell from the ultimate end and cause for which these Mansions are here thus brought to remembrance. As I, pag. 6. told you, that various troubles were the oc­casions of these words; so pag. 4, 5, 6. I cleared unto you, that the chief of all those troubles (if not fore-stalled) would be Christs approach­ing Ascension. I may say of this Text, as one [Page 129] A personis ad res ipsas transit, ut ma­jus sit pomdus argumenti. Imo etiam à Christo ad Patrem ascendit, ut doceat in ipso etiam Christo, quatenus bomo est, non idclrco acquiescere, quia nos ad Patrem usque subvehit; sicut ipse Christus ubique testatur se missum à Patre, utsvinculo, cum ipso Deo unà omnes devinci­amur. Beza in 1 Cor. 3.22. speaketh upon a like Scripture: for, (mark it) to comfort his Disciples, Christ doth not urge, After Hos. 6.2 three days I will re­vive you; but, In my Fathers house are many Mansions. These Disciples, soLuke 24.17, 21 deject­ed at his death, soLuke 24.41 over-joyed at his Re­surrection, how over-grieved had they been at his Ascension, had they been ignorant of the Mansions in my Fathers house? Jesus he fore-knew, that as with his crucified body all their joys would beMat. 26.56 buried, so with his raised body, all their former hopes wouldMat. 28.8 revive: Did I 2 Kin. 4.28 desire a son of Isa. 9.6 my Lord? Did I not Luk. 24.41 say, Do not deceive me? Less would be the trouble to their carnal, andMat. 20. worldly minds, would Christ crucified not rise again; then, if being risen; he frustrate their secure, their over-joyed hopes, by a mostActs 1.9 unexpected Ascension! What is, if this be not, an astonishing diseomfort? But, see (now) how the compassionate Jesus preventeth all this! Ere ever he thus unexpectedly ascendeth; nay, before his resurrection, nay, before his suffer­ings, (he keepeth all well!) he here, before hand, timely informeth, Were there no Mansi­ons in my Fathers house, ye would then sorrow most of all, when ye should, here on earth, [Page 130] Act. 20.38 See my faoe no more; but, let not your heart Joh. 14.1 be troubled; though, whither I Joh. 13.33 a­scend, ye cannot now come; I nowJoh. 14.2, 3 go to prepare a place for you; to wit, that, whither I go, there ye 1 Thes. 4.17 may also be; and that, not for the space of your short, natural lives, butIsa. 54.7, 8 for ever, and ever.

So, then, Against all our Miseries, a com­fort it is, that, they are but Afflictions; that, there is a God that over-mastereth, a Christ that sweetneth, and Mansions which recom­pence even these afflictions: but,Christus ipse est Joan. 4.10 do rum Dei pri­marium & max­ime principale: caetera omnia sunt taatum mo­do accessoria: Ac­cessorium autem sequ tur priaci­pale. S. S. the prin­cipal (and worthily the seventh) Reason why our hearts should not be troubled here, is, that when (a little while hence) we shall exchange a world of troubles for heavenly Man­sions, we shall then ever, for ever, see this God who now moderateth our troubles; we shall then ever, for ever, enjoy that Jesus from whom we are now so loth to part; that Je­sus who maketh our afflictions his Love-tokens! Oh my brethren! In my Fathers house are many Mansions! (The soul of thisMrs. Rutter. Saint know­eth it): I say, In my Fathers house are many Man­sions; therefore, let not, let not your heart be troubled; this God who2 Cor. 1.4 comforteth us in all our tribulations, this Redeemer who hath done Rev. 5.9 and suffered so great things for us, will, in due time, welcome us to his Fathers house; 1 Thes. 4.17 and so shall we ever! ever! ever! be with the Lord! When Psal. 101.2 shall I come unto thee? I will walk in thy house with a perfect heart. O [Page 131]my SoulPsal. 37.34. Isa. 49 23 40.31 wait for the Lord: wait, I say, for the Lord: O ye Saints of his rejoyce in the Lord, Phil. 4.4 3. The Doctrine applied. again, I say, rejoyce: Hallelujah!

Ye have, I trust, (such is your patience)Mat. 13.51 understood all these things: ye have seen every afflicting stone Mar. 16.4 rolled away: ye have seen a world of TroublesJoh. 14.1, 2 swallowed up in Mansions of glory: ye have seen life in death, yea and life Joh. 10.10 more abundant too: ye have seen the goodDeut. 33.16 Angel in my Text, as it were, face to face: ye have seen his strong Isa. 41.21 reasons, his seven reasons, his seven spi­ritual Reasons; I had almost said his sevenRev. 3.1 Spirits! Our hearts should be troubled, should we neglectLuk. 9.44 Application.

O blessed Spirit, Application is thyJer. 30.21 work:] Thy work, O blessed Spirit: Thou hast opened Luk. 24.45 our understandings, open ourAct. 16.14 hearts too: Lord, the stone is rolled Joh. 11.39, 41, 43 away, raise up thy Lazarus; Give us life, give us life Joh. 10.10 more abundant.

AND, now, whether I look back upon the troubles past and gone; or whether I look up unto the Mansions already prepared, let my tongue cleave unto the roof of my mouth, and let my right Psal. 137.6 hand forget her pen, if I prefer not my Soveraign above the head of my com­forts.

Therefore, though I forget not myProv. 25.6 distance, my first Application shall be